The Albany sleigh in our collection was built by the firm credited with inventing its distinctive, swell-body design. This is a four-passenger model (much less common than the two-person cutter), and it is relatively rare in New England as the “Portland” sleigh was predominant. Donated to the Society in 1996 by Brad and Gretchen White, the sleigh was built by the James Goold Company of Albany, New York, perhaps around 1880, and passed down through the estate of Brad’s grandfather, Willis White.
Early Life
Born in 1790, James Goold moved at age four from Granby, Connecticut, to Stephentown, New York. His father was a farmer and blacksmith. The family was comfortable but not wealthy, and at age 14, James was sent to Troy, New York, to serve as an apprentice to Obadiah Penniman, a bookbinder. After a year, James moved to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, as apprentice to a carriage-maker, William Clark. The enterprise failed 18 months later, so James completed his apprenticeship with another carriage-maker, Jason Clapp.
By the summer of 1809, then nineteen years old, James Goold was qualified as a journeyman carriage body-maker. He then went looking for work in New York City, Newark, New Haven, Troy. His father offered some advice: “Be faithful to your employer, honest to all you deal with, pleasant in the house, civil to all about you; not quick to resent an affront, not soon angry. Keep a bright lookout for such as are bad company or bad advisers. Remember the Sabbath, and attend meeting reverently. Take conscience for your guide, and do nothing that will cause repentance.”
In November, 1812, James returned to his parents’ house at Stephentown to study over the winter. Then in April, 1813, James Goold found the financing he needed to open his own carriage shop in Albany at the corner of Maiden Lane and Dean Street. The following year, he married Elizabeth Vail, and the couple subsequently produced thirteen children. As business grew, he leased additional manufacturing space around the city. In 1836, he consolidated his operations into a new factory on Union Street. It was also around this time that he finalized a swell-body sleigh design that he had first sketched almost twenty years earlier.
A Setback
Two years later he lost everything. On May 25, 1838, a fire destroyed his new factory, machinery, inventory, and materials—a loss totaling $45,000. He was insured for just $19,000. A group of concerned citizens reportedly gathered on the day after the fire and offered him a five-year loan of $20,000, without interest. Why this outpouring of support? He had little or no competition in the area and employed about a hundred people—sometimes more as the work required. He also had important private and commercial customers, and appreciation for his workmanship was widespread.
After recovering from the fire, the James Goold Co. continued to operate into the age of the automobile. Sons and grandsons joined the business as partners. At times, three generations shared ownership of the company. Altogether, James Goold was actively engaged in coach-building for 66 years.
An 1868 trade magazine article summarized the scale of the operations at that time: "This establishment turns out during the year about one hundred carriages of all descriptions from an open buggy to a Clarence coach, and about one hundred sleighs, of all designs, from a cutter to a large barouche; also, about fifty street cars."
A Tribute
James Goold died on October 1, 1879 at the age of 89 years, 6 months. A few weeks later, the Carriage-Builders’ National Association held its annual convention in New York city and commemorated his death with the following statement:
"Whereas, This Association has learned, with feelings of deep sorrow, of the recent death of our illustrious associate, James Goold, of Albany, New York, who was the first to inscribe his name upon our membership roll, was long our honored Vice-President, and at the time of his decease was the oldest active carriage builder in the United States; and who, after a life of remarkable activity and usefulness, protracted with almost undiminished strength of mind and body to his ninetieth year, has passed from among us, and we shall no more see his venerable form, dignified mien and thoughtful and kindly face;..."
So passed James Goold of Albany, builder of this exquisite sleigh, whose innovative, swell-body design would attain iconic status in Currier & Ives illustrations.