Donations and Volunteers and Quad

This week our library has been offered some shelving that is going to be discarded by a local library. It will be a lifesaver because our Betty Bellinger Bateman Collection is ready for a permanent home. We'll have to rearrange our rooms a little to make our use of space more efficient.

While searching in some drawers, I found some microfiche that had been donated, including DAR records and some Quebec births and burials from Terrebonne and Montmorency Counties among others. You may find something of interest there.

We're bringing a new librarian on board - Teresa Whitaker, from Keeseville. She is a long-time member and has extensive knowledge of local families. Gloria Pratt, our President and one of our major researchers, has decided to be a volunteer librarian again. Thanks to both of you.

There is a meeting on June 14th at St. Michael's College in Burlington to discuss the Quadricentennial. http://www.celebratechamplain.org/news.html There is a large contingent of Clinton County folks going including Celine Paquette, one of our local legislators. The breakout session we're interested in is the one on French Heritage in the Champlain Corridor. Over 40% of people in Clinton County have French-Canadian ancestors.

Our Society is partnering with the Vermont French-Canadian Genealogical Society in "They Walked With Champlain" Descendant Tree Project.

Exciting genealogical times.

Genealogy Buffs

Christmas is coming - we have lots of suggestions for family and friends.

Calvin Castine of Champlain has DVDs and videos of all kinds of local events - games, memorials, openings, races - view relatives past and present. Calvin also has a great book on Champlain with lots of local family histories. Reach him at hometowncable@yahoo.com.

Larry Gooley has many books on local history - Out of the Darkness - Lyon Mountain~The Trajedy of a Mining Town - Altona~A History of the Flat Rock - to name a few. His research, especially interviews with local people are extraordinary. His website - www.bloatedtoe.com.

Clyde Rabideau has done the community a great service by continuing the legacy of Mr. and Mrs. Charles McClellan in recording the cemetery and other vital records of Clinton County, NY. He has also done extensive research on the Rabideau family that he has documented in several books. He can be reached at http://www.clyderabideau.com/.

Celine Paquette and Kimberly Lemay have recently published a picture book on Champlain, New York. See Champlain in the "old days". You can get it in local stores and at www.amazon.com.

Our publications are also for sale on our website at http://www.nnyacgs.com/publications.html. Our latest book on the births, marriages and deaths of Churubusco, NY came out this year. We also have the History of the Town of Chazy by local authors David Martin and Nell Sullivan. There are only about a hundred left with no plans for future republication.

Make a family history enthusiast happy this Christmas. Contact Gloria Pratt at grcp@charter.net or at 518-561-5728 for more information.

Happy Holidays ~