The Districts of Albany County, New York, 1772-1784

Formed in November 1683 as one of New York's twelve original counties, Albany's first boundaries were vast. The county encompassed what today is the entire state of Vermont, all of upstate New York north of the counties of Dutchess and Ulster, and stretched vaguely west to the Pacific Ocean.¹ Those researching their family in this area and time period will benefit from understanding the different boundaries.  

From 1772 until 1786 Albany included what are now Albany, Columbia, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady counties; large parts of Greene and Washington counties; and the disputed southwest corner of Vermont.

As spreading settlement made more accessible local government necessary for such a large territory, the county was repeatedly divided into smaller units.

The first step in this process was the creation, 3 July 1766, of Cumberland County, followed 16 March 1770 by Gloucester County, both from that part of Albany County in Vermont.

Next, on 12 March 1772, the colonial legislature divided the remaining county into the counties of Albany, Tryon, and Charlotte. Twelve days later, 24 March 1772, the new counties of Tryon and Albany were divided into districts.

In 1775, 1779, 1782, and 1784 several of these districts were themselves divided to create additional districts. The freeholders and inhabitants of the districts were given power to elect officers to govern them on a level below that of the county.²

Between 1683 and 1772 government had been vested in the Crown, the colony, and the county, with an added lower level in Albany County for two cities and two townships incorporated individually. Schenectady had been created as a patent with certain municipal rights 4 November 1684 and became a borough 23 October 1765.

Albany had been chartered as a city 22 July 1686 with an extension of land 16 miles northwest known as the Liberty of Albany, originally set aside to provide firewood for the city.³ Pittstown had been made a township by patent 23 July 1761, and Duanesburgh 13 March 1765.⁴

Eventually, both Schenectady and Albany were divided into wards. The cities became districts in 1772, while the two townships were included in the territory of other districts. Duanesburgh was united with Schoharie as the United Districts of Duanesburgh and Schoharie, and Pittstown fell within the District of Schaghticoke.  

By an act of the state legislature 7 March 1788 these districts ceased to function as administrative units when the entire state was divided into towns (Laws of the State of New York, 1886, 1:748f.). In most cases the districts were simply turned into towns.  

Between 1772 and 1788 various records were generated by the districts which are useful to genealogists. Primary among them are several tax lists to be found in the New York State Archives and the State Library Manuscripts and Special Collections, both in Albany, and The New-York Historical Society in New York City.

As I worked with these tax lists and needed to know the extent of the districts, I searched in vain for a map showing their boundaries. To help visualize the different locations, I devised the accompanying rough maps, which my son Peter has given a more professional presentation, for which I express my gratitude to him.

Although not precise, I find the maps useful and would like to share whatever value they have with others; the information they show was not easily come by. The maps' value is increased by knowledge of what towns are included in each district. The table below has been constructed from French's 1860 Gazetteer, which see for further detail concerning boundaries and name changes.  

Development of Towns in the Area of Old Albany County

(arranged by present-day counties)

Citations

1. George R. Howell and J. Tenney, Bicentennial History of Albany [History of the Counties of Albany and Schenectady], 1886, pp. 70-72; Historical Souvenir Program, Schenectady Sesquicentennial, 1959.

2. The Colonial Laws of New York, 1894, 4:903f., 383f., 400f., 772-73; Laws of the State of New York, 1886, 1:118-19, 229f., 438-39, 610-11.

3. Howell and Tenney, p. 72.

4. J. H. French, Gazetteer of the State of New York, 1860, pp. 558, 596.