List of people associated with Albany County, New York

This is a list of notable people whose lives were significantly associated with Albany County, New York.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Chronological list

18th century

• Peter Van Brugh Livingston (1710–1792), born in Albany; politician who supported the American Revolution; presiding officer of the first New York provincial congress in 1775 ^[1]
• Philip Livingston (1716–1778), born in Albany; local merchant; delegate to the Continental Congress; signer of the Declaration of Independence ^[1]
• William Livingston (1723–1790), born in Albany; newspaper publisher; member of the Continental Congress; first Governor of New Jersey ^[1]
• Henry Bogart (1729–1821), signer of the Sons of Liberty Constitution in 1766; elected representative of the first ward on the Albany Committee of Correspondence
• Abraham Cuyler (1742–1810), born in Albany; former mayor of Albany, merchant, land owner and British loyalist
• John Tayler (1742–1829), businessman and politician; represented Albany County in the New York State Assembly (1777–1779, 1780–1781, and 1785–1787); appointed City Recorder (Deputy Mayor) of Albany in 1793; justice of the Court of Common Pleas in 1797; represented Albany in the New York Senate 1802–1813; Lieutenant Governor (1811-1822); Acting Governor in 1817; died in Albany and is buried in Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands
• Peter W. Yates (1747–1826), lawyer and Continental Congressman; grew up in Albany and developed a prosperous legal practice there; served on the Albany City Council and in the county militia at the start of the American Revolution; represented Albany in the New York State Assembly and the Continental Congress
• Peter Gansevoort (1749–1812); colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War; born and died in Albany ^[1]
• Isaac Mitchell (1759–1812), born in Albany; journalist, author, and editor of the Poughkeepsie Guardian, Albany Republican Crisis, and Poughkeepsie Republican Herald ^[1]
• Alexander Boyd (1764–1857), U.S. Congressman; born in Albany ^[1]
• James Cochran (1769–1848), U.S. Congressman from New York; journalist; born in Albany ^[1]
• Jacob Cuyler (1773–1854), born in Albany; British officer involved in the settlement of the 1820 Settlers to the Eastern Cape, South Africa
• Harmanus Bleecker (1779–1849), U.S. Congressman; born in Albany ^[1]
• Herman Knickerbocker (1779–1855), U.S. Congressman; born in Albany ^[1]
• John Duer (1782–1858), born in Albany; jurist; author; chief judge of New York Superior Court ^[1]
• Harmanus Peek (1782–1838), born in Albany; U.S. Congressman from New York ^[1]
• Gerrit Y. Lansing (1783–1862), born in Albany; U.S. Congressman; bank and insurance company president ^[1]
• John K. Kane (1795–1858), born in Albany; politician, attorney, and jurist ^[1]
• Joseph Henry (1797–1878), born in Albany; inventor of low- and high-resistance galvanometers; first secretary of the Smithsonian Institution ^[1]
• Robert Sanders (1705–1765), mayor of Albany from 1750 to 1754 ^[2]

19th century

• James Montgomery Bailey (1841–1894), journalist and author; founder of newspapers Danbury News and Danbury Evening News; native of Albany ^[1]
• William Bliss Baker (1856–1886), landscape artist in the Realism movement
• William Barnes Sr., attorney and Republican Party organizer ^[3]
• Herman Bendell (1843–1932), physician; Civil War surgeon; Superintendent of Indian Affairs Arizona Territory; American Consul Elsinore, Denmark; native of Albany
• James H. Blessing (1837–1910), mayor of Albany from 1900 to 1901 ^[4]
• William Henry Bogart (1810–1888), member of the New York Legislature; author ^[1]
• Francis Putnam Burns (1811–?), piano maker in Albany ^[5]
• Joseph Bradford Carr (1828–1895), born in Albany; Union Army general; Secretary of State of New York ^[1]
• Robert Carter (1819–1879), born in Albany; author and editor; involved in the foundation of the Republican Party ^[1]
• Nanette Comstock (1866–1942), born in Albany, stage actress ^[6]
• Roscoe Conkling (1829–1888), United States Congressman and United States Senator from New York; born in Albany ^[1]
• William Jermyn Florence (1831–1891), born in Albany; actor; comedian; improvisationalist ^[1]
• Joseph R. Grismer (1849–1922), actor, playwright and theatrical producer; born in Albany ^[7]
• Abraham Oakey Hall (1826–1898), born in Albany; mayor of New York City; author ^[1]
• Learned Hand (1872–1961), United States judge and judicial philosopher
• Henry James Sr. (1811–1882), born in Albany; Swedenborgian theologian; father of William James, Henry James, and Alice James ^[1]
• Lucy Stedman Lamson (1857–1926), businesswoman, educator
• Daniel Manning (1831–1887), born in Albany; journalist and later United States Secretary of the Treasury ^[1]
• Homer Dodge Martin (1836–1897), born in Albany; painter whose talent was not recognized until his death ^[1]
• James Campbell Matthews (1844–1930), New York's first African-American law school graduate and judge of Albany's Recorder's Court ^[8]
• John McKeon (1808–1883), born in Albany; district attorney for New York County and Southern New York; US Congressman from New York ^[1]
• Henry B. Metcalfe (1805–1881), born in Albany; prosecuting attorney, judge, and US Congressman from New York ^[1]
• John Pitkin Norton (1822–1852), born in Albany; chemist and educator; helped found the Sheffield Scientific School ^[1]
• Emily Sullivan Oakey (1829–1883), born in Albany; educator, author, poet, hymnist ^[9]
• John Rathbone Oliver (1872–1943), born in Albany; psychiatrist, medical historian, author, and priest
• Annie L. Y. Orff (1861–1914), journalist; magazine editor and publisher
• William Page (1811–1885), born in Albany; considered the leading American painter of his time ^[1]
• Rufus Wheeler Peckham (1809–1873), lawyer, judge, and U.S. congressman; born in Rensselaerville; the county's district attorney, 1838–1841; served on the New York Supreme Court, Third Judicial District (1861–1869) seated in Albany, then on the New York Court of Appeals (1870–1873); was lost at sea; his cenotaph is in Albany Rural Cemetery in Menands
• Rufus Wheeler Peckham (1838–1909), New York state court judge and U.S. Supreme Court justice; son of Rufus Wheeler Peckham (1809–1873)
• Wheeler Hazard Peckham (1833–1905), lawyer and defeated nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court; son of Rufus Wheeler Peckham (1809-1873)
• Cy Seymour (1872–1919), native of Albany, major league baseball player ^[10]
• Theobald Smith (1859–1934), born in Albany; epidemiologist, bacteriologist, pathologist and professor
• Gilbert R. Spalding (1812–1880), showman and circus owner
• Frances E. Townsley (1850–1909), Baptist minister
• Luther Tucker (1802–1873), Publisher of The Cultivator and Country Gentleman
• Oren Elbridge Wilson (1844–1917), mayor of Albany from 1894 to 1895 ^[11]
• Alice Ames Winter (1865–1944), litterateur, author and clubwoman

20th century

• Adam Aleksic, linguist and content creator on YouTube and TikTok ^[12]
• Philip Amelio (1977–2005), actor and teacher; graduated from the University at Albany and received a master's degree in education from The College of Saint Rose in Albany
• Norman C. Armitage (1907, as Norman Cudworth Cohn–1972), Olympic medalist saber fencer
• Rita Chatterton (b.1957), professional wrestling referee ^[13]
• William Barnes Jr. (1866–1930), Newspaper publisher and Republican Party leader ^[14]
• Talor Battle (b. 1988), basketball player who is currently an assistant coach for Northwestern Wildcats
• Greg Chevalier (b. 1985), soccer player and coach ^[15]
• Ann Curless (b. 1963), Exposé singer
• Edmund L. Daley (1883–1968), U.S. Army major general ^[16]
• Kirsten Gillibrand (b. 1966), current U.S. Senator from New York since 2009; born in Albany
• Kevin Huerter (b.1998), National Basketball Association (NBA) player for the Sacramento Kings
• William Kennedy (b. 1928), writer and journalist; wrote several books based in Albany, including Pulitzer Prize-winning Ironweed
• Thomas D. Kinley (b. 1945), US Army major general ^{[17] [18]}
• Mary Mellish (1890–1955), soprano at the Metropolitan Opera; born and died in Albany ^[19]
• Howard C. Nolan Jr. (1932–2023), former member of the New York State Senate
• Martha Quinn (b. 1959), an original video jockey on MTV
• Emanuel Rackman (1910–2008), born in Albany, Modern Orthodox rabbi; President of Bar-Ilan University
• Andy Rooney (1919–2011), radio and television writer; 60 Minutes
• Shoenice, (b. 1969 as Christopher Schewe), American YouTuber and competitive eater
• Elise Stefanik (b. 1984), U.S. representative for New York ^[20]
• Israel Tsvaygenbaum (b. 1961), Russian-American artist
• Anthony Vinciquerra (b.1954), former CEO of Fox Networks and current CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, born in Albany.
• Franklin W. Ward (1870–1938), Adjutant General of New York ^{[21] [22]}
• Edward J. Westcott (1873–1926), Adjutant General of New York ^{[23] [24]}

Alphabetical index

• Adam Aleksic, linguist and content creator on YouTube and TikTok ^[12]

• Philip Amelio (1977–2005)
• James Montgomery Bailey (1841–1894)
• William Bliss Baker (1856–1886)
• William Barnes Jr. (1866–1930)
• William Barnes Sr. (1824–1913)
• Talor Battle, basketball player who last played for Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli League
• Herman Bendell (1843–1932)
• Harmanus Bleecker (1779–1849)
• William Henry Bogart (1810–1888)
• Alexander Boyd (1764–1857)
• Joseph Bradford Carr (1828–1895)
• Robert Carter (1819–1879)
• Greg Chevalier (b. 1985), soccer player and coach ^[15]
• James Cochran (1769–1848)
• Roscoe Conkling (1829–1888)
• Edmund L. Daley (1883–1968)
• John Duer (1782–1858)
• William Jermyn Florence (1831–1891)
• Peter Gansevoort (1749–1812)
• Abraham Oakey Hall (1826–1898)
• Learned Hand (1872–1961)
• Joseph Henry (1797–1878)
• Henry James Sr. (1811–1882)
• John K. Kane (1795–1858)
• William Kennedy (born 1928)
• Thomas D. Kinley (born 1945)
• Herman Knickerbocker (1779–1855)
• Gerrit Y. Lansing (1783–1862)
• Peter Van Brugh Livingston (1710–1792)
• Philip Livingston (1716–1778)
• William Livingston (1723–1790)
• Daniel Manning (1831–1887)
• Homer Dodge Martin (1836–1897)
• John McKeon (1808–1883)
• Henry B. Metcalfe (1805–1881)
• Isaac Mitchell (1759–1812)
• Howard C. Nolan Jr. (1932–2023)
• John Pitkin Norton (1822–1852)
• William Page (1811–1885)
• Rufus Wheeler Peckham (1809–1873)
• Rufus Wheeler Peckham (1838–1909)
• Wheeler Hazard Peckham (1833–1905)
• Harmanus Peek (1782–1838)
• Cy Seymour (1872–1919)
• John Tayler (1742–1829)
• Franklin W. Ward (1870–1938)
• Edward J. Westcott (1873–1926)
• Peter W. Yates (1747–1826)

References

1. Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
2. Reynolds, Cuyler (1906). Albany Chronicles: A History of the City Arranged Chronologically. Albany, NY: J. B. Lyon Company. p. 244 – via Internet Archive.
3. New York State Bar Association (1913). Proceedings of the Thirty-Sixth Annual Meeting. Albany, NY: The Argus Company. pp. 713–716 – via Google Books.
4. Fitch, Charles Elliott (1916). Encyclopedia of Biography of New York. New York, NY: American Historical Society. p. 42 – via Google Books.
5. Makers of the Piano: 1820-1860, Martha Novak Clinkscale, Oxford University Press, 1993, page 68. ISBN   9780198166252.
6. Miss Nanette Comstock, 68, Retired Actress. The New York Times, June 24, 1942, p. 19
7. Browne, Walter & Koch, E. De Roy-Who's Who on the Stage, 1908; pg. 209-210 accessed July 5, 2012
8. Simmons, William J. (1887). Men of Mark: Eminent, Progressive and Rising. Cleveland, OH: Geo. M. Rewell & Co. p.  964.
9. Herringshaw, Thomas William (1914). Herringshaw's National Library of American Biography: Contains Thirty-five Thousand Biographies of the Acknowledged Leaders of Life and Thought of the United States; Illustrated with Three Thousand Vignette Portraits ... (Public domain ed.). American publishers' association.
10. Reichler, Joseph L., ed. (1979) [1969]. The Baseball Encyclopedia (4th ed.). New York: Macmillan Publishing. ISBN   0-02-578970-8.
11. The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. Vol. XVII. New York, NY: James T. White & Company. 1927. p. 7 – via Google Books.
12. Aleksic, Adam (December 2, 2020). "Viewpoint: Albany should adopt a new flag. Here's why". Times Union . Retrieved August 1, 2025.
13. Riesman, Abraham (June 27, 2022). "The First Female Referee in WWE Says Vince McMahon Raped Her". New York Magazine . Retrieved December 25, 2023.
14. Proceedings of the Thirty-Sixth Annual Meeting.
15. "Greg Chevalier". Atlanta Silverbacks FC . Archived from the original on August 18, 2008. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
16. Brown, Horace M. Jr., ed. (Spring 1970). "Obituary, Edmund Leo Daley". Assembly. West Point, NY: Association of Graduates, U.S.M.A. pp. 105–106 – via Google Books.
17. General Officer Management Office (October 31, 1996). "Biography, Major General Thomas D. Kinley". Senior Leader Management Office. Arlington, VA: National Guard Bureau. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
18. "Funeral Tomorrow for Banker's Wife". Times Union . Albany, NY. September 28, 1965. p. 15 – via GenealogyBank.com.
19. "Opera Has Lost: Mary Mellish". Opera News . Vol. 19, no. 17. February 28, 1955. p. 28.
20. "STEFANIK, Elise M." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress . Retrieved January 30, 2025.
21. Suavet, Henry E., ed. (December 1934). "Adjutant General Ward Retires From the National Guard After a Service of 46 Years" (PDF). The New York National Guardsman. New York, New York: National Guard of the State of New York. p. 4.
22. "Major-General Ward to Be Buried in Arlington Plot". Daily Sentinel . Rome, New York. Associated Press. March 18, 1938. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
23. Waterbury, Fred M., ed. (February 1926). "Death Calls Adjutant General Westcott" (PDF). The New York National Guardsman. New York: National Guard of the State of New York. p. 9 – via Google Books.
24. "Gen. Westcott, State Adjutant Dies In Albany". The Post-Star . Glens Falls, New York. Associated Press. February 10, 1926. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.