Hands On Gravestone Conservation Workshop

Hands-on Gravestone Conservation Workshop

When: Saturday, 23 April 2022

Where: Beverwyck Cemetery, Washington Ave., Rensselaer, near Doane Stuart School

Time: 8:30 AM till 1 PM

 

In our outdoor classroom, the Beverwyck Cemetery, learn hands-on, the proper methods and what materials are used to correctly conserve gravestones. Christopher White, genealogist, historian, and gravestone conservator will lecture, demonstrate, and instruct one-on-one with attendees the following:

∙ Different types and styles of gravestones

∙ Problems associated with gravestones

∙ Knowing your limitations

∙ Proper method for cleaning gravestones

∙ Resetting tablet style gravestones

∙ Resetting mortise and tenon gravestones

∙ Repairing broken gravestones

Saturday on the Stoop... or Porch

 

Agnes E. Murray Sweeney Schick (1862-1943) one of my great great grandmothers. Agnes was born in Cushina, County Laois (now Queens), Ireland. She immigrated to America circa 1882. She worked as a domestic. In New York City, she married John Sweeney around 1887 and had one son Edward (1888-1926) who was born in Brooklyn. John Sweeney died soon after and Agnes married Anton Schick in New York City circa 1890. Anton and Agnes moved to Albany by 1891. Two daughters were born in Albany and baptized at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, Mary Elizabeth and Lillian Mae. Agnes is buried in St. Agnes Cemetery in Menands with her children Edward, Mary, and Lillian.

Saturday on the Stoop... or Porch

Joseph Albert Koreman (1911-1992), my maternal grandfather, age two years old. He stands on the stoop of his home at 8 Osborne Street where he was born. The home was demolished years ago. His parents were Joseph William Koreman (1886-1977) and Mary Albert (1886-1963).

Joe married Agnes Johanna Bailey (1919-2001) on 08 December 1942 at Holy Cross Church on Hamilton Street in Albany. They had two children. Joe was an electrician by trade and became the business agent for the electrical workers union; the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local # 724 in 1947 and held that position for 29 years until his retirement in 1976. He and Agnes are buried at Our Lady Help of Christians cemetery in Glenmont.

Genealogy Conferences

    The era of Covid has resulted in many changes for genealogists. At some libraries and archives, appointments need to be made, and also proof of vaccination required to enter some venues. Many genealogical societies and conferences went virtual to keep everyone safe but also allowed attendees the ability to attend meetings, etc.

    Later this year two onsite in person conferences will be held. The first in Sacramento, California and the second, locally, in Albany, New York. Coming up this Spring, on 24-28 May 2022 will be the National Genealogical Society 2022 Family History Conference, in Sacramento. There will be tracks available on topics such as DNA, immigration and migration, technology, Native American genealogy, African American, Chinese American research, and much more.

    Check the NGS 2022 Conference page for additional information. Hotel reservations are still available. For further information send an email to ngs2022@californiaancestors.org.

    In the Fall, the New York Genealogical & Biographical Society will host its 2022 New York State Family History Conference in Albany, New York from 08-10 September 2022. The conference will be held in the downtown Albany Hilton. There is also a second option called NYSFHC @ Home Pass where select presentations can be livestreamed direct to your home computer between 12 September and 17 October 2022.

    Please check the NYG&B website for pricing and further information.

Spring is on the Way! Riding Lawn Mower Needed

 Spring is on the way! Well, in 49 days. But the time will go fast. Soon, instead of shoveling snow we will be mowing grass. This post is sent out in the hopes of acquiring a riding lawn mower. The lawn mower will be used exclusively at the Evangelical Protestant Cemetery in Albany. Myself and others are still volunteering our time to keep the grounds manicured. Most times the grounds are mowed by people with multiple self-propelled walk-behind lawn mowers. It takes one person 12 hours, solo, to mow the cemetery with a walk-behind mower. It also takes 8 hours for one person to fully weed whack the grounds with a high-powered gas whacker.

 None of us are giving up on the cemetery. The cemetery has come such a long way that we refuse to let it go back to being overgrown and dangerous. During the Spring, Summer, and Fall the grounds are picturesque and beautiful. The Friends of the EvangelicalProtestant Cemetery are looking for a good used or donated riding lawn mower to make our task much easier for our volunteers. Our only request is that the mower must have a deck size of 46" or smaller to fit inside a storage area. Please contact us through this site if you have a good riding lawn mower that you are looking to sell or donate.

Saturday on the Stoop... or Porch

John Joseph Aloysius Gannon (Black Jack), one of my four great grandfathers. John was born in Coxsackie on 16 December 1887; as his immigrant parents, Michael Joseph Gannon (1865-1915) and Anne M. Cummins (1866-1927), made their journey North to Albany from New York City. 

John was a long time iron worker. He helped build many skyscrapers in NYC in the 1920s and 1930s. Supposedly his initials are carved in the stainless-steel roof on the art deco Chrysler Building which was completed in 1930. We will never know the truth to this family story.

John married Catherine Eger, daughter of German immigrants, George Eger (1865-1940) and Catherine Schuster (1870-1935) on 09 July 1910 in Albany. The photo was taken in the 1940s at 79 Tremont Street in Albany. The house was located on the south end of Tremont Street close to where Route 85 now travels. The house was demolished many years ago.

 

Archival Materials Suppliers

 Some genealogists use conservation and archival products products to store a host of rare family artifacts. Many of these items include photos, books, folios, maps, newspaper articles, and miscellaneous ephemera. Even though grandma or a distant cousin is the owner and holder of this old family stuff, these materials should be stored in a proper manner. Much of this material is probably a one-of-a kind find. If it is destroyed, even by accident, it is gone forever. Why not store your rare family items in the proper boxes and or albums.

 Most of us have been to libraries and archives for onsite research. We have seen the storage materials and holders that the repositories use to hold items in its collection. For your information you can also purchase these items. These products are not cheap but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for! You just need to know where to look. BTW, if your family photos are stored in those magnetic photo albums from the 1980s. They seemed great at the time but do a little online research and you will find that they are not good for your photos. Get em out and into the proper album. Please do not wait.

 So where do you find these archival storage boxes? Below is a listing of online vendors who carry these products. I am not endorsing any of these online vendors; but I have purchased from them in the past without issue.

• Adorama
• Amazon.com
• Archival Methods
• B&H Photo-Video-Audio
• Gaylord Archival
• University Products