William Dunbar

by


William Dunbar was born in July 1744. He was the son of Robert and Cornelia Spoor Dunbar.

In June 1770, he married fellow Albany resident Elizabeth Van Deusen at the Albany Dutch church. By 1785, five children had been christened in the church where he was an occasional baptism sponsor.

By 1766, his name was found on city assessment rolls - along with his mother and brother. William Dunbar was an Albany mainstay and a resident of Van Tromp Street in Albany's North End for many decades. In 1800, his third ward household was configured on the Albany census.

In 1768, he was appointed constable for the third ward.

During the war years, he was a soldier in the New York Line and was a member of Albany militia companies as well. Afterwards, he was accorded a land bounty right for service with the city militia regiment.

In 1787, his account was paid from the city treasury. In 1791, he was chosen fireman. In 1795 and 1795, he was identified as the superintendant or city watchmen.

In August 1797, William Dunbar was identified as a shoemaker and freeholder in the third ward.

From 1813 until his death, his home at 6 Van Tromp Street was listed in the city directory and he was identified as a paver.

William Dunbar lost his wife when Elizabeth died in June 1822. He died in July 1825 and was buried with her in the Dutch church plot. He had lived eighty-one years. His will passed probate in August.


biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of William Dunbar is CAP biography number 2275. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources. A number of individuals of this name were alive in the colonies and early United States. Hopefully, we have carefully avoided introducing erroneous external information to this essentially local story.





first posted: 9/30/08