Wednesday, October 11, 2023-From the Archives- March 15-Episode 257-Mohawk Valley singer-songwriters Cosby Gibson and Tom Staudle play songs and tell stories from their show on the 19th century lumberjacks of upstate New York.

Thursday, October 12, 2023-From the Archives of Focus on History from the Daily Gazette-Amsterdam’s most unforgettable day and other tales 

Friday, October 13, 2023 An encore performance of Historians Podcast Episode 408, first aired on February 4, 2022-WGY radio’s 100th anniversary-featuring Kolin Hager, Martha Brooks, Howard Tupper, Earl Pudney, Don Tuttle, Elle Pankin, Diane Ward and Bob Cudmore.  WGY news anchor Mike Patrick describes podcasts he has recorded with many WGY veterans.  The station aired special programming on February 20, 2022, the actual 100th anniversary of WGY.

A prominent physician from Root

By Bob Cudmore

   A man born in the Montgomery County town of Root went on to become the dean of Albany Medical College from 1896 to 1904.  His obituary called him the dean of Albany’s physicians and an early pioneer of surgery.

   According to research done by archivist Jessica Watson at Albany Medical Center, Albert Vander Veer was born in Root in 1841.  Watson wrote, “He was educated in the Canajoharie public schools and worked in a pharmacy as a boy.” 

   Vander Veer’s local obituary reported that his parents were Abraham and Sarah Martin Vander Veer of Root.  Albert attended the Canajoharie public schools, Union Free School of Palatine and Canajoharie Academy.  He began studying medicine with Dr. Simeon Snow in Currytown, a hamlet in the town of Root.  He later married Dr. Snow’s daughter, Margaret, in 1867.

   Vander Veer was studying medicine in Albany in 1861 when he volunteered to join other students and physicians at a military hospital treating the wounded from Civil War battles near Richmond, Virginia.  He enlisted in the Union Army the next year and held the rank of major.  He was a surgeon with the 66th regiment of the New York Volunteers, taking part in most of their major engagements.

   Watson wrote that at war’s end in 1865, Vander Veer was present at Appomattox, Virginia for the historic meeting between Union General Ulysses S. Grant and Confederate General Robert E. Lee.  According to Watson, Vander Veer attended lectures at Albany Medical College but received his medical degree from Columbian College in the District of Columbia, now George Washington University.

   Watson wrote, “In 1869 he became professor of anatomy at Albany Medical College, professor of surgery in 1876 and dean of the college in 1896.  Additionally, he served in the Albany Hospital as surgeon in chief and senior consulting surgeon.” 

   According to published accounts, Vander Veer was president of the American Surgical Association in 1895 and president of the American Medical Association in 1916.

   His obituary reported he may have been the first surgeon to successfully remove a thyroid gland.  He wrote professional articles primarily on the topic of abdominal surgery.  He also was the first physician to use a plaster of Paris jacket to treat curvature of the spine.

   His wife Margaret died in 1914 at their winter home in the state of Florida.  Their Albany residence was on State Street.  The Vander Veers had six children.  Three of their sons and at least one grandson became physicians.

   Vander Veer served the state for 31 years as a member of the education department’s Board of Regents.  He was Regents’ vice chancellor starting in 1915, the year he resigned his post as a surgery professor at Albany Medical College.  He was named Regents’ chancellor in 1921 but resigned the next year because of poor hearing.  When he retired altogether from the Regents in 1927, he was praised for advocating high standards in college education, especially medicine.

   Albert Vander Veer died at age 88 in December, 1929 and is buried at Albany Rural Cemetery.  Thanks to my wife Audrey Sears gpt the idea for this column.

ROOT’S HAMLETS

In her book “Montgomery County,” county historian Kelly Yacobucci Farquhar wrote that Root is named for Erastus Root, a political leader in Delaware County.  Currytown is the oldest hamlet in Root, taking its name from the Curry Patent.  The Currytown Massacre took place in 1781 during the Revolutionary War when residents were murdered and properties destroyed.

   Yatesville, today called Randall, and Sprakers were stops on the Erie Canal in Root.  Other hamlets include Flat Creek, Lyker’s Corners, Brown’s Hollow and Rural Grove, previously Leatherville.

Mohawk Valley Weather, Tuesday, October 10, 2023

49 degrees in The City of Amsterdam at 5:04AM 

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