Levinus Dunbar

Levinus Dunbar was born in March 1742. He was the son of Robert and Cornelia Spoor Dunbar.

In October 1767, he married Margarita Hansen at the Albany Dutch church. By 1776, four children had been christened at the church where he was an occasional baptism sponsor.

In 1764, he was named constable for the third ward. In 1770, his account was paid from the city treasury. Beginning in 1766, his name appeared on Albany assessment rolls - first with his widowed mother.

In 1775, he contributed a small sum for the relief of Ticonderoga. In 1779, his modest property in the third ward was valued on the city assessment rolls. We seek more complete information on his wartime activities. Afterwards, he was accorded a bounty right in conjunction with the Albany militia regiment.

In August 1783, he witnessed the will of a Rensselaerswyck neighbor. By that time, he seems to have re-located to a home just beyond the city limits. In 1788, his holdings were not shown on the Albany tax list. The census in 1790, described his six-member household in adjacent Watervliet.

By 1799, however, his property was again under the jurisdiction of Albany. In 1800, his household was configured on the third ward city census and consisted of and older couple and two younger women. Perhaps, these Dunbars remained in the same location the entire time in an impricisely defined part of Albany we call the North End.

Beginning in 1813 and thru 1819, his home at 13 Van Tromp Street as featured in the city directory. His brother William lived at 4 Van Tromp while son Robert Dunbar's home was at 22 North Pearl Street during those years.

By 1820, the name of Levinus Dunbar had dropped from Albany rolls.

Sources: The life of Levinus Dunbar is CAP biography number 2262. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.