On 22 August 2008, I received an email from Gaylord Cooper, who found this blog and wanted to tell me about his upcoming book about Gravestone Research.
He said , "I accidentally came across your page and blog. I teach Cemetery Iconlology--most like what you are doing--at several universities in Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia--continuing education classes 43 week sessions--
and I have written over 25 articles for regional, national, and
international genealogy magazines and journals. Just wanted to say keep up the good work. This is a tool that has been underused for a long time."
It's nice to receive a "fan email" [and comments too!] but I almost forgot about his book until Amazon.com sent me a reminder email, one of those based on my past purchases. So, I slapped it into my shopping cart for my summer "professional development" reading.
According to some Web sites, Gaylord is a folkorist and storyteller, which fits into my ideas of making digital stories about my gravestone photographs. He is the Director of the Eastern Kentucky Storytellers Guild of Greenup, Kentucky. He holds a degree from Brigham Young University. I read and enjoyed an article he wrote for American Spirit, the DAR magazine [Nov-Dec 2008].
As I belong to a Flickr Group called the 2009 Book Challenge, where we take a photo of the book we are reading and report on it to each other, I am reading this interesting reference book on gravestones as my current selection. Let the summer gravestone hunting season begin!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Family Traits
So, how much do we look like our relatives? This question may someday be solved with facial recognition software but today I was struck by how much my grandson looks like his mother when she was born. My husband used to say, "All babies look like Winston Churchill!" but of course, I won't let him say that anymore.
It will be interesting to see if brown eyes dominate in our new family tree as my maternal grandmother was a brown-eyed girl.
Guess it is time to get back to the gravestone work!
It will be interesting to see if brown eyes dominate in our new family tree as my maternal grandmother was a brown-eyed girl.
Guess it is time to get back to the gravestone work!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Tiny Foot
The tiny leaf on our family tree has a surprisingly large foot. But, since his grandmother's maiden surname is BROADFOOT, perhaps we should not think this unusual?
Anthony's not big enough to go gravestone hopping with his grandmother but maybe someday that will be possible. He doesn't know that his mommy and daddy live across the street from a very nice cemetery which is a peaceful place to push a baby in a stroller.
Anthony is doing well for a preemie but we don't know when he will be able to go home. But, because of the marvels of technology just about everyone on planet Earth knows about him.
Grama Midge plans to try to do some work tomorrow!
Anthony's not big enough to go gravestone hopping with his grandmother but maybe someday that will be possible. He doesn't know that his mommy and daddy live across the street from a very nice cemetery which is a peaceful place to push a baby in a stroller.
Anthony is doing well for a preemie but we don't know when he will be able to go home. But, because of the marvels of technology just about everyone on planet Earth knows about him.
Grama Midge plans to try to do some work tomorrow!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Anthony (2 days old)
Hi, I am Grama Midge's newest addition to her family tree. My name is Anthony and I was not weighed correctly at my very fast delivery. The scale was a whole pound off. Today, I weigh 4 lbs. 14 oz. Everyone seems excited about that!
I am supposed to tell you that there won"t be very many blog posts this month because there's no time for that! I am just a baby so I have no idea what any of that means.
I do know that there are a lot of photos of me and they use that cellphone to txt everyone about me. I must be important.
I am supposed to tell you that there won"t be very many blog posts this month because there's no time for that! I am just a baby so I have no idea what any of that means.
I do know that there are a lot of photos of me and they use that cellphone to txt everyone about me. I must be important.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Perkins Project
Sometimes, I take on too many projects at once! Does this sound familiar?
Being a professional genealogist and member of the APG, has causes me to slow down much of my own work to help others. I was warned about this in 2003 by several prominent genealogists at a regional conference. I tried to listen, really I did!
But, today, collaboration by several people, using the Internet, is the modern way to solve problems of family history. Each person has a "piece" of the puzzle, access to family held records and memberships in different organizations so we work together for quality information.
Although, I am a Perkins descendant, I really didn't know much about this family until last summer. Since then, I have been lucky to locate several researchers who are working hard on their "charts".
One Perkins researcher is writing a book about this family. To ensure the quality of his data for this branch, which lived in Bridgewater, MA, a family member and I have been gravestone hopping together to find graves and the dates on them to "fix" and supplement the information in two previously written books. I am happy to say that this project is coming along. The Vital Records of Bridgewater gives us a lot of solid evidence to work with.
There are stumbling blocks to overcome but we forge ahead.
Being a professional genealogist and member of the APG, has causes me to slow down much of my own work to help others. I was warned about this in 2003 by several prominent genealogists at a regional conference. I tried to listen, really I did!
But, today, collaboration by several people, using the Internet, is the modern way to solve problems of family history. Each person has a "piece" of the puzzle, access to family held records and memberships in different organizations so we work together for quality information.
Although, I am a Perkins descendant, I really didn't know much about this family until last summer. Since then, I have been lucky to locate several researchers who are working hard on their "charts".
One Perkins researcher is writing a book about this family. To ensure the quality of his data for this branch, which lived in Bridgewater, MA, a family member and I have been gravestone hopping together to find graves and the dates on them to "fix" and supplement the information in two previously written books. I am happy to say that this project is coming along. The Vital Records of Bridgewater gives us a lot of solid evidence to work with.
There are stumbling blocks to overcome but we forge ahead.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Civil War Monument
Graveyard Rabbits Carnival June 2009 "Veterans' Memorials"
Here in New England, graveyards are filled with patriots from every war. Many are single graves with some indication of who they were and how they served. This past weekend, I found some memorial plaques placed there by the DAR to memorialize patriots that must be buried in unmarked graves. I plan to look them up and write about them in a later post.
This Civil War Memorial towers above the other monuments in the Mount Prospect Cemetery in Bridgewater, MA. I trudged up the hill to take a closer look and marveled at the stark beauty and simplicity of this monument. So many people suffered in this awful war.
"The Unknown Dead of the Civil War 1861-1865" is the only inscription.
I have located two [James Albert Barber] and [Joseph Schofield] of the three graves of my 2nd great grandfathers who served. The third [Charles Turner Evans] must be buried in North Adams or Adams, MA and I am still looking for someone who lives nearby to locate his grave for me.
I dedicate this blog post to my friend Robert Grandchamp who is working hard to preserve the memories, people and events of the Civil War in my home state of Rhode Island. Robert is a very special person.
Here in New England, graveyards are filled with patriots from every war. Many are single graves with some indication of who they were and how they served. This past weekend, I found some memorial plaques placed there by the DAR to memorialize patriots that must be buried in unmarked graves. I plan to look them up and write about them in a later post.
This Civil War Memorial towers above the other monuments in the Mount Prospect Cemetery in Bridgewater, MA. I trudged up the hill to take a closer look and marveled at the stark beauty and simplicity of this monument. So many people suffered in this awful war.
"The Unknown Dead of the Civil War 1861-1865" is the only inscription.
I have located two [James Albert Barber] and [Joseph Schofield] of the three graves of my 2nd great grandfathers who served. The third [Charles Turner Evans] must be buried in North Adams or Adams, MA and I am still looking for someone who lives nearby to locate his grave for me.
I dedicate this blog post to my friend Robert Grandchamp who is working hard to preserve the memories, people and events of the Civil War in my home state of Rhode Island. Robert is a very special person.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Taking Care of Mom
Carnival of Genealogy 72nd edition "Mothers"
Soon, I will be a grandmother [the baby in this photo is having a baby!] and I've been thinking about the two 4 generation photos [here's the other one] that I am fortunate to have in my collection. Women in my family live for a long time but are not often healthy and need to be taken care of in their old age which is something I am not looking forward to.
I'm in the center of this photo holding my toddler daughter. My mother is the blonde and my grandmother is the brunette. I like that all of us are looking at the baby. Does that make us look maternal?
Photos taken in everyday clothes on a regular visiting day have their own charm, I think! My mom and her mom are gone now but my daughter remembers them well and since she'll be having her first Mother's Day soon, we all need to pause and remember those who have gone but are not forgotten.
Soon, I will be a grandmother [the baby in this photo is having a baby!] and I've been thinking about the two 4 generation photos [here's the other one] that I am fortunate to have in my collection. Women in my family live for a long time but are not often healthy and need to be taken care of in their old age which is something I am not looking forward to.
I'm in the center of this photo holding my toddler daughter. My mother is the blonde and my grandmother is the brunette. I like that all of us are looking at the baby. Does that make us look maternal?
Photos taken in everyday clothes on a regular visiting day have their own charm, I think! My mom and her mom are gone now but my daughter remembers them well and since she'll be having her first Mother's Day soon, we all need to pause and remember those who have gone but are not forgotten.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
David Gurney and his wives
My friend, facebook buddy, and fellow genealogist, Marian, told me recently that she had some ancestors buried "near me". I followed up on that and found them buried in the next town which is West Bridgewater, Massachusetts
In the Old Graveyard in West Bridgewater, on South Street (near Cross St.) is this ancient burying ground which David Allen Lambert's Guide to Massachusetts Cemeteries (2nd ed. 2009) says is dated 1683 on p. 269.
Williams Latham made a plan, index and transcription of this burying ground, whose book content is in the public domain, and is posted by Dale Cook and his team to the Web. It's a good thing, too because I can't really read all three of these stones completely.
Placement of them and some of the wording is the best I can see. I so wish they were clearer but at least she now knows exactly where they are resting.
Cap't David GURNEY
Molly AMES
Susanna BARTLETT
In the Old Graveyard in West Bridgewater, on South Street (near Cross St.) is this ancient burying ground which David Allen Lambert's Guide to Massachusetts Cemeteries (2nd ed. 2009) says is dated 1683 on p. 269.
Williams Latham made a plan, index and transcription of this burying ground, whose book content is in the public domain, and is posted by Dale Cook and his team to the Web. It's a good thing, too because I can't really read all three of these stones completely.
Placement of them and some of the wording is the best I can see. I so wish they were clearer but at least she now knows exactly where they are resting.
Cap't David GURNEY
Molly AMES
Susanna BARTLETT
Friday, May 01, 2009
Lily of the Valley
The Lily of the Valley plants in my yard are just beginning to grow and blossom. This is a photo of last year's "crop".
Many years ago, my parents dug up plants in the woods behind their house and brought them up to be planted in my yard. They were a favorite of my father's and now stand as remembrance to him. Now, I must dig up some and plant them at my daughter's house for my as-yet-to-be-born grandson to enjoy.
My father taught me this poem which he learned in school as a song:
'Tis springtime, 'tis springtime, Cold winter is past;
Warm breezes are blowing and May's here at last;
The birds are returning, Their songs fill the air;
And meadows are smiling with blossoms so fair.
It's a good month for singing.
Many years ago, my parents dug up plants in the woods behind their house and brought them up to be planted in my yard. They were a favorite of my father's and now stand as remembrance to him. Now, I must dig up some and plant them at my daughter's house for my as-yet-to-be-born grandson to enjoy.
My father taught me this poem which he learned in school as a song:
'Tis springtime, 'tis springtime, Cold winter is past;
Warm breezes are blowing and May's here at last;
The birds are returning, Their songs fill the air;
And meadows are smiling with blossoms so fair.
It's a good month for singing.
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