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SCHENECTADY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE
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[This information is from Vol. IV, pp. 1753-1755 of Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs, edited by Cuyler Reynolds (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1911). It is in the Reference collection of the Schenectady County Public Library at R 929.1 R45. Some of the formatting of the original, especially in lists of descendants, may have been altered slightly for ease of reading.]
Thomas Laing, the first of the line here under consideration, was born in Langholm, Scotland, about the year 1723, died in Salem, New York, August 27, 1825, aged one hundred and two years. He came to this country when about forty years of age. The supposition is that he came with the company of Scotch under Campbell who came to Saratoga county, New York, under promises of grants which were not kept. On the voyage he met and became enamored with Agnes Miller, born in Scotland, 1747, whom he subsequently married. They settled in Saratoga county, New York. Some time later, according to tradition, they walked over to Cambridge, Washington county, a distance of eighteen miles, in order to be married by a Scotch preacher, located at that place in the wilderness. They later removed to Hebron, Washington county, where he purchased land and became a farmer. They later settled in Saratoga county, where they reared a family of eight children.
(II) Adam, son of Thomas and Agnes (Miller) Laing, was born in Stillwater, Saratoga county, New York, May 15, 1780, died in Hebron, New York, September 8, 1859. He was a farmer, owning land in Hebron, Washington county, New York. His homestead is still in the possession of his descendants. While a resident of Wilton, Saratoga county, he owned a timber lot and sawmill; he manufactured and dealt in pine lumber, rafting it down the river to Albany where he found a market for it. At the time of the non-intercourse with England there was a period of dull times, and Mr. Laing tied up his raft at Albany, still continuing to manufacture and log and raft, thinking that in the near future times would improve. When the embargo was laid and the last war with England was concluded, his debts became so pressing that he was obliged to sell his stock of lumber, mill and lot at a sacrifice, only realizing a few hundred dollars in money and a negro boy whom he later sold to Archibald Woodard, of Hebron; he was known as Jack Woodard and died after his emancipation. Mr. Laing was a member of the state militia and was called out with a company of militia at the time of the battles on Lake Chaimplain and the capture of the British fleet at Ticonderoga; they were instructed to support the gunboats, but they really took no active part in the fight. He was a Presbyterian in religion, but joined the Baptist church of which his wife was a member. He married, December 26, 1805, Azuba Durham, born in Saratoga county, New York, 1785, died in Hebron, New York, January 11, 1870, daughter of Uzziel and Mary (Northup) Durham; she was a woman of unusual character and mental ability. Children:
(III) Uzziel Durham, son of Adam and Azuba (Durham) Laing, was born in North Hebron, New York, March 24, 1814; died March 20, 1895, at Granville, New York. He was educated in the schools of his home town. He owned a farm near North Hebron and was a prosperous farmer, following that line of work throughout his active years. He was a Democrat in politics, but held no office, and was noted for his integrity and mental capabilities. He married, at Granville, January 15, 1841, Jane, born March 1, 1818, died April 11, 1908, at Granville, daughter of William and Susannah (Rice) Reynolds; their ancestors came from Rhode Island and were early settlers in Hebron and Granville. William Reynolds was son of Stephen Reynolds, who came from Providence, Rhode Island, and who married Sally Wightman. Susannah (Rice) Reynolds was a daughter of Allen and Waitie (Briggs) Rice. Children:
(IV) William Franklin, son of Uzziel Durham and Jane (Reynolds) Laing, was born in North Hebron, New York, June 25, 1844. He attended the district schools and the North Hebron Academy, and then followed farming in North Hebron up to 1880, and in November of that year moved to Waterloo, Nebraska, where he became a dealer in real estate and a negotiator of farm loans. In December, 1896, he removed to Granville, New York, and in July, 1900, to Rochester, New York, where he is engaged in fruit culture. He and his wife are members of the Park Avenue Baptist Church of Rochester, and a Democrat in politics, but has never held public office. He married, November 24, 1886, at Granville, New York, Mary Grace Whiting, born in Hebron, New York, May 13, 1849, daughter of Edward C. and Charlotte M. (Decker) Whiting, who are the parents of six other children, namely: Gertrude, Adele H., George A., Louise B., Ernest and Jay Edward Whiting.
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