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

Chronological list

18th century

Peter Van Brugh Livingston Peter Van Brugh Livingston (bp. November 3, 1710 Albany, New York – December 28, 1792 Elizabethtown, Union County, New Jersey) was a Patriot during the American Revolution who was a wealthy merchant and who served as the 1st New York State Tre ...

(1710–1792), born in Albany; politician who supported the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...

; presiding officer of the first New York provincial congress in 1775 *

Philip Livingston Philip Livingston (January 15, 1716 – June 12, 1778) was an American merchant and statesman from New York City. He represented New York at the October 1774 First Continental Congress, where he favored imposing economic sanctions upon Great B ...

(1716–1778), born in Albany; local merchant; delegate to the Continental Congress; signer of the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of th ...

William Livingston William Livingston (November 30, 1723July 25, 1790) was an American politician who served as the first governor of New Jersey (1776–1790) during the American Revolutionary War. As a New Jersey representative in the Continental Congress, he sig ...

(1723–1790), born in Albany; newspaper publisher; member of the Continental Congress; first Governor of

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

* 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 John Tayler (July 4, 1742 – March 19, 1829) was a merchant and politician. He served nine years as Lieutenant Governor of New York, four months acting as the sixth Governor of New York, and also in both houses of the New York State Legislatur ...

(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 The Albany Rural Cemetery was established October 7, 1844, in Colonie, New York, United States, just outside the city of Albany, New York. It is renowned as one of the most beautiful, pastoral cemeteries in the U.S., at over . Many historical A ...

in Menands *

Peter W. Yates Peter Waldron Yates (August 23, 1747 – 1826) was a lawyer and statesman from Albany, New York. He was a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1786. Yates was the son of John G. and Rebecca Waldron Yates. His father was a blacksmith in A ...

(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 Peter Gansevoort (July 17, 1749 – July 2, 1812) was a Colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He is best known for leading the resistance to Barry St. Leger's Siege of Fort Stanwix in 1777. Gansevoort was also ...

(1749–1812);

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

in the Continental Army during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

; born and died in Albany * Isaac Mitchell (1759–1812), born in Albany; journalist, author, and editor of the ''

Poughkeepsie Poughkeepsie ( ), officially the City of Poughkeepsie, separate from the Town of Poughkeepsie around it) is a city in the U.S. state of New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsie ...

Guardian'', '' Albany Republican Crisis'', and ''Poughkeepsie Republican Herald'' *

Alexander Boyd Alexander Boyd (September 14, 1764 – April 8, 1857) was an American politician and a U.S. Representative from New York. Biography Boyd was born in Albany in the Province of New York. He married Elizabeth Becker and they had thirteen childre ...

(1764–1857), U.S. Congressman; born in Albany * James Cochran (1769–1848), U.S. Congressman from New York; journalist; born in Albany *

Jacob Cuyler Jacob Glen Cuyler (1773-April 14, 1854) was an American of Dutch origin who was an important character in the settlement of the British 1820 Settlers to the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Early life Jacob Glen Cuyler was born in 1773 to Abraham Cu ...

(1773–1854), born in Albany; British officer involved in the settlement of the

1820 Settlers The 1820 Settlers were several groups of British colonists from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, settled by the government of the United Kingdom and the Cape Colony authorities in the Eastern Cape of South Africa in 1820. Origins After ...

to the Eastern Cape,

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

Harmanus Bleecker Harmanus Bleecker (October 9, 1779 – July 19, 1849) was an attorney in Albany, New York. A Federalist, he is most notable for his service as a member of the New York State Assembly, a United States representative from New York, and Chargé ...

(1779–1849), U.S. Congressman; born in Albany *

Herman Knickerbocker Herman Knickerbocker (also ''Harman'', ''Harmen''; also ''Knikkerbakker, Knickerbacker'' ) (July 27, 1779 – January 30, 1855) was a United States representative from New York. Early life Herman Knickerbocker was born in Albany on July 27, 177 ...

(1779–1855), U.S. Congressman; born in Albany *

John Duer John Duer (October 7, 1782 – August 8, 1858) was a New York attorney, jurist, and co-founder of Children's Village. Biography Born in Albany, New York on October 7, 1782, he was the son of William and Catherine Duer. William Alexander Duer was ...

(1782–1858), born in Albany; jurist; author; chief judge of New York Superior Court * Harmanus Peek (1782–1838), born in Albany; U.S. Congressman from New York *

Gerrit Y. Lansing Gerrit Yates Lansing (August 4, 1783 – January 3, 1862) was a U.S. Representative from New York. Early life Lansing was born in Albany, New York on August 4, 1783. He was third of sixteen children born to Susanna Yates (1762–1840) and Abra ...

(1783–1862), born in Albany; U.S. Congressman; bank and insurance company president *

John K. Kane John Kintzing Kane (May 16, 1795 – February 21, 1858) was an American lawyer who served as the 21st Attorney General of Pennsylvania from 1845 to 1846 and a United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States Distri ...

(1795–1858), born in Albany; politician, attorney, and jurist * Joseph Henry (1797–1878), born in Albany; inventor of low- and high-resistance

galvanometer A galvanometer is an electromechanical measuring instrument for electric current. Early galvanometers were uncalibrated, but improved versions, called ammeters, were calibrated and could measure the flow of current more precisely. A galvan ...

s; first secretary of the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...

* Robert Sanders (1705–1765), mayor of Albany from 1750 to 1754

19th century

James Montgomery Bailey James Montgomery Bailey (September 25, 1841 – March 4, 1894) was an American journalist who won an ephemeral popularity as the "''Danbury News'' Man." Biography He was born at Albany, New York, and after receiving a common school education, le ...

(1841–1894), journalist and author; founder of newspapers ''Danbury News'' and ''Danbury Evening News''; native of Albany * William Bliss Baker (1856–1886), landscape artist in the

Realism Realism, Realistic, or Realists may refer to: In the arts *Realism (arts), the general attempt to depict subjects truthfully in different forms of the arts Arts movements related to realism include: *Classical Realism *Literary realism, a move ...

movement *

William Barnes Sr. William Barnes Sr. (May 25, 1824 – February 22, 1913) was an American attorney, author and government official from Albany, New York. He was an anti-slavery activist and a founder of the Republican Party. Barnes served as New York's first st ...

, attorney and Republican Party organizer * 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 * William Henry Bogart (1810–1888), member of the

New York Legislature The New York State Legislature consists of the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of New York: The New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly. The Constitution of New York does not designate an official te ...

; author *

Joseph Bradford Carr Joseph Bradford Carr (August 16, 1828 – February 24, 1895)Eicher, p. 165. was a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Early life Carr was born in Albany, New York, the son of Irish immigrants, and worked as a tobacconist ...

(1828–1895), born in Albany;

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

general A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...

;

Secretary of State of New York The secretary of state of New York is a cabinet officer in the government of the U.S. state of New York who leads the Department of State (NYSDOS). The current secretary of state of New York is Robert J. Rodriguez, a Democrat. Duties The secre ...

* Robert Carter (1819–1879), born in Albany; author and editor; involved in the foundation of the Republican Party * Nanette Comstock (1866–1942), born in Albany, stage actress *

Roscoe Conkling Roscoe Conkling (October 30, 1829April 18, 1888) was an American lawyer and Republican politician who represented New York in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. He is remembered today as the leader of the ...

(1829–1888),

United States Congressman The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

and

United States Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

from New York; born in Albany * William Jermyn Florence (1831–1891), born in Albany; actor; comedian; improvisationalist * Joseph R. Grismer (1849–1922), actor, playwright and theatrical producer; born in Albany * Abraham Oakey Hall (1826–1898), born in Albany; mayor of New York City; author *

Learned Hand Billings Learned Hand ( ; January 27, 1872 – August 18, 1961) was an American jurist, lawyer, and judicial philosopher. He served as a federal trial judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York from 1909 to 1924 a ...

(1872–1961), United States judge and judicial philosopher * Henry James Sr. (1811–1882), born in Albany; Swedenborgian

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

; father of

William James William James (January 11, 1842 – August 26, 1910) was an American philosopher, historian, and psychologist, and the first educator to offer a psychology course in the United States. James is considered to be a leading thinker of the lat ...

Henry James Henry James ( – ) was an American-British author. He is regarded as a key transitional figure between literary realism and literary modernism, and is considered by many to be among the greatest novelists in the English language. He was the ...

, and

Alice James Alice James (August 7, 1848 – March 6, 1892) was an American diarist, sister of novelist Henry James and philosopher and psychologist William James. Her relationship with William was unusually close, and she seems to have been badly affec ...

* Lucy Stedman Lamson (1857-1926), business woman, educator * Daniel Manning (1831–1887), born in Albany; journalist and later

United States Secretary of the Treasury The United States secretary of the treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, and is the chief financial officer of the federal government of the United States. The secretary of the treasury serves as the principal a ...

* Homer Dodge Martin (1836–1897), born in Albany; painter whose talent was not recognized until his death * James Campbell Matthews (1844–1930), New York's first African-American law school graduate and judge of Albany's Recorder's Court *

John McKeon John McKeon (March 29, 1808, Albany, New York – November 22, 1883, New York City) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. From 1835 to 1837, and 1841 to 1843, he served two non-consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representativ ...

(1808–1883), born in Albany; district attorney for

New York County Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

and Southern New York; US Congressman from New York * Henry B. Metcalfe (1805–1881), born in Albany; prosecuting attorney, judge, and US Congressman from New York *

John Pitkin Norton John Pitkin Norton (July 19, 1822 – September 5, 1852) was an educator, agricultural chemist, and author. Biography Norton was born in Albany, New York, in 1822, where his father John Treadwell Norton, a successful farmer and engineer, owned a ...

(1822–1852), born in Albany; chemist and educator; helped found the

Sheffield Scientific School Sheffield Scientific School was founded in 1847 as a school of Yale College in New Haven, Connecticut, for instruction in science and engineering. Originally named the Yale Scientific School, it was renamed in 1861 in honor of Joseph E. Sheffiel ...

* Emily Sullivan Oakey (1829–1883), born in Albany; educator, author, poet, hymnist *

John Rathbone Oliver John Rathbone Oliver (January 4, 1872 – January 21, 1943) was an American psychiatrist, medical historian, author, and priest. His novel ''Victim and Victor'' was a contender for the 1929 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, but the award went to Ju ...

(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 * 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 Wheeler Hazard Peckham (January 1, 1833 – September 27, 1905) was an American lawyer from New York and an unsuccessful nominee to the Supreme Court of the United States. Early life Peckham was born in Albany, New York, on New Year's Day ...

(1833–1905), lawyer and defeated nominee to the

U.S. Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

; son of Rufus Wheeler Peckham (1809-1873) * Cy Seymour (1872–1919), native of Albany,

major league baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

player *

Theobald Smith Theobald Smith FRS(For) HFRSE (July 31, 1859 – December 10, 1934) was a pioneering epidemiologist, bacteriologist, pathologist and professor. Smith is widely considered to be America's first internationally-significant medical research scienti ...

(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 Luther Tucker (January 20, 1936 – June 18, 1993) was an American blues guitarist. While soft-spoken and shy, Tucker made his presence known through his unique and clearly recognizable guitar style. Tucker helped to define the music known as ...

(1802–1873), Publisher of ''The Cultivator'' and ''

Country Gentleman ''The Country Gentleman'' (1852–1955) was an American agricultural magazine founded in 1852 in Albany, New York, by Luther Tucker.Frank Luther Mott (1938A History of American Magazines 1850–1865"The Country Gentleman", page 432, Harvard Unive ...

'' * Oren Elbridge Wilson (1844–1917), mayor of Albany from 1894 to 1895 * Alice Ames Winter (1865–1944), litterateur, author and clubwoman

20th century

Norman C. Armitage Norman Armitage (January 1, 1907, as Norman Cudworth Cohn, – March 14, 1972) was an American saber fencer. Early life Armitage, who was Jewish, was born in Albany, New York. Fencing career College Armitage began fencing for the Columbia L ...

(1907, as Norman Cudworth Cohn–1972), Olympic medalist saber fencer *

Emanuel Rackman Rabbi (Menachem) Emanuel Rackman ( he, מנחם עמנואל רקמן ''Menachem 'immanuel Raqman''; June 24, 1910 in Albany – December 1, 2008) was an American Modern Orthodox Rabbi, president of the RCA, vice-president of Yeshiva University. P ...

(1910–2008), born in Albany,

Modern Orthodox Modern may refer to: History *Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Philosoph ...

rabbi; President of

Bar-Ilan University Bar-Ilan University (BIU, he, אוניברסיטת בר-אילן, ''Universitat Bar-Ilan'') is a public research university in the Tel Aviv District city of Ramat Gan, Israel. Established in 1955, Bar Ilan is Israel's second-largest academi ...

Andy Rooney Andrew Aitken Rooney (January 14, 1919 – November 4, 2011) was an American radio and television writer who was best known for his weekly broadcast "A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney", a part of the CBS News program '' 60 Minutes'' from 1978 to 201 ...

(1919–2011), radio and television writer; '' 60 Minutes'' * Howard C. Nolan Jr. (1932–2023), former member of the New York State Senate * Rita Chatterton (b.1957), professional wrestling referee *

Martha Quinn Martha Conrad Quinn (born May 11, 1959) is an American actress and radio and television personality, best known as one of the original video jockeys on MTV (along with Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, and J. J. Jackson). Early life ...

(b. 1959), an original

video jockey A video jockey (abbreviated VJ or sometimes veejay) is an announcer or host who introduces music videos and live performances on commercial music television channels such as MTV, VH1, MuchMusic and Channel V. Origins The term "video jockey" come ...

on MTV * Israel Tsvaygenbaum (b. 1961), Russian-American artist *

Ann Curless Ann Curless (born Ann Katherine Curless; October 7, 1963, in Albany, New York) is an American popular music singer, most notable as part of Exposé. Education Curless was raised in Miami Beach, Florida and attended school there. During her ...

(b. 1963), Exposé singer *

Kirsten Gillibrand Kirsten Elizabeth Gillibrand (; ; born December 9, 1966) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the junior United States senator from New York since 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as member of the U.S. House of ...

(b. 1966), current U.S. Senator from New York since 2009; born in Albany * Shoenice, (b. 1969 as Christopher Schewe), American YouTuber and competitive eater *

Philip Amelio Philip John Amelio II (3 November 1977 – 1 April 2005) was an American actor and teacher. At age nine, he played Lucille Ball's grandson on the ''Life With Lucy'' series. Early life Philip was born in Sharon, Connecticut and grew up in n ...

(1977–2005), actor and teacher; graduated from the

University at Albany The State University of New York at Albany, commonly referred to as the University at Albany, UAlbany or SUNY Albany, is a public research university with campuses in Albany, Rensselaer, and Guilderland, New York. Founded in 1844, it is one ...

and received a master's degree in education from The College of Saint Rose in Albany * William Barnes Jr., Newspaper publisher and Republican Party leader *

Anthony Vinciquerra Anthony "Tony" Vinciquerra (born August 30, 1954) is an American film executive who is the current Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. Early life Vinciquerra was born in Albany, New York, and grew up with three sisters in a three b ...

(b.1954), former CEO of Fox Networks and current CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, born in Albany. * Talor Battle (b.1988), basketball player who is currently an assistant coach for

Northwestern Wildcats The Northwestern Wildcats are the athletic teams that represent Northwestern University, located in Evanston, Illinois. Northwestern is a founding member of the Big Ten Conference and the only private university in the conference. Northwestern ...

Kevin Huerter Kevin Joseph Huerter (; born August 27, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "Red Velvet", he played college basketball for the Maryland Terrapins. ...

(b.1998), National Basketball Association (NBA) player for the

Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...

Alphabetical index

(1977–2005) *

(1841–1894) * William Bliss Baker (1856–1886) * William Barnes Jr. (1866–1930) *

(1824–1913) * Talor Battle, basketball player who last played for Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli League * Herman Bendell (1843–1932) *

(1779–1849) * William Henry Bogart (1810–1888) *

(1764–1857) *

(1828–1895) * Robert Carter (1819–1879) * James Cochran (1769–1848) *

(1829–1888) *

(1782–1858) * William Jermyn Florence (1831–1891) *

(1749–1812) * Abraham Oakey Hall (1826–1898) *

(1872–1961) * Joseph Henry (1797–1878) * Henry James Sr. (1811–1882) *

(1795–1858) *

(1779–1855) *

(1783–1862) *

(1710–1792) *

(1716–1778) *

(1723–1790) * Daniel Manning (1831–1887) * Homer Dodge Martin (1836–1897) *

(1808–1883) * Henry B. Metcalfe (1805–1881) * Isaac Mitchell (1759–1812) * Howard C. Nolan Jr. (1932–2023) *

(1822–1852) * William Page (1811–1885) * Rufus Wheeler Peckham (1809–1873) * Rufus Wheeler Peckham (1838–1909) *

(1833–1905) * Harmanus Peek (1782–1838) * Cy Seymour (1872–1919) *

(1742–1829) *

(1747–1826)

References

{{reflist Albany County