| "Fulton
County Court House" | |
Fulton County Courthouse Today | |
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On May 9th of 1769, a bill was introduced in the Provincial Assembly to create a new county out of "the westernmost part" of Albany County. At that time, Albany County comprised all of the Colonial Province of New York from Ulster and Dutchess Counties to Fort Stanwix (now Rome) and the Iroquois land to the west. In a letter dated November 28, 1771, Guy Johnson suggested to his uncle (and father-in-law), Sir William Johnson, that the courthouse for the new county be located in Johnstown. Sir William concurred with this recommendation and offered to contribute "to the erection of the necessary Edifies." On March 12, 1772, the Provincial Assembly created Tryon County out of the western half of Albany County and designated Johnstown as the county seat where the King's Court was to be held. |
Construction of the Courthouse commenced immediately under Sir William's personal direction. On May 21,1772, he wrote: "I am now carrying on a handsome building for a Court House, toward which I shall contribute £ 500." (The good baronet also supplied 25 gallons of rum during the summer of 1772 to refresh the brick masons, millwrights and other sundry help during the hot months which must be the first recorded instance of fringe benefits in the new county's history.) The courthouse was only partially finished when, on September 8, 1772, the first Court of General Sessions to be held west of Albany was convened. Present as judges were Guy Johnson, who was to succeed Sir William as Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Northern Zone; John Butler, who was with General Braddock at Fort Duquesne and later commanded the |
 The Historical Society of the Courts of the State of New York | |
