In Howell and Tenney's Bi-Centennial History of Albany County, published in 1886, there is a passing reference to Revolutionary War veteran Jurian Hogan. It is found in the biography of his grandson, Jurian Winne.
"Mr. Winne's mother was Susan Hogan, daughter of Jurian Hogan of Revolutionary fame, who was so well esteemed by the Liberal party that he was commissioned a Colonel, while the Tory party evinced their appreciation of his importance by offering a reward for his scalp. The Hogan farm of 300 acres joined the Winne farm, and the homestead is still in the possession of the family."
While I couldn't find a reference to any bounties on Jurian Hogan's scalp, there is plenty of documentation regarding his service in the Revolution and life in general.
He is a descendant of William Hogan who was born in Ireland and emigrated to Albany sometime before September 1692. That's when he married Albany native Martina Becker. Pop over to the People of Colonial Albany website for more Hogan family info https://exhibitions.nysm.nysed.gov/albany/bios/h/hogan.html
There is some interesting discussion there, especially about the spelling of Hogan, and the first name Jurian (often listed as George). Usually the People of Colonial Albany is pretty good, but their listing for Jurrian Hogan, which I think is our Jurian, has some inconsistencies. Namely it states that he was dead by 1799. Except I have a copy of his will (referenced in that article by the way, when it was filed in 1813) to which he "hereby set his hand and seal" in front of witnesses on July 9, 1810. He also turns up in various Bethlehem assessment rolls and the 1800 and 1810 census in Bethlehem.
While I couldn't place the exact location of the Hogan family's 300 acres, I do know where the Jurian Winne farm, referenced in the quote above, was located. That farm was in the vicinity of modern day Creble Road and Long Lane, now underneath the Selkirk Rail Yard. The Hogans would have been nearby.
The Hogan family seemed to be oriented towards the modern day hamlet of Feura Bush (remember it was still Bethlehem until 1832). The family turns up often in the records of Jerusalem Reformed Church. Jurain (listed as George in the index but Jurian in the transcription) and his wife Hannah White had several children baptized there. Their children continued on with that church, including son Garrit Hogan & his wife Sofia Flansburgh (they had many children baptized there -seven if I am counting correctly) and the above mentioned Susan Hogan and her husband Francis Winne. Their son, Jurian Winne, was baptized there March 23, 1816.
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| Sophia Flansburgh Hogan 1790-1871 (Findagrave) |
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| Gerrit Hogan 1783-1848 (Findagrave) |
Also in this book of vital records from the Jerusalem Reformed Church is a reference to a man named Prince Hogan. His death on February 12, 1872, age about 70 years, is listed under the "Death of Black People" section. I found Prince in the 1855 NY census in Bethlehem listed as a Black male, age 46, working as a servant in household of Peter and Jane Niver (and their 8 kids!). The census reports he had lived in this town for 46 years. I interpret that to mean he was born here, around 1802 or 1809. Which means he was born a free person. Which makes me wonder about his parents and why he has the last name of Hogan.
Well, it turns out that the Hogans did enslave people. In 1800, Jurian's household of 16 people included 5 slaves. In 1810, his household included 2 free Blacks and 3 slaves. In addition, his will dated 1810, bequeathed to daughter Mary Ann "a Negro girl named Bett" and to daughter Elosa "a Negro girl named Ginn." Jurian Hogan also recorded the February 23, 1806 birth of a Black girl named Bett in the town record book.
Jurain was involved in town life, and was appointed as one of the town's first Overseers of the Highway in 1794. His son Garrit was the more prominent figure having served as Bethlehem Town Supervisor and Town Clerk, in the New York Assembly and, as one article put it, "other offices of public trust."
And who was Martha Hogan? The name turned up when I flipped the page from Jurain Hogan's war service record with G. Vanden Bergh's Regiment Albany Militia. There on the next page was the name Martha Hogan.
Of course my mind jumped to "a woman! what?" because the word is clearly Martha. I also found it in a different document "A List of the Names of the men Belonging To Captain William Winne on the west Side of the River"
So, over to Google where AI told me that "while the name Martha is predominately and historically associated with females, there is evidence of its rare usage as a male name, particularly in the United States." Huh. My weird fun fact for the day. Oh, and to tidy things up, the People of Colonial Albany listing for Jurian mentions that he had a brother named Marte or Martin. So there you go.
(Also on this list is John D. Winne who we'll get to for the next blog post.)
