Craft Masonry in Albany County, New York - Onondaga and Oswego ...

Altamont Manor
Page 196 [1114] Family Sketches
George A. Hallenbeck, was born in Greene county, NY, in May 1857. Smith Hallenbeck, his great-great-grandfather, came from
Holland with his two brothers and took up a large tract of land known as the Hallenbeck Patent.
Hallenbeck Patent: A Tract of 1,000 acres was petitioned for by Johannes Hallenbeck, and a patent under Governor Hunter was
granted for the same in 1717. It lies mainly in Greenville, but extends into Durham and Cairo.
Jacob, the grandfather, was a farmer and spent his life in Greene county; he reared three children: George Jacob and Eliza. Jacob,
the father, was a mason by trade and for many years and to the time of his death in 1858 had charge of a turnpike road; he had also
a contract for and built many of the stone arch bridges on that road. His wife was Phebe A. Renne, by whom he has had five
children: William, Lucy, Mary (died young), Alice (died young) and George. Mr. Hallenbeck having died when George was but fifteen
months old, his wife kept the family together and cared for them until she died in 1877. William, the oldest, when but seventeen
enlisted in Co. I, Col, Pratt's Regiment, 20th N. Y. Vols., and was shot dead at the second battle of Bull Run.
George A. began to care for himself when he was quite young; he first engaged as a drug clerk; when seventeen he began to learn
the cigarmaker's trade, and when he mastered that he worked for twelve years as a journeyman cigarmaker; he then began
business for himself in Middleburg, Schoharie county, becoming the successor of J. C. Barst & Co. ; this business he conducted
until 1886, when he removed it to Guilderland Center, where he drew plans and had a place built especially for himself. He is an
energetic business man and public spirited; he gives employment to from seven to sixteen men, and has two men on the road with
his goods all the time, and covers about eighteen counties. He has an annual output of about three-quarters of a million, and his is
the leading industry of the village. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, [Noah] Lodge [No. 754] of Altamont, and Odd Fellows
Lodge of Voorheesville. In 1890 he was united in marriage to Miss Isadore A. \'anderburg, daughter of Joseph Vanderburg of
Greene county.
Page 61 [979] Family Sketches
Morris Harris, was born in Albany in 1857, a son of Alexander, who was a native of Russia, born in 1820; he was an only child and
came to the United States when a young man and settled in Albany. He soon engaged at selling goods throughout the county,
which he followed with success until his death in 1877. His wife was a native of the same place; they reared six children; his wife
now resides in New York city. Morris, the subject of this sketch, was the fourth of his father's children. He attended the public
schools in Albany until fourteen, when he engaged in the tonsorial business, and four years later in partnership with a younger
brother, under the firm name of M. Harris & Co., he engaged in the manufacture of cigars, Mr. Harris acting as traveling salesman,
while his brother superintended the manufacturing. Their business increased in small proportions until they employed from twenty to
thirty makers. This business they followed successfully for seven years. In 1884 lie purchased a hotel interest in Voorheesville,
closed his cigar business, and since that time has spent his time catering to the public as hotel proprietor. In 1889 he purchased his
present building, which he converted into the hotel he now conducts. His house is well known to public travelers, from which he
enjoys a most liberal patronage. His hotel hall has always been used as a court house in that village, and is noted for the many
political conventions held in it since his proprietorship. In the spring of 1896 Mr. Harris was one of the promoters of the shirt factory
in his village, the capital being subscribed by the residents; he readily became one of the stockholders, and was elected treasurer of
the company; also a stockholder in the Voorheesville Canning and Preserving Co. He is one of the five charter members who
organized the Odd Fellows Lodge in Voorheesville. He was the first representative of the lodge in the Grand Lodge in October,
1886; also a member of Noah Lodge [No. 754], F&AM, Altamont, NY. He married Miss Elizabeth Mendelson, who was born in
Ulster county, a daughter of Jacob Mendelson.
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