As a genealogy researcher we think of birth dates, marriage dates, death dates, as the bare bones of an ancestors record. What the individual did in life, what were the accomplishments, what sacrifices were made, I think add "flesh" to that ancestors bones and give us a better picture of that individual we never knew. If you look at the various TIGS projects on line, you will see that approximately seven of the current TIGS projects reflect this thinking. For example with the Alderman data base, we can observe that our ancestor was a Alderman year in and year out in a particular ward in Troy or with the Bank Officers data base we can see a lifetime of service in a particular Troy Bank. These little details of a persons life add some "flesh" to that persons history. So along this line it would be interesting to have some list discussion on the following idea for a new TIGS project. Last year while visiting a son in Ridgefield, Conn., I attended mass at St. Mary's Church and spent some time reading the various inscriptions on the stained glass windows. Lots of information on these memorials. Family names, individual names of family members, some dates of death, etc. I thought then that this would be an interesting idea for a TIGS data base on the various memorials in Troy area churches. If your families ancestors scrimped and saved to donate a church memorial which carries the family name wouldn't; you like to know about it? Does this information add "flesh" to that ancestors bones? As many list members know, over the years Troy has seen Holy Trinity Church, St. Lawrence's Church and St. Jean deBaptiste Church all closed. If there were family names on memorials in these churches are they still there or have they been removed? I know the names from my family's church, St. Michael's, are long gone as the original building was destroyed by fire in the 1970's. With the recent announcement of the possible closing of the following churches in Troy, how many more memorials with our ancestors names will be lost? List of Troy Churches From The Albany Times Union: St. Mary's Church St. Paul the Apostle Church St. Peter's Church St. Francis de Sales Church St. William's Church St. Patrick's Church So, if any list members have any thoughts on this idea, pro or con, they are invited to post their comments to the list. Regards, Bill McGrath TIGS Project Coordinator Clifton Park, NY

Bill, Wow! What a great idea and input to this list. Although I believe that my ancestors (Claytons) did not live in the Troy-Albany area long enough to have made this kind of impact, I know that many on this list and many who might access the database would be most grateful to learn even that much more about an ancestor. To take your idea one step further - this project (if it gets off the ground) should include all memorials at the church - not just stained glass windows. I know of many churches that have placques, under statues, windows, paintings, chalices, etc. Many times these items are recorded somewhere besides the item itself. Just my two cents and good luck with this great idea. Rich in Greer ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill & Cathy McGrath" <seamus@nycap.rr.com> To: <NY-TROY-IRISH-GENSOC-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, July 07, 2008 11:09 AM Subject: [NY-TROY-IRISH-GENSOC] TIGS Data Base/Church Memorials > As a genealogy researcher we think of birth dates, marriage dates, death > dates, as the bare bones of an ancestors record. What the individual did > in life, what were the accomplishments, what sacrifices were made, I > think add "flesh" to that ancestors bones and give us a better picture of > that individual we never knew. > > If you look at the various TIGS projects on line, you will see that > approximately seven of the current TIGS projects reflect this thinking. > For example with the Alderman data base, we can observe that our ancestor > was a Alderman year in and year out in a particular ward in Troy or with > the Bank Officers data base we can see a lifetime of service in a > particular Troy Bank. These little details of a persons life add some > "flesh" to that persons history. > > So along this line it would be interesting to have some list discussion on > the following idea for a new TIGS project. > > Last year while visiting a son in Ridgefield, Conn., I attended mass at > St. Mary's Church and spent some time reading the various inscriptions on > the stained glass windows. Lots of information on these memorials. > Family names, individual names of family members, some dates of death, > etc. I thought then that this would be an interesting idea for a TIGS > data base on the various memorials in Troy area churches. If your > families ancestors scrimped and saved to donate a church memorial which > carries the family name wouldn't; you like to know about it? Does this > information add "flesh" to that ancestors bones? > > As many list members know, over the years Troy has seen Holy Trinity > Church, St. Lawrence's Church and St. Jean deBaptiste Church all closed. > If there were family names on memorials in these churches are they still > there or have they been removed? I know the names from my family's > church, St. Michael's, are long gone as the original building was > destroyed by fire in the 1970's. > > With the recent announcement of the possible closing of the following > churches in Troy, how many more memorials with our ancestors names will be > lost? > > List of Troy Churches From The Albany Times Union: > > St. Mary's Church > St. Paul the Apostle Church > St. Peter's Church > St. Francis de Sales Church > St. William's Church > St. Patrick's Church > > So, if any list members have any thoughts on this idea, pro or con, they > are invited to post their comments to the list. > > Regards, > > Bill McGrath > TIGS Project Coordinator > Clifton Park, NY > > > > > > > ===NY-IRISH-GENSOC Mailing List=== > Did you pay your 2008 Dues? > Troy Irish Genealogy Society > http://www.rootsweb.com/~nytigs/ > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > NY-TROY-IRISH-GENSOC-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

I find it heartbreaking to learn that these records could be gone forever. As a fellow researcher, I understand the implications of losing these churches and the information they hold, (ever try to find records in Ireland?) I think it's up to us to preserve our heritage, and put records, photos, etc on the website, or have it available at the Troy library perhaps. Would us "out of state-ers" be able to help by donations? Julie Cashman

Great Idea, pictures would also be helpful. Some one told me that there might be a church window for the Lannigan family but I never heard any more about it, can't remember which church. Wish I lived close enough to help. A.E Fadden It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it. --- On Mon, 7/7/08, Bill & Cathy McGrath <seamus@nycap.rr.com> wrote: From: Bill & Cathy McGrath <seamus@nycap.rr.com> Subject: [NY-TROY-IRISH-GENSOC] TIGS Data Base/Church Memorials To: NY-TROY-IRISH-GENSOC-L@rootsweb.com Date: Monday, July 7, 2008, 10:09 AM As a genealogy researcher we think of birth dates, marriage dates, death dates, as the bare bones of an ancestors record. What the individual did in life, what were the accomplishments, what sacrifices were made, I think add "flesh" to that ancestors bones and give us a better picture of that individual we never knew. If you look at the various TIGS projects on line, you will see that approximately seven of the current TIGS projects reflect this thinking. For example with the Alderman data base, we can observe that our ancestor was a Alderman year in and year out in a particular ward in Troy or with the Bank Officers data base we can see a lifetime of service in a particular Troy Bank. These little details of a persons life add some "flesh" to that persons history. So along this line it would be interesting to have some list discussion on the following idea for a new TIGS project. Last year while visiting a son in Ridgefield, Conn., I attended mass at St. Mary's Church and spent some time reading the various inscriptions on the stained glass windows. Lots of information on these memorials. Family names, individual names of family members, some dates of death, etc. I thought then that this would be an interesting idea for a TIGS data base on the various memorials in Troy area churches. If your families ancestors scrimped and saved to donate a church memorial which carries the family name wouldn't; you like to know about it? Does this information add "flesh" to that ancestors bones? As many list members know, over the years Troy has seen Holy Trinity Church, St. Lawrence's Church and St. Jean deBaptiste Church all closed. If there were family names on memorials in these churches are they still there or have they been removed? I know the names from my family's church, St. Michael's, are long gone as the original building was destroyed by fire in the 1970's. With the recent announcement of the possible closing of the following churches in Troy, how many more memorials with our ancestors names will be lost? List of Troy Churches From The Albany Times Union: St. Mary's Church St. Paul the Apostle Church St. Peter's Church St. Francis de Sales Church St. William's Church St. Patrick's Church So, if any list members have any thoughts on this idea, pro or con, they are invited to post their comments to the list. Regards, Bill McGrath TIGS Project Coordinator Clifton Park, NY ===NY-IRISH-GENSOC Mailing List=== Did you pay your 2008 Dues? Troy Irish Genealogy Society http://www.rootsweb.com/~nytigs/ ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NY-TROY-IRISH-GENSOC-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Just a test folks. Some are having trouble posting to the list. Brad Miter Admin