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Sunday Back and Forth/New this Week
The Fulton County Courthouse
By Bob Cudmore
Robert P. Best’s booklet “Everything West of Albany in 1772” on the history of the Fulton County Courthouse in Johnstown has been published.
Built in 1772 when New York State was still a British colony, the structure at 223 West Main Street is the oldest existing courthouse in the state and one of the oldest buildings in the nation still in use as a courthouse.
Best, who retired in 2006, worked in the historic building as a State Supreme Court Justice for 15 years, a Fulton County Judge for 10 years and District Attorney. A Pennsylvania native and U.S. Navy veteran, Best previously was mayor of Gloversville and before that law clerk to his uncle Willard Best, also a Fulton County judge.
Best said, “So holding court in it was just a habit with me. It was there before I was elected and I hoped that it would stay after I was elected. It was like a movie scene from an old movie of what a courthouse looks like and it still does.
“In 1980 something, an architectural firm went through, gave (the building) good marks as continuing as a courthouse. It needed air conditioning and a few other things but otherwise it passed muster.”
Best’s daughter, art teacher Meredith Best, designed artwork for the booklet including pictures of the courthouse, Sir William Johnson, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and others. Sandy Maceyka contributed a foreword to the booklet.
Sir William Johnson who had founded Johnstown suggested to colonial Governor William Tryon that a county be created west of Albany “for doing legal business.” The Governor liked the idea that the new jurisdiction was to be named Tryon County. The first judges were relatives or friends of Johnson, Britain’s Indian agent.
Johnson contributed 500 pounds toward constructing the courthouse in the summer of 1772. Best said Johnson “also provided 25 gallons of rum to refresh the brick masons, the mill wrights and the other sundry help who built the courthouse during the hot months.” It was the only courthouse west of Albany when it first opened.
Two years after the courthouse was completed Johnson died and soon the Revolutionary War began. After the war the name of the county was changed from Tryon to Montgomery to honor patriot General Richard Montgomery who died while leading an attack on Quebec City in the Revolutionary War. The Johnstown building became the Montgomery County Courthouse.
Tomorrow, Monday, September 5, 2022- The story behind the story podcast-The Fulton County Courthouse. A short audio piece about eight minutes with more what's what...
Development along the Mohawk River including the Erie Canal and railroad became the “big thing” economically, according to Best. The Montgomery County seat moved to Fonda, located on the river, in 1836. The courthouse, jail and clerk’s office in Johnstown were sold at public auction for $2,040 the next year.
The people in and around Johnstown were dissatisfied that the county seat had moved and convinced the State Legislature to create a new county from part of northern Montgomery County, naming the new jurisdiction after Robert Fulton who had improved on the invention of the steam engine.
The Johnstown courthouse, jail and clerk’s office were repurchased. Best said that lawyer and later judge Daniel Cady is called the Father of Fulton County for presiding over this transaction.
Cady’s daughter was Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the pioneer suffragist. She spent time when she was young considering how laws discriminated against the rights of women.
The last execution ordered in a criminal case at the Fulton County Courthouse was the 1846 hanging of Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh of West Perth, convicted of poisoning two abusive husbands.
The courthouse booklet is for sale online at Amazon and at Mysteries on Main Street Bookstore in Johnstown.
https://www.facebook.com/MysteriesOnMainStreet/
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Everything-West-Albany-1772-Courthouse/dp/057836431X
Tuesday, September 6, 2022—A baseball oracle
Mohawk Valley Holiday Weather, Sunday, September 4, 2022
The weather turns unsettled this afternoon through Monday as a
cold front slowly moves southward across the area and waves of
low pressure track along it. Scattered showers and isolated
thunderstorms develop this afternoon, followed by a widespread
rainfall Monday into Monday night, with the heaviest rain
occurring mainly south of Interstate 90. Showers may linger into
Tuesday before the region dries out for mid to late week.
Isolated showers, then scattered showers and thunderstorms after noon. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 84. Calm wind becoming east 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tonight
Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 60. East wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Labor Day
Showers likely, mainly after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming east around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Mohawk Valley News Headlines, Sunday, September 4, 2022
Daily Gazette
Local schools bolster safety ahead of new academic year
With the start of school just days away, ensuring students are safe in the classroom has been a top priority…
With the start of school just days away, ensuring students are safe in the classroom has been a top priority…
https://dailygazette.com/
Amsterdam Recorder
https://www.recordernews.com/
Leader Herald
Make Us A Part Of Your Day
https://www.leaderherald.com/
View all episodes
By Bob CudmoreThe Fulton County Courthouse
By Bob Cudmore
Robert P. Best’s booklet “Everything West of Albany in 1772” on the history of the Fulton County Courthouse in Johnstown has been published.
Built in 1772 when New York State was still a British colony, the structure at 223 West Main Street is the oldest existing courthouse in the state and one of the oldest buildings in the nation still in use as a courthouse.
Best, who retired in 2006, worked in the historic building as a State Supreme Court Justice for 15 years, a Fulton County Judge for 10 years and District Attorney. A Pennsylvania native and U.S. Navy veteran, Best previously was mayor of Gloversville and before that law clerk to his uncle Willard Best, also a Fulton County judge.
Best said, “So holding court in it was just a habit with me. It was there before I was elected and I hoped that it would stay after I was elected. It was like a movie scene from an old movie of what a courthouse looks like and it still does.
“In 1980 something, an architectural firm went through, gave (the building) good marks as continuing as a courthouse. It needed air conditioning and a few other things but otherwise it passed muster.”
Best’s daughter, art teacher Meredith Best, designed artwork for the booklet including pictures of the courthouse, Sir William Johnson, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and others. Sandy Maceyka contributed a foreword to the booklet.
Sir William Johnson who had founded Johnstown suggested to colonial Governor William Tryon that a county be created west of Albany “for doing legal business.” The Governor liked the idea that the new jurisdiction was to be named Tryon County. The first judges were relatives or friends of Johnson, Britain’s Indian agent.
Johnson contributed 500 pounds toward constructing the courthouse in the summer of 1772. Best said Johnson “also provided 25 gallons of rum to refresh the brick masons, the mill wrights and the other sundry help who built the courthouse during the hot months.” It was the only courthouse west of Albany when it first opened.
Two years after the courthouse was completed Johnson died and soon the Revolutionary War began. After the war the name of the county was changed from Tryon to Montgomery to honor patriot General Richard Montgomery who died while leading an attack on Quebec City in the Revolutionary War. The Johnstown building became the Montgomery County Courthouse.
Tomorrow, Monday, September 5, 2022- The story behind the story podcast-The Fulton County Courthouse. A short audio piece about eight minutes with more what's what...
Development along the Mohawk River including the Erie Canal and railroad became the “big thing” economically, according to Best. The Montgomery County seat moved to Fonda, located on the river, in 1836. The courthouse, jail and clerk’s office in Johnstown were sold at public auction for $2,040 the next year.
The people in and around Johnstown were dissatisfied that the county seat had moved and convinced the State Legislature to create a new county from part of northern Montgomery County, naming the new jurisdiction after Robert Fulton who had improved on the invention of the steam engine.
The Johnstown courthouse, jail and clerk’s office were repurchased. Best said that lawyer and later judge Daniel Cady is called the Father of Fulton County for presiding over this transaction.
Cady’s daughter was Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the pioneer suffragist. She spent time when she was young considering how laws discriminated against the rights of women.
The last execution ordered in a criminal case at the Fulton County Courthouse was the 1846 hanging of Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh of West Perth, convicted of poisoning two abusive husbands.
The courthouse booklet is for sale online at Amazon and at Mysteries on Main Street Bookstore in Johnstown.
https://www.facebook.com/MysteriesOnMainStreet/
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Everything-West-Albany-1772-Courthouse/dp/057836431X
Tuesday, September 6, 2022—A baseball oracle
Mohawk Valley Holiday Weather, Sunday, September 4, 2022
The weather turns unsettled this afternoon through Monday as a
cold front slowly moves southward across the area and waves of
low pressure track along it. Scattered showers and isolated
thunderstorms develop this afternoon, followed by a widespread
rainfall Monday into Monday night, with the heaviest rain
occurring mainly south of Interstate 90. Showers may linger into
Tuesday before the region dries out for mid to late week.
Isolated showers, then scattered showers and thunderstorms after noon. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 84. Calm wind becoming east 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tonight
Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a low around 60. East wind 3 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Labor Day
Showers likely, mainly after 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 68. Calm wind becoming east around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Mohawk Valley News Headlines, Sunday, September 4, 2022
Daily Gazette
Local schools bolster safety ahead of new academic year
With the start of school just days away, ensuring students are safe in the classroom has been a top priority…
With the start of school just days away, ensuring students are safe in the classroom has been a top priority…
https://dailygazette.com/
Amsterdam Recorder
https://www.recordernews.com/
Leader Herald
Make Us A Part Of Your Day
https://www.leaderherald.com/