Hi Mike, I wish I knew!!! The only Gibbs I know of in NY were: Joseph Sylvester b. 1832 NY, m. 1858 in TN Theodore H. b. 7/3/1806 Rensselaer, m. 10/7/1824 NY, d. TN So they were in NY between at least 1806 and 1832--beginning in Renssalaer, but I don't know after that. I think Theodore's wife was from Massachusetts--so how did they find each other? Anyway, good luck with yours--let me know if you think we can link! Cyndi in Baltimore

Jim, I phoned the town clerk of the Town of East Greenbush (there is no village by that name). She said that there were four cemeteries in the Town. I checked the Rensselaer Co. online cemetery records and found that all four are online. I saw a 1994 date for one burial. The four cemeteries in the Town of East Greenbush are: Greenbush Cemetery (Clinton Heights) Holy Sepulchre Capital City / Rensselaer Rural (former and present names) East Greenbush/Refomed Church For the records that I examined, Reformed is consistently misspelled in the last cemetery in the list. So, if you had the need to search by cemetery, try Refomed. The records are separated into a great number of files, so Reformed might work in some of them. Searching by East Greenbush, you will get all four cemeteries because they are all in the Town by that name. Rensselaer (formerly Greenbush) is a narrow city along the shore of the Hudson River (and on its flood plain). Behind it is a long hill (the actual river bank). This section is probably what is called the "Heights" because Clinton Heights and Prospect Heights are there today. Presently, there is no Greenbush Heights, but I feel relatively confident from what you described and what I heard today, that you are looking for the Greenbush Cem. in Clinton Heights. You can check the online records at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyrensse/cem1.htm Cliff Lamere ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "James H. Tyler" wrote: > In 1884 two of my wife's ancestors were buried in Greenbush Heights. > The 1866 map of East Greenbush shows the existence of the Greenbush > Cemetery, but that area is considered to be Clinton Heights. > Does any one know for sure where Greenbush Heights was located? It is not > mentioned on the 1866 map. > Thank you. > Jim Tyler > SYRACUSE, the Heart of New York! > > ________________________________________________________________ > YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! > Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! > Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: > http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. > > ==== NYRENSSE Mailing List ==== > Barbara's Genealogy Page: http://members.tripod.com/~JeffriesB > Rensselaer County Genweb page: http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyrensse/ > GenConnect Board: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/NY/Rensselaer > Listowner, Pat Connors: mailto:nymets11@pacbell.net

In 1884 two of my wife's ancestors were buried in Greenbush Heights. The 1866 map of East Greenbush shows the existence of the Greenbush Cemetery, but that area is considered to be Clinton Heights. Does any one know for sure where Greenbush Heights was located? It is not mentioned on the 1866 map. Thank you. Jim Tyler SYRACUSE, the Heart of New York! ________________________________________________________________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

I am looking for the Enumeration District for 1910 at the following address: 331 Fifth Ave, Lansingburgh, Troy, NY. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time. Valerie Murray, Tucson, Arizona

Hi: I submitted a request for an obit a long time ago to the obit mailing list and have never heard from anyone and was wondering if there is someone on this list who has access to and would be willing to try to get an obit for me on the following person: JAUSS, Sarah E. (Staats) Died: 4 Sept, 1926 East Greenbush, Rensselaer County She is buried in Greenbush Cemetery. Thank you so much, Diane __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Send instant messages & get email alerts with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com/

Just to let everyone know -- I spoke to the Librarian at the Renss. Co. Historical Society last Thurs. He was very interested in the St. Joseph's records. He will speak to the Director and they will contact the Church and offer to take some (or all) of the older St. Joseph's, St. Lawrence and Holy Trinity records (all of which are housed at St. Joseph's). Let's hope the Church says yes, and allows them to keep, protect and monitor the usage of these valuable records. I'll let everyone know when I hear anything. Rebecca Rector Troy

I am looking for any information on the Lynk family that lived in Rensselear Co. William P.Lynk was born abt1840 in Rensselear Co. possibility of Troy. He married Mary Ann Vanderpool July 1860 but I don't know if it was in Rensselear of near Clyde where they lived when they died.Any help will be greatly apprecialted. Thanks Charlyne Lynk

Perhaps someone on this list would post this to other NY lists. We would really like to find the family for this Bible. The archivist at the Grout Museum/Library in Waterloo, IA, has been given a family bible with lineage of Ephraim Pease who married 13 Feb 1833 Caroline Barns/Barnes, at Lisle, Broome Co., NY. Also lists a Walter D. Pease and Lucy M. Noteware married 10 Feb 1857 at Galesburg IL. Also G.B. Edwards & Mary Barnes married 27 June 1846. There are many other records of births, marriages, and deaths of this family. The person donating the Bible would like to see it given to a family member. She purchased it at a yard sale some time ago. If any of the sounds familiar, please contact me. Ruth Tucker rutucker@cfu.net

The following is on Ebay, I have no connection with the seller. Price is up to $52 already. Mark Dionne 1910 DIRECTORY TROY WATERVLIET COHOES WATERFORD Item #436950185 THIS IS A GREAT OLD BOOK. THE TITLE IS "THE DIRECTORY OF TROY, WATERVLIET AND GREEN ISLAND, COHOES AND WATERFORD 1910." IT HAS 1100 PAGES. THERE ARE DIRECTORIES WHICH TELL THE NAME OF THE PERSON WHO LIVES THERE, THEIR OCCUPATION, AND ADDRESS. THERE ARE STREET DIRECTORIES. THERE IS INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY GOVERNMNENTS. THERE ARE BUSINESS DIRECTORIES. THERE ARE MANY ADS. THIS IS A GREAT PIECE OF HISTORY. THE BOOK IS ALMOST 100 YEARS OLD. IT IS IN GOOD CONDITION. THERE IS MUCH GENEOLOGY TO BE FOUND IN THIS BOOK. BUYER MUST PAY POSTAGE. NY RESIDENTS MUST PAY SALES TAX.

Sorry to hear about the records at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. In 1998 I was lucky enough to spend a whole day there and copy baptism records for my four surnames that emigrated to Troy from Ireland (O'Connor, Flynn, Campbell, McEntee). Bernadette was extremely helpful. I sat at the dinning room table and was shown the filing cabinet where the books were held. Their records were in much better shape than those I found in the county court house (naturalizations). I didn't find any pages torn out or even frayed pages, so am surprised about their deteriorated condition two years later. At the time most records were in English but did find funerals in Latin. Pat Connors, Sacramento CA

My wife's gr-grandfather is listed in the Albany City Directories, living in East Albany and employed as a "stovemounter". Is this a foundry term. The 1870 census gave his occupation as "moulder" and that sounds like a foundry term. Any comments? Jim Tyler SYRACUSE, the Heart of New York! ________________________________________________________________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

If you are a descendent of Mrs. Rose Smith or Mrs. Vincent Killackey, you share a common ancestor, Frederick Mitch, with my wife, Eleanor Meitch Tyler. We would like to hear from you. Best regards, James H. Tyler SYRACUSE, the Heart of New York! ________________________________________________________________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.

Hi listers I am very interested in the RYAN grave site my ggg grandfather John Wilkes Ryan and per a letter from my greatgrandmother she wrote that son of Col. Jeremiam Ryan married and died in the Rensselaer,Troy area. My last posting I indicated that all records had been destroyed in the Troy fire the earliest date that I have is Caroline Ryan d of John Wilkes Ryan b 3-9-1821. I am also very interested in the sealing of the church records,which I'm very much against,but the records are the only means of tracing people.But here again ,if II read one of the posting correctly researchers have not taken care of these documents and have taken some away,you can't expect the church to be very happy about this.I'm am Episcopalian/Lutheran and my marrage in1941 is sealed due improprities and I don't think that my children will be able to see the records. Life does go on regardless researching Monroe,Bates,Ryan,Rowley,Lathrop,Smith,Huntington,Hyde, Able ,Fargo ,Robinson and Levis.CT,NY,IA. Bill Levis -----Original Message----- From: bmyers <bmyers@du.edu> To: NYRENSSE-L@rootsweb.com <NYRENSSE-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Tuesday, September 12, 2000 8:24 AM Subject: [NYRENSSE] recent visit to Troy Hello Everyone! I returned yesterday from NY where I spent two days in Troy researching all I could about my family lines. Obviously it was no where near the amount of time I would've liked to have spent, but I was able to find some information and visit some places I'm sure my ancestors did. I have a few questions for you...the first is regarding the St. Joe's (in Troy) church records. I spent much of one whole day looking at the old records, but was really disturbed when Bernadette (the helpful church secretary) told me that the head pastor decided to seal the records up for good sometime in the near future. Apparently nobody will be able to see them anymore due to their failing conditions, and the apparent disturbance to the normal church functions that we genealogists pose to them. I spoke with Bernadette about this for a long time, but unfortunately she was not a very sympathetic ear as she does not like genealogy. I offered to transcribe the records one book at a time from Latin to English, but she didn't give it any thought (understandable so, I guess). Neither of the priests were available to speak with, but she indicated that it was their idea to seal the records. She also told me that Salt Lake has called to microfilm the records, but due to apparently personal reasons the church has refused to let them microfilm the records...she said something to the effect that a former St. Joe's priest converted to the Mormon faith. I got the impression that this happened after they contacted the Church to copy the records, but I'm not sure. When I was looking for some records, it seems as if some of the oldest books were missing and/or stolen. Anyway, I am really interested in doing something to dissuade the priest(s) from prohibiting future access to these valuable records. I'm not sure what I can do from here in Denver, as it is easier to hang up on a person on the phone. If anyone else is interested or disturbed about this, I'd love suggestions and maybe some help or support in keeping these records available. Feel free to e-mail me. Lastly, I visited St. Joe's cemetary and found some stones separated from the cemetary by a grass road and drainage from nearby apartments. The caretaker does not have the resources to clear up this area, as this area looks beyond help. There are some beautiful large stones in good condition not visible from the rest of the cemetary. I dressed in fisherman's boots, rubber coat, work gloves and goggles to force my way through the heavy growth of trees and brush. I believe this is considered part of the swamp area, but not the stones concealed up on the small hill. My family has never seen these stones before, but I was always told some family was buried back there. I found one stone (it was difficult to see the large stones unless you were right near them due to the heavy growth) with the Ryan surname. Cornelius Ryan and his family was buried there. I took pictures, but had difficulty finding the room to write...the brush was so bad. If anyone is interested in the info. from this stone, when I get the pictures developed I'll pass on this information. I'm sure no human has set foot there for at least the past 50 years it is so badly overgrown. Brooke Myers ==== NYRENSSE Mailing List ==== Archives: http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl Rensselaer County Genweb page: http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyrensse/ GenConnect Board: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/NY/Rensselaer Listowner, Pat Connors: mailto:nymets11@pacbell.net

Hello all: I have been following this thread with great interest and concern. In my 25 years of trying to locate information about my Irish Catholic ancestors in Troy I have been constantly amazed at how difficult it has been to get simple information from many of the parish offices. Not that many haven't been helpful, but the time and drain on parish resources is simply too much for them to handle. Indexes are few and far between, so to do an exhastive search of their records is simply out of the question. While I understand the problems and sympathize with their constraints, for me the bottom line is that I have been denied access to information that I feel I have I right to have. Especially since many cases there are the only records available prior to 1870. I am a Troy native and I am quite familiar with the local resources and I would like to volunteer my professional services to this group in order to facilitate a solution to this problem. My education and experience is extensive as an archivist, curator and a librarian (with a specialization in preservation in electronic formats). I would be willing to scan and transfer these records to CD-rom in the event that they cannot be transferred to microfilm. Or I would be willing to work with others to produce an index so that there would be less wear and tear on the original records and more accurate seaching. Obviously, I cannot underake this task alone but I am very willing to work with others dedicated to the preservation of these very valuable resources. Jeanne M. Keefe Visual Resources Librarian Architecture Library Greene Building, Rm 306 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 110 8th Street, Troy, NY 12180 Tel: 518-276-2727 Fax: 518-276-3034 E-mail: keefej@rpi.edu

Also, my thought is that we should write with suggestions not complaints. The last thing we need to do is antagonize all the pastors. I see this as a diocesan wide situation that needs to be addressed as a preservation issue not a personality issue. I've already started my letter. Judy P

I am in total agreement with Judy. The proposal of a preservation plan is a great idea. Surely the Church would be supportive or at least open to discussion. For some of us who are first or second generation Irish or Italian or Polish or whatever, the Church records may hold critical information regarding our ancestors. Perhaps one of you might have an affiliation with a group of historians or others who might make this a priority. I am sure you can count on lots of support from genealogists everywhere. Why should our Catholic records be so difficult if not impossible to access? For some of us, those records may be all that we have left. I am hopeful someone will take up this cause. Patricia Connors Nowlin San Diego, California ----- Original Message ----- From: Judy Pausley <pjudith1@nycap.rr.com> To: <NYRENSSE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2000 2:25 PM Subject: Re: [NYRENSSE] recent visit to Troy > I would like to suggest interested parties write a letter to the diocesan > office (perhaps the archivist) about the condition and availability of all > the records in the diocese. Maybe a preservation plan could be put into > place at that level that would apply to all the parishes. > > I have found that every parish and indeed every pastor has different > policies and different attitudes regarding their old records. Perhaps the > diocese needs to get a handle on the problem. The Canadian church has > already done this and I've tracked my family back to the 1700's because > their records are in such good shape. > > > > > ==== NYRENSSE Mailing List ==== > Archives: http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl > Rensselaer County Genweb page: http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyrensse/ > GenConnect Board: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/NY/Rensselaer > Listowner, Pat Connors: mailto:nymets11@pacbell.net >

I am researching the LYNK family from Rensslear Co.I really don't have much to go on but if there is anyone doing the LYNK family please contact me. Thanks Charlyne

I need to jump into this discussion, as I have also worked extensively with the St. Joseph's records, and Bernadette also told me that they were going to seal them at some point soon. There was a priest there who converted to Mormonism and apparently they just don't want to deal with the Mormons, which is too bad. Since I have been transcribing Catholic church records for the American Canadian Genealogy Society, I brought this issue up to them recently. The contact person in the Capital District was going to make an appointment to see the Priest. I was going to go along too, however, I am in the process of moving to MA at the end of Sept and am VERY busy. So, I haven't kept in touch, and I doubt that this has appointment taken place yet. I would very much like to see these records preserved. So, I will: 1. Contact the above mentioned person and see if he can speak to the Priest without me, and soon. (The Amer Canadian Gen Soc has been transcribing & computerizing records for Catholic churches throughout the Northeast, Canada, and has recently been working on Churches in the Capital District and Glens Falls etc..) 2. Speak with Bernadette and see if they would be willing to give some of the older records to the Renss. Co. Historical Society. At least there, they could be accessed in a controlled environment and be preserved. I am a regular at the Historical Society and know some of the staff there, especially the new Librarian. 3. I also think a letter to the Diocese and/or the Church would be a great idea. I can't take the time to originate this, but I would certainly endorse it, even after I move. Rebecca Rector Troy, NY <www rbinforesearch.com>

I also have a deep interest in seeing that the records of St. Joseph's parish remain available. Members of my family have been parishioners since its founding. Ideally, I'd like to see the records microfilmed but Rebecca's suggestion that the older records be placed in the Rensselaer County Historical Society library is a good one. As she said, they could then be accessed in a controlled environment. We should also be aware that St. Joseph's is the keeper of the records of St. Lawrence's Church and I believe those of Most Holy Trinity. If indeed the pastor is trying to discourage researchers from interrupting the daily business of the parish, then I would imagine he will also seal those records as well. Please keep me informed of any organized effort to keep these records available. You'll have my full support. Lynn Carey Grice

Cliff, That is quite a web site you have there. I didn't have time to look carefully at all of it, but there is a wealth of information (to say nothing of a LOT of hard work on your part). I can't wait to really take the time to explore it all. Thank you so much. Nancy