Local History Tells the Tales
If you search the local history books for the names and places that surround you, surprises await. While researching the Albany area an interesting family history of the Griggses caught my attention.
Three interesting facts made their way into the story making a list of children and places, unrelated to the author, jump off the page. History can tell such interesting tales.
How a Scotchman Came to America
Understanding that there were so many stories of how immigrants came to America. Some of these stories are handed down through family lore and others are recorded in a different way. This paragraph in the Bi-Centennial History of Albany, published in 1886, gives an interesting synopsis of one such family
“The first of the family of Griggses, of which Hon. Hiram Griggs of Knowersville, is a representative, who came to America, was John Griggs, a Scotchman. The peculiar circumstances of his emigration are traditional in the family. Drafted into the British service during the war of the Revolution, he made his escape from an English man-of-war when off the coast of Connecticut, in Long Island Sound, and swam ashore.”
Esperance was called Old Schoharie
Further family lineage names the places and dates of residence. This interesting tidbit led to an exploration of Schoharie county history. There is an abundance of information about local history online.
“In time he seems to have made his way to Massachusetts, where he marries Mary Skeels. Removing not long afterward to New York State, he settled in Old Schoharie (now Esperance) Schoharie County…. Mr. Griggs received his early education in common schools. Later he attended the Schoharie Academy, at Schoharie NY, until the fall of 1856. During a few years thereafter he assisted his father, who was the proprietor of the Schoharie Mills, in his business and taught school several terms.”
Elections Were Held Yearly in Guilderland
“In 1867 Mr. Griggs was elected Supervisor of the town of Guilderland and was re-elected each succeeding year until 1877, and was President of the Board in 1873 and 1874. In the fall of 1871 he was the candidate of his party for the office of Surrogate of Albany County, but was defeated by Peter A. Rogers (Democrat) by a very small majority. In 1877 he was elected to represent his district in the State Legislature and he was re-elected for two succeeding terms. During this period he served on many important committees, including the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee on General Laws, the Committee on Commerce and Navigation and the Sub Committee of the Whole. Mr. Griggs cast his first vote in 1857 in favor of Republican principles and has been a staunch Republican ever since.”
Book Note: Bi-Centennial History of Albany: History of the County of Albany Volume 2.” by George Rogers Howell and Jonathan Tenney published in 1886 page 862
