the hitching post 2010.pdf · ciously donated by edna faulkner kniffen and her daughters judy jeune...

Growing up near the Alcove Reservoir, I had al-

ways been curious about the circumstances surround-

ing the destruction of the small village of Indian

Fields, in the Town of Coeymans. Although local sto-

ries gave insight into what happened there, I knew

there had to be more to the mysteries that lay beneath

the water, and wondered if others were interested too.

I began to do some research of my own, using mi-

crofilmed old newspapers at the local Ravena Library,

and cemetery records from the Westerlo Library. I

also traveled to the City of Albany many times to

gather information at the State Archives, State Library

and the Albany Hall of Records. Over time my notes

became voluminous, and I wondered what now? I

thought about writing a book, but wondered if this was

really possible with family obligations, work and lim-

ited time. I decided to try, but “writers block” set

right in. I would start then stop many times, but some-

thing was missing, and I didn‟t know what it was!

One day while chatting with Betty Filkins from

Westerlo about writing the book, she said “I can show

you our family album of Indian Fields”. She did, and

while looking at the faces of real people who actually

lived there, I realized this was the missing inspiration I

needed to continue. I decided to put it all in one writ-

ing as there was a lot of information out there but, it

was in many different places. What I didn‟t know

then, was that I was now on a long historical journey

into the past! The nine chapters of “The Demise of In-

dian Fields” will tell about how the City of Albany

desperately needed clean water, and how the impact of

the Basic and Hannacroix Creeks being impounded

was exchanged for the high cost of losing this little

village.

I wrote the book from the

perspective of the people who

were displaced from their homes

and land. Photos, post cards, old

maps, newspapers and local sto-

ries were used to show who they

were and how they lived their

lives.

Another chapter was also

dedicated to the Native Ameri-

cans (Mahicans) who lived on

this same land early on, as there

was much interest in it. For our February meeting I

asked David Cornelius, a Native American, to speak

about them and their impact on our local history in the

town of Coeymans. He also showed various baskets

and implements of theirs. Ralph Biance also spoke

and showed his arrow-head collection. Both of their

talks complemented the presentation of my book to the

Historical Society and to the public at that meeting.

There is a list of burial records of all fourteen of the

cemeteries that were reinterred in the “New Indian

Fields Cemetery”, which may be helpful for those put-

ting together genealogy records. There are birth, death,

marriage, children born and other information to

search out in these records.

T H E D E M I S E O F I N D I A N F I E L D S , N . Y .

B y L u c i l l e M a r g i a s s o

The Hitching Post Summer 2010 Vol. 8 No. 2

http://www.coeymanshistory.org The Hitching Post / Summer2010

The Newsletter of the Ravena Coeymans Historical Society

Continued on pg. 3

Summer greetings,

Once again I want to thank all the committees and members for all

their hard work and commitment to the Society over the past six

months, especially all those involved in the school exhibit. This exhibit

will remain on display for the rest of the year.

A very special thank you goes out to Harry Sturges, Paul & Sylvia

Lawler, and Robert Halley for their generous donations this year.

The museum will be open for a special presentation immediately af-

ter our September elections meeting. We hope that you will attend and

see all the wonderful displays as well as some special exhibits.

Have a fantastic and safe summer.

Respectfully yours,

Ralph Biance

President

OFFICERS 2009-2010

President ~ Ralph Biance

Vice President ~ David Ross

Secretary ~ Linda Peterman

Treasurer ~ William Meyer

TRUSTEES

Ralph Biance 2011

Dave Ross 2012

William Meyer 2010

Linda Peterman 2011

NancyBruno 2010

Suzanne Celella 2010

Robert Halley 2012

Joe Boehlke 2012

Lucy Margiasso 2012

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Membership

William Meyer

Historian

Robert Halley

Collections

Barbara Goetschius

Research

David Ross

Publicity

Lynn Vanderzee-Christie

Programs

Lynn Vanderzee-Christie

Fundraising

Nancy Bruno

Conservation

Suzanne Celella

Museum

Joe Boehlke, Curator

Calendar

Linda Peterman

Refreshments

Robert Halley

Cemetery

Ralph Biance

Newsletter Committee

Mary Farinelli

Joe Boehlke

P r e s i d e n t ’ s

L e t t e r

R A V E N A

C O E Y M A N S

H I S T O R I C A L

S O C I E T Y

P a g e 2 T h e H i t c h i n g P o s t

http://www.coeymanshistory.org The Hitching Post / Summer 2010 Vol. 8 No. 2

Museum News

by Joe Boehlke

The museum team has been busy reorganizing our research library and begin-

ning work on upcoming exhibits.

Over the past several months we

have had numerous visitors including

several Cub Scout and Girl Scout troops.

If you have a group that might be inter-

ested in seeing the museum call us to set

up a special time.

At our September meeting we will

present a new addition to our museum, a

1922 Symphonola Player Piano gra-

ciously donated by Edna Faulkner

Kniffen and her daughters Judy Jeune

and Claudette Taylor.

Mark your calendars to come and

hear the wonderful sounds of yesteryear.

MUSEUM HOURS

The Historical Society Museum is open every Thursday (except holidays) from 1pm to 3pm

or you may call for an appointment: 756-9395 or 756-6536

1922 Price & Teeple

Symphonola Player Piano.

The Demise of Indian Fields - from page 1

P a g e 3 V o l . 8 N o . 2

Finally, this book is intended to be a special tribute

to those who lived and died in Indian Fields, and a

recording for descendants and our families to pass on.

Since this book was written other photos and informa-

tion were donated to the Historical Society. Perhaps at

a later date these could be used as a sequel to the

book, or as a presentation by the Historical Society at

one of our meetings..

If anyone still needs a copy of the book, the price

is $17.50, a portion of which will be donated to

the Alcove Preservation Association and The

Ravena-Coeymans Historical Society, at a later

date after printing has stopped. I belong to both

organizations both of whose members were help-

ful in putting the book together. I can be reached

at (518) 756-8476 for future book sales.

Thank you.


Billy Meyers, Blanch & Elizabeth Freleigh, from the per-

sonal collection of Ruth Freleigh donated by Betty Filkins

Notice to all members in good standing:

The annual meeting of the Ravena Coeymans Historical Society will be held 9 September 2010. Three 3-year

terms will be expiring this year. Members interested in being placed on the ballot for one of the trustee posi-

tion should contact one of the members of the nominating committee: Joe Boehlke at 756-9395, or Lucy Mar-

giasso at 756-8476, no later than September 1, 2010.

The election of trustees will be held at the annual meeting on September 9th.


2 0 1 0 M e m b e r S p o n s o r s

Business Supporter

Bullock Utilities

Coeymans Landing Marina

Muellers Automotive LLC

National Bank of Coxsackie

Persico Oil Co.

Persico True Value Hardware

Peter Clouse, Esq.

Ravena Auto Supply/Napa Auto Parts

Ravena Barn Flea Market

Ravena Shop’n Save

Stanton Farms

Supporting Family

Clesson & Jean Bush

Ralph & Linda Biance

Joseph & Gail Boehlke

Curtis & Denise Wilsey

Gordon & Linda Stanton

Karen & Andy Hess


Benefactors

Sylvia & Paul Lawler

Robert Halley

2 0 1 0 B u s i n e s s S p o n s o r s

Supporting Individual

Karol A. Beck

Charles F. Coons

Wiliam R. Meyer

Linda Peterman

Cathy Ricciardi

Mystery Lake Trail Riders

Business Sustaining

Harry Sturges - Town Historian

Babcock Funeral Home

Collins & Sons Inc.

The Bruce Agency LLC

Nationwide Insurance

Crossroad’s Ford/Mercury

John T. Biscone, Esq.

Sarah M. Biscone, Esq.

Lafarge Building Materials

Van Etten Excavating

Business Benefactor

Town of Coeymans

Village of Ravena

Business Patron

State Telephone Company

The Bank of Greene County

Patron

Bob & Ann Hallock

Scenes from the

Historical Society summer Picnic

P a g e 5 V o l . 8 N o . 2

You may remember that back in 2004, some of us

had discovered the works of Robert V. Blaisdell. They

were part of the Blaisdell Collection that was donated

to the Historical Society in 2001.Robert Blaisdell writ-

ings are full of historical research and recollections.

Written in a conversational tone and in no particular

order, they have provided us with a wonderful source

of information – of large and small significance. One

of Robert Blaisdell‟s most fascinating discoveries was

the history of the apple barn and its construction and

its reuse of materials from the Coeymans Castle. One

of our most rewarding experiences has been learning

of this discovery.

Blaisdell had heard that the Coeymans Stone Castle

had been torn down in 1833. He also had learned that

Andrew VanAntwerp‟s grandson had married Blais-

dell‟s Aunt Riti (Marichi VanBergen) and had con-

structed a building in Coeymans Hollow, using the

stones from the Castle. Blaisdell claims, “Our first

view of the place was at the time of Albany‟s 300th

Anniversary Celebration.” (Perhaps Blaisdell [1879-

1957] was thinking of the Fulton-Hudson Celebration

in 1909.) “Our impression of the house was rather

contemptuous than otherwise. It was used for years by

Stephen Wiltsie as an apple storage [barn]. But, a trip

we made there recently – when we saw only the out-

side of the place (nobody home) has changed our

mind.”

He describes the outside of the building. Many of

the windows have been “stoned up”. The “front door,

with the basement door under it, is paneled horizon-

tally and has side lights like our own... As a farm, it

can never have been too good, consisting largely of

upland. However, Wiltsie built all the newer buildings

and they are good. He seemed to be plowing a hillside

with the horses the day we were there.”

Again, in 1949, after Edith Blaisdell, Robert‟s

daughter-in-law, suggests that “he write something

about the doors of the Coeymans Castle”, he recalls

something more about his first visit to the farm . He

notes that the Castle doors were being used on the

barn on South Rocks Road. He then continues on to a

more recent visit to the farm. Ernest Payne has mar-

ried the daughter of Stephen Wiltsie and has shown

the place to Blaisdell with pride. Blaisdell states that

“the front door, the hall woodwork, the winding stair

and the parlor woodwork and paneling from the Castle

were also embedded in the house” . He noted that they

were “battered, of course, but very interesting”. He

The Mystery of the Apple Barn Door - Part 2

By Mary Farinelli


continued on page 6

Photo showing reuse of door

and sidelights on barn.

talks about the fireplace with paneling above it, the

wainscoting and inside blinds. He describes one of the

doors – “especially „cute‟ (in halves horizontally) and

when I saw it, it had at least part of its original hard-

ware. The winding stair was pretty crude, but it

wound . Very few people seem to know of the exis-

tence of this stuff.”

When I learned of this information back in 2004, I

was overjoyed to be able to meet Eleanor (Payne)

Turner. Now I would be able to sit down with her and

learn more. She had lived as a child on the old Wiltsie

place, but she had remembered little except

that Aunt Mary Lawson had told her the door did

come from the Coeymans Castle.

The building was used as a barn, but fell down dur-

ing the hurricane of 1960. But more importantly, Elea

nor had saved the door and had brought it with her to

her new home after her husband had passed away.

What a wonderful discovery this had become!

This Spring of 2010, Eleanor Turner passed away.

Her family has generously donated the apple barn

door to the Society. We are planning to show it as part

of our Exhibit in December. The Society will be dedi-

cating the apple barn door to the memory of Eleanor

(Payne) Turner.

(Sometimes we learn of discoveries through a person’s

written words. Sometimes we learn through photo-

graphs , or experiences and memories of a neighbor

or a stranger that are passed on through the spoken

word. And sometimes a discovery can be verified by

an experts’ examination. Then, somewhere along the

way, we become aware that the mystery has wanted to

be discovered all along.)


1960 photo of barn after hurricane

We Need Your Help The museum staff is seeking photographs, memorabilia or military artifacts from the U. S.

Civil War period for an upcoming exhibit. We are especially looking for photographs of Civil

War soldiers from the Town of Coeymans. Anyone who may have items and are willing to

loan them to us please contact Joe Boehlke at 756-9395 or Mary Farinelli at 756- 6536.

continued from page 5

Lock and Door Key to the Apple Barn Door

RCHS Membership General Member $10/annually

Family $15/annually

Supporting/individual $25/annually

Supporting/family $50/annually

Patron $100 & up

Benefactor $250 & up

Individual Life $100/per individual (must be 55 or above)

New memberships are welcome at any time. You may mail them to:

Ravena Coeymans Historical Society

P. O. Box 324

Ravena, NY 12143

c/o Bill Meyer

Business Sponsorship:

Business Supporter $50/annually

Business Sustaining $100 & up /annually

Business Patron $250 & up /

Business Benefactor $1000 & above

“ The past actually happened,

but history is only what someone wrote down.” - A. Whitney Brown

P a g e 7 V o l . 8 N o . 2

If you have not sent in your dues for 2010, please do

so .This will ensure that you continue to receive future

Ravena Coeymans Historical Society newsletters.

M a r k y o u r C a l e n d a r s

Thursday, September 9 2010 – 7:00 PM

Annual election of Trustees and program “An Evening of Music in 1922”

Thursday, October 14 2010 – 7:00 PM

“100 Years of State Telephone Company” – The Warren Family

Thursday, November 11, 2010 – 7:00 PM

“Honoring Our Veterans” – Speakers TBA

Sunday, December 12 - 1:00 - 4PM

Museum Holiday Open house and Exhibit Opening

All Meetings are held at the Village Hall on Mountain Road in Ravena

The Hitching Post Ravena Coeymans Historical Society P. O. Box 324 Ravena, New York 12143

http://www.coeymanshistory.org

PLEASE PLACE STAMP HERE

With deep sympathy, we

note the passing of

Eleanor Turner

Loyal friend of the society

Check out the Ravena Coeymans Historical Society Website:

http://www.coeymanshistory.org

Published semi-annually by the Ravena Coeymans Historical Society

Little Red Schoolhouse Save these dates !

September 12 September 26

September 19 October 3

2 to 4 p.m.

Programs TBA

Saturday, December 4

Christmas Program

1 to 3 p.m.

Coming Soon ~

Look for us Thursdays during July & August

at the Coeymans Landing farmers market !

Presentation of Player Piano

Military Men of Coeymans

Reggie Thorne Scoreboard

Coeymans and it‟s Early Years

the hitching post 2010.pdf · ciously donated by edna faulkner kniffen and her daughters judy jeune...

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