Timothy Holmes and Richard Beresford  (22 August 1937 – 29 April 2009) at the Schuylerville Visitors Center during the British Motorfest at Fort Hardy Park on 17 July 2004.

Holmes and Beresford are/were historians and coordinators of the visitors center.

Holmes co-wrote a number of books, invested in a number of Schuylerville properties and was a Schuylerville economic development official (among other roles).

One of Beresford’s obituary described him as “a noted historian and raconteur in New York’s North Country.”  Below is a longer obituary that describes his interesting life.

SARATOGA SPRINGS – Richard.E. Beresford Advocate Of History, Companion to Exotic Royalty

Richard E. Beresford, a noted historian and raconteur in New York’s north country, died of multiple medical complications April 29 at Maplewood Manor, Ballston Spa, N.Y. His home was in Saratoga Springs. He is predeceased by his parents and had no siblings.

A memorial service will be held Sunday May 10th at 1:00 p.m. at St. Stephen’s Church, 1 Grove Street, Schuylerville, NY. Arrangements were made by Hans Funeral Home, Albany. In lieu of flowers, memorials contributions may be made to Friends of Saratoga Battlefield, c/o Marie Birch, 16 Burgoyne Street, Schuylerville, NY 12871; Tibet House U. S., 22 West 15th Street, New York, NY 10011, or the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, 253 Barcelona Road, West Palm Beach, Florida, 33401.

Born August 22, 1937 in Yonkers to ‘Mac’ Beresford, publishing executive with James Gray Hooven-Nahm and the former Elma F. Lybarger of Bushnell, Indiana, Richard lived his early years in Westchester County, NY. After attending Rochester Institute of Technology and Columbia University, he served in US Army information services during the Vietnam War era, at Fort Slocum, NY.

Richard later worked for James Gray Hooven-Nahm, then left to commence a lifelong relationship with Viola Ilma, daughter of a noted operatic tutor. Ms. Ilma was a descendant of Emperor Theodore II of Ethiopia (c. 1818 – 1868), who famously took his own life after misinterpreting the rejection of his tribute of 1,000 cows to General Sir Robert Napier’s army for breakfast.

Richard, with Ms. Ilma and her Ethiopian-Swiss cousin Honor R. Holland, developed business and personal networks enabling them to initiate a line of targeted high-quality products in the public relations industry. The team also pressed for business and cultural internationalism in the 1960s and 1970s. In this they promoted integration of various artistic disciplines and hobbies.

Richard was founder of a number of clubs and was exhibition chairman at events in New York, Paris, Montreal and Palm Beach.

In Palm Beach Richard escorted several women of note, heirs to lapsed titles from France, Spain and the Confederate States of America. He provided refuge for Gyani Maharani of Bihar (India).

An early advocate for Tibetan refugees and the Dalai Lama, Richard balanced his own views with study of Chinese history.

Removing to the north country in 1983, Richard eventually converted his interest in history into work as a ranger at the Saratoga National Historical Park, a National Park Service site. Upon his retirement, he was recognized by the Town of Saratoga with “Park Service Ranger Dick Beresford Day” on April 24, 2004. In March of that year he received the Sons of the American Revolution’s prestigious Silver Good Citizenship Award from the Saratoga Battle Chapter of the SAR based on his outstanding performance in his many careers. For subsequent years he hosted the Visitors’ Center at Schuylerville, NY during the summer months. Beresford also became an Ambassador in the U. S. Army’s Freedom Team Salute program, which recognizes the service of veterans.

Richard’s related interests included serving as President of the Friends of Saratoga Battlefield; Board service on Hudson Crossing Park, Inc., Old Saratoga Historical Society and Sons of the American Revolution. Local interests included Second Hand Rose Thrift Shop in Schuylerville, Saratoga Arts Council, the local Chambers of Commerce and the League of Women Voters, of which he served as its first male co-president.

His philatelic connections included The Collectors Club (New York), the Club of UN Collectors, American Philatelic Society and the youth development organization Junior Ambassadors.

Concerning his own funeral, Richard was known to have expressed that he “would just as soon skip it”. He willed his body as an anatomical gift to Albany Medical College. By dint of the resulting deferred burial, he will follow the tradition of his departed royal friends and be fashionably late.

These are the town historian’s archives of 2004 made by Town Historian Sean Kelleher.  The town historian is to “upheld high standards of gathering and evaluating evidence, making thoughtful and appropriate generalizations, writing well-organized and readable narratives, and sharing their work with others through the most appropriate mediums.”   The collection is opened by appointment.  You may contact us by e-mail at historiantosaratoga@gmail.com

The vast majority of the collections with Town of Saratoga Historian have been donated by many generous individuals and organizations throughout our community. We greatly appreciate such generosity and continue to rely heavily on this support in order to continue building collections for future generations.  If you are interested in making a donation, contact us by e-mail at historiantosaratoga@gmail.com