sept. 6, 2022 minutes
Members present: Terry Baldwin, Donna Gwin, Ray Hand, Henry Whipple, Anna Wolfe. The meeting took place in the Knox Town Hall.
In the absence of President Dennis Barber, Vice-President Terry Baldwin called the meeting to order at 7:15 pm.
The minutes of the July 5, 2022 meeting were accepted as emailed.
Treasurer’s Report: The balance of our accounts is $7,743.31. Many items to celebrate the Bicentennial were sold at various events over the summer: 103 Bicentennial glasses; 3 KHS plates; 5 Historic marker books; 23 bicentennial ornaments; 26 pillboxes; 2 Helderberg Hilltowns books; 2 of Hal Miller’s books. KHS made a profit of $1,111 from the Barbecue Delights chicken bar-b-que on Aug. 5. We paid $77.76 to renew KHS webpage. We paid $42.34 for 2 yr. renewal of domain name with GoDaddy. We still have outstanding bills to be paid for fireworks at the Aug. 6 Car Show and for trophies and t-shirts from the Car Show. The checking account has a balance of $2,475.36. The preferred savings account balance is$2,208.07. The balance in the 9-month CD account is $3,059.71.
Correspondence: The bill for our insurance policy, with Eastern Mutual Insurance Company which covers the contents of the Saddlemire Homestead is due Sept. 21. Our agent is Brian Merriman. Anna has not been able to speak to our agent about increasing the coverage to $10,000 or $15,000. She will also ask Brian for estimates from other insurance companies.
We received a newsletter from the New Scotland Historical Society.
Donna will send $40 check to Ralph Miller for the 2 books that we sold that were written by Hal Miller.
The events planned to celebrate the Bicentennial were well attended. We have leftover items that we need to sell, such as glasses, ornaments, and t-shirts. We will check to see if Dennis can advertise the items on the Bicentennial Facebook page.
Dana Sherman’s portrayal of ax maker Daniel Simmons was presented on Sun., Aug. 7 just before the tin pail lunch. The program was informative, well attended, and very interesting. The tin pail lunch was delicious. The Anti-Rent play, written and produced by Paula Shafer Sisson, was also performed on Aug. 7. Every seat in the audience was taken and the play was a great success! The play was recorded by Nick Viscio. Perhaps KHS could get a copy of the DVD and the play could be presented by KHS?
Tom Capuano of the Guilderland Historical Association asked in June if KHS would be interested in presenting a program in 2023. Dennis agreed and will read his proclamation from the Proclamation ceremony that was held in February 2022. We will expand his proclamation speech with illustrations and present it as a power point program. Tom Capuano is checking to see if the Guilderland Historical Society would have the proper equipment for the presentation. The Guilderland Historical Society meeting would be May 18, 2023.
Donna will ask Mike Nardacci if he would be interested in presenting a program about the Knox Cave to students at BKW and the Helderberg Christian School.
Donna interviewed Verlane Gibbs Coon, granddaughter of Vertie Gibbs. Donna plans to make a Shutterfly book about Verlane’s memories of growing up in Knox.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna Gwin, Secretary
July 5, 2022 minutes
Members present: Dennis Barber, Jay Francis, Donna Gwin, Ray Hand, Anna Wolfe. The meeting took place in the Knox Town Hall.
President Dennis Barber called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm.
The minutes of the June 7, 2022 meeting were accepted as emailed.
Treasurer’s Report: The balance of our accounts is $6, 083.23. Fifty-seven Bicentennial glasses were sold at the Puckerstreet Fair; three KHS plates were sold; two Historic marker books were sold; three bicentennial ornaments were sold; sixteen pillboxes were sold; one Helderberg Hilltowns book was sold; two of Hal Miller’s books were sold. The checking account has a balance of $828.21. The preferred savings account balance is$2,197.86 The balance in the 9-month CD account is $3,056.99.
A VENMO account is being set up so that we can sell pre-orders for the chicken bar-be-que on Aug. 5. The VENMO account is being set up on the Bicentennial Facebook page.
Correspondence: Our insurance policy for the contents of the Saddlemire Homestead is being reworded by the company, Eastern Mutual Insurance Company. Our agent is Brian Merriman. We currently pay $157 annually for $8,000 coverage of contents. Anna will check to see the price for increasing coverage to $10,000 or $15,000. She will also ask Brian for estimates from other insurance companies. The company wants documentation of what is in the Homestead. Photos are on the knoxhistoricalsociety.org website. We also have the contents on the excel worksheet.
We received a newsletter from the New Scotland Historical Society.
Old Business: The chicken bar-be-que will take place on Friday, Aug. 5 starting at 3 pm in front of the Knox Reformed Church. The price for each dinner is $15. Pre-orders will be taken through the VENMO account on the Bicentennial page.
The car show will take place on Sat., Aug. 6 in the Knox Town Park. KHS will have a table and we will sell our books, glasses, notecards, ornaments, and pillboxes. Donna will work from 3-6; Ray will work 4:30-7:30; Anna will work 6-9pm. Anna will have the cash box. KHS will not sell the pull-tabs. Dennis will check with the Altamont Legion to see if they want to sell the pull-tabs. Dennis will see if someone wants to sell tickets for a 50/50 raffle.
The Whipple Family talk will take place on Sunday, Aug. 7 at the Knox Town Hall starting at 2 pm. We will provide refreshments.
The tin pail lunch takes place on Sunday, July 31 at the Homestead. The Anti-Rent War play follows at 2pm in the Knox Town Hall.
New Business: Tom Capuano of the Guilderland Historical Association asked if KHS would be interested in presenting a program in 2023. Dennis agreed and we will use his proclamation read at the Proclamation ceremony in February. We will expand his proclamation speech with illustrations and present it as a power point program.
Dennis will contact Mike Nardacci and Bob Stevens to see if they are interested in presenting programs on Sundays on the Saddlemire Porch in August.
Tony Forti has pillbox factory items given to him by Wally Quay Sr., and Elizabeth Stevens. Tony would like to give the items to KHS. Dennis will get the accession papers to Tony.
Charlene Vanderbilt gave a copy of the indenture of her family home on Tabor Road. Originally the farm was leased from Stephen VanRensselaer. Dennis will see if a better copy can be made of the indenture and we will accession that copy.
Paula Shafer emailed a report about the Anti-Rent War play that will take place on Sunday, July 31 at 2 pm in the Knox Town Hall basement. The event is a living history representation of Knox in Anti-Rent Wars with descendants of actual Anti-Renter family members of Knox in period correct clothing. Script is all from primary documents and researched/written/to be produced by Paula Shafer. Amy Pokorny is coordinating a Tin Pail Lunch. The lunch will take place from noon until 2 pm on the lawn of the Saddlemire Homestead. During the tin pail lunch, Dana Sherman will portray Daniel Simmons, a broad ax manufacturer when Knox was part of Berne and he employed workers from local area.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna Gwin, Secretary
President Dennis Barber called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm.
The minutes of the June 7, 2022 meeting were accepted as emailed.
Treasurer’s Report: The balance of our accounts is $6, 083.23. Fifty-seven Bicentennial glasses were sold at the Puckerstreet Fair; three KHS plates were sold; two Historic marker books were sold; three bicentennial ornaments were sold; sixteen pillboxes were sold; one Helderberg Hilltowns book was sold; two of Hal Miller’s books were sold. The checking account has a balance of $828.21. The preferred savings account balance is$2,197.86 The balance in the 9-month CD account is $3,056.99.
A VENMO account is being set up so that we can sell pre-orders for the chicken bar-be-que on Aug. 5. The VENMO account is being set up on the Bicentennial Facebook page.
Correspondence: Our insurance policy for the contents of the Saddlemire Homestead is being reworded by the company, Eastern Mutual Insurance Company. Our agent is Brian Merriman. We currently pay $157 annually for $8,000 coverage of contents. Anna will check to see the price for increasing coverage to $10,000 or $15,000. She will also ask Brian for estimates from other insurance companies. The company wants documentation of what is in the Homestead. Photos are on the knoxhistoricalsociety.org website. We also have the contents on the excel worksheet.
We received a newsletter from the New Scotland Historical Society.
Old Business: The chicken bar-be-que will take place on Friday, Aug. 5 starting at 3 pm in front of the Knox Reformed Church. The price for each dinner is $15. Pre-orders will be taken through the VENMO account on the Bicentennial page.
The car show will take place on Sat., Aug. 6 in the Knox Town Park. KHS will have a table and we will sell our books, glasses, notecards, ornaments, and pillboxes. Donna will work from 3-6; Ray will work 4:30-7:30; Anna will work 6-9pm. Anna will have the cash box. KHS will not sell the pull-tabs. Dennis will check with the Altamont Legion to see if they want to sell the pull-tabs. Dennis will see if someone wants to sell tickets for a 50/50 raffle.
The Whipple Family talk will take place on Sunday, Aug. 7 at the Knox Town Hall starting at 2 pm. We will provide refreshments.
The tin pail lunch takes place on Sunday, July 31 at the Homestead. The Anti-Rent War play follows at 2pm in the Knox Town Hall.
New Business: Tom Capuano of the Guilderland Historical Association asked if KHS would be interested in presenting a program in 2023. Dennis agreed and we will use his proclamation read at the Proclamation ceremony in February. We will expand his proclamation speech with illustrations and present it as a power point program.
Dennis will contact Mike Nardacci and Bob Stevens to see if they are interested in presenting programs on Sundays on the Saddlemire Porch in August.
Tony Forti has pillbox factory items given to him by Wally Quay Sr., and Elizabeth Stevens. Tony would like to give the items to KHS. Dennis will get the accession papers to Tony.
Charlene Vanderbilt gave a copy of the indenture of her family home on Tabor Road. Originally the farm was leased from Stephen VanRensselaer. Dennis will see if a better copy can be made of the indenture and we will accession that copy.
Paula Shafer emailed a report about the Anti-Rent War play that will take place on Sunday, July 31 at 2 pm in the Knox Town Hall basement. The event is a living history representation of Knox in Anti-Rent Wars with descendants of actual Anti-Renter family members of Knox in period correct clothing. Script is all from primary documents and researched/written/to be produced by Paula Shafer. Amy Pokorny is coordinating a Tin Pail Lunch. The lunch will take place from noon until 2 pm on the lawn of the Saddlemire Homestead. During the tin pail lunch, Dana Sherman will portray Daniel Simmons, a broad ax manufacturer when Knox was part of Berne and he employed workers from local area.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna Gwin, Secretary
June 7, 2022 minutes
Members present: Terry Baldwin, Dennis Barber, Donna Gwin, Ray Hand, Henry Whipple, Anna Wolfe. The meeting took place in the Knox Town Hall.
President Dennis Barber called the meeting to order at 7:10 pm.
The minutes of the May 3, 2022 meeting were accepted as emailed.
Treasurer’s Report: The balance of our accounts is $5,956.16. Dues have been received from several individuals and families in the amount of $385.00. Twenty-one Bicentennial glasses were sold on Memorial Day adding $210 to our account. We received $51 in donations on Memorial Day. We awarded prizes to 3 students in the total amount of $150 for the essays. The checking account has a balance of $1,222.21. The preferred savings account balance is$1,677.79. The balance in the 9-month CD account is $3,055.99.
Correspondence: Anna received the Gaming License from the NYS Gaming Commission. Dennis will talk to Joan Adriance about the license. We plan to sell pull-tabs on Aug. 6.
Old Business: Henry, Ray, and Dennis decorated the KHS float for the Memorial Day parade and the float looked great! Many visitors came to the Saddlemire Homestead on Memorial Day. The winning essays were read by the students on the porch after the formal Memorial Day ceremony.
Ray Weiler, a Town employee, has installed a new light on the front porch of the Homestead and the back stairs have been repaired. A temporary fix was done on the front porch: indoor/outdoor carpet was laid over the porch boards that are in bad repair. The dimmer switch in the Reading Room will be replaced.
New Business:
Many thanks to Henry who cleaned up the Quay Road Cemetery. Using a chain saw, Henry removed brush on the west side of the cemetery. The cemetery does not need to be mowed because there is a ground cover growing there. The Town owns the cemetery and there is remaining brush that should be removed.
Work on the family cemeteries in town is ongoing project. The Ostrander cemetery was cleaned up a few years ago and is again completely grown over. KHS will do annual clean-up on the Frinks cemetery in September.
The bicentennial committee will enter a float in the Memorial Day parade. Brian Whipple’s hay wagon will be used. Henry Whipple will use his pick-up truck to pull the wagon. The Berne parade begins in East Berne and travels to BKW school. At noon the parade begins in Knox. The co-Little Miss Knox girls will ride on the float. Dennis asked for permission from the Trustees to select items from the Homestead for the float. Ray made a motion to use items from the Homestead for the float Terry seconded it, and the motion passed.
The Puckerstreet Fair takes place on Friday, June 17 from 6-10 pm and on Saturday, June 18 from 1-10 pm. KHS will have a tent. We will have applications for membership in KHS, pens to give away, and sell books, booklets, plates, pill boxes, and stationery. Ray and Dennis will meet on Friday to set up the tent and display the items. Dennis will work on Friday from 6-10, Donna will work on Saturday from 1-3, Anna will work on Saturday from 3-5, and Dennis and Ray will work in the evening.
The chicken barbeque will take place on Friday, Aug. 5 in front of the Knox church beginning at 3 pm. We will publicize the event and encourage pre-sale orders.
Paula Shafer emailed a report about the play that will take place on Sunday, July 31 at 2 pm in the Knox Town Hall basement. The event is a living history representation of Knox in Anti-Rent Wars with descendants of actual Anti-Renter family members of Knox in period correct clothing. Script is all from primary documents and researched/written/to be produced by Paula Shafer. Dana Sherman will portray Daniel Simmons, a broad ax manufacturer when Knox was part of Berne and he employed workers from local area. Amy Pokorny is coordinating a Tin Pail Lunch. The lunch will take place from noon until 2 pm.
Mary Liz and Paul Stewart spoke to BKW 6th graders on Friday, June 3 at 1pm at BKW school about the Underground Railroad. This presentation utilized money from the Stewarts Holiday Match program. A thank you note will be sent to Stewarts for the grant money. The balance of the grant will be used in the 2022/23 school year.
A basement clean-up day will be scheduled soon.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna Gwin, Secretary
President Dennis Barber called the meeting to order at 7:10 pm.
The minutes of the May 3, 2022 meeting were accepted as emailed.
Treasurer’s Report: The balance of our accounts is $5,956.16. Dues have been received from several individuals and families in the amount of $385.00. Twenty-one Bicentennial glasses were sold on Memorial Day adding $210 to our account. We received $51 in donations on Memorial Day. We awarded prizes to 3 students in the total amount of $150 for the essays. The checking account has a balance of $1,222.21. The preferred savings account balance is$1,677.79. The balance in the 9-month CD account is $3,055.99.
Correspondence: Anna received the Gaming License from the NYS Gaming Commission. Dennis will talk to Joan Adriance about the license. We plan to sell pull-tabs on Aug. 6.
Old Business: Henry, Ray, and Dennis decorated the KHS float for the Memorial Day parade and the float looked great! Many visitors came to the Saddlemire Homestead on Memorial Day. The winning essays were read by the students on the porch after the formal Memorial Day ceremony.
Ray Weiler, a Town employee, has installed a new light on the front porch of the Homestead and the back stairs have been repaired. A temporary fix was done on the front porch: indoor/outdoor carpet was laid over the porch boards that are in bad repair. The dimmer switch in the Reading Room will be replaced.
New Business:
Many thanks to Henry who cleaned up the Quay Road Cemetery. Using a chain saw, Henry removed brush on the west side of the cemetery. The cemetery does not need to be mowed because there is a ground cover growing there. The Town owns the cemetery and there is remaining brush that should be removed.
Work on the family cemeteries in town is ongoing project. The Ostrander cemetery was cleaned up a few years ago and is again completely grown over. KHS will do annual clean-up on the Frinks cemetery in September.
The bicentennial committee will enter a float in the Memorial Day parade. Brian Whipple’s hay wagon will be used. Henry Whipple will use his pick-up truck to pull the wagon. The Berne parade begins in East Berne and travels to BKW school. At noon the parade begins in Knox. The co-Little Miss Knox girls will ride on the float. Dennis asked for permission from the Trustees to select items from the Homestead for the float. Ray made a motion to use items from the Homestead for the float Terry seconded it, and the motion passed.
The Puckerstreet Fair takes place on Friday, June 17 from 6-10 pm and on Saturday, June 18 from 1-10 pm. KHS will have a tent. We will have applications for membership in KHS, pens to give away, and sell books, booklets, plates, pill boxes, and stationery. Ray and Dennis will meet on Friday to set up the tent and display the items. Dennis will work on Friday from 6-10, Donna will work on Saturday from 1-3, Anna will work on Saturday from 3-5, and Dennis and Ray will work in the evening.
The chicken barbeque will take place on Friday, Aug. 5 in front of the Knox church beginning at 3 pm. We will publicize the event and encourage pre-sale orders.
Paula Shafer emailed a report about the play that will take place on Sunday, July 31 at 2 pm in the Knox Town Hall basement. The event is a living history representation of Knox in Anti-Rent Wars with descendants of actual Anti-Renter family members of Knox in period correct clothing. Script is all from primary documents and researched/written/to be produced by Paula Shafer. Dana Sherman will portray Daniel Simmons, a broad ax manufacturer when Knox was part of Berne and he employed workers from local area. Amy Pokorny is coordinating a Tin Pail Lunch. The lunch will take place from noon until 2 pm.
Mary Liz and Paul Stewart spoke to BKW 6th graders on Friday, June 3 at 1pm at BKW school about the Underground Railroad. This presentation utilized money from the Stewarts Holiday Match program. A thank you note will be sent to Stewarts for the grant money. The balance of the grant will be used in the 2022/23 school year.
A basement clean-up day will be scheduled soon.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna Gwin, Secretary
May 3, 2022 minutes
Members present: Terry Baldwin, Dennis Barber, Donna Gwin, Ray Hand, Henry Whipple, Anna Wolfe. The meeting took place in the Knox Town Hall.
President Dennis Barber called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
The minutes of the April 5, 2022 meeting were accepted as emailed.
Treasurer’s Report: The balance of our accounts is $5,749.06. Dues have been received from several individuals and families and we have 2 new members, Susanne Loetterle and Paula Shafer. The checking account has a balance of $1,372.21. The preferred savings account balance is$1,321.73. The balance in the 9-month CD account is $3,054.95.
Old Business: Deborah Degan will be the speaker on Sunday, August 7 in one of the “Talks on the Porch”. Deborah will speak about the Whipple Family and this talk will be in the Knox Town Hall from 2-4 pm.
We received 26 entries in the essay contest, 16 from the Helderberg Christian School, 10 from BKW. Entries will be judged at the end of this meeting.
Mary Liz and Paul Stewart will be speaking to BKW 6th graders on Friday, June 3 at 1pm. No other re-enactors have been signed up for the other grades at the moment. These presentations utilize money from the Stewarts Holiday Match program.
The quilt show “Quilts of Knox and its Environs” was held Sat., April 30 from 10-4 at the Knox Town Hall. Fifty-one quilts were displayed and 14 items of needlework. Fifty-seven people attended. Quilts ranged from hand-sewn and hand-quilted to machine-sewn and machine-quilted. Gift cards to The Quilt Bug and The Spinning Room were given to the winners: Kris Zimmer for her paper-pieced quilt and Kris Zimmer for her counted cross-stitch picture. A donation jar was set out and a donation of $200 was sent to ICRC, International Committee of the Red Cross, with the designation that the money be sent to aid Ukraine.
New Business:
A clean-up day will be held at the Saddlemire Homestead on Wednesday, May 18 at 10 am. In the summer, the basement of the Homestead will be cleaned.
The bicentennial committee will enter a float in the Memorial Day parade. Brian Whipple’s hay wagon will be used. Henry Whipple will use his pick-up truck to pull the wagon. The Berne parade begins in East Berne and travels to BKW school. At noon the parade begins in Knox. The co-Little Miss Knox girls will ride on the float. Dennis asked for permission from the Trustees to select items from the Homestead for the float. Ray made a motion to use items from the Homestead for the float Terry seconded it, and the motion passed.
The slate of officers for 2022-23 was presented:
Dennis Barber, President; Terry Baldwin, Vice President; Donna Gwin, Secretary; Anna Wolfe, Treasurer; Ray Hand, Nancy Frueh, Henry Whipple trustees. The slate was accepted unanimously
The backstairs of the Homestead have been repaired by the Town. The front porch still needs to be repaired. The price of lumber has made the project much more expensive.
The essays were judged. Names were not visible to the judges. Winners are Jackson Collins, 1st Place; Kaitlyn Salzer, 2nd Place; Aidan Dean, 3rd Place. Winners will be notified and asked to read their essays at the Memorial Day parade at noon in Knox. Their prizes will be awarded then.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna Gwin, Secretary
April 5, 2022 minutes
Members present: Terry Baldwin, Dennis Barber, Donna Gwin, Ray Hand, Henry Whipple, Anna Wolfe. The meeting took place in the Knox Town Hall.
President Dennis Barber called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
The minutes of the Feb. 1, 2022 meeting were accepted as emailed.
Treasurer’s Report: The balance of our accounts is $4,634.92. This includes $785.19 in the checking account., $796.65 in the preferred savings account, and $3,052.91 in the 9-month CD. No bills were submitted. Anna has received notification of Tax Exemption status for KHS. Dues are due in May: Individual $10; Family $20; Sustaining $75.
Correspondence: We received a thank you from the Helderberg Family and Children Organization recognizing our participation in the HFCO Festival of Trees.
Old Business: The Proclamation Ceremony for the Knox Bicentennial was held Monday, Feb. 28. Eighty people attended the ceremony. Dennis Barber presided over the festivities and local dignitaries included Russ Pokorny, Town Supervisor, Michelle Hinchey, State Senator, Jeff Perlee, County Legislator, a representative from Congressman Paul Tonko’s office, Chris Smith, County Legislator, Mary-Jane Araldi, Westerlo Historical Society.
The 5-page history of Knox that Dennis read at the ceremony will be posted on the KHS website at http://www.knoxhistoricalsociety.org/
The essay contest for BKW school district middle and high school students will begin Monday, March 21. Letters for teachers and students will be distributed on that date. Guidelines for entering the contest are included in the letters. The contest will end Monday, May 2. Essays will be judged by KHS members on May 3 at the regular KHS meeting. The theme of the contest is Life in Knox Through the Years. Three prizes will be awarded and the winners will read their essays at the Memorial Day Parade in Knox on Monday, May 30 at noon.
Nancy Frueh compiled a list of historical re-enactors. Donna contacted Annette Landry, BKW Elementary Principal to see if teachers would be interested in having an historical re-enactor present a program to students. Teachers have expressed interest and details are being finalized. This program would utilize money from the 2020 Stewarts Matching Grant. If we receive the Stewarts Grant for 2022, we will also use that money for programming for students.
New Business:
Henry Whipple will be one of the speakers in the “Talks on the Porch” series in August. The date is still to be decided. The location will either be on the Saddlemire Homestead porch or in the town hall. Henry will speak about his family who has lived in the town since 1793.
The quilt show “Quilts of Knox and its Environs” will be held Sat., April 30 from 10-4 at the Knox Town Hall. Quilts and needlework are being sought to display in the show.
On Fri., Aug. 5 a chicken bbq will be held in front of the Knox Reformed Church. Food will be pre-ordered and picked-up.
On Sat., Aug. 6 there will be a car show, food vendors, 3 live bands, and fireworks, all held in the Town Park. KHS will apply for a license to conduct Pull-Tab games on this day. Anna will send in the paperwork.
We need to set goals for using the funds we have in our savings accounts. Better displays in the Patriots Room are needed. We needed to brainstorm additional ideas to improve the Homestead. The Town will be repairing the backstairs and the front porch.
The family cemetery on Quay Road is Town property. Perhaps the County could provide workers to help clean up the site.
Lou Saddlemire and Margaret Torok researched the names of the town roads in Knox. Town Clerk Traci Schanz will check to see if she can locate town records from the 1950s that detail the new road names. The road names are available under the History of Knox on the KHS website.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna Gwin, Secretary
President Dennis Barber called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
The minutes of the Feb. 1, 2022 meeting were accepted as emailed.
Treasurer’s Report: The balance of our accounts is $4,634.92. This includes $785.19 in the checking account., $796.65 in the preferred savings account, and $3,052.91 in the 9-month CD. No bills were submitted. Anna has received notification of Tax Exemption status for KHS. Dues are due in May: Individual $10; Family $20; Sustaining $75.
Correspondence: We received a thank you from the Helderberg Family and Children Organization recognizing our participation in the HFCO Festival of Trees.
Old Business: The Proclamation Ceremony for the Knox Bicentennial was held Monday, Feb. 28. Eighty people attended the ceremony. Dennis Barber presided over the festivities and local dignitaries included Russ Pokorny, Town Supervisor, Michelle Hinchey, State Senator, Jeff Perlee, County Legislator, a representative from Congressman Paul Tonko’s office, Chris Smith, County Legislator, Mary-Jane Araldi, Westerlo Historical Society.
The 5-page history of Knox that Dennis read at the ceremony will be posted on the KHS website at http://www.knoxhistoricalsociety.org/
The essay contest for BKW school district middle and high school students will begin Monday, March 21. Letters for teachers and students will be distributed on that date. Guidelines for entering the contest are included in the letters. The contest will end Monday, May 2. Essays will be judged by KHS members on May 3 at the regular KHS meeting. The theme of the contest is Life in Knox Through the Years. Three prizes will be awarded and the winners will read their essays at the Memorial Day Parade in Knox on Monday, May 30 at noon.
Nancy Frueh compiled a list of historical re-enactors. Donna contacted Annette Landry, BKW Elementary Principal to see if teachers would be interested in having an historical re-enactor present a program to students. Teachers have expressed interest and details are being finalized. This program would utilize money from the 2020 Stewarts Matching Grant. If we receive the Stewarts Grant for 2022, we will also use that money for programming for students.
New Business:
Henry Whipple will be one of the speakers in the “Talks on the Porch” series in August. The date is still to be decided. The location will either be on the Saddlemire Homestead porch or in the town hall. Henry will speak about his family who has lived in the town since 1793.
The quilt show “Quilts of Knox and its Environs” will be held Sat., April 30 from 10-4 at the Knox Town Hall. Quilts and needlework are being sought to display in the show.
On Fri., Aug. 5 a chicken bbq will be held in front of the Knox Reformed Church. Food will be pre-ordered and picked-up.
On Sat., Aug. 6 there will be a car show, food vendors, 3 live bands, and fireworks, all held in the Town Park. KHS will apply for a license to conduct Pull-Tab games on this day. Anna will send in the paperwork.
We need to set goals for using the funds we have in our savings accounts. Better displays in the Patriots Room are needed. We needed to brainstorm additional ideas to improve the Homestead. The Town will be repairing the backstairs and the front porch.
The family cemetery on Quay Road is Town property. Perhaps the County could provide workers to help clean up the site.
Lou Saddlemire and Margaret Torok researched the names of the town roads in Knox. Town Clerk Traci Schanz will check to see if she can locate town records from the 1950s that detail the new road names. The road names are available under the History of Knox on the KHS website.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna Gwin, Secretary
Feb. 1, 2022 Minutes
Members present: Terry Baldwin, Dennis Barber, Donna Gwin, Anna Wolfe. The meeting took place in the Knox Town Hall.
President Dennis Barber called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
The minutes of the Oct. 5, 2021 meeting were accepted as emailed.
Treasurer’s Report: The balance of our accounts is $4,633.95. This includes $785.19 in the checking account., $796.62 in the preferred savings account, and $3,051.97 in the 9-month CD. No bills were submitted. Anna will apply for Tax Exemption status for KHS.
Correspondence: We received the calendar of events from the New Scotland Historical Association.
Old Business: Donna added to the Accession List the individual names on deeds that had been in a binder entitled Deeds and Legal Documents. She also added the names from deeds that were loosely collected in a box. Now individual names can be searched on the accession list. The loose deeds will now be put in protective plastic sheets and all of the deeds will be in the binder. KHS has stored some original documents in the basement of the Knox Town Hall. Dennis will check with Town Clerk, Traci Schanz, to see if KHS could have a tour of the storage area in the basement.
New Business: Dennis reported on the activities of the Town Bicentennial Committee. A Proclamation will be read on Feb. 28, 2022, commemorating the creation of the Town of Knox. Local dignitaries and members of local historical societies and libraries will be invited to the reading of the Proclamation in the Knox Town Hall at 7 pm. KHS members will be invited to attend.
KHS will sponsor an essay contest for middle and high school students at BKW and the Helderberg Christian School. Donna will contact principals at the schools soon with guidelines for the contest. We will try to contact home-schoolers. The theme of the contest will be “Life in Knox through the Years”. Essays will be due May 2. KHS members will judge the essays at the May meeting. Winners will be notified and will be invited to read their essays at the Memorial Day Parade in Knox on Monday, May 30. Students will be invited to use information at the Knox Historical Society’s webpage at http://www.knoxhistoricalsociety.org/
Dennis also has uploaded many photos from the Saddlemire Homestead to a Facebook page. To access the photos, go to Facebook, Groups, Knox Bicentennial Group.
There will be a pageant in April to select a Miss Knox, Little Miss Knox, Little Mr. Knox, and Mr. Knox. The pageant winners will be in the Memorial Day parade.
The Puckerstreet Fair will be held in June. At some point, date to be decided, there will be a beard contest.
Bicentennial items will be sold. We will sell our supply of books, pill boxes, and plates that are housed in the Homestead. New items, such as glasses, Christmas ornaments, and pens, are being ordered that have the Bicentennial seal of Knox imprinted.
Two double-sided banners announcing the Bicentennial are being ordered and will be hung on Rt. 156 in front of the Town Hall and on Street Road by the transfer station. The banners will be hung in February.
On Fri., Aug. 5 a chicken bbq will be held in front of the Knox Reformed Church. Food will be pre-ordered and picked-up.
On Sat., Aug. 6 there will be a car show, food vendors, 3 live bands, and fireworks, all held in the Town Park.
We have $500 from the Stewarts Holiday Matching Grant from 2020. The money has not been spent because of the pandemic. Donna will check with Nancy Frueh to see if she has recommendations for re-enactors. Perhaps we can present a program at the BKW school. Donna will check with the school principals to see if they are interested.
KHS members uncovered the cemetery stones at the Frink Family cemetery in October 2021. We will plan to go again to the cemetery in Fall 2022 to continue removing encroaching plants in the cemetery. There is a family cemetery on Quay Road. Ownership of the land is in question. The Town is checking into the ownership of the site.
The Town will be repairing the front porch of the Saddlemire Homestead and the backstairs. Shutters need to be replaced. The house was painted within the last 10 years, but the paint is badly peeling. Should vinyl siding be considered?
The StoryWalk in the Knox Town Park will display the story Henry and the Cannons by Don Brown this spring. Knox was named for Henry Knox and this picture book tells the true story of his journey to bring cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston at the beginning of the Revolutionary War.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:00 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna Gwin, Secretary
