Verplanck Street is a north-south street running between East Utica and East Ferry, parallel to and two blocks west of Jefferson Avenue in the Masten Neighborhood of the East Side. The street was originally known as Clifton Street but the name was changed in December 1880 to honor Isaac Verplanck.
Isaac Abraham Verplanck was born in Coeymans (near Albany), NY. The Verplancks (sometimes spelled Verplank or Ver Planck) were a prominent family during the New Netherlands era of New York. Abraham Isaac Verplanck, a Dutch entrepreneur, came to New Netherlands in the 1630s. One of Abraham’s sons, Isaac Verplanck, moved to Albany and established the Verplanck line in the Capital Region of New York State – he had 10 children! One of Abraham’s daughters married David Schuyler. David’s brother was Phillip Schuyler, the G-G-Great Grandfather of the Schuyler Sisters who you may be familiar with, particularly if you (like me) spent a great deal of 2020 watching Hamilton on repeat on Disney Plus. The Hamlet of Verplanck in Westchester County and Ver Planck Street in Albany are both named after the Verplanck family.
After several generations of Verplancks, Buffalo’s Isaac Abraham Verplanck was born in October 1812 to Abraham and Elizabeth Verplanck. Isaac graduated from Union College in Schenectady and moved to Batavia to study law in 1831. He was admitted to the bar in 1834 at the age of 22. By the age of 26, he became District Attorney of Genesee County.
In 1847, Mr. Verplanck was lured by the growth of the City of Buffalo and moved here to continue his profession. He grew his law practice by partnering with Henry Smith.
In 1854, he was elected Superior Court Justice. The Superior Court of Buffalo had just been formed, so Judge Verplanck was one of the first justices along with Judge George Clinton and Judge Masten. Judge Verplanck was reelected twice and served for 19 years until his death. He was a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1867- 68. Judge Verplanck was also an officer of the Buffalo Club.
Episcopal Church of the Ascension, North Street
Judge Verplanck married Laura Allen of Batavia in 1834. The Verplank family lived on North Street in Buffalo. They were members of the Episcopal Church of the Ascension. Judge Verplanck was very involved, having been one of three laymen who started the congregation in 1855 and often serving as a representative of the church to conventions. The Verplanks had three children – Ethan Allen who died at the age of 9; Sarah, who married George C Webster and served as organist at Ascension Church for 17 years; and Abram George. Abram attended Yale and served in the Army. Abram died in Washington, March 7, 1880.
Judge Verplanck died suddenly on April 15, 1873 of a stroke. His funeral was held at the Church of the Ascension on April 18th. The church had just opened in their new sanctuary the day prior with a large worship service attended by pastors from many local congregations. During the service, Judge Verplanck’s death was announced during the sermon.
As a lawyer, Mr. Verplanck was said to be one of the fairest, most logical and most learned jurists ever to preside in a local court. After he died, his obituary read, “Nature has ordained him to be a dispenser of Justice, and no man ever held the scales more evenly than he” and that he “was a man of great mental resources, an able lawyer, an incorruptible jurist a true gentleman, and a noble hearted generous citizen”.
Prior to his funeral, a meeting was held at “the new courthouse” for members of the Erie County Bar to share their remembrances of the Judge. I believe the new courthouse referred to what we now consider Old County Hall, which was built between 1871 and 1875. Sheriff Grover Cleveland draped the judge’s desk and courtroom in black for mourning. After his death, the Genesee County Bar association also passed a resolution to honor Judge Verplanck as he had played such an important role there. Judge Verplanck is buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
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I hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year! 2021 will be my 10th year of blogging, can you believe it! We’ll have to do something special to celebrate ten years next summer. Let me know what streets you want to learn about this coming year! Thanks for all of your support, this year, and always!
Sources:
- “Church of the Ascension: Opening Services Yesterday, Sermon by Bishop Coxe”. Buffalo Courier. April, 18, 1873, p2.
- Gazetteer and Biographical Record of Genesee County NY 1788-1890, p. 56.
- “Obituary: The Late Hon. Isaac A Verplanck”. Buffalo Weekly Courier. April 23, 1873, p2.
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