Izrahiah Wetmore

Albany tavernkeeper Izrahiah Wetmore was born in October 1766 in Norwich, Connecticut. His parents were identified as Peleg or Prosper Wetmore and Keturah Chesebrough. Variable spellings of his names and the existence of a number of prominent, similarly named, contemporary individuals impedes development of his profile at this time.

We have deduced that he married Rebecca Cheeseborough in Fishkill, New York in February 1797. Their fifth child, Schuyler Wetmore, was born in 1802. Perhaps his mother-in-law was his Albany neighbor in 1800.

By the late 1790s, he was an Albany innkeeper. In 1799, his house and lot were accorded substantial assessments. At the same time, his personal property was assessed under the first ward home of Asa Foote. In 1800, "Izrahiah Whitmore's" first ward establishment included eight males under 45, three females, and three slaves.

In April 1801, he paid $18 for a license to operate a tavern. In 1813 and afterwards, he was identified in the city directory as an innkeeper at 7 Green Street. Later, his inn was located up the hill at 106 State Street. In June 1823, the Albany newspaper reported that he was succeeded by his son, Schuyler Wetmore, in the "large and commodious tavern at 106 State Street".

In August 1827, the Albany Gazette published a notice that Izrahiah Wetmore had died in Hamilton, upper Canada in July and that formerly he was a tavern keeper in Albany.

Sources: The life of Izrahiah Wetmore is CAP biography number 6869. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources.