Thursday
We travelled by VIA Rail from Ottawa to Montreal and they took Amtrack to New York City. This is a 16 hour trip. Plus we then had to take the LIRR to Mineola on Long Island.
Friday
We stayed home and late in the afternoon drove out to Jones beach on the Atlantic side of
Long Island. It is about a 20 minute drive. Jones Beach is a great place to walk on the 2 mile
boardwalk. The beach is great also. They are getting ready for the Memorial Day weekend as they have put out a few thousand wire garbage containers. It is always interesting to walk along the seashore edge and watch the waves roll in.
Saturday
We went into Manhattan on the Long Island Railroad and viewed the Frick Collection at 5th Avenue and 71st Street. This is a fabulous painting collection from the Frick family who were into Steel producton. Lots of old masters paintings. This is worthwhile seeing.
It was warm and humid and there were lots of people out in Central Park just strolling and taking in the almost summer like air. We walked around Central Park for about an hour. One item we noticed was the pond called Conservatory Water. People were sailing minature sailboats on the pond. There was a guy there renting the model boats. Everyone seemed to be having fun.
Sunday
Today we went for a drive across Long Island towards New York. We traveled into Brooklyn on the Belt Parkway past JFK and then took the Varrezano Narrows Bridge to Staten Island. The idea of the trip was to visit Historic Richmond Town on Staten Island. A few of my Huguenot Ancestors lived there in the early 1700s. Their surnames were Perlier, Renaud and Rezeau.
It took use about 1 1/2 hours to get there. We thought the return journey would be longer but it only took an hour. Heavy traffic both ways but not to bad a drive. We had a guided tour and since it was Mother's Day my wife got in free. The tour guide was great but the historic village itself was just OK. Maybe I have seen too many of them. Anyway, we did see inside the Voorlezer's House built c. 1695, where some of my Rezeau ancestors lived later in the 1700s.
The Staten Island Historical Society has a room there as well. I will have to write them and see if I can gets copies of some baptisms and marriages from their records.
The weather today was sunny but rather cool due to a strong west wind.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Monday May 4, 2009
Over the last few weeks I have read a couple of interesting books.
Eleanor of Aquitaine, a biography, by Marion Meade. Hawthorne Books, Inc., New York. 1977.
Eleanor was the wife of Louis VII of France and Henry II of England. The biography is told from her point of view which is quite interesting and different from the "kingly" point of view. Her children in particluar by Henry II turned out to be reasonably influential, Richard the Lion Heart, and his brother King John. Grandchildren included Otto, Holy Roman Emperor, Louis VII and Louis IX of France and Henry III of England.
The Illustrated History of Britain, by Sir George Clark. British Heritage Press, New York. 1984.
This is a brief history with the text divided into eras. Lots of images.
I have restarted my project of looking at the Kip and Kipp entries in the 1850 US Census and trying to match them with my Kip Family in America Legacy genealogy file. This is really difficult to do and the success rate does not seem to be high.
Sunday we went to the spring meeting of the St. Lawrence Branch United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada meeting near Williamstown, Ontario. It was a great afternoon for weather. We had a pot luck lunch and then a talk about a tour to Enlgand, France and Belgium to visit sites where the Glengarry regiments (Eastern Ontario) had fought during the Second World War.
Eleanor of Aquitaine, a biography, by Marion Meade. Hawthorne Books, Inc., New York. 1977.
Eleanor was the wife of Louis VII of France and Henry II of England. The biography is told from her point of view which is quite interesting and different from the "kingly" point of view. Her children in particluar by Henry II turned out to be reasonably influential, Richard the Lion Heart, and his brother King John. Grandchildren included Otto, Holy Roman Emperor, Louis VII and Louis IX of France and Henry III of England.
The Illustrated History of Britain, by Sir George Clark. British Heritage Press, New York. 1984.
This is a brief history with the text divided into eras. Lots of images.
I have restarted my project of looking at the Kip and Kipp entries in the 1850 US Census and trying to match them with my Kip Family in America Legacy genealogy file. This is really difficult to do and the success rate does not seem to be high.
Sunday we went to the spring meeting of the St. Lawrence Branch United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada meeting near Williamstown, Ontario. It was a great afternoon for weather. We had a pot luck lunch and then a talk about a tour to Enlgand, France and Belgium to visit sites where the Glengarry regiments (Eastern Ontario) had fought during the Second World War.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Sunday April 25, 2009
I have been reading a couple of books over the past several weeks:
Eleanor of Aquitane. A biography, by Marion Meade. 1977. The historical facts of Eleanors life and marriage to Louis VII of France and Henry II of England are woven into an interesting history. It is just as good or better than any modern soap opera.
The Illustrated History of Britain, by Sir George Clark. 1983. This is a summary of British history interspersed with some interesting images.
Today I did more cleanup on the garden and lawn. Put out another 4 bags for recycling.
We did a shorter walk today of about 4 km. I was still a bit tired after the 17 km bike ride on Saturday.
Did a bit more work on the New Jersey Marriages. Colonial Era, 1665-1800 from Ancestry.com. I added a reference for a couple of marriages.
Eleanor of Aquitane. A biography, by Marion Meade. 1977. The historical facts of Eleanors life and marriage to Louis VII of France and Henry II of England are woven into an interesting history. It is just as good or better than any modern soap opera.
The Illustrated History of Britain, by Sir George Clark. 1983. This is a summary of British history interspersed with some interesting images.
Today I did more cleanup on the garden and lawn. Put out another 4 bags for recycling.
We did a shorter walk today of about 4 km. I was still a bit tired after the 17 km bike ride on Saturday.
Did a bit more work on the New Jersey Marriages. Colonial Era, 1665-1800 from Ancestry.com. I added a reference for a couple of marriages.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Saturday April 25, 2009
Well the week has just slipped by again.
Tuesday I did a little volunteer work at the book sorting facility for the Friends of the Library and Archives Canada. This is my weekly volunteer activity other than the genealogy groups I work with.
We continue to walk daily sometimes up to 8 or 9 km. Occasionally we also go for a bike ride.
Friday we rode about 14 km and today we did 17 km round trip. I think we were both a bit tired. Of course we had the grand dogs over today as well and took them for a walk. So I guess we really are tired.
I am trying to get back to work on the documentation I collected at the FHL in Salt Lake City.
I went onto Ancestry.com yesterday and looked at the New Jersey Marriages for Kip and Kipp. I am working through them and finding that I already have most of them.
I am also starting to work on the 1850 US Census again for Kip and Kipp. This is a little tedious trying to match names with names in my database.
Tonight we had a wicked wind storm go through our area followed by a little thunder storm and some rain. The temperature went up to about 28 C today in Ottawa.
Tuesday I did a little volunteer work at the book sorting facility for the Friends of the Library and Archives Canada. This is my weekly volunteer activity other than the genealogy groups I work with.
We continue to walk daily sometimes up to 8 or 9 km. Occasionally we also go for a bike ride.
Friday we rode about 14 km and today we did 17 km round trip. I think we were both a bit tired. Of course we had the grand dogs over today as well and took them for a walk. So I guess we really are tired.
I am trying to get back to work on the documentation I collected at the FHL in Salt Lake City.
I went onto Ancestry.com yesterday and looked at the New Jersey Marriages for Kip and Kipp. I am working through them and finding that I already have most of them.
I am also starting to work on the 1850 US Census again for Kip and Kipp. This is a little tedious trying to match names with names in my database.
Tonight we had a wicked wind storm go through our area followed by a little thunder storm and some rain. The temperature went up to about 28 C today in Ottawa.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Monday April 19th
I see it has been almost three weeks since I last posted. No excuse for that! I have not done much since then on the Kipp family.
The last week has been taken up with two newsletters: The Royal Yorker Spring 2009 issue for the St. Lawrence Branch UELAC and the Ottawa Branch News for the Ottawa Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society. I have finally finished them and they will be printed and delivered shortly.
Last Saturday we went to a rerun of the Metropolitan Opera HD series at our local Silver City. It was a very intense opera but the singing and acting were excellent.
Since the snow has melted rather quickly I have been working on the spring cleanup of the gardens, including trimming the shrubs back so they don't take over.
We have not had any rain for about three weeks either and it was beginning to look like a drought. Tonight it has finally started to rain. That should green up the lawn a bit and help things grow.
The last week has been taken up with two newsletters: The Royal Yorker Spring 2009 issue for the St. Lawrence Branch UELAC and the Ottawa Branch News for the Ottawa Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society. I have finally finished them and they will be printed and delivered shortly.
Last Saturday we went to a rerun of the Metropolitan Opera HD series at our local Silver City. It was a very intense opera but the singing and acting were excellent.
Since the snow has melted rather quickly I have been working on the spring cleanup of the gardens, including trimming the shrubs back so they don't take over.
We have not had any rain for about three weeks either and it was beginning to look like a drought. Tonight it has finally started to rain. That should green up the lawn a bit and help things grow.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday March 29th
This last week has been a bust other than posting what we did in New York. Both my wife and I caught a really bad cold virus which has kept us quiet for the week. It is still not over. I did my volunteer work with the Friends of the Library and Archives Canada on Tuesday and then did almost nothing the rest of the week except cough, sit, rest and read.
I read a book called Ex Libris by Ross King. Sort of a mystery odyssey set in the 17th Century. A good read with lots of historical facts etc.!
Saturday we turned the lights off for Earth Hour.
Also on Saturday I ventured out for a few hours to attend one lecture at the Gene-O-Rama Conference. This is a genealogy conference put on by the Ottawa Branch Ontario Genealogical Society, of which I am a member. I have been involved in the organization of Gene-O-Rama for over 10 years and I was sorry to miss most of it because of the bad cold virus. www.ogsottawa.on.ca.
It looked like a success again this year with over 200 registrants.
I read a book called Ex Libris by Ross King. Sort of a mystery odyssey set in the 17th Century. A good read with lots of historical facts etc.!
Saturday we turned the lights off for Earth Hour.
Also on Saturday I ventured out for a few hours to attend one lecture at the Gene-O-Rama Conference. This is a genealogy conference put on by the Ottawa Branch Ontario Genealogical Society, of which I am a member. I have been involved in the organization of Gene-O-Rama for over 10 years and I was sorry to miss most of it because of the bad cold virus. www.ogsottawa.on.ca.
It looked like a success again this year with over 200 registrants.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Monday March 16th Manhattan
This was our last day in Manhattan before heading home. I wanted to look at a book which was located in the Butler Library at Columbia University at 116th Street and Br
oadway. So again this required a ride on the LIRR and the subway. When we arrived we discovered it was school break week at Columbia University and they said the library was closed to outside people for the week. We prevailed and they finally told us how we could get a pass. We followed their direction and were soon able to access the stacks which are open stacks. This required that we visit the branch of the New York Public Library which was two blocks away and use our NYPL Access cards to get a permission paper which we took back to Columbia and they gave us one day passes.
The book I wanted to see was “Index to Abstracts of the Title to The Kip’s Bay Farm by John J. Post of the New York Bar. New York. 1896.” While this book appears to be held by many libraries, they usually only have the first 15 to 20 pages which contain family genealogy. The book itself
was prepared as a sort of semi-legal document outlining all of the land transfers and sales between about 1671 and about 1850. There are lots of relationships mentioned and someday it may be useful to read through the three volume set and make and index of names.
After the library we walked a few blocks and visited Grant’s Tomb which is run by the United States Federal Parks Service. We then walked through part of Riverside Park on our way to Broadway and 112th Street to see Tom’s Restaurant (Seinfeld Series).
We then walked to the end of the island near Battery Park and took a free ride on the Staten Island Ferry. We had a good look at the Statue of Liberty in the daylight for a change. That made a full day so we headed back to Long Island to relax and pack the next day for our trip home. The next day we took a 1o and one half hour drive back to Canada.
oadway. So again this required a ride on the LIRR and the subway. When we arrived we discovered it was school break week at Columbia University and they said the library was closed to outside people for the week. We prevailed and they finally told us how we could get a pass. We followed their direction and were soon able to access the stacks which are open stacks. This required that we visit the branch of the New York Public Library which was two blocks away and use our NYPL Access cards to get a permission paper which we took back to Columbia and they gave us one day passes.The book I wanted to see was “Index to Abstracts of the Title to The Kip’s Bay Farm by John J. Post of the New York Bar. New York. 1896.” While this book appears to be held by many libraries, they usually only have the first 15 to 20 pages which contain family genealogy. The book itself
was prepared as a sort of semi-legal document outlining all of the land transfers and sales between about 1671 and about 1850. There are lots of relationships mentioned and someday it may be useful to read through the three volume set and make and index of names.After the library we walked a few blocks and visited Grant’s Tomb which is run by the United States Federal Parks Service. We then walked through part of Riverside Park on our way to Broadway and 112th Street to see Tom’s Restaurant (Seinfeld Series).
After that we took the subway to lower Manhattan at Fulton Street. We walked 
one block to John Street and visited the John Street Methodist Church which is a historic site relating the beginnings of Methodism in the Untied States through Philip Embury and Barbara Heck. They have an interesting museum with some old artifacts.
From there we walked by St. Paul’s Chapel, The World Trade Center site, which is under construction and then walked through Trinity Church graveyard which happened to be open to the public. A couple of famous people buried there are Alexander Hamilton and Robert Fulton.
one block to John Street and visited the John Street Methodist Church which is a historic site relating the beginnings of Methodism in the Untied States through Philip Embury and Barbara Heck. They have an interesting museum with some old artifacts.From there we walked by St. Paul’s Chapel, The World Trade Center site, which is under construction and then walked through Trinity Church graveyard which happened to be open to the public. A couple of famous people buried there are Alexander Hamilton and Robert Fulton.
We then walked to the end of the island near Battery Park and took a free ride on the Staten Island Ferry. We had a good look at the Statue of Liberty in the daylight for a change. That made a full day so we headed back to Long Island to relax and pack the next day for our trip home. The next day we took a 1o and one half hour drive back to Canada.
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