Michael Freligh

NOTE: DOB = July 15, 1770 according to age on grave & cemetery burial card: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/183331415/michael-m-freligh

http://library.albany.edu/speccoll/findaids/mss071.htm Freligh Family Papers

Members of the Freligh family lived in the Niskayuna area during the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Dr. Michael Freligh, the son of George J. Freligh of Dutchess County, N.Y., was born in 1770. He settled in Niskayuna in 1788 [1]. Freligh served as Albany County Coroner [2], and in 1815 he was elected to the Assembly of the City and County of Albany [3]. He died in 1853.

Michael's brother John Freligh settled in Plattsburgh, N.Y., where he witnessed the burning of Plattsburgh during the War of 1812. [4] His first wife Betsy died in 1811, but by 1814 he had remarried to a woman named Margaret. The dates of his birth and death are unknown.

George W. Freligh, the son of Dr. Michael Freligh, considered seeking his fortune in California but ultimately remained in Niskayuna on property inherited from his father. George died in 1881.

Abram Freligh, the son of George W. Freligh, served as Commissioner of Highways for the Town of Colonie. He died in 1912. His daughter, Julia Fort Freligh, married Abram Rand. She died in 1959. The Freligh family papers were donated to the University Library by the executor of Julia Fort Freligh Rand.

http://books.google.com/books?id=0S-gAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA303&lpg=PA303&ot...

Annals of the Medical Society of the County of Albany, 1806-1851, pages 304-306:

In order to encourage the population of Her Majesty's provinces in America, Queen Anne, who was on the throne in 1700, held out certain inducements which enticed large numbers, and among them many from Holland, to emigrate to this country, in order to avail themselves of the promised rewards, and thereby to improve their domestic comfort and prosperity. The encouragement offered by the English government was understood to have consisted in lands and implements of husbandry of every description necessary for new beginners, in a new and unsettled country. The journey was long and perilous; crossing the ocean, tedious and uncertain. Many of the emigrants arrived with exhausted means and in destitute condition, and only to suffer overwhelming disappointment in their application to the almoner of the crown. The promised inducements were not only denied to, them, but an extravagant price demanded for every article that could be purchased.

With stoic firmness of purpose, these Dutch adventurers "girdled the trees, and with an uncouth hoe dug up the mucky soil, and committed to the virgin earth the first seeds whose produce was to afford them hopes of escape from threatened starvation."

Among the number who settled in Ulster county was a family of Frelighs. They brought with them strong attachments to, and professions of the protestant faith, and they held sacred the principles and practices of their forefathers.

Peter Freligh was one of these Dutch adventurers. Two of his sous, Solomon and Moses, became pious ministers in the Reformed Dutch church of the United States. A third son was Hendrick, whose eldest son George was the father of Michael Freligh, the subject of this notice.

Michael was born' near Rhinebeck, in Dutchess county, on the 7th of July, 1770. At an early age he commenced the study of medicine under the direction of Dr. Benjamin Anthony, and subsequently attended the lectures of Drs. Shippen and Rush, at Philadelphia. His certificate or diploma, which was all the law then required, read thus: Omnibus Has Literas Lecturis Salutem.

I do certify that Michael Freligh did commence the study of physic and surgery, together with all their several auxiliary branches, under my care on the 16th day of the 2d month, 1785. That according to our agreement he continued with me two years; during which time he not only applied Jiimself with indefatigable industry to his studies, especially in anatomy, but also paid uncommon attention to the practice of physic and surgery, in visiting the sick, in which he manifested strong marks of a large share of ingenuity, and thereby acquired such a component knowledge of said sciences as may enable him to practice the same with encouragement and success. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Nine Partners, Dutchess county, on the 29th day of the 9th month, 1787.

Benjamin Anthony. In addition to the above,

I do now certify, that the said Michael Freligh, did attend the winter past, at the city of Philadelphia, a course of Dr. William Shippen's lectures on anatomy, surgery and midwifery, and a course of Dr. Benjamin Rush's lectures on the theory and practice of physic, and likewise the practice of the Pennsylvania hospital, and thereby perfected in some degree a more complete knowledge of those sciences. The study of which he first commenced under my auspices, 1st day of the 6th month, 1788.

Benjamin Anthony.

Freligh was a lad of fifteen when he began to study medicine, and only a youth of eighteen when he had the authority that entitled him to the dignity of doctor. It was an early period in life to assume the responsibility that pertains to the duty of the position. Dr. Freligh went to Schenectady and began the practice of his profession, and, so far as is known, with successful results. His natural abilities were far more than ordinary, and he seems to have possessed a practical good judgment. He continued not only to read, hut to think for himself.

After five years he removed to the town of Watervliet where he became extensively engaged in practice, and largely won the public confidence; and his reputation extendeoMnto the adjonining towns on every side. Dr. Freligh was remarkably diligent in his attention to his patients, and generous, and faithful to the sick poor. Notwithstanding broken rest, he often rose at four in the morning in the summer, ami worked in his garden. He possessed a good library and spent much time in reading. His manners were gentle, his habits genial and social, and towards young people always attractive and agreeable.

Dr. Freligh was elected a member of the legislature in 1816; another district from Albany county being filled that year by Dr. Jesse Smith. In his politics he was an earnest whig. He was a public spirited, enterprising man; greatly interested in all the prominent movements of his day. He was a firm advocate of the cause of temperance, and not only wrote, but lectured for its advancement. One of his lectures was published in 1832. It is written in a clear, vigorous style, and aimed at the consciences as well as the intellect of his hearers. No inconsiderable part of his writings in later years were in letters to his children, in which he reasoned upon various subjects, and always saw sermons in brooks, and rocks, and hills, and God in everything. A single extract may suffice for illustration. It was written at the age of eighty years in a clear, beautiful hand, ou a stormy day in January, when he was confined to the house by the rain and hail, and is as follows:

" In the peach and plumh I find the perfuming flower covering and embracing a small globular body attached to the little slender stem by which it hangs suspended from the limb of the tree. It is now, and for some time continues to be soft, easily penetrated by a pin or knife ; at length the fruit ripens and in its center I find a hard stone or pit, constituting one-fifth or sixth or eighth part of the whole mass, and so hard as to require a hammer to break it. Now it is evident that the stone or seed could not in its full size and hardness have passed through the little slender stem by which the fruit draws its nourishment from the tree. How then came it there? Well it is evident that it must have passed through the tube in a liquid state and become hardened after the matter was deposited in its appropriate place. But how was the juice of the fruit, and the stone taught to flow in from the tree separately, so as not to mix and destroy the fruit or the future seed ? or have the fruit and the stone separate tubes set apart for the conveyance of the material adapted to the several natures of the plant? and if so, who has communicated to them this exquisite organization ? This strucure of the fruit is as uniform as the rising and setting of the sun. I have never known the stony matter to be diffused through the pulp of the fruit, nor yet the pulp occupying the place of the stone. What manner of wisdom is this among the trees!! * * Man neither knows nor understands the principle or the construction."

Some of these letters exhibit familiarity with ancient and modern history, with agriculture and the natural sciences, and abound in constant admiration of the beauties of nature.

Dr. Freligh was in professional life for forty-six years; .retiring from its more active duties about 1832.

The evening of his life was passed in his own pleasant home, surrounded by his family and friends. He survived in remarkable, intellectual and physical vigor until the 26th day of June, 1853, when he died at the age of 83 years.

Some of his lines, written only a few years before his death, are worthy of insertion in this place ; but the first and last verses of a single selection must suffice. They were written for an album, and are:

Ah, what shall I, whose hairs are gray, Whose skin is shriveled, pale with age, And eyes bedimmed: what can I say To grace thine album's gilded page.

Thus would I pray my God to give, Our souls a rest from sin and strife, That in his presence we may live, When death is swallowed up in life.

Dr. Freligh was ardently attached to the faith and church of his fathers, in which he for many years was an elder; and the most prominent and remarkable feature of his character, was his ardent piety. He seemed to dwell in constant contemplation of the goodness, the greatness, and the majesty of God. It w.as his ruling passion, and every emotion of his heart, was gratitude and love to God; and his emotions kindle into awe at so august a theme! In a letter, dated November, 1849, he exclaims with Job. "Behold I am vile"; I have no confidence in the flesh; The cross of Christ is my crown; His mercy seat is my hiding place; His sufferings are the ground of my hope and rejoicing; His death the price of my life; His wounds and bruises my refuge, when the storm of God's wrath sweeps away the wicked; His love my wonder and astonishment; His intercession my strong advocacy with the Father ; His righteousness my justification; His mediatorial work, my all in all for life eternal.

With a life-example in accordance with such a faith, the good old patriarch passed to his rest.

Three sons and seven daughters survive to cherish the memory and the example of a loving father, and a good man.

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http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db...

ID: I19111731

Name: Michael FRELIGH

Sex: M

Birth: ABT 1777

Marriage 1 Ann-Anna-Anne-Antje WITBECK b: 28 JAN 1781 in Watervliet, Albany, New York

Married: 21 APR 1799 in Boght Reformed, Church

Children

Gerrit Witbeck FRELIGH

Gertrude Maria FRELIGH b: 16 SEP 1803

George FRELIGH b: 6 DEC 1800 in Niskayuna, Reformed Church, Niskayuna, NY

Emitya Perry FRELIGH

Francyntje FRELIGH b: 12 JUN 1802 in Niskayuna, Reformed Church, Niskayuna, Ny>

Henry Truax FRELIGH b: 1819

Leah FRELIGH b: 9 MAY 1813

Emmetie Perry FRELIGH b: 10 JAN 1809

Michael FRELIGH b: 5 OCT 1814

Sarah Ann FRELIGH b: 8 FEB 1821

Margaret Elizabeth FRELIGH b: 7 AUG 1822

http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db...

ID: I520332150

Name: Michael (b. ~1770) FRELIGH

Given Name: Michael (b. ~1770)

Surname: Freligh

Sex: M

Birth: Abt 1770

Death: 26 Jun 1853 in Newtonville,, NY

Title: Dr.

Father: George *OR* Jurgens (b. 1743, Num. 90) FRELIGH b: Abt 1743

Mother: Gertrude Maria *OR* Gertri POTTS *OR* POLTZ-BOSCH

Marriage 1 Ann-Anna-Anne-Antje WITBECK b: 28 Jan 1781 in Watervliet, Albany, New York

Married: 21 Apr 1799 in Boght Reformed Church

Children

Gerrit Witbeck (b. 1807) FRELIGH b: 1807

Gertrude Maria FRELIGH b: 16 Sep 1803

George (b. 1800 son of Dr. Michael) FRELIGH b: 6 Dec 1800 in Niskayuna, Reformed Church, Niskayuna, NY

Emma-Emitya Perry FRELIGH b: 10 Jan 1809

Francyntje FRELIGH b: 12 Jun 1802 in Niskayuna, Reformed Church, Niskayuna, Ny>

Henry Truax (b. 1819, son of Michael) FRELIGH b: 1819

Leah (b. 1813) FRELIGH b: 9 May 1813

Michael (b. 1814) FRELIGH b: 5 Oct 1814

Sarah Ann (b. 1821 to Witbeck) FRELIGH b: 8 Feb 1821

Margaret Elizabeth (b. 1822) FRELIGH b: 7 Aug 1822

John Perry FRELIGH b: 1811

Catherine FRELIGH b: 1803

Susana FRELIGH b: 1814

Past article from the Historical Society Of Colonie newsletter "Who Took Bertha Cleveland?" as posted on Historical Society Town of Colonie Facebook page:
...Michael Freligh, grandfather to Frederick Cleveland, was one of the oldest physicians of Albany County, N.Y.

At the early age of eighteen years he received the authority entitling him to the dignity of doctor, and soon after he began the practice of medicine in the City of Schenectady. Five years afterward he removed to the Town of Watervliet (Colonie) N.Y. where he won a large practice. In 1799, Michael Freligh married Anna Whitbeck of Watervliet. A pleasing little incident is told in regard to the courtship of this couple which seems worthy of mention….One day the doctor was returning from one of his professional calls he had occasion to pass over the broad acres of the Whitbeck estate (near the present area of River Road in Colonie) on the south side of the Mohawk Flats. Miss Whitbeck spying at a distance as he leisurely rode his horse over the country road, secreted herself in a thicket by the roadside, and as he drew near sprang up with the fearlessness of a highwayman, caught the horse by the bridle and exclaimed: ‘Sir, you are my prisoner!’ With a courteous smile, the young doctor lifted his hat, and bending toward his fair captor replied: ‘Madam, I have been your prisoner for more than two years’.” A loving and lasting relationship soon followed this encounter. The marriage between the two produced a total of fourteen children, (five sons and nine daughters). The family lived on a farm on a hill overlooking the Mohawk and the rolling fields of broom corn grown by the Shakers. According to the 1851 Sidney Map, the family is identified as “Fraley” living at the top of what was once called Dike Road at Forts Ferry Road which overlooks the Mohawk River. The Whitbeck name is seen closer to the river beside the River Road to the west of the Fraley home.