I agree with Peter: Claims such as first, oldest, largest, etc. are only as good as the evidence/documentation, but many people are vehemently adamant and won't let that evidence/documentation trump their oral history or local myth." Clif On Aug 12, 2013, at 11:54 AM, HIST- Historian <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Titles such as first, oldest, largest.....are very dangerous because they are almost impossible to document. There is always some special caveat that makes some other place earlier, bigger.....etc. > > Here in Wayne County we claim the first woman to be ordained a minister and the first Civil War Monument in NYS and the oldest theater in the USA in continuous operation. > > There are plenty of people and organizations out there who would be willing to do battle over those clains. I tend to back off and say things like > "one of the first or oldest...etc." I just don't want to get into a nit picking contest with others. "Nit Picking" isn't healthy for the general history community. > > All the best, > Peter > > -----Original Message----- > From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Robert Sullivan > Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2013 12:28 PM > To: preservation; A LISTSERV list for discussions pertaining to New York State history. > Subject: CDPTF Local history commemorated at Fort Herkimer Church > > Mohawk, N.Y. - When asked to speak about the history of Fort Herkimer > Church, Donald Fenner said he decided to clear up some misinformation > people may have about it. > > One thing, he said, is the idea that the church is the second oldest > in the state. > > "[It may be the oldest] in the Mohawk Valley. That's probably true. > But the second oldest in the state, that's not quite true," he said > before listing several other churches that date before 1767, including > St. George's Episcopal Church in Schenectady and Sleepy Hollow > Reformed Church in Tarrytown. > > <http://www.littlefallstimes.com/news/x1383327996/Local-history-commemorated-at-Fort-Herkimer-Church> > > -- > Bob Sullivan > Schenectady Digital History Archive > <http://www.schenectadyhistory.org/> > Schenectady County (NY) Public Library > > > ------------------------------------ > > Capital District Preservation Task Force is a coalition of individuals and groups interested in the natural and human history of the Capital District of New York State. > > ups interested in the natural and human history of the Capital District of New York State. > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/preservation/ > > <*> Your email settings: > Individual Email | Traditional > > <*> To change settings online go to: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/preservation/join > (Yahoo! ID required) > > <*> To change settings via email: > [log in to unmask] > [log in to unmask] > > <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > [log in to unmask] > > <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/