The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

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Margaret Hoffman

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Hoosick Falls – Margaret Hoffman, 98, of Hoosick Falls, NY, peacefully passed on Saturday, March 1, 2014, at the Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Hoosick Falls, formerly the Hoosick Falls Health Center.

Born in the port city of Giovinazza, in the province of Bari, Italy, to Angelo and Anna Rose Restino on November 1, 1915, Margaret was always proud of her Italian heritage. At the age of four, the family settled in Hoosick Falls, where she would spend the remainder of her many years.

Married to the late Kenneth Hoffman, Margaret is survived by her two sisters, Sophie and Angeline, and countless nieces, nephews and cousins.

As the oldest of six, Sadie Starsiak, Augusta Vitro, Antoinette Williams, Sophie Ravena, Thomas Restino and Angeline Fulginiti, Margaret was always at the center of the family. Her comforting ways made her home the meeting place for gatherings large and small. A welcoming smile, a warm kettle of tea or a comfortable chair always awaited the many friends and family who came through her door. While she will be missed by many, Margaret has left a legacy of loving memories that has touched generations.

A Mass of Christian Burial was offered on Tuesday, March 4, at 10 am from the Immaculate Conception Church on Main Street in Hoosick Falls. Burial followed the Mass at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Hoosick Falls.

Relatives and friends called at the Mahar Funeral Home, 43 Main Street, Hoosick Falls, NY, 12090, on Monday from 4 to 7 pm. Memorial contributions may be made to the Town of Hoosick Rescue Squad through the funeral home.

The Life Of George Holcomb – Reporting A New Resident to the Poormaster

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by Alex Brooks

Saturday, October 2, 1830:  Today I went to Pittsfield with my double wagon and carried 16 bushels apples and sold them at 25 cts per.  I advertised the  pocketbook in the Sun that I found in Cheshire to training.  I paid 59 cts.

Monday: On this evening I rode over to Wm L. Gardner’s, one of the Poormasters, and returned the names of a tenant that I took in to my Rodgers house last Monday by the name of Aaron Clark from Hancock.  Said Clark agrees to pay me one dollar per month for one half of the Rodgers house until next April.

George must report his new tenant to the “Poormaster” because if someone from out of town is able to establish residency in Stephentown, and he ends up needing assistance, it could be expensive for the town.

Since 1784, when New York State passed its first general law concerning poor relief, each town had been responsible for caring for the poor among its residents. Each town elected “Overseers of the Poor” annually to make arrangements for the relief of poor people in the town.  Under this law and revisions to it added in 1788 a person who was “settled” in a town had to be maintained at the town’s expense if they couldn’t provide for themselves. In 1824 the responsibility for the poor was shifted to the counties, and most of the counties started building poorhouses to serve as a residence for the indigent. but counties in most cases continued to charge the towns for the cost of maintaining their poor persons, so the question of residence continued to have a financial impact on the towns.

Renselaer County was among the first in New York State to build a County poorhouse, which was ordered by an act of the County government in 1820, and built in 1821-22. The poorhouse was a fine building about a mile and a half  southeast of the center of Troy, and was originally run with an admirable concern for the health and safety of the indigent. But by mid-century conditions deteriorated quite dramatically, and the conditions in the poorhouse had become a scandal.

Wednesday: this morning at three o’clock brother Wm and I started for Cattle Show to Pittsfield peddling.  We got onto the  ground at an early hour and a good many people attended  today.  We stabled our horses at Capt Whitney’s and took lodging at one Miss Cases, a Milliners.  I paid her in cider.

Thursday: We peddled to said cattle show and tonight we  returned home.  These two days I cleared nearly fifteen dollars.   Today I lost a one dollar bill, I know not how.

Over the weekend George goes with his wife to a Baptist meeting in Windsor, Mass., to hear the preaching.

Monday, October 11: Today we returned home from Windsor through Lanesborough.  We got home about sunset. When I got home I found that an owner had come for the pocketbook that I found and advertised. He did not leave any pay for my trouble, only advertising which I paid 59 cts. The man lives in Cheshire by the name of Morey.

Petersburgh Will Hold A Public Hearing If There Are Garbage Changes

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by Alex Brooks

The Petersburgh Town Board meeting began with a lengthy speech from Petersburgh resident Tom Berry, which didn’t add much to what he had said in a letter to this newspaper two weeks ago about the agreement between Berlin and Petersburgh concerning use of the Berlin Transfer Station. He feels the current agreement is unfair to Petersburgh. His letter annoyed the Petersburgh Supervisor, the Petersburgh Town Clerk, and at least one Petersburgh Town Councilperson, as well as the Berlin Supervisor and apparently quite a few Berlin residents, all of whom have criticized Mr. Berry.

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HFCS Board Grants Veterans Tax Exemptions

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by Alex Brooks

At the February 12 meeting of the Hoosick Falls School Board, a resolution was presented to grant tax exemptions from school taxes to war veterans as enabled by a State law passed in December of 2013, and it was passed by a vote of 6-0. It granted the maximum exemptions allowed by the State legislation.

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Cabin Fever Hoosick Style

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by Bea Peterson

National Geographic Television Channel’s weekly show “Building Wild” starring Hoosick’s Pat Bakaitis and television celebrity Paulie DiMeo as the Cabin Kings continues to highlight the local area. In the February 11 show, which was the building of a cabin for Patrick and Ryan Sweeney in Berlin, Paulie noted that he wanted some Brown’s Beer, which is brewed in Hoosick.

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Pipes Break In Petersburgh Pump House; Flood Is Difficult To Control

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by Alex Brooks

On Saturday, February 22, pipes in the Petersburgh Water District pump house broke. The damage proved to be difficult to repair. After shutting off the system to clean out a chlorination line in the pump house that had become plugged, Water District Superintendent Ben Krahforst completed the job and re-opened the valves and turned the pumps back on. Then a severe water hammer occurred, which shattered the main line from Well #2 and damaged connections in the manifold.

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BCS Superintendent Of Schools Rebuts Fiscal Stress Rating

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by Thaddeus Flint

A January report by the New York State’s Comptroller Office which showed the Berlin School District as being “susceptible to fiscal stress” does not “necessarily reflect what is actuality in terms of school districts,” said the Berlin Central School District’s Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Stephen Young, at the February Board meeting Tuesday night.

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