Peter Young
by
Stefan Bielinski

Peter Young was born about 1749. He probably was of German origin. However, we seek more definitive information regarding his precise origins and path to Albany. Arriving in New York, he was naturalized in January 1770. After reputedly following the pewterer's craft in New York City and living at the Chatham Street home of a barber, he relocated to Albany when Manhattan was occupied by the British.

Within a few years, he had married one Eva Moore and settled in Albany. By 1792, a number of their children had been christened in the Albany Dutch church where both parents received some services. Following the war, Peter Young also was a pewholder in the Albany Lutheran church.

Although at least one "Peter Young" would serve in the militia and in the New York Line, this newcomer was suspected by the Albany revolutionaries. In June 1777, he was confined until he voluntarily took the oath of allegiance.

By 1779, he had taken up residence in Albany probably with fellow pewterer Henry Will. Over the next three decades, his house on Market Street near Columbia appeared on city assessment rolls and in the city directory. In 1790, he was identified as the head of a third ward household. In 1800, his house was listed in the second ward and included his wife and three young girls.

A possible reason for his relocation came in August 1797, when a great fire destroyed the "dwellinghouse stable" on Market Street owned by one "Eldert Tymete" and occupied by "Mr. Peter Young."

Perhaps Young continued to work in both New York and Albany. A substantial number and variety of his pewter pieces have survived. A younger Timothy Brigden is said to have been his follower.

The first city directory appeared in 1813 and identified Young as the lone pewterer and living at 36 Columbia Street. At that time, six individuals including Brigden were listed as silversmiths.

Peter Young died in September 1813 - a month shy of his sixty-fourth birthday. He was buried in the Dutch church plot. His widow lived on in Albany until her passing in 1826.

biography in-progress


notes

the people of colonial Albany Sources: The life of Peter Young is CAP biography number 6968. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources. This note appears authoritative yet is uncorroborated. A number of contemporary Peter Youngs (and Jungs as well) caution us in filling out this pewterer's profile.

      But; "On December 13, 1775, Young advertised in The Constitutional Gazette: "For the Benefit of the Public in General, I Peter Young, of the City of New York, Pewterer, living at Mr. Fisher's, Barber, in Spring Garden, commonly called Chatham-Street, was afflicted with an imposthume or sore in my breast with such a violent cough, that I could not rest day or night, spitting and vomitting matter constantly for three months, that I thought I was in a consumption. I applied to several, and tried various kind of Physick until I applied to the French Doctor Blouin who advised me to make use of his Anti-Venereal Pills, so well known by the name of Keyser's Pills. I followed his advice, and by the use of those pills alone, in a short time I recovered my former health. Witness my hand, Peter Young." Quoted verbatim!



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first posted 12/30/04; updated 8/29/14