ANNOUNCING NEW DATABASE: MARRIAGE INDEX FOR RENSSELAER COUNTY, NEW YORK In addition to the Troy Irish Genealogy Society mailing list, this message is also being sent to the following genealogy mailing lists: MAILING LIST COVERS Rensselaer County List - Research in Rensselaer County. Albany County List - Research in Albany County. Schenectady County List - Research in Schenectady County. Saratoga County List - Research in Saratoga County. Genealogy NYS List - Research in New York State. Chenango County List - Research in Chenango County. NY-Hudson River List - Research in counties bordering Hudson River; (Rockland, Orange, Ulster, Greene, Albany, Rensselaer, Columbia, Dutchess, Putnam Westchester) & Schenectady County. NY-RollCall List - Research on New York State kin. NY-Mohawk Valley List - Research in Mohawk Valley Region of NYS, covers Albany, Fulton, Herkimer, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego, Schenectady & Schoharie Counties. NY-WarWashSar List - Research in Warren, Washington and Saratoga Counties. NYC-Roots List - Research in New York City. New York List - Research in New York State where County is unknown. Irish-NY-Troy List - Research of Irish Ancestry in City of Troy, Rensselaer County, New York. NY-Irish List - Research on Irish immigrants who landed, lived in or passed through New York State. NY-Southern List - Research in Southern counties of New York, covers Broome, Bronx, Columbia, Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Queens, Putnam, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Tioga, Ulster & Westchester Columbia County List - Research in Columbia County. Westchester County List - Research in Westchester County. Dutchess County List - Research in Dutchess County. Schoharie County List - Research in Schoharie County. A. The message can be forwarded to other lists where you feel it would be appropriate. If posted to any other lists, please copy: [email protected] B. The largest project the Troy Irish Genealogy Society has undertaken so far is the automation of the Rensselaer County Marriage Index. This 10 Volume Marriage Index of Rensselaer County marriages, from 1908 to 1935, has over 60,000 names. Volume I (January 1908-April 1913) with its 5,000 marriages and 10,000 names, was added to the TIGS website on June 13, 2006. Volume II, (April 1913-May 1918) with another 5,000 marriages and 10,000 names has now been completed and is now on-line on the TIGS website. C. You can view these marriage records by going to the Troy Irish Genealogy website at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~nytigs/ and click on TIGS PROJECTS. It should be noted that these records, like most of the TIGS data series, cover the general population in the area and are NOT restricted to Irish surnames. D. If you are researching relatives with a RENSSELAER COUNTY, NY area connection, you will be interested in these two on-line, name searchable, records of 20,000 names of local residents who were married in Rensselaer County, New York. If you live in a nearby county or even further away, you might want to check out the data base. There are also marriages in the data base where both individuals lived in Albany County or other nearby counties, and where some individuals lived in other states, especially Massachusetts and Vermont, or even foreign countries. One record even was for a bride and groom who both lived in Pennsylvania. You may even find an earlier marriage that you were unaware of. Take a look at the data base, you never know what you will find. E. In order to appreciate the marriage index on the TIGS website, you need an understanding of the set up of the Marriage Index book at the County Clerk's Office. All marriages, along with complete detailed information on the bride and groom and their parents, were first entered into the Record of Marriages Book. Brides and Grooms names were then posted to the Marriage INDEX Book which served as a locating device to find the complete record in the Record of Marriages Book itself. Without the Marriage Index, you could not easily locate a name in the Record of Marriages Book. The Marriage Index Book has SEPARATE pages of data for Brides and SEPARATE pages of data for Grooms. For example, for the letter "A", there is a page of Brides names beginning with "A" and ANOTHER page of Grooms names beginning with the letter "A". The data on each page is limited to the first and last name, a page reference number, a marriage license number and the date of the marriage. Names of SPOUSES are NOT linked together in the index. The only linkage to the spouse in the Marriage Index is the marriage number. F. The TIGS data base has greatly improved the usefulness of the Marriage Index as follows: 1. By using the marriage number, the TIGS Marriage Index now links the names of the brides AND the grooms on ONE LINE of data, thus providing a much more useful research tool. 2. Some entries in the Record of Marriages Book were never posted to the Marriage Index Book. These missing records were identified by TIGS workers and added to the TIGS Marriage Index. 3. A number of records in the Marriage Index showed only INITIALS for either the bride or the groom. In many cases TIGS workers were able to determine the ACTUAL names from the original source documents and added them to the TIGS data base. 4. Several records for grooms names were originally posted to the brides pages of the Marriage Index Book and a number of brides names were posted to the grooms pages of the Marriage Index Book. TIGS workers corrected these errors in developing the TIGS index. 5. A number of transcribing errors when the Marriage Index Book was created were discovered by TIGS workers and corrected. 6. Last but not least, the TIGS Marriage Index is in strict alphabetical order unlike the original index. For example, on the original index, you may have four or more lengthy pages of Grooms names ALL beginning with the first two letters "Ma" and in no order whatsoever. G. In using the TIGS Marriage Index data base, keep in mind the following: 1. Handwriting in some cases was very difficult to read and there could be some problems with spelling. 2. At times, the original posting to the Marriage Index Book showed the marriage filing data instead of the date of the marriage. This is especially true for most of the entries in Volume II of the Marriage Index. 3. Remember, the TIGS index is a transcription of the Marriage Index Book and NOT the Record of Marriages Book itself. It is always possible that the original source documents, the Affidavit For License To Marry, the Certificate And Record of Marriage and the Certificate of Consent, (for minors), were not posted correctly to the Record of Marriages Book, or that entries in the Record of Marriages Book were not posted correctly to the Marriage Index Book, or that TIGS transcribers misread the handwriting. If there is a question on any entry, the actual source documents at the County Clerk's Office would have to be referenced. H. In working on Volume 2 of the Marriage Index it was discovered that a number of boxes of the original records could not be located. Extensive searching has yet to locate these records. Photocopies of the original Volume 2 marriage documents, therefore, are available ONLY for marriages numbered from 5001 to 7945. For marriage numbers from 7946 to 10,000, the only item available will be a photocopy of the full detailed record that was posted to the Marriage Record Book FROM the original documents. (To view a copy of the Marriage Book Record, see J. below). The County Clerk's Office has agreed to provide a photocopy of the Marriage Record Book entry for those names where the original documents are not available. In order to copy the record this very heavy and large book (13 x 19) has to be moved from the basement vault and taken to a photocopier on the first floor I. The TIGS website has a PRINTABLE FORM that can be used to request copies from the Rensselaer County Clerk's Office. Mailing instructions and fees are on the request form. There are SEPARATE request forms for Volume 1 and Volume 2. Depending on the Marriage Record Number for Volume 2 names, you can request EITHER: a. Photocopy of the Affidavit For License To Marry and the Certificate And Record Of marriage IF the marriage record number is between 5001 and 7945. b. Photocopy of the Marriage Book entry IF the marriage record is between 7946 and 10,000. J. An example of two entries in the Record of Marriages Book is shown on the TIGS website: http://www.rootsweb.com/~nytigs/ Click on PROJECTS, then click on TIGS PROJECTS IN THE WORKS and then click "See Sample Record". The following information for the bride and the groom is shown in the Record of Marriages Book and in the primary source documents: 1. Name. 2. Residence. 3. Occupation. 4. Birthplace. 5. Color. 6. Age. 7. Number of Marriage. (first, second, etc.) 8. If Widowed or Divorced, Where & When. 9. Father's Name and Birthplace. 10. Mother's Name and Birthplace. 11. Consent By & Relationship (For Minors) 12. Date of License. 13. Date of Marriage. 14. Place of Marriage. 15. Official Performing Marriage & Profession. (Priest, Minister, Rabbi, etc) 16. Names of Witnesses. K. The original pages of the Marriage Index Book were scanned by TIGS members. The resulting pdf files were then sent to the volunteers working on the project as an attachment to an email, along with an Excel spreadsheet for data entry. This extensive data base was made possible by the following volunteers who did a fantastic job on Volume II, the second phase of this project. Please note that we had volunteers from all over the United States. Kristin Cooney-Ayotte - Troy, NY Kathleen Gallagher Brearton - New York State Beth Callanan - Washington, DC Tammy Casterlin - North Carolina Austin Fadden - Knoxville, TN Linda Christian-Herot - Newton, Mass. Lynn Carey Grice - New Paltz, NY Beth Hocking - Mass. Jeanne M. Keefe - Troy, NY Stephanie Kinney-Dewey - Ohio Marilyn Mahoney - Abington, Mass. Marialice P. Mangan Bob McConihe - Haverhill, Mass. Cathy McGrath - Clifton Park, NY Bill McGrath - Clifton Park, NY Joseph R. Murname - Williamson, NY Joe O'Brien - Bremerton, Washington Ltc. James L. Owens, USMC (Ret) Rockville, MD John J. Salamida - Albany, NY Jack Seppi Lizette Strait - New York State Candis Sunderland - Poughkeepsie, NY Ellen Tolan - Troy, NY Pam Trudeau - North Carolina Carol Waldron - Saratoga Springs, NY Eileen Callahan Werth - Plymouth Meeting, PA Donna Vaughn - New York State Formatting & webpage: Jeanne M. Keefe - Troy, NY L. We invite you to explore the TIGS website, http://www.rootsweb.com/~nytigs/ where you will find local history articles, resources and genealogy research tips as well as a number of free data bases. The TIGS mailing list, which is also free, is ideal for posting your Troy area genealogy queries. There are also some interesting photographs on the TIGS website from our group tours of the Gardner Earl Memorial Chapel at Oakwood Cemetery, the Burden Iron Works Museum and the Watervliet Arsenal Museum. To see these photographs click on "NEXT" on the first page of the website: http://www.rootsweb.com/~nytigs/ and then click on "TOURS" on the left side of the next screen. Also, you can search your surnames in the following additional records transcribed by TIGS members and other volunteers. These data bases are part of a continuing effort by the Troy Irish Genealogy Group to make available on line, Troy and other nearby area Irish AND non-Irish records, that may be of interest to genealogy researchers, especially those outside the Capital District Area. Burden Iron Company Steam Mill Payroll Records. (8,236 names) Troy Area Marriage Records. (1,448 names) Troy Area Death Records. (6,031 names) Index-History of the Troy Police Department. (668 names) Bank Officers in Troy Banks From 1801-1891. (299 names) Prominent Citizens of Troy, NY & Rensselaer County. (1,800 names) Representative Young Irish-Americans of Troy, NY - 1899 (400 names) Deceased Troy, NY Area Individuals Listed in 1902 City Directory (700 names) (Note: Another 700 death records from the 1903 City Directory will shortly be added to this database) Alderman/Assistants In Troy, NY (1,400 names) M. The next step in the Marriage Index Project will be Volume III, which is another 5,000 records and 10,000 names. Volume III covers Rensselaer County marriages from May 1918 to April 1920. If you want to be added to the list of volunteer transcribers, send an email off list to: [email protected] with your name, address and telephone number. You will be contacted when work on Volume III starts in a few months time. N. TIGS would like to hear from you if this marriage index was helpful in your family research. Regards, Bill McGrath TIGS Project Coordinator Clifton Park, NY

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/2494.1.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Carroll, I would love to see what else you have on this family. Do you happen to know if this John served in the Revolution? Family lore has it that John, the father of my George, was a veteran. Thanks for your help! Regards, Scott

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/2494.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Carroll, I would love to see what else you have on this family. Do you happen to know if this John served in the Revolution? Family lore has it that John, the father of my George, was a veteran. Thanks for your help! Regards, Scott

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/1947.2.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: peter risedorph's father's name is john l.reysdorp. this was the spelling of risedorph on peter' baptismal record. john was born in the area of kinderhook new york and he and his wife are buried in the kinderhook cemetery.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Ely, Evans Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/4732/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I am researching my Ely line. I believe my ggg-grandfather was in NY during the War of 1812, he married Sarah, possibly EVANS, in Chatham, and sometime between 1840 and 1850 moved to Lyons, Ionia, MI. He was born in NJ in 1788 and died in MI in 1876. He married second Sally Shumway, Chatham. Anyone who can help me verify any of this info would be greatly appreciated.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/4731.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: spelling also HOGETELING,HOUGHTALEN,Hoghtaling LISTED IN "UPSTATE NYin the 1760'S" BY FLORENCE CHRISTOPH ... Picton Press Camden Maine

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/4731.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: spelling also HOGETELING,HOUGHTALEN,Hoghtaling LISTED IN "UPSTATE NYin the 1760'S" BY FLORENCE CHRISTOPH ... Picton Press Camden Maine

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Houghtalling Hotelling Hotaling or Hotalling Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/4731/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Looking for info on Frank Hotalling or Hotelling who may have married a Mabel Bush or Provo, their children were Ella, Raymond Roger (my father)born 20th JAN 1912 in Watertown and his younger brother Frank. Any info would be more than appreciated, Thanks in advance. Bazza.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Hotalling hotelling hotalling hoteling houghtalling and ect. Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/1490.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Hi I am a Hotalling from AUSTRALIA and as far as I know there are no other Hotallings here in Australia that haven't sprung from me. I have relations spread all over the U.S. Would like to hear from you. cheers. Bazza.

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/2537.2.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Only one Church is in Manorton, New York...It is a Lutheran Church.. The pastor is Mark Frickey, the same pastor to my Aunts Church...His home # for any questions would be..(518)-329-6316...A great Guy, his wife is my daughters English Teacher.. Now...Monorton is a very small hamlet...If you are looking for a Dutch Reformed Church just about 5 miles down the road in another small hamlet of Livingston , New York you will find a Dutch Reformed Church called Linlithgo Reformed Church of Livingston.. and that # is (518)851-6601, I am not sure who the pastor is now at that church... If you need me to look into anything else Please feel free to contact me...All of this area is with in a 15 mile radious of my home and I have friends who also live in these places..

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Rogers, Golden Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/2537.2.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Deborah, Thank you...your offer wonderful and very much appreciated. Do you need any other information than what I have already posted here in November 2006? If so please email me with any questions. Again thank you, Ro

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/2495.3/mb.ashx Message Board Post: POTTS MEMORIAL hospital was located in Philmont, New York ..My great grandmother passed away there from TB...It was the Potts Sanatorium..Now is the Pine Haven Nursing Home Phone # is 518-672-4021

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/2537.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I'm not far from that church, I never paid attention to the Name...I can pass by and get the name and The name of the Pastor and maybe a phone number....Manorton is part of the Village of Livingston New York...

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Guistina Ronzani to Felix Cavallari..between .!900 to 1906 Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/4730/mb.ashx Message Board Post: For all Marriages in Columbia County..Where would I find the records?? Would I need to know the town?? or are all marriage records from the county filed in Hudson???

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Holmes Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/2494.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: John Holmes in my family was a brother of my 3ggf Palmer Holmes. I have little on him except that he was in the Rev. War and did not stay in Canaan or Ghent. My scant notes say, "!Source: 1988 IGI; Charles Gillette. !He lived, and probably died, in Cazenovia, New York. His family moved west." He did die in Cazenovia Co, NY, but I have little on him. He was born in 1761 in Amenia, NY. I can send you a gedcom of him and his ancestors including several Mayflower passengers. I will attempt to find more in my files. Carroll Holmes

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Risedorph Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/4729/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I have information for Phillip Risedorph regarding his great-great grandfather, Peter Risedorph. He is my great-great grandfather also. Wes Risedorph

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/1947.2.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: phil risedorp: Peter Risedorph was born in West Bloomfield, New York, 19 February 1817

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/887.889/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I have information on this family and am trying to find out who Roseanna Thomas' parents were. Any information? Lynn

This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: LANT Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.newyork.counties.columbia/1359.1364.8/mb.ashx Message Board Post: May I have a copy of the word document. I have researched my Lant's from Jacob and his sister, Antonet born in New York in 1830's. Have them to Montgomery Co. Missouri and California. thank you. Don Versluys [email protected]

As a genealogy researcher I am sure you would love to be able to utilize the wonderful research material available at the New York State Library in Albany during the weekend. This would make it so much easier for out of state travelers and especially for those local researchers who work full time. Please read the following two items that deal with an effort to have weekend hours at the library and if you see, fit please write a letter, email or fax as requested below. As a presentation to the Regents on this topic is being made on January 8, time is of the utmost importance. If this proposal for weekend hours interest you, send an email or fax before January 8 to have your voice heard. Thanks, Bill McGrath TIGS Project Coordinator Clifton Park, NY Email From Jeanne Keefe - Troy Irish Genealogy Webmaster Hello Everyone: On Friday I received this email from Loretta Ebert, Director, New York State Library and I am asking for your help. Loretta, who was previously my Director of Libraries at RPI, moved on to the NYS Library last summer and before she left Rensselaer I asked her to look into the possibility of keeping the NYS library open for one day over the weekend. Since most of us work 9-5, M-F, we are unable to do any research at our State Library because we can't get there when its open during the week. I also mentioned that many genealogists travel to the Albany-Troy-Schenectady area to do family research and are severely limited by the library's present schedule. Weekend hours, even if only one day, would allow more of us to access the very important resources that are only available at the NYS Library. In September, I met Loretta and she mentioned that she was encountering some resistance to the idea, but felt confident that she would be able to open the library, maybe on Saturdays, at some point late in the Fall. In the following letter you will see that she is asking for some help in convincing the Board of Regents to allow her to open the library on the weekend and has asked for letters (or emails)in support of this move. Please read her letter below and take a few minutes to mail, email or fax a brief letter to Loretta in support of her initiative. I think it is a very important opportunity for genealogists and historians to have their concerns voiced and research needs recognized. This is also a unique opportunity to be involved in a change that has the potential to improve access to these important records and resources, especially for those of us needing to do family research in the New York State Library. For more information about the NYS Research Library's genealogy collections use this link: http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/gengen.htm.Thank you all very much, in advance, for taking the time to read this and I hope you can take a few minutes to send Loretta a response by the end of the week. Jeanne Keefe TIGS Webmaster and Visual Resources Librarian Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Architecture Library 100 8th Street, Greene 326 Troy,, NY 12180 tel: 518-276-2727 email: [email protected] Email From Director, New York State Library Loretta Ebert Director, New York State Library Cultural Education Center - Rm 10D34 Albany, NY 12230 518-473-1189 [email protected] Hi Jeanne, Happy New Year! I am preparing a presentation to the Regents in early January (8th) about opening the library on Saturdays. As I recall, you were supportive of this idea. I wonder if you would be willing to send a letter to me advocating extended hours for the library, citing difficulties with the current Monday-Friday 9 to 5 schedule and the lack of access to the "wonderful" resources of the New York State Library. Use whatever perspectives you have: librarian, genealogist, local historian, or all of them! I would greatly appreciate it. Also, if you know of others who could provide similar supportive letters, would you ask them to send such to me too, or let me know their names? Thanks so much for your help, I think these kinds of testimonials are most effective with the power structure around here. My contact info: Loretta Ebert Director, New York State Research Library Cultural Education Center Room 10D34 Albany, NY 12230 Email (an email attachment is okay): [email protected] or FAX: 518-486-6880 Thanks a million! Loretta