TIGS
Monthly Meeting Notes
March,
2005
The
Troy Irish
Genealogy Society did
meet on
Wednesday, March
16th, at
the Capital
District Celtic
Cultural Center
in Troy.
Attending the
meeting were
Eileen and
Rich Shea,
Lizette Strait,
Marialice Mangan,
Kay Brearton,
Mike McAlonie,
Kristin Ayotte,
Donna Vaughn,
Carol Waldron,
Ed Dyer,
Rebecca Rector
and first
time attendee,
Marilyn Mahoney.
Marilyn, a
very active
list member,
drove over
from Boston
to attend
the meeting.
The
meeting
was called
to order
by acting
Chairperson,
Kristin
Ayotte
and
the
group
agreed
that the
first
item
of
business
would
be
Donna Vaughn’s’ presentation
on Green
Island.
They
were not
disappointed,
Donna
had put a
lot
of
time
and
talent
into her
presentation
and
all
enjoyed
it. Even
her
props
were
in
keeping
with the
presentation;
she
rested
her
material on
an
antique
easel
that
had
belonged to
her
paternal
grandfather
,
William Knight.
Her
maternal
grandfather,
James
Butler
was at
one
time
the
Town
Supervisor of
Green
Island.
Interesting
facts
were
presented such
as
in
1708
it
was originally
called “ Turkee
Farm
Green
Island”,
then
in
the
1800’s
it
was
called “ Tibbits
Island”,
and
finally
incorporated
in
1853
as
the
Village
of
Green
Island.
The
first
bridge
constructed
to
reach
it
was
a
covered wooden
bridge
in
1835,
later
destroyed
by
a
fire
in
1862.
A
battle
of
the
French
and
Indian
War
was
fought
near
Green
Island. Green
Island
had
its
own
newspaper,
the “Green
Island
Review” from
1879 – 1884.
Donna
brought
with
her
a
copy
of
the
only
existing
issue
from
12/7/1883.
The
Island
at
one
time
had
its
own
airport
near the
land
known
as “The
Prairie,” used
exclusively
for
Ford
Motor
Co.;
and
Prediger’s
Bakery
was
originally
known
as “the
Miller
House”.
I
have
only
touched
a
few
of
the
interesting
facts
presented
to
the
group.
Donna
brought
yearbooks
from
the
high
school,
allowing
us
a
peek
at
a
much
younger
Donna
during
her
high
school
years.
Donna
will
forward
some
history
of
Green
Island
to
Jeanne
for
posting
to
the
website.
We
want
to
thank
Donna
for
a
fact-filled,
well
prepared
presentation.
OLD
BUSINESS
Members
Projects – Bill
McGrath
is sunning
in Florida,
we will
get an update
upon
his
return.
Website
Update – Jeanne
Keefe
was unable
to attend,
update
at next
meeting.
Tours – Nothing
currently
planned
or to
be reported
on.
Group
Resources – Donna
reports
there
is no
current
activity.
Report
from List
Administrator – Donna
reports
that
we have
88 list
members
and 5 Digest
only
members.
Links
to other
websites – Kristin
tells
the
group
that
the
TIGS
website
is
now
linked
to
Cyndis
List.
Inputting “Troy
Irish
Genealogy” into
a search
engine does
pull it
up under several
other sites.
Meeting
Room Discussion – CDCCC
has
reportedly
moved
or
is
in
the
process
of leaving
the
building
where
the
meetings
have
been
held.
Donna
Vaughn
volunteered
to
check
with
the
Troy
Public
Library
for
availability
and
Ed
Dyer
volunteered
to check
with Troy
City Hall.
They will
post to
the list
prior to
the next
meeting with
their results.
Genealogy
Table – Marilyn
Mahoney
had
brought
information
for
Mike
McAlonie
based
on
some
of
his
postings
to
list.
They
believe
they
have
found
some
family
connection.
Marilyn
was
kind
enough
to
bring
copies
of
her
work
that
she
was
able
to
give
to
Mike.
Kristin
reminded
the
group
of
the
importance
of
visiting
and
speaking
with
elderly
relatives.
She
had
just
spent
a
weekend
with
her
husbands’ 90
and
92
year
old
Aunts
and
an
Uncle who
will
turn
100
on
March
19
th. They
shared names
and dates
they recalled
and had
pictures of
ancestors that
could be
copied.
NEW
BUSINESS
Nomination
and Election
of Officers – Donna
Vaughn volunteered
to be
a Nominating
Committee; there
were no
other volunteers.
Members will contact
Donna on
or off list,
which ever
they are comfortable
with, to
nominate a member
for office.
A slate of
nominees will
be presented
at the
next meeting
and elections will
take place
following that meeting.
Elected members
will take office
in time
for the June
meeti
Co-Chairs
for upcoming
meetings – Lizette
Strait
volunteered
to chair
the next
meeting. May
is still
open
for
a volunteer.
Future
Presentations – Members
were
asked
to
consider
putting
together
a presentation
for
a
future
meeting.
In
the
past Jeanne
Keefe
and
Lizette
Strait
had
entertained
the group
and
at
this
meeting
Donna
Vaughn
did the
same.
Members
were
asked
to
consider
putting togegther
a
topic
of
their
choice,
related
to genealogy,
resources, Troy
and its
surrounding communities
and perhaps
their own
family history.
The
meeting
was closed
and several
members
went for
a
great
cup
of
soup
at the
Illium
Café,
a
great
example
of
Troy’s
using
the
old
to
become
new
again.
The
Café is
located
on
Broadway
in
one
of
Troy’s
oldest buildings.
The architecture
and original
murals are
a sight
to see
and enjoy.