Capitol Hill in Albany in Albany County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
401 Madison Avenue
Photographed by Trudi Jacobson, October 14, 2026
1. 401 Madison Avenue Marker
Wife Catharine Angus (Tailoress)
Cigar rolling works on Garden Alley
at rear of property
1849
House extended to front
of property by c. 1870
Erected by Historic Albany Foundation.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Historic Albany Foundation series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1849.
Location. 42° 39.12′ N, 73° 46.001′ W. Marker is in Albany, New York, in Albany County. It is in Capitol Hill. It is on Madison Avenue (U.S. 20 at milepost 0.3), 0.1 miles east of Lark Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 401 Madison Avenue, Albany NY 12210, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York and in the Capital District. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland and
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: 414 Madison Avenue (within shouting distance of this marker); 78A Willett Street (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); 366 Hudson Avenue (about 700 feet away); 78 Willett Street (about 800 feet away); Edgar Johnson (about 800 feet away); 282 Hudson Avenue (about 800 feet away); "The Hudson Theatre Building" (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Battle of Henry Johnson (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Albany.
Regarding 401 Madison Avenue. Built in 1849, this Madison Avenue house reflects the close relationship between residential life and small-scale manufacturing in nineteenth-century Albany. According to the Historic Albany Foundation plaque, John G. Angus was a cigar maker whose cigar-rolling works stood along Garden Alley at the rear of the property. His wife, Catharine Jane Angus, was a tailoress, engaged in the skilled work of making and altering clothing.
The house was extended toward Madison Avenue around 1870. Albany city directories document John
Photographed by Trudi Jacobson, October 14, 2026
2. 401 Madison Avenue Marker
Catharine was born November 11, 1823, and died April 14, 1864, at the age of 40. On May 13, 1864, the Albany County Surrogate's Court granted letters of administration to John G. Angus, identifying him explicitly as her husband and recording that she had died without a will. Catharine is buried in Albany Rural Cemetery, Section 89, Plot 22.
The Angus household illustrates the importance of small workshops and skilled trades to Albany's nineteenth-century economy. While larger commercial enterprises are often better documented, the work of independent craftspeople, including women engaged in clothing production, was also an important part of the city's economic life. The identification of Catharine as a tailoress on the historic plaque preserves a contribution that might otherwise have been overlooked.
Sources
Albany County Surrogate's Court. Letters of Administration, vol. 10, p. 433, May 13, 1864. Estate of Catharine Jane Angus. Original record located through Ancestry Library Edition.
Albany Rural Cemetery. Cemetery Sexton Records, entry for Catharine Angus, Section 89, Plot 22. (Page 17)
Munsell, Joel, publisher. The Albany Directory for the Year 1860. Entry for John G. Angus.
The Albany City Directory for 1876. Entry for John G. Angus, cigarmaker, 401 Madison Avenue.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 22, 2026, by Trudi Jacobson of Slingerlands, New York. This page has been viewed 14 times since then. Photos: 1. submitted on October 22, 2026, by Trudi Jacobson of Slingerlands, New York. 2. submitted on October 23, 2026, by Trudi Jacobson of Slingerlands, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
