This collection contains records relating to the Olcott family, who owned the Ten Broeck Mansion from 1848-1947, and were noted bankers and philanthropists in Albany, NY. Included are correspondence between Dudley Olcott (1838-1919) and his associates regarding the purchase of wines for the Ten Broeck Mansion wine cellar, and various documents relating to the Ten Broeck Mansion property (known as the “James King Property” or “Arbour Hill” in the nineteenth century). Also included are an affidavit, court summons, deeds, and handwritten notes, a cashier’s check from the Mechanics’ and Farmers’ Bank in Albany, NY, and two photographs of Dudley Olcott. Most of the documents are originals, but four are 20 th century copies.
Major figures in the collection include Thomas Worth Olcott (1795-1880), who was the fifth president of the Mechanics’ and Farmers’ Bank in Albany, NY. Thomas Worth Olcott was a philanthropist who supported education and the arts including the Dudley Observatory, and Albany Family Academy (now the Albany Academy for Girls). Dudley Olcott, son of Thomas Worth Olcott, served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and was elected president of the Mechanics' and Farmers’ Bank upon his father’s death. Dudley lived at Ten Broeck Mansion until his death in 1919 where he managed the wine cellar. Elisha Bacon of New York City was a frequent correspondent of Dudley Olcott’s regarding the purchase of wines. Robert Olcott I (1865-1947), grandson of Thomas Worth Olcott, was chairman of the board of directors of the Mechanics’ and Farmers’ Bank and was its president following Dudley Olcott’s death. Robert Olcott was the last member of the Olcott family to live at Ten Broeck Mansion. The Mansion was donated to the Albany County Historical Association in 1948 by the heirs of Robert Olcott.
The following individuals are the authors or addressees of the correspondence, or are referenced in the materials in this collection: Elisha Bacon, Colonel James R Branch, Major Edmund Christian, John and Mary Hyland, James Kidd, Jane Maria Kidd, James King, Robert Lenox, Jay Lyons, Doctor McCaw, John McEwen, George McMullen, McQuade family, Dudley Olcott, Emma Olcott, Fanny Olcott, John J. Olcott, Marvin Olcott, Mary M. Olcott, Thomas Olcott, Thomas Worth Olcott, Edward Rankin, Charles H. Raymond, Mayor George H. Thacher, John Tyler (possibly President Tyler or his son), Major George V. Williams, Doctor Winston, and Thomas Francis Wood.
Thank you to the following individuals for their work on this collection:
ACHA Staff and Interns: Aaron Bradt (Project Implementation, Digitization, Meta-data), Michael Munsey (Digitization, Transcriber, Meta-data), Kathryn Kosto (Arrangement)
ACHA Archive Volunteers: Carol Bartram (Transcriber), Kathy Weise (Transcriber), Rebecca Rector (Transcriber), Pat Sears Doherty (Transcriber), Deb Wentz (Transcriber), Ellen Zunon (Transcriber), Liza McKinley (Transcriber), Marie Sarchiapone (Transcriber).
