Bringing the past into the present and making history relevant to today is difficult work.
But that’s exactly what Pete Lindemann does, and for his exhaustive work with Schoharie County history, he’s the 2021 Times-Journal Star.
Having awarded the first Star in 1993, the T-J presents the prize to someone who affected the county in a positive way. Mr. Lindemann is the 30th Star.
He’s also the T-J proofreader, but it’s his work as an historian that earned him the Star. It also doesn’t hurt that Mr. Lindemann has pedigree. John Alden––the Mayflower John Alden––is his 10th great-grandfather.
Interested in history since he was a boy, Mr. Lindemann, now 64, strives to use local history to illustrate national events or vice versa. His writings have linked the Spanish influenza in 1918 to the pandemic of today, for instance.
And he compares the national divisiveness of today with the Civil War, “obviously our most divisive time.”
“You can tell world history, national history through local history,” Mr. Lindemann said.
“We look back in history to find answers to what’s happening now and what’s going on now.”
Mr. Lindemann has written two books––A Crooked Gun: The Civil War Dead of Schoharie County and Rambles in Schoharie County––and many articles. However, writing is only one avenue he takes.
Most recently he gave a tour of the Cobleskill Rural Cemetery, describing the local notables buried there.
Mr. Lindemann also holds weekly chat history meetings on Zoom and makes presentations, although he might be best known for role-playing Abraham Lincoln. (See related story.)
“In a presentation, people don’t want a Britannica Encyclopedia history,” he said. “They want to be entertained. They want to laugh and enjoy.”
One of his earliest Lincoln presentations was to third-graders at Cobleskill-Richmondville’s Radez School. He used information from children’s books for the show and later used the same information for an adult program, which was a success.
“I learned never to underestimate kids and never to overestimate adults,” Mr. Lindemann said, laughing.
The pandemic has made people more interested in local history, possibly because they’re at home and not traveling much, Mr. Lindemann believes.
That was reflected in his cemetery tour, which drew an audience of 50.
“People want to hear stories of their origins. . .not them personally, but what were people like in Cobleskill at the turn of the century?” Mr. Lindemann said.
“Who built that building and when? Why is the park where it is?”
Or, more pointedly, what national events did Schoharie County play a role in? Many of them, Mr. Lindemann contends.
“Any historical topic dealt with in a general way can be relevant locally, and in an entertaining way,” he said.

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Mr. Lindemann lives with his wife, Eileen in Howes Cave. They have two sons, Matt and Chris, and Mr. Lindemann has three stepchildren: Michael, Tommy and Leslie.
Mr. Lindemann worked in human resources at the State Assembly for 33 years, retiring in 2017. He came to the T-J in 2018.