The Grafton Historical Society will meet at 7 pm in the Grafton Town Hall on July 17. This month’s program is The Troy Draft Riots of 1863, presented by Michael Barrett.
What has been described as “the second most destructive draft riot in the nation” broke out in Troy on July 15, 1863. The bulk of the two to three thousand angry protestors in the streets were Catholics who worked in the city’s mills, factories and iron works. The Troy Draft Riots were violent disturbances that were the culmination of discontent with new laws to draft men to fight in the ongoing Civil War. The rioters were working class men, resentful, among other reasons, because the draft unfairly affected them while sparing wealthier men who could afford to pay expensive fees to exclude them from the draft.
Michael Barrett earned a B.S. in Criminal Science at Russell Sage College while working as a police officer for the City of Troy and presently is employed as Director of the Hudson Mohawk Industrial Gateway in Troy.
The program is free, and the public is welcome. Refreshments will be served. For more information contact 518-641-9660 or email historicgrafton@aol.com.
North Hoosick FD Kids Pool Dance
The North Hoosick Fire Department will be holding its Ninth Annual kids pool dance at the Town of Hoosick community pool on Barton Avenue in Hoosick Falls on Friday, July 12. Students ages 9 to 15 in the area schools are invited to attend the festivities which will begin at 7 pm. Students will be able to swim until dark and then dance to music until 10 pm. Tickets for the dance can be purchased at the door on the day of the event. A rain date of Saturday, July 13, has been set in case of inclement weather. Parents must sign their child out after the dance.
Rensselaer Land Trust’s Annual Hoosic River Paddle
Canoeist and kayakers are invited to join the Rensselaer Land Trust (RLT) for a leisurely paddle through the calming waterways of the Hoosic River on Saturday, July 13, starting at 9 am. Participants will launch at the NYS DEC public boat launch on RLT property at Eagle Bridge and take out downstream just before the Johnsonville Dam. In the past eagles, great blue herons and green herons have been seen along this stretch of coves and marshy backwaters. [Read more…] about Rensselaer Land Trust’s Annual Hoosic River Paddle
Upcoming Events At The Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center
Pollination At A Glance
The Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center is offering a Junior Naturalist Program on July 16 from 1 to 3 pm. This program will teach Jr. Naturalists the ins and outs of pollination. Jr. Naturalists will learn the different parts of a flower and all about the different pollinators present at Dyken Pond Center. A short hike through Dyken Pond Center’s trails will also be on the agenda to look for different wild flowers indigenous to the area and a small take home craft will also be created. A $1 per child donation will cover material costs. Pre-registration is encouraged to help with planning but not required and can be done by contacting the Center at dykenpond@fairpoint.net or 658-2055.
Full Moon Kayak Tour
The Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center is offering a Full Moon Kayak Tour on July 20 from 7 to 9 pm. This program is limited to 12 boats so pre-registration is required and can be done by contacting the Center at dykenpond@fairpoint.net or 658-2055. Kayaks can be rented for $10, or you can bring your own.
Herpetofaunal Bio-Blitz
The Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center is conducting its very own Bio-Blitz on July 21 from 9 am to 12 pm. Please join us and survey forest and wetland ecosystems located around Dyken Pond Center on a search for as many different reptiles and amphibians we can find. This program is open to the public and is for all ages. Herpetofaunal identification keys will be handed out to help in the bio-blitz. Pre-registration is encouraged to help with planning but not required and can be done by contacting the Center at dykenpond@fairpoint.net or 658-2055. A $1 donation is suggested.
Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center is a Rensselaer County Park located at 475 Dyken Pond Road, Cropseyville. It is open daily during daylight hours for hiking, fishing and non-motor boating. Canoes and kayaks are available for rent each day from 9 am until 3 pm.
A complete list of programs can be found at www.dykenpond.org.
Opening Reception At The Armory
Meet the painter Alessandro Keegan and Hoosick Falls Artists Guild artists and view their work at the Opening Reception on Friday, July 12, from 6 to 8 pm downstairs at The Armory, 80 Church Street, Hoosick Falls. Music will be performed by The Brewsters in The Owls Nest at 7 pm.
The 120Gallery90 is showing recent landscape paintings by emerging New York artist Alessandro Keegan in Gallery90 and an exhibit called “Seeing Through,” works on beveled glass panes, by Hoosick Artist Guild artists in 120Gallery. This exhibition, the Gallery’s fourth, will run from July 12 to August 9.
Luanne J. Stevens
Petersburgh – Luanne James Stevens of the Taconic Trail, Petersburgh, NY, died peacefully at her home on Friday, June 28, 2013, under the care of Community Hospice of Rensselaer County.
Born in Bennington, VT, on January 4, 1934, she was the daughter of the late Layton D. and Clara Wood James. She is pre-deceased by her husband of 50 years, Earl A. Stevens, her children, Judy Crandall and Gregory E. Stevens, her grandchildren, John and Jolene Bedford, and her siblings Betsy Kimball and Layton R. James.
Raised in the southwest Hoosick, NY, area, Luanne was a 1952 graduate of the Walter A. Wood High School in Hoosick Falls, NY. After raising her children, she attended EOC in Troy, NY, to become an office worker. She worked many years for Seagroatt’s Florist in Berlin, NY, before starting to raise her grandchildren. She enjoyed quilting and reading, and she loved to work on puzzles. She was a lifelong member of the Petersburgh United Methodist Church.
Survivors include her three children, Joan M. and husband Mike Hill and Laurie and husband Ray Broadwell, all of Petersburgh, and Jodi Hubbard of Grafton, NY, her best friend of 70 years, Eleanor Herrington, her daughter-in-law, Cheryl Stevens of Stephentown, NY, her nine grandchildren, Jason (of the second litter), Jeremy, Clara, Shandra, Natasha, Ryan, Christopher, Sara and Curtis, along with 15 great-grandchildren.
Special thanks goes to Pat Mace and Cindy Skrandis for all of their help through the years.
Funeral services were held on Sunday, July 7, at 3 pm in the Petersburgh United Methodist Church, Head of Lane, Petersburgh with Rev. Gaylord “Jake” Campbell officiating. A time of fellowship followed in the Church hall. Relatives and friends were invited to visitation at the Church on Sunday from 1 pm until the start of the service.
To remember Luanne in a special way, memorial contributions may be given to the Petersburgh United Methodist Church in care of Thomas M. Barber Funeral Home, P.O. Box 361, Petersburgh, NY, 12138.
Donald R. Lohnes
Hoosick Falls – Donald R. Lohnes, 82, passed away July 1, 2013, in Canon City, CO. Born June 16, 1931, in Bennington, VT, he was the son of Harold and Marion (Webster) Lohnes. Donald was a long time resident of Hoosick Falls, NY, before moving to Colorado. [Read more…] about Donald R. Lohnes
Ethel Powers
Hoosick – Ethel “Bonnie” Powers, 71, a resident of Hoosick, NY, passed away peacefully after a brief illness at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center in Bennington, VT, surrounded by her family.
Born in Troy, NY, Bonnie was the daughter of the late Clarence and Catherine (Carroll) Eldred. She grew up on the family farm on Warren Cemetery Road in Hoosick, NY, with eight sisters, Joan, Betty, Rita, Pat, Kay, Jerry, Judy and Barbara. She married the love of her life, Jim Powers Sr., on July 2, 1960. Together they raised four children, Donna, Joanne, Jim Jr. and Paul. Bonnie was also the proud grandmother of Daniel and Jeffrey Hammond and two great-grandchildren, Mathew and Zoey Hammond.
Bonnie was a homemaker most of her life, taking great joy in caring for her children and her many nieces and nephews. The family home was always full of laughing children, welcomed with a smile and great words of wisdom from “Aunt Bonnie.” Bonnie enjoyed the yearly family reunions at Squaw Valley along with camping and tag sales. She dedicated her whole life to her family. She was “Aunt Bonnie” to all who knew her.
A Mass of Christian Burial was offered on Saturday, July 6, from the Immaculate Conception Church in Hoosick Falls, NY. Burial will be at the convenience of the family.
Relatives and friends called at the the Mahar Funeral Home, 43 Main Street in Hoosick Falls on Friday, July 5, from 4 to 7 pm. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Powers family to help with medical expenses.
The Life Of George Holcomb – Buying Out Brother Wm
Wednesday, February 6, 1828: Today I am unwell, with a pain in my head. Today I went up to Mr. John Russel’s, and Doc Bacholer from Pittsfield came and cut out a wen or substance from near the end of my second finger on my left hand, on the inside of said finger, which was very painful in taking it out and scraping the bone, and I paid him one dollar for the job, and tonight I took the single wagon and fetched my children from school. Tonight my finger was some painful.
Thursday: I was quite unwell and I took phisic and my lame finger kept me confined to wetting it in spirits and water. Tonight Hiram Spring stayed with us.
Friday: Today I kept confined to the house with my lame finger and some unwell. Today Elijah Hatch buried his oldest daughter. She died with the measles.
Monday: Today I walked to Richmond to brother Jay Wylie’s to see if he was getting the money five hundred dollars to lend me the first of April. He agreed to get the money by that time. On the way I called to Mr. Dewey’s to let him know that Henry Stanton wanted his money by the first of April.
Tuesday, February 12: On this day I bought brother Wm’s half of the single wagon with the pleasure box and lumber box and the chairs that we used in said boxes and one cushion that belonged to it, likewise his half of the cutter, and his half of the double and single harness to have a pair of single whiffletrees and the two set of trace chains with said harness., and for the same I gave a set of single wagon on wheels 12 dol delivered at Samuel Holcomb’s shop, and my half of the cast plow, 2 dol and 50 cts for my half of the horse collar, and I paid him five dol and 50 cts to the Shakers in harness leather, and I paid him three dollars in cash, and one dol remains unpaid yet, which makes 24 dol that I pay him for his half of the before-mentioned articles, calling said wagon 25 dol and cutter 12 dol and harnesses 11 dollars.
Thursday: I walked up to Squ Gideon Martin’s to see if he was intended to lend me money this spring. He gave me encouragement. I borrowed a book of his, Mary Dyre’s writings against the Shakers. Hiram Spring stays with us tonight.
Moose Attacks VW; Meat Served To NLCS Graduates
by Thaddeus Flint
Mike Clement of East Nassau was on his way to work early Saturday morning when something big came crashing through his windshield.
“The car just stopped!” said Clement, a breakfast chef at the chic yoga retreat, Kripalu, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. One second he was doing 55 mph on Route 20 just east of Lebanon Valley Speedway and the next second Clement’s car, a 1999 Volkswagen Jetta, was dead on the highway. There was now a large hole where the windscreen had been and for some reason the steering wheel was bent.
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