Official acts of town were decreed in handwritten documents

More historic yellowed papers keep finding their way to this historian's desk to keep her busy in the snowless winter we are having. Aged documents, much different than the 2016 modern computerized tax forms, reveal the lifestyle of early Guilderland officers and residents before the multi-group operations of government of today.

Evert Van Aernum “Solemnly and Sincerely swore that in all things in the best of knowledge and ability,” he would “faithfully and impartially execute and perform the Trust imposed” on him as an overseer of the highways of the town in April 1812.

Previously, on Dec. 23, 1809, the same Evert Van Aernum had called a special town meeting at the home of Henry Apple for the purpose of electing a new town clerk since the former town clerk had removed himself out of town and county. Eleven town officials — with the last names of Sharp, Featherly, Clark, Van Patten, Wergann, Ogsbury, Jacobson, Bogardus, Apple, Combs, and McGinn — voted to make Peter Van Patten the new town clerk that year.

In 1868, in Knowersville, which is what Altamont was then called, Supervisor Hiram Griggs authorized paying Ambrose Saddlemire $40 for services as a qualified teacher in District 1 of Guilderland from Dec. 2, 1867 to January 1868.

In November 16, 1892, W.B. Mynderse, the town clerk, filed an act to prevent the spread of a disease known as the “black knot” in plum, cherry, and other trees. “I hereby appoint Loring W. Osborn, Joseph Roe, and William Brinkman as Commissioners to carry out the provisions of said act in the Town of Guilderland, Albany County, given under my name on November 1892. Howard Foster, Supervisor.

At a meeting of Guilderland’s supervisor and clerk on March 3, 1810, for the purpose of making out a jury list for the town, they accordingly report that the following persons are qualified to serve as jurors since last year: Jeremiah VanAuken, Matthias Hallenbeck, Henry W. Stern, Wihelmas Becker, Jacob Phele, Thomas Olsaver, Adam I. Syver, John Van Waggoner, Frederick Wormer, Noah Wood, Samuel Carmull, Andrew Ostrander, Andrew Scrafford, and Markus Sytle. 

Persons not qualified were listed as: John Vine, Henry Van Wormer, James Shard, Garit G. Van Zant, William Wagoner, John Douglas, John Sharp, Phillip Sharp, Matthew Van Drubuch, David Wormer, Loyal Dave Runor, Thomas Mesich, Christian Scafford, and Ludwick Featherly.

“We the Supervisor and Town Clerk do certify that the above is a free list of the persons Qualified and disqualified in the Town of Guilderland to perform as Jurors since the previous year. Given under our hand this 3rd day of March 1810,” reads the document signed by Supervisor Conrad Crounse, Assessor Henry Shaver, and Town Clerk Peter Van Patten.

This historian believes that persons were not qualified as a juror for reasons such as not being a landowner or a homeowner, for having been a juror in a previous year, or for not being a valid town resident.

All of the above official acts were handwritten on special papers. There were no typewritten or computer-written papers. And no secretary to write them.