ALBANY HILLTOWNS GROUP

I have started a new group in facepages called Albany County hilltowns history and genealogy. The stated purpose:

A JOINT EFFORT OF RESEARCHERS WANTING TO SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE ON THEIR FAMILIES AND THE HISTORY OF THE HILLTOWNS OF WESTERN ALBANY COUNTY: BERNE, KNOX, WESTERLO, AND RENSSELAERVILLE.

We are just about a week old and we already have about 30 members. Some of the projects under discussion are

• a series of books, one for each town, with the history of the families that lived there in 1866 and earlier (based on the 1866 Beers map and early census records). the family chapters will be written by family researchers. There will be an editor for each one to provide direction and uniformity.
  
• a web site that we can all update that will have the history of each farm, house, and business. The domain name is albanyhilltowns.com. We will be entering content shortly.

Right now one has to join facebook to participate. I just joined last week and found about 40 people I know were using it. It is fun.

I anticipate that once we get the new domain up and running there will no longer be a need to join facebook.




Here is a section of Wm. Cockburn's 1787 survey map for Van Rensselaer. In the center is the cross roads which where the hamlet of Knox is now located. In 1787 it was the farm of J. Thompson, whom I believe was John Thompson Sr. More on the family in a forthcoming post.