▁P . ▁O ' Con nell ▁and ▁Ed win ▁Cor ning . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁H ack ett ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Alb any ▁on ▁December ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 8 6 8 , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁John ▁H ack ett ▁and ▁Mar tha ▁Storm ont . ▁His ▁family ▁res ided ▁in ▁Alb any ' s ▁South ▁End ▁neighborhood , ▁and ▁H ack ett ▁was ▁educated ▁in ▁Alb any . ▁He ▁began ▁working ▁while ▁still ▁a ▁boy , ▁including ▁deliver ing ▁the ▁Alb any ▁Even ing ▁Journal ▁newspaper , ▁which ▁was ▁later ▁owned ▁by ▁Republican ▁Party ▁leader ▁William ▁Bar nes ▁Jr .. ▁ ▁After ▁two ▁years ▁at ▁Alb any ▁High ▁School , ▁H ack ett ▁dropped ▁out ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁begin ▁studying ▁law ▁in ▁the ▁office ▁of ▁Alb any ▁att or ne ys ▁Am asa ▁J . ▁Parker ▁Jr . ▁and ▁Ed win ▁Coun tr yman . ▁He ▁was ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁bar ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 , ▁and ▁then ▁pract iced ▁law ▁in ▁Alb any . ▁ ▁H ack ett ▁also ▁joined ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁National ▁Guard , ▁serving ▁in ▁Alb any ' s ▁Company ▁A , ▁ 1 0 th ▁Battalion ▁( former ly ▁the ▁Alb any ▁Z ou ave ▁Cad ets ). ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁unit ▁from ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁to ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁and ▁att ained ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁ser ge ant . ▁H ack ett ▁later ▁served ▁as ▁tre as urer ▁and ▁president ▁of ▁Company ▁A ' s