• Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar

New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Adirondacks & NNY
  • Capital-Saratoga
  • Mohawk Valley
  • Hudson Valley & Catskills
  • NYC & Long Island
  • Western NY
  • History
  • Nature & Environment
  • Arts & Culture
  • Outdoor Recreation
  • Food & Farms
  • Subscribe
  • Support
  • Submit
  • About
  • New Books
  • Events
  • Podcasts

Freemasonary

Restless Roamer: James Smithson’s Final Journey

January 29, 2023 by Jaap Harskamp 1 Comment

House flag of John Griswold’s Black X Line.A descendant of Dutch settlers, Jacob Aaron Westervelt began his career in 1814 as an apprentice in Christian Bergh’s shipyard at the point of land on the East River known as Corlears Hook. He left his employer in 1835 to start his own operation along the river. Over a period of three decades, the yard produced 234 vessels.

One of Jacob’s first commissions in 1836 was to build the packet boat Mediator for John Griswold’s Black X Line. Founded in 1823, its ships ran between New York and London displaying a house flag with a black X on a red background. [Read more…] about Restless Roamer: James Smithson’s Final Journey

Filed Under: History, New York City Tagged With: Cultural History, Dutch History, East River, Freemasonary, French History, French Revolution, Manhattan, Maritime History, New York City, Science History, Smithsonian

Freemasons and the Surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga

October 25, 2022 by Sean Kelleher 2 Comments

The Surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga - John TrumbullOver the years, much has been written about the Freemasons (or Masons) involved in the American Revolution, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Paul Revere. Freemasonry is a voluntary self-betterment association that teaches moral, intellectual, and spiritual lessons through theatrical initiation ceremonies. [Read more…] about Freemasons and the Surrender of General Burgoyne at Saratoga

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Battle of Saratoga, Benjamin Franklin, Freemasonary, French History, John Burgoyne, Military History, Morgan Lewis, Saratoga County, Saratoga County History Center, Saratoga County History Roundtable

Albany Artist Ezra Ames: A Biography

June 23, 2022 by Peter Hess 1 Comment

self portrait of Ezra AmesEzra Ames was born on May 5th, 1768 in Framingham, Massachusetts. He was the fourth child of Jesse Emes and Betty Bent.

Prior to the 1800s, printed documents were scarce and there was usually no generally accepted spelling for many words. Most words were written phonetically; whatever combination of letters caused a person to say the intended word was accepted. [Read more…] about Albany Artist Ezra Ames: A Biography

Filed Under: Arts, Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Albany, Albany County, art, Art History, Cultural History, Ezra Ames, Freemasonary, Massachusetts, Material Culture, painting

Freemasonry in Early America

June 1, 2022 by Liz Covart Leave a Comment

ben franklins world podcastIn this episode of the Ben Franklin’s World Podcast, Mark Tabbert, the Director of Archives and Exhibits at the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association and the author of Almanac of American Freemasonry and A Deserving Brother: George Washington and Freemasonry, joins us so we can investigate and better understand Freemasonry and its role in Early America. [Read more…] about Freemasonry in Early America

Filed Under: History Tagged With: Cultural History, Early America, Freemasonary, Podcasts, Political History, Social History

Primary Sidebar

Help Support The Almanack

Subscribe to New York Almanack

Subscribe! Follow the New York Almanack each day via E-mail, RSS, Twitter or Facebook updates.

Recent Comments

  • Arlene Steinberg on Study: Climate Change Has Altered Human-Raptor Relationships
  • Richard Daly on The Decline of the New York State Museum
  • Deb on The Decline of the New York State Museum
  • Don Rittner on The Decline of the New York State Museum
  • Pat Boomhower on The Decline of the New York State Museum
  • Carol Kammen on The Decline of the New York State Museum
  • Judith A Berdy on The Decline of the New York State Museum
  • Bob Meyer on The Decline of the New York State Museum
  • Amber on The Decline of the New York State Museum
  • John Collier on Dr. John Swinburne’s Life in Crime, War & Politics

Recent New York Books

The Transcendentalist and their world
“The Amazing Iroquois” and the Invention of the Empire State
american inheritance
Norman Rockwell's Models
The 1947 Utica Blue Sox Book Cover
vanishing point
From the Battlefield to the Stage
field of corpses
Madison's Militia

Secondary Sidebar

Mohawk Valley Trading Company Honey, Honey Comb, Buckwheat Honey, Beeswax Candles, Maple Syrup, Maple Sugar
preservation league