Nassau, New York

Not to be confused with Nassau County, New York or Nassau (village), New York.

Nassau is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 4,545 in 2020, down from 4,789 at the 2010 census.^[2]

Nassau, New York
Town
Town hall
Location in Rensselaer County and the state of New York.
Coordinates: 42°33′N 73°33′W
Country	United States
State	New York
County	Rensselaer
Incorporated	1806 (as Town of Philipstown)
Government
• Supervisor	David Fleming
Area [1]
• Total	45.24 sq mi (117.16 km2)
• Land	44.44 sq mi (115.11 km2)
• Water	0.79 sq mi (2.05 km2)
Elevation	919 ft (280 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,545
• Density	100/sq mi (39/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	12123
Area code	518
FIPS code	36-49517
GNIS feature ID	0979250
Website	townofnassau.org

The Town of Nassau is at the southern border of the county.

History

The region was first settled around 1760. The town was originally formed as the "Town of Philipstown" in 1806 from parts of the Towns of Petersburgh, Schodack, and Stephentown. The town changed its name to "Nassau" in 1808, in honor of Fort Nassau, the first settlement by the Dutch in what is now New York.

The Henry Tunis Smith Farm was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.^[3]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 45.2 square miles (117.1 km²), of which 44.5 square miles (115.4 km²) is land and 0.7 square mile (1.7 km²) (1.46%) is water.

The southern town line is the border of Columbia County, New York.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1820	2,873		—
1830	3,254		13.3%
1840	3,236		−0.6%
1850	3,261		0.8%
1860	3,039		−6.8%
1870	2,705		−11.0%
1880	2,629		−2.8%
1890	2,273		−13.5%
1900	2,073		−8.8%
1910	2,115		2.0%
1920	2,015		−4.7%
1930	2,020		0.2%
1940	2,405		19.1%
1950	3,122		29.8%
1960	3,721		19.2%
1970	4,043		8.7%
1980	4,479		10.8%
1990	4,989		11.4%
2000	4,818		−3.4%
2010	4,789		−0.6%
2020	4,545		−5.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[4][5]

As of the census^[6] of 2000, there were 4,818 people, 1,851 households, and 1,330 families residing in the town. The population density was 108.2 inhabitants per square mile (41.8/km²). There were 2,058 housing units at an average density of 46.2 per square mile (17.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 96.66% White, 1.08% Black or African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 0.10% from other races, and 1.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.

There were 1,851 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $46,526, and the median income for a family was $53,313. Males had a median income of $38,981 versus $26,804 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,785. About 5.9% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Nassau

• Alps – A hamlet on NY 43, east of Denault Corners. The name stems from the mountainous terrain.
• Brainard – A hamlet at the southern end of East Nassau at the junction of US 20 and NY 66.
• Denault Corners – A hamlet on the northern town line at the junction of NY 43 and NY 66.
• Dunham Hollow- A hamlet in the extreme northeastern part of the town at the junction of NY 43 and Dunham Hollow Road. The community was named after Isaac Dunham, a pioneer citizen.^[7]
• East Nassau – The Village of East Nassau is located along the corridor of NY 66, on the eastern town line.
• Hoags Corners – A hamlet at the northern end of East Nassau at the junction of NY 66 and Central Nassau Road. The community was named after W. B. Hoag, a pioneer citizen.^[8]
• Jack's Corners – A hamlet on US 20, three miles east of the Village of Nassau.
• Millers Corners – A hamlet in the northwestern part of the town at the southwestern corner of Burden Lake.
• Nassau – The Village of Nassau is at the western town line, centered around the junction of US 20 and NY 203.
• North Nassau – A hamlet in the northern part of the town, at the junction of Hoags Corners and North Nassau roads.

Notable people

• Smith A. Boughton, leader of the Anti-Rent War, lived in Alps^[9]
• Fenner Ferguson, Delegate to the United States House of Representatives from Nebraska Territory, born in Nassau^[10][11]
• Lydia Davis, writer, translator, and essayist. Lives in East Nassau.^[12]
• Chester Griswold, member of the New York State Assembly, town supervisor of Nassau, postmaster of Nassau^[13][14]
• John Augustus Griswold, U.S. Congressman^[15]
• Simeon Griswold, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives^[16]
• Samuel Ludlow, Nassau town clerk, later served as a state court judge in Oswego, New York^[17]
• Charles Ezra Sprague, Union Army officer and accountant^[18]

References

1. "2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
2. U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 census results, Nassau town, Rensselaer County, New York. https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=Nassau%20town,%20Rensselaer%20County,%20New%20York
3. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
4. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
5. U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 census results, Nassau town, Rensselaer County, New York. https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=Nassau%20town,%20Rensselaer%20County,%20New%20York
6. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
7. University of the State of New York Bulletin. University of the State of New York. 1914. p. 51.
8. University of the State of New York Bulletin. University of the State of New York. 1914. p. 52.
9. Eisenstadt, Peter, ed. (2005). The Encyclopedia of New York State. Syracuse University Press: Syracuse, NY. p. 201. ISBN 978-0-8156-0808-0.
10. Forbes, Alice Ferguson (January 1925). "Fenner Ferguson, First Chief Justice of Nebraska". Nebraska Law Bulletin. Lincoln, NE: Nebraska State Bar Association. pp. 308–316 – via Google Books.
11. Light, Richard Upjohn (1990). Upjohn: A Study in Ancestry, Covering 14 Generations and 450 Years. Vol. I. Kalamazoo, MI: R. U. Light. p. 186 – via Google Books.
12. Emre, Merve (October 1, 2023). "Why Lydia Davis Loves Misunderstandings". New York, NY. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
13. "Chester Griswold Obituary". The New York Times. New York, New York. September 21, 1860. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
14. "John A. Griswold Papers, 1848-1894". York State Library. New York State Library. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
15. "Biography, John Augustus Griswold". Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress. Washington, DC: Historian of the U.S. House of Representatives. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
16. Niles, Hezekiah, ed. (January 6, 1844). "Revolutionary Worthies: Simeon Griswold". Niles' Weekly Register. Baltimore, MD. p. 294 – via Google Books.
17. Anderson, George Baker (1897). Landmarks of Rensselaer County, New York. Syracuse, NY: D. Mason & Company. pp. 546, 554 – via Google Books.
18. Nash, Eugene Arus (1911). A History of the Forty-fourth Regiment. Chicago, IL: R. R. Donnelley & Sons. p. After page 384 – via Google Books.

Further reading

• Anderson, George Baker (1897). Landmarks of Rensselaer County New York. Syracuse, New York: D. Mason and Company. OCLC 1728151.
• Hayner, Rutherford (1925). Troy and Rensselaer County New York: A History. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc. OCLC 22524006.
• Sylvester, Nathaniel Bartlett (1880). History of Rensselaer Co., New York with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Philadelphia: Everts & Peck. OCLC 3496287.
• Weise, Arthur James (1880). History of the Seventeen Towns of Rensselaer County from the Colonization of the Manor of Rensselaerwyck to the Present Time. Troy, New York: J. M. Francis & Tucker. OCLC 6637788.

External links

• Town of Nassau homepage
• History of Nassau, New York