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Howard Becker Collection

Howard Becker served unofficially as the Historian of the Town of Clifton Park after his retirement from General Electric in 1938. When William Washington became the Town's first official historian, Mr. Becker became historian "emeritus."

This collection was donated to the Clifton Park - Halfmoon Public Library by Howard I. Becker (1894-1978). There are three parts to the collection:

materials written or compiled by Becker. Becker researched and wrote several genealogies and histories including a history of Clifton Park. He also compiled material such as cemetery records and town records, edited them and published them.
Becker's personal collection of historical records such as ledgers and ephemera.
photographs, most of which Becker photographed himself. A substantial portion of the photographs are of historical houses within the town of Clifton Park. The photos are arranged by streets.

1.1 Manuscripts
- 1.1.1 Early Schools of Halfmoon & Clifton Park
- 1.1.2 Half Moon Cemeteries
- 1.1.3 Early History of Saratoga County
- 1.1.4 Local History Research Lecture
- 1.1.5 Long Lake, New York: Early School Reports 1842-1864
- 1.1.6 Transcription of R.P. Walton's Diary
1.2 MacIntosh Research
- 1.2.1 MacIntosh Genealogy
- 1.2.2 John McIntosh Genealogy
- 1.2.3 Obituaries & Articles on MacIntosh Clan
  - .1 Article entitled "MacIntosh Picnic" from the Aug. 22, 1957 issue of the Prescott Journal, Prescott, Ontario
  - .2 Article intitled "Unveil Memorial to McIntosh Pioneer"
  - .3 News clipping of obituaries of H. S. Myers and Effie M. Kennedy
  - .4 News clipping of notices about H. Myers and Edwin Myers
  - .5 News clipping - "Retired Railroad Engineer Passes Away" James Duncan McCallum
  - .6 News clippings about James D. McCallum
  - .7 Photo of McCallum family cemetery plots in Greenwood, Arkansas
  - .8 Obituary of Duncan Ferguson, Marriage announcement Christina Ferguson & Peter Carther
  - .9 Copies of cemetery photos
  - .10 Obituary of Jennie Paxton
  - .11 Anniversary announcement of Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Ferguson (1918), obituary of Mrs. H.H. McDermid
  - .12 Obituary of Mrs. Samuel Ferguson and A.M. McIntosh
- 1.2.4 Mister MacIntosh's Marvelous Apple by James Bannerman
- 1.2.5 Notes, Correspondence and photos concerning the MacIntosh Clan
  - Dr. P.A. MacIntosh
  - Allen McIntosh
  - Mrs. G.S. (Sally) Jenner
  - Dean Milton Pettis
  - Annie Sinclair
  - Norman H. Smeltzer
  - Juliet Wolohan
  - Robert Bathgate
- 1.2.6 McIntosh Apple - Articles & Photos
  - .1 Photos of the marker of "The Site of the Original McIntosh Apple 1811 Tree 1906"
  - .2 Article entitled "Dr. P.A. MacIntosh Speaks of Illustrious Forbear" (3 copies)
  - .3 Article entitled "Tragic Love, Adventure in Apple's History" Schenectady Union-Star March 13, 1964 (2 copies)
  - .4 Photo of the original MacIntosh Apple Tree 1895
  - .5 Article on John McIntosh by Howard Becker
  - .6 "The Story of the MacIntosh (Red) Apple"
1.3 Assessor's List
- 1.3.1 Assessor's List, Clifton Park, N.Y. 1848
- 1.3.2 Assessor's List, Clifton Park, N.Y. 1853
- 1.3.3 Assessor's List, Clifton Park, N.Y. 1866
- 1.3.4 Assessor's List, Clifton Park, N.Y. 1875
- 1.3.5 Assessor's List, Clifton Park, N.Y. 1878
1.4 Ledgers & Record Books
- 1.4.1 Ledger of Jonas Southard, Overseer of the Poor, Town of Clifton Park 1850
- 1.4.2 Ledger, Book of Record for the Use of Overseers of the Poor of the Town of Clifton Park 1877
- 1.4.3 Book of Telegraph and Railroad Surveys 1885-1899
- 1.4.4 Day Book - Estate of Derek Volwider 1802-1818
- 1.4.5 Diary of an Unknown Assessor and Farmer 1871
- 1.4.6 Scrapbook of Etta M. VanDenburgh Becker and Howard Becker 1930-1943
- 1.4.7 Catalogue of Maps and Surveys New York State Library 1851
- 1.4.8 Account Book of Adam Mott, Clifton Park 1860-1895, Sand Lake 1851-1853
- 1.4.9 Docket of Adam Mott
- 1.4.10 Account Book of Grooms Store, Grooms Corners, Clifton Park 1814-1830
- 1.4.11 Notebook of A.W. Hall 1867
1.5 Independent Order of the Good Templars
- 1.5.1 Receipts 1889-91
- 1.5.2 Subordinate Lodge Ritual 1887 (3 copies)
- 1.5.3 Propositions for Membership, I.O. of G.T. 1889
- 1.5.4 Constitutions and By-laws, Independent Order of Good Templars, State of New York 1888
- 1.5.5 Journal of Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of New York, I.O of G.T. 1890
- 1.5.6 Treasurer's Book, I.O. of G.T. 1889-90
1.6 Ephemera - greeting cards, magazines, etc.
- .1 Two tickets to a Private Dance 1902
- .2 Christmas Greeting Card
- .3 Greeting Card w/scalloped edges
- .4 Postage Stamps - Profile of Queen Elizabeth II, postmarked in Kensington, England
- .5 Soap wrapper c.1900
- .6 W.H. Frear, The Glover advertising card 1884
- .7 Invitation to the opening of Broadway Market, West Troy 1889
- .8 Advertisement for Frear's Troy Bazaar, Troy, N.Y.
- .9 Sale notice, Merten's & Phalen's, Troy , N.Y.
- .10 1891 Annual Statement of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.
- .11 Copy of Pictorial Map in Masonic Temple, Waterford, N.Y., Mechanicville Rd. 1788
- .12 Collage of prominent people
- .13 Oct. 24, 1889 issue of "Forest and Stream"
- .14 1913 issue of "The Housewife"
- .15 Niskayuna Shakers Advice to their Children on Table Manners
1.7 Town Historian Records
- 1.7.1 Town Historian Reports
- 1.7.2 Correspondence 1946-60
- 1.7.3 Publications, Minutes & Letters for Town Historians 1944-72