Date: Friday, June 28, at 6:00 PM, 6:30 PM, or 7:00 PM
Tickets: $20, Slingerland Vault Tour at Eventbrite
Further Information: Sue Virgilio, 518.847.8340
18 June 2019
A Visit with Slingerlands' Founding Family
Upcoming is an event that supports the restoration and preservation of the historic Slingerland Family Burial Vault. Attendees will enjoy an evening walking tour of Slingerlands, costumed performers along the tour which stops at the burial vault and the Slingerland home. Tales from performers playing Leah Britt Slingerland and her sons Assemblyman and Congressman John I. and civil engineer and surveyor William H. will be told. John I. Slingerland's causes included the abolitionist movement, Anti-Rent Party, and the Homestead Act.
15 June 2019
Plumb Lot at Mount Ida Cemetery, Troy
The Old Mount Ida Cemetery in Troy was the scene for some gravestone conservation earlier today. Work begun in April. However at that time it was still too cool and rainy to complete the project. Below are a series of photos of the Plumb lot.
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| Plumb Lot April 2019 |
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| Plumb Lot June 2019 |
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| CAPT. W.H. PLUMB Served in 125 Regt. NYS Vol. Harpers Ferry and GETTYSBURG Killed at Bristow Station Va. Oct. 14, 1863 Aged 21 years. Honor to the Brave. |
Annual Report of the Adjutant-General of the State of New York for the Year...; Registers of the 125th Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, page 802
PLUMB, JR., WILLIA M H.—Age, 22 years. Enrolled, August
14, 1862, at Troy, to serve three years; mustered in as first lieutenant, Co. C, August 28,1862; surrendered, September 15,1862,
and paroled, September 16, 1862, at Harper's. Ferry, Va.; mustered in as captain, Co, F, February 24, 1863; wounded in
action, October 14, 1863, and died of his wounds, October 15,
1863, at Bristoe Station, Va.
Commissioned first lieutenant, September 10, 1862, with rank
from August 14,1862, original; captain, February 11,1863, with
rank from November 11, 1862, vice W. Penfield dismissed.
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| Photo courtesy C. Philippo |
09 June 2019
Isaac Truax Burial Grounds
Recently the burial grounds of Isaac Truax and his family were restored. The small family cemetery was completely overgrown and obscured until Pine Bush workers discovered it and cleared it out. The cemetery was not a secret but it was still difficult to find because of the vegetation; even though there was a historical marker indicating the cemetery was present.
Four gravestones were located. Two upright; but crooked marble gravestones were present. One for Isaac Truax Jr. and the second for his wife Catherine Doxtader Truax. Two sandstone markers were broken off from the buried portion of its stone. One of the sandstone markers had severe de-lamination damage and the inscription was completely missing. Only recently was it determined that this stone was in memory of Isaac jac Truax. His stone was also broken in additional two pieces. The second sandstone marker was that of his wife Mary Wingard Truax. Fortunately the lower sections of the broken sandstone gravemarkers were located and the upper portion of the stones were matched with the lower and the gravestones were put back where they belonged.
While the crooked marble gravestone of Catherine Doxtader Truax was being straightened the accompanying footstone for Catherine was found and later installed upright. Isaac's gravestone, slightly crooked was left as is. All of the gravestones were cleaned with D2 and the inscriptions are now more easily read.
An aluminum fence was donated by a local fence company and was installed around the cemetery to help protect and preserve it. During the fence installation another sandstone marker was found. The gravestone was for John Schoolcraft Truax. His gravestone was reset in the area where his marker was found.
In 1939, Schenectady Historian William Efner sketched the gravestones and made transcriptions of the inscriptions on them. Fortunately he did this because as eighty years has passed since his work was complete, the inscription for Isaac Jac Truax's gravestone is now missing. This information and the sketches were provided to me by another local resident/history buff, Steve R. Efner's work was used in aiding me in completing the recent transcriptions of the stones.
Below are photos and transcriptions of each gravestone.
Catherine Doxtader Truax gravestone
transcription
Mary Wingard Truax gravestone transcription
Four gravestones were located. Two upright; but crooked marble gravestones were present. One for Isaac Truax Jr. and the second for his wife Catherine Doxtader Truax. Two sandstone markers were broken off from the buried portion of its stone. One of the sandstone markers had severe de-lamination damage and the inscription was completely missing. Only recently was it determined that this stone was in memory of Isaac jac Truax. His stone was also broken in additional two pieces. The second sandstone marker was that of his wife Mary Wingard Truax. Fortunately the lower sections of the broken sandstone gravemarkers were located and the upper portion of the stones were matched with the lower and the gravestones were put back where they belonged.
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| Isaac Truax |
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| Catherine Doxtader Truax |
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| Damaged sandstone grave markers |
While the crooked marble gravestone of Catherine Doxtader Truax was being straightened the accompanying footstone for Catherine was found and later installed upright. Isaac's gravestone, slightly crooked was left as is. All of the gravestones were cleaned with D2 and the inscriptions are now more easily read.
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| Footstone of Catherine Doxtader Truax |
An aluminum fence was donated by a local fence company and was installed around the cemetery to help protect and preserve it. During the fence installation another sandstone marker was found. The gravestone was for John Schoolcraft Truax. His gravestone was reset in the area where his marker was found.
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| John Schoolcraft Truax |
In 1939, Schenectady Historian William Efner sketched the gravestones and made transcriptions of the inscriptions on them. Fortunately he did this because as eighty years has passed since his work was complete, the inscription for Isaac Jac Truax's gravestone is now missing. This information and the sketches were provided to me by another local resident/history buff, Steve R. Efner's work was used in aiding me in completing the recent transcriptions of the stones.
Below are photos and transcriptions of each gravestone.
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| Cemetery Overview |
In Memory of
Catherine Doxtader
Wife of
Isaac Truax
who departed this
Life August 6th
1836
Age 70 Years 10
Months & 6 days
Farwell cain world. I've had enough of Here.
And now am careless -- them -- of my
Thy smiles I court of nor they from us I fear.
My cares are past and I rest quiet here.
Isaac Truax gravestone transcription
In
Memory of
ISAAC TRUAX
Who departed this
life
October 9th. 1814
Aged 84 years 11
months
And 15 days
God my redeemer
lives
And often from the
skies
Looks down and
watches all my days
--- he shall bid it rise
John Schoolcraft Truax Gravestone
Inscription
In
Memory of
JOHN SCHOOLCRAFT
TRUAX
Who died
June 1st 1811,
Aged 13 years
5 months & 29 days
Mary Wingard Truax gravestone transcription
In
memory of
MARY WINGARD
wife of
ISAAC TRUAX
who departed this
life
May 10th 1802
aged 72 years 7
months
and 13 days
Inscription weathered away
Isaac Jac Truax
In
Memory
ISAAC JAC TRUAX
who was born
May 8th 1726 O.S.
and died April 17th
1808
aged 81 years 10 months
and 27 days
08 June 2019
Melvin Roads Flag Retirement Ceremony
The Melvin Roads American Legion Post # 1231 will hold a
Flag Retirement Ceremony at Becker's Farm on Saturday, June 15th, 2019. Anyone
can bring their American, POW/MIA, or New York State flags for retirement.
Flags can also be dropped off at the Melvin Roads American Legion Post; located
at 200 Columbia Turnpike in Rensselaer. The public is welcome to attend this
ceremony.