John Tillman, Jr.

John Tillman, Jr. was born during the 1740s. He was the eldest son of German emigres John and Margaret Tillman. He came to New York with his parents. He was called "John Tillman, Jr."

By the 1760s, his family had settled in the area north of Albany that would be called Watervliet.

Early in 1766, John Tillman, Jr. checked in to the community when he joined in signing the constitution of the Albany Sons of Liberty.

In August 1767, he married Mary Barbara Bauer (Powers). The marriage produced at least one son and also daughters who would marry prominent Albany residents. These Tillmans were said to have been connected with the German Reformed Church.

He was known as a sailor/captain - perhaps in association with his uncles. He worked for his father in procuring tanned animal hides. Like his father, he also performed tasks for the Albany Committee of Correspondence. In November 1778, he was exempted from military service along with older community members and those younger men who were available but actively employed in the war effort on the homefront. In 1782, the Albany municipal government paid him to carry messages to Governor Clinton and General William Heath.

Beginning in 1790 and 1800, his name appeared on the Watervliet census. In 1797, he was identified as a hatter and as an Albany freeholder. In 1820, the household of "John Tillman" was configured on the Albany census. However, his name did not appear in Albany city directories.

The Albany newspapers noted that former resident John Tillman. Jr. died in Geneva, New York in June 1822 and that he had lived seventy-six years.

Sources: The life of John Tillman, Jr. has not been assigned a is CAP biography number. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.