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Hugh Hastings was educated in the Albany public and High School and the Cass Academy, and began journalistic work on the old Knickerbocker, founded by his uncle, Hugh J. Hastings, September 3, 1843. In 1874 he joined the staff of the New York Commercial Advertiser, of which he became city and financial editor and where he began his career as a writer on political subjects. In October, 1885, he joined the World's staff, and in 1886 became its Albany correspondent, but in 1887 was placed in charge of its Washington bureau. In 1888 he was placed in charge of the New York State Political Department of the New York Times, for which he described the Johnstown flood of 1889 and the Homestead and Buffalo strikes of 1892.
On the creation of the office of State Historian, he was appointed and entered upon his duties April 30, 1895, and has ably organized that department. His first report, transmitted to the Legislature March 3, 1896, clearly shows the work he has in view, the permanent preservation of New York's most important war records, covering a period of 125 years. Excepting those of 1884 he has attended every national and New York State political convention since 1878. April 5, 1888, he married Elizabeth Rehrer Dock of Harrisburg, Pa.
High Hastlngs, State Historian, third son of Col. John Hastings was born in Albany, July 22, 1856. Colonel Hastings was born in Ireland in 1824, came with his parents to Albany in 1831 and died here June 3, 1887. At the breaking out of the war of the Rebellion he was engaged in the job printing business in the old Museum building. April 19, 1861, he organized Co. B, 18th N. Y. Vols., was commissioned its captain April 24, was promoted lieutenant-colonel of the 7th N. Y. H. A., September 8, 1862, and was honorably discharged July 29, 1864. Afterward he was editor of the Albany Knickerbocker until August, 1877, when he retired. He married Margaret, daughter of Henry L, Jewell, of Albany, and their children were John, Hugh, David, Warren, Mary (widow of Lewis H. Van Antwerp), and Jennie, who survive, and Henry J., William, Frank and Margaret, deceased.
