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. 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. 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 Ulster County List - Research in Ulster County Some of the local Troy area newspapers have just published an interesting and informative article from the Rensselaer County Clerk's Office about the new Marriage Index on the Troy Irish Genealogy website, http://www.rootsweb.com/~nytigs/ For those list members who have not seen the article, and for those who do not have access to local newspapers, a copy of the news item is shown below. Bill McGrath TIGS Project Coordinator Clifton Park, NY NEWS ITEM: RENSS. CO. CLERK PARTNERS WITH TROY IRISH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY A partnership between Rensselaer County Clerk Frank J. Merola and members of the Troy Irish Genealogy Society (TIGS) has resulted in the automation of over 5,000 marriage records in Rensselaer County beginning in 1908. When complete, over 30,000 Rensselaer County marriages between 1908 and 1935 will be automated and available for searching through the Genealogy society's website. "I am very pleased to be involved in this partnership with a great organization that is willing to take the time and effort necessary to open our historical records through the use of the internet which will allow those interested to search these records from their home or office rather than in taking a trip into Troy to examine these books," Mr. Merola said, "I am very grateful to TIGS president Donna Vaughn, project coordinator Bill McGrath, webmaster/librarian Jeanne Keefe, and the rest of the members of the Troy Irish Genealogy Society who contributed the time and effort necessary to complete this large project. TIGS volunteers from around the US worked to convert the original marriage index records to digital files which made them accessible through the Internet." Anyone interested in viewing the first index of marriage records is encouraged to go to the Troy Irish Genealogy Society website at www.rootsweb.com/~nytigs/ and click on 'TIGS PROJECTS and then Rensselaer County Marriage Index, Vol. 1. These records cover the general area population and are not restricted to Irish surnames. The website also provides a printable form that can be used to request copies of the Affidavit for License to Marry, the Certificate and Record of Marriage and in the case of minors, the Certificate of Consent from the Rensselaer County Clerk's office. The Rensselaer County Clerk's office charges a $5.00 fee for retrieval services of these marriage records. The marriage forms provided by the County Clerk's Office, Mr. Merola stated, will be of great interest to family researchers. Some items of interest on the forms, Merola indicated, are the ages, addresses, occupations and place of birth of the bride and groom as well as the names and place of both of the parents. Mr. Merola anticipates a continuation of this project until the ten volume Marriage Index has been completed and foresees future collaboration with the Troy Irish Genealogy Society that will benefit Rensselaer County residents and historians alike. "Preservation of our records has always been a priority of mine because our heritage is irreplaceable. We have made tremendous progress in restoring County naturalization records and with the help of organizations such as the Irish Genealogy Society we will not only be able to preserve our records but develop a format where people can utilize modern methods to search their histories. I am thrilled to partner with this great organization and I am thrilled about the future of genealogy in Rensselaer County. END OF NEWS ITEM