Tombstone Tuesday and Collaborative Efforts of the Geek Girls Genealogists
Denise Leverick of The Family Curator blog and my friend at Facebook told me she was coming from California to Boston for a spring research outing at NEHGS.
When she told me she had Rhode Island ancestors, that "psychic vibe" went into high gear. Dreaming of coffee syrup and Del's Lemonade (Rhode Island specialties), this Rhode Island girl (me) went full tilt into working on Denise's line.
The most interesting thing is of course, the possibility of gravestones. Even with the wonderful Rhode Island Historical Cemeteries database free online and the great way of using the same database at NEHGS (but there you can make a list of everybody recorded in that cemetery) it is still hard to pinpoint exactly where these little (or large) cemeteries are located. They are listed by, of all things, telephone poles! What happens in the future when telephone poles are not for land-line phones anymore but only hold power lines? Will the power lines all go underground?
Finding out that in Johnston, RI, there is a street named Winsor (her ancestor's husband's parents) which is of course, where James and Betsy (Randall) Winsor are resting and that on a nearby street named Orchard, there is a small cemetery, I tried to use Google Maps (in street view) to try to find out where it could be near? Wow, I was faced with a gravestone along the side of the road!
Well, Denise tells it better. Read about it here....
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Trinity Church Cemetery [1756]
Perkins Adventure Post 5
This is the sign for the Trinity Church Cemetery. Notice that it is dated 1756. Since the deed for the land (see description) is dated 1747 and the first burial was in 1763, I have no idea why this bears this date of 1756.
David Allen Lambert's newest edition of A Guide to Massachusetts Cemeteries (2009) lists this cemetery date as 1748 which is probably most correct as it must be based on the recorded deed.
The Vital Records of Bridgewater call this resting place "GR #10", which stands for grave records #10. It is also known as the Episcopal Cemetery.
Bridgewater cemeteries seem to have many names but at least they are marked with these white signs which must have been a Scout project some time ago.
This is the sign for the Trinity Church Cemetery. Notice that it is dated 1756. Since the deed for the land (see description) is dated 1747 and the first burial was in 1763, I have no idea why this bears this date of 1756.
David Allen Lambert's newest edition of A Guide to Massachusetts Cemeteries (2009) lists this cemetery date as 1748 which is probably most correct as it must be based on the recorded deed.
The Vital Records of Bridgewater call this resting place "GR #10", which stands for grave records #10. It is also known as the Episcopal Cemetery.
Bridgewater cemeteries seem to have many names but at least they are marked with these white signs which must have been a Scout project some time ago.
Trinity Church Graveyard
Perkins Adventure Post 4
This church graveyard, located on Main St. in Bridgewater, MA is typical of the numerous small and medium sized graveyards sprinkled throughout the town of Bridgewater.
Bridgewater today was once South Bridgewater as "Bridgewater" geographically encompassed Brockton (North Bridgewater) and the towns of East, West and South Bridgewater. This makes reading old books on Bridgewater a challenge!
It has a description, numbered map of the gravestones, an index (two pages), and transcriptions [click on the gravenumber in the index] which are in Thatcher's gravestone inscriptions. This book by Charles Thatcher is in the public domain.
We are grateful for these documents which Dale H. Cook and his team have posted online because the New England weather and time are really making the gravestones unreadable.
I took this angled photo to show that the church is no longer next to the graveyard [despite the description given]. The stone wall is only on two side which makes the gate seem out of place. The church is now located down the street and the house you see in this photo obviously has been here some time.
I determined that this cemetery is where some of the Perkins family members were buried after the oldest cemetery in town. Some of the family became Episcopalians. (Their religion is important to part of the story and that is why it is reported here.)
This church graveyard, located on Main St. in Bridgewater, MA is typical of the numerous small and medium sized graveyards sprinkled throughout the town of Bridgewater.
Bridgewater today was once South Bridgewater as "Bridgewater" geographically encompassed Brockton (North Bridgewater) and the towns of East, West and South Bridgewater. This makes reading old books on Bridgewater a challenge!
It has a description, numbered map of the gravestones, an index (two pages), and transcriptions [click on the gravenumber in the index] which are in Thatcher's gravestone inscriptions. This book by Charles Thatcher is in the public domain.
We are grateful for these documents which Dale H. Cook and his team have posted online because the New England weather and time are really making the gravestones unreadable.
I took this angled photo to show that the church is no longer next to the graveyard [despite the description given]. The stone wall is only on two side which makes the gate seem out of place. The church is now located down the street and the house you see in this photo obviously has been here some time.
I determined that this cemetery is where some of the Perkins family members were buried after the oldest cemetery in town. Some of the family became Episcopalians. (Their religion is important to part of the story and that is why it is reported here.)
Teaching with Tombstones
From the Association of Gravestone Studies [Issue 71 March 2009] which I receive as a member is this interesting article [pdf].
"Hannibal, J. T. 2007. Teaching with tombstones: geology at the cemetery, p. 82-88. In N. R. Shaffer and D. A. DeChurch (eds.), Proceedings of the 40th Forum on the Geology of Industrial Minerals, May 2-7, 2004, Bloomington, Indiana, Indiana Geological Survey Occasional Paper 67."
"Hannibal, J. T. 2007. Teaching with tombstones: geology at the cemetery, p. 82-88. In N. R. Shaffer and D. A. DeChurch (eds.), Proceedings of the 40th Forum on the Geology of Industrial Minerals, May 2-7, 2004, Bloomington, Indiana, Indiana Geological Survey Occasional Paper 67."
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Site of David Perkins Sawmill
Perkins Adventure Post 3
For a solid week, I have been investigating the descendants of my Bridgewater, MA ancestor David Perkins. My husband and I went out to look for the approximate place where David built his sawmill in 1688. Yes, you read that correctly, 1688. David and his wife and several children moved from Beverly, MA where they were married and lived for some years before coming to Bridgewater.
David's sawmill must have been on this side of the railroad tracks (of course there were no tracks then) and up closer to the Taunton River.
I took several photos of Perkins "land" that is still owned by members of the large family.
Henry Perkins Co. 1848, Company Sign, Business Entrance on Broad St.
A family member is helping me identify gravesites and the homes that this family has lived in. This is called a "One-Name" study and I am learning a lot about how to research and document just one family. I call it Perkins Madness.
For a solid week, I have been investigating the descendants of my Bridgewater, MA ancestor David Perkins. My husband and I went out to look for the approximate place where David built his sawmill in 1688. Yes, you read that correctly, 1688. David and his wife and several children moved from Beverly, MA where they were married and lived for some years before coming to Bridgewater.
David's sawmill must have been on this side of the railroad tracks (of course there were no tracks then) and up closer to the Taunton River.
I took several photos of Perkins "land" that is still owned by members of the large family.
Henry Perkins Co. 1848, Company Sign, Business Entrance on Broad St.
A family member is helping me identify gravesites and the homes that this family has lived in. This is called a "One-Name" study and I am learning a lot about how to research and document just one family. I call it Perkins Madness.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Cemetery Restoration
This plaque and a lovely stone bench for resting and reflecting [when it is not freezing temperature wise] marks the work of a local Boy Scout here in Bridgewater, MA in the Trinity Church graveyard where I took some photos of gravestones.
As this is "Tombstone Tuesday" is is good to remember those who are trying to clean up and restore some of most ancient graveyards.
As this is "Tombstone Tuesday" is is good to remember those who are trying to clean up and restore some of most ancient graveyards.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
David PERKINS
Perkins Adventure Post 2
Clearly (pun intended) you can see that using the mirror on ancient gravestones like this on can make reading the inscriptions match the records you need to gather. I also took a close-up of Elizabeth's grave and some shots of sections of each grave to demonstrate the lettering style, numerals and the spacing in gravestones of this era.
"Here Lyes Buried ye Body of Mr. David Perkins Who Departed This Life Octbr Ye 1st 1716 in the 84th year of his age."
The older graveyards in Bridgewater have been transcribed and checked but not photographed stone-by-stone. Charles Thatcher transcribed [link is public domain PDF] several cemeteries in southeastern Massachusetts and we are so lucky to have this document. After looking at the blog posts I intend to write about Perkins family in Bridgewater, you will be as grateful as I am for the printed transcriptions.
Clearly (pun intended) you can see that using the mirror on ancient gravestones like this on can make reading the inscriptions match the records you need to gather. I also took a close-up of Elizabeth's grave and some shots of sections of each grave to demonstrate the lettering style, numerals and the spacing in gravestones of this era.
"Here Lyes Buried ye Body of Mr. David Perkins Who Departed This Life Octbr Ye 1st 1716 in the 84th year of his age."
The older graveyards in Bridgewater have been transcribed and checked but not photographed stone-by-stone. Charles Thatcher transcribed [link is public domain PDF] several cemeteries in southeastern Massachusetts and we are so lucky to have this document. After looking at the blog posts I intend to write about Perkins family in Bridgewater, you will be as grateful as I am for the printed transcriptions.
Perkins Adventure in Bridgewater
Perkins Adventure Post 1
Since last summer when I found out that I had an ancestor, David PERKINS and his wife Elizabeth BROWN who came to Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA in 1688, I have been thinking about the connection that was made when I randomly (or so I thought) chose Bridgewater to live in when I married and moved from my native Rhode Island to Massachusetts.
I have been reading a book titled, Psychic Roots, and have been impressed with the ideas presented about the coincidences, serendipity and intuitive moments that are part of genealogy and family history work. The author gathered stories from experienced genealogists who can't explain the twists and turns made along the way as they sought their own ancestors or looked for ancestors for clients. This book has made me think more clearly about the unusual ways in which my brain is working when I am working on family history.
By posting my family tree at Ancestry.com, I have been fortunate to find relatives (cousins) who have some connection to those in my charts. David Perkins is a good example of this situation and has made me a believer in online database sharing such as Ancestry.com
Mercy Perkins, wife of Stanton Hall has a gravestone shared with her husband, with several children buried nearby in the lovely and peaceful River Bend Cemetery in Westerly, Washington, Rhode Island. Their marriage leaves no doubt to when and where they were married. [Hall, Stanton of Westerly and Mercy Perkins of Charlestown; m. by Elder Oliver Bright, July 8, 1800 Vol 5 Page 37, Westerly] Mercy was the youngest child in her family and genealogy math tells me that she was only 14 when she married and her husband Stanton Hall was only 16!
The date of her birth is not recorded but a letter in the possession of another family (who kindly scanned it and shared it with me because she was thrilled to see the gravestone) it is recorded that she was born 3 March 1786 which meshes with census and her gravestone date of death and number of years. Bingo!
I was excited to know this much and to be able to prove that she is not Mercy Lewis as some people do assume and have recorded in their database records. But, imagine my surprise when I received an email from a Perkins researcher whose ancestor is Mercy's brother Nathaniel that there are two genealogies of this Perkins family whose immigrant ancestor was Abraham Perkins of Hampton, NH. From this point on, it was easy to connect the dots to discovering David buried right here in Bridgewater. I have walked by his grave many times. I would have to say, I KNEW, somebody in that cemetery was my ancestor.
It won't surprise me to find that ancestral memory is coded into our DNA.
On to finding David and Mary Perkins...
Since last summer when I found out that I had an ancestor, David PERKINS and his wife Elizabeth BROWN who came to Bridgewater, Plymouth, MA in 1688, I have been thinking about the connection that was made when I randomly (or so I thought) chose Bridgewater to live in when I married and moved from my native Rhode Island to Massachusetts.
I have been reading a book titled, Psychic Roots, and have been impressed with the ideas presented about the coincidences, serendipity and intuitive moments that are part of genealogy and family history work. The author gathered stories from experienced genealogists who can't explain the twists and turns made along the way as they sought their own ancestors or looked for ancestors for clients. This book has made me think more clearly about the unusual ways in which my brain is working when I am working on family history.
By posting my family tree at Ancestry.com, I have been fortunate to find relatives (cousins) who have some connection to those in my charts. David Perkins is a good example of this situation and has made me a believer in online database sharing such as Ancestry.com
Mercy Perkins, wife of Stanton Hall has a gravestone shared with her husband, with several children buried nearby in the lovely and peaceful River Bend Cemetery in Westerly, Washington, Rhode Island. Their marriage leaves no doubt to when and where they were married. [Hall, Stanton of Westerly and Mercy Perkins of Charlestown; m. by Elder Oliver Bright, July 8, 1800 Vol 5 Page 37, Westerly] Mercy was the youngest child in her family and genealogy math tells me that she was only 14 when she married and her husband Stanton Hall was only 16!
The date of her birth is not recorded but a letter in the possession of another family (who kindly scanned it and shared it with me because she was thrilled to see the gravestone) it is recorded that she was born 3 March 1786 which meshes with census and her gravestone date of death and number of years. Bingo!
I was excited to know this much and to be able to prove that she is not Mercy Lewis as some people do assume and have recorded in their database records. But, imagine my surprise when I received an email from a Perkins researcher whose ancestor is Mercy's brother Nathaniel that there are two genealogies of this Perkins family whose immigrant ancestor was Abraham Perkins of Hampton, NH. From this point on, it was easy to connect the dots to discovering David buried right here in Bridgewater. I have walked by his grave many times. I would have to say, I KNEW, somebody in that cemetery was my ancestor.
It won't surprise me to find that ancestral memory is coded into our DNA.
On to finding David and Mary Perkins...
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Irish Ancestors
13th edition of the Carnival of Irish Heritage & Culture: "Irish Names"
This is a copper casting of the gravestone of Ann Borodell, 2nd wife of Cap't George Denison. The gravestone is at Elm Grove Cemetery in Mystic, CT having been moved from the Denison Burying Ground on the Cove many years ago.
Ann Borodell's father was John Borodell (or perhaps Borrowdale or Borodel) of England b. 1685 and maybe of Cumberland, England or of Cork, Ireland.
Daughter Ann was born in 1615 in England. Perhaps her parents left Ireland as it says in "Captain of Destiny" a work of historical fiction by Ray W. Denison ( in his book written in the year 2000). He suggests that John was a tanner and wanted to live near his cattle farm and tanneries. (page 68) It is suggested that the leather goods were used for the uniforms of the men who fought in Cromwell's War.
I am seeking references for these people beyond what is written on page 572 of the Denison genealogy. Maybe if I write this today, on St. Patrick's Day, I will have some good luck! [a pot of gold would be nice but this copper casting is all the metal I have now]
Martin Hollick, a fellow genealogist and Denison descendant and I worked on this some today and he found the will referenced on page 572 of the Denison genealogy but it doesn't seem to us that it is the correct John Borodell, father of Ann. NEHGS Register 49 (1895) 487-88
This is a copper casting of the gravestone of Ann Borodell, 2nd wife of Cap't George Denison. The gravestone is at Elm Grove Cemetery in Mystic, CT having been moved from the Denison Burying Ground on the Cove many years ago.
Ann Borodell's father was John Borodell (or perhaps Borrowdale or Borodel) of England b. 1685 and maybe of Cumberland, England or of Cork, Ireland.
Daughter Ann was born in 1615 in England. Perhaps her parents left Ireland as it says in "Captain of Destiny" a work of historical fiction by Ray W. Denison ( in his book written in the year 2000). He suggests that John was a tanner and wanted to live near his cattle farm and tanneries. (page 68) It is suggested that the leather goods were used for the uniforms of the men who fought in Cromwell's War.
I am seeking references for these people beyond what is written on page 572 of the Denison genealogy. Maybe if I write this today, on St. Patrick's Day, I will have some good luck! [a pot of gold would be nice but this copper casting is all the metal I have now]
Martin Hollick, a fellow genealogist and Denison descendant and I worked on this some today and he found the will referenced on page 572 of the Denison genealogy but it doesn't seem to us that it is the correct John Borodell, father of Ann. NEHGS Register 49 (1895) 487-88
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Hannah WILLIAMS
In/ memory of/ Mrs. Hannah wife of/ Capt. Wm. Stanton/ who died/ Nov. 7, 1784/ in the 41 year/ of her age.
First wife [named Hannah] of Capt. William Stanton and mother of his only child Thankful.
Hannah was born 16 Jan 1744 and died 7 Nov 1784. She was the daughter of John Williams (1714-1799) and his wife Lydia Chesebrough (1710-1762)
Interesting fact was that both wives of Capt. William Stanton died in their 41st year. She married him on 10 Nov 1773. She was born, married and died in Stonington, New London, CT.
This is one of the few gravestones engraved in the italic style script that is able to be clearly read. It is not faded like her husband's gravestone.
Source:
Wheeler's History of Stonington #205 p. 670
Stanton genealogy p. 168
First wife [named Hannah] of Capt. William Stanton and mother of his only child Thankful.
Hannah was born 16 Jan 1744 and died 7 Nov 1784. She was the daughter of John Williams (1714-1799) and his wife Lydia Chesebrough (1710-1762)
Interesting fact was that both wives of Capt. William Stanton died in their 41st year. She married him on 10 Nov 1773. She was born, married and died in Stonington, New London, CT.
This is one of the few gravestones engraved in the italic style script that is able to be clearly read. It is not faded like her husband's gravestone.
Source:
Wheeler's History of Stonington #205 p. 670
Stanton genealogy p. 168
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Capt. William STANTON
In memory of/ Capt. Wm. Stanton/ who died Aug. 12, 1828/ aged 83 years.
He was a Captain in the Militia and the American Revolution.
William5 (Joseph4, Joseph3, John2, Thomas1) page. 168 #190 of Stanton Genealogy. His mother was Anna WHEELER and his grandparents were Joseph STANTON and Margaret Chesebrough.
Record says he died July 12, 1828 but it says Aug. on this gravestone. He died in North Stonington, CT and was originally buried at the nearby Dension Burying Ground and moved here.
This is the photo that I took but the one taken by Fred Burdick is much clearer because he used a mirror to reflect light on the stone.
He is buried with both wives named Hannah! The first wife was Hannah Williams. Their only child, a daughter was Thankful Stanton, the grandmother of the Ladd children who drowned.
He was a Captain in the Militia and the American Revolution.
William5 (Joseph4, Joseph3, John2, Thomas1) page. 168 #190 of Stanton Genealogy. His mother was Anna WHEELER and his grandparents were Joseph STANTON and Margaret Chesebrough.
Record says he died July 12, 1828 but it says Aug. on this gravestone. He died in North Stonington, CT and was originally buried at the nearby Dension Burying Ground and moved here.
This is the photo that I took but the one taken by Fred Burdick is much clearer because he used a mirror to reflect light on the stone.
He is buried with both wives named Hannah! The first wife was Hannah Williams. Their only child, a daughter was Thankful Stanton, the grandmother of the Ladd children who drowned.
Friday, March 06, 2009
DAR Connection
Carnival of Genealogy 68th edition: "Tribute to Women"
On August 8, 2004, I went gravestone hopping to locate the resting place of Frances Denison Stewart, my great-grand aunt, daughter of Dudley Wheeler Stewart and his wife Eliza Fish Denison. Why, would this be important? Well, because she was the last woman in my family to belong to the DAR.
Earlier that year, I submitted my application following her line and was it was approved on July 11, 2004. As she was my grandfather's favorite aunt, he gave my mother her name, Frances, as her middle name.
As a small child, I went to visit this woman, probably in the last years she lived in the house built by her husband's father who was Thomas Avery Miner. It still stands today and has been restored by the present owner. I remember the "big stairs" and the horse chestnut tree outside. I met her in her bedroom as she was bed-ridden. My mother made me wear a "party dress" because I was told that she did not approve of women who wore slacks.
As I was researching our shared ancestry, I queried the DAR Chapter in the Groton-Stonington area and talked on the phone with a woman from her chapter that actually knew her for many years. When I told her about meeting "Aunt Fannie", she laughed and said for sure my memory was correct. She was ever the lady and had very strong opinions about many topics including the issue of women wearing slacks. In a true gesture of DAR, the chapter helped me locate her grave, giving me driving directions and a very good sense of where the plot was inside the gates. She is buried in the Starr Burying Ground in Groton, New London, CT. I'd like to go back there, as there are many interesting gravestones in this beautifully kept cemetery.
Fannie married well. Her husband was George Owen Miner, whose ancestors go back to Thomas Minor, one of the founders of Stonington. [I have two direct lines back to Minor besides this collateral line.] Fannie had only one child, Owen Stewart Miner, who died in 1972. Fannie was widely known as Grama Miner and was very active in her community just as her mother Eliza has been before her. I think she would be pleased that I chose to follow her into DAR membership.
Great-Aunt Fannie lived to be 96 years old, another strong willed woman who lived past 90 in my family. I curtsy in my skirt in memory of her.
Here's her line:
Mrs. Frances Denison Stewart Miner.
DAR ID Number: 47008
Born in North Stonington, Conn.
Wife of George Owen Miner.
Descendant of Col. Benadam Gallup of Connecticut.
Daughter of Dudley Wheeler Stewart and Eliza Fish Denison, his wife.
Granddaughter of Isaac Denison and Levina Fish, his wife.
Gr-granddaughter of Deacon Sands Fish and Bridget Gallup, his wife.
Gr-gr-granddaughter of Benadam Gallup, Jr., and Bridget Palmer, his wife.
Gr-gr-gr-granddaughter of Benadam Gallup and Hannah Avery, his wife.
Benadam Gallup (1716-1800) served on the Committee of Safety, in the Assembly, and in the militia for the coast defense. He was born and died in Groton, Conn.
On August 8, 2004, I went gravestone hopping to locate the resting place of Frances Denison Stewart, my great-grand aunt, daughter of Dudley Wheeler Stewart and his wife Eliza Fish Denison. Why, would this be important? Well, because she was the last woman in my family to belong to the DAR.
Earlier that year, I submitted my application following her line and was it was approved on July 11, 2004. As she was my grandfather's favorite aunt, he gave my mother her name, Frances, as her middle name.
As a small child, I went to visit this woman, probably in the last years she lived in the house built by her husband's father who was Thomas Avery Miner. It still stands today and has been restored by the present owner. I remember the "big stairs" and the horse chestnut tree outside. I met her in her bedroom as she was bed-ridden. My mother made me wear a "party dress" because I was told that she did not approve of women who wore slacks.
As I was researching our shared ancestry, I queried the DAR Chapter in the Groton-Stonington area and talked on the phone with a woman from her chapter that actually knew her for many years. When I told her about meeting "Aunt Fannie", she laughed and said for sure my memory was correct. She was ever the lady and had very strong opinions about many topics including the issue of women wearing slacks. In a true gesture of DAR, the chapter helped me locate her grave, giving me driving directions and a very good sense of where the plot was inside the gates. She is buried in the Starr Burying Ground in Groton, New London, CT. I'd like to go back there, as there are many interesting gravestones in this beautifully kept cemetery.
Fannie married well. Her husband was George Owen Miner, whose ancestors go back to Thomas Minor, one of the founders of Stonington. [I have two direct lines back to Minor besides this collateral line.] Fannie had only one child, Owen Stewart Miner, who died in 1972. Fannie was widely known as Grama Miner and was very active in her community just as her mother Eliza has been before her. I think she would be pleased that I chose to follow her into DAR membership.
Great-Aunt Fannie lived to be 96 years old, another strong willed woman who lived past 90 in my family. I curtsy in my skirt in memory of her.
Here's her line:
Mrs. Frances Denison Stewart Miner.
DAR ID Number: 47008
Born in North Stonington, Conn.
Wife of George Owen Miner.
Descendant of Col. Benadam Gallup of Connecticut.
Daughter of Dudley Wheeler Stewart and Eliza Fish Denison, his wife.
Granddaughter of Isaac Denison and Levina Fish, his wife.
Gr-granddaughter of Deacon Sands Fish and Bridget Gallup, his wife.
Gr-gr-granddaughter of Benadam Gallup, Jr., and Bridget Palmer, his wife.
Gr-gr-gr-granddaughter of Benadam Gallup and Hannah Avery, his wife.
Benadam Gallup (1716-1800) served on the Committee of Safety, in the Assembly, and in the militia for the coast defense. He was born and died in Groton, Conn.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Laid to Rest
Graveyard Rabbits Carnival Post, April, 2009 [Burial Customs]
Eliza Fish (Denison) Stewart, my 2nd great grandmother, died long before I was born but this is a favorite obituary in my family. I have both this original copy which looks like it is from The Westerly Sun, a family owned newspaper, still in existence today and a photocopy from the North Stonington, CT Historical Society.
On the reverse side is an advertisement for Easter clothes. She died 5 April 1909 at the age of seventy-five. [Easter was on April 11, 1909]
Eliza was "laid out" at the home of her son for the funeral. Notice the reference to the floral tributes.
Her son, Charles Edward Stewart, and his wife Adah Ann Evans, must have taken care of Eliza in her last years as she lived with them after her husband Dudley Wheeler Stewart died. She is listed in the 1900 census as living in Westerly with them and their sons Evans [my grandfather] and Dudley. The year after Eliza died, Charles and family moved to nearby Stonington, CT.
Because Evans was 13 in 1900, he grew up listening to the "Denison" stories from his grandmother and in turn, she passed them on to his wife and in a small way to me. I have two chairs and a writing desk that belonged to Eliza and probably other items too.
My mother-in-law, after I read this obituary to her, exclaimed, "THAT'S an obituary!" and bemoned the fact that write-ups of today are somewhat lacking. I asked her what she thought of having the funeral at home and she told me that was commonplace in many families that had enough room in their houses. People were "laid out" in the parlor and the visiting hours and funeral were held there. Notice that this obituary shows both her status in the community, her church and her family.
I know that the headstones [Eliza's headstone] and the monument were already in place when Eliza passed away because I have the orders for the stone and the payment. It is opposite the Denison plot and partly faces a cemetery street called "Pilgrim Path" which is fitting as both Eliza and her husband Dudley were Mayflower descendants.
Eliza Fish (Denison) Stewart, my 2nd great grandmother, died long before I was born but this is a favorite obituary in my family. I have both this original copy which looks like it is from The Westerly Sun, a family owned newspaper, still in existence today and a photocopy from the North Stonington, CT Historical Society.
On the reverse side is an advertisement for Easter clothes. She died 5 April 1909 at the age of seventy-five. [Easter was on April 11, 1909]
Eliza was "laid out" at the home of her son for the funeral. Notice the reference to the floral tributes.
Her son, Charles Edward Stewart, and his wife Adah Ann Evans, must have taken care of Eliza in her last years as she lived with them after her husband Dudley Wheeler Stewart died. She is listed in the 1900 census as living in Westerly with them and their sons Evans [my grandfather] and Dudley. The year after Eliza died, Charles and family moved to nearby Stonington, CT.
Because Evans was 13 in 1900, he grew up listening to the "Denison" stories from his grandmother and in turn, she passed them on to his wife and in a small way to me. I have two chairs and a writing desk that belonged to Eliza and probably other items too.
My mother-in-law, after I read this obituary to her, exclaimed, "THAT'S an obituary!" and bemoned the fact that write-ups of today are somewhat lacking. I asked her what she thought of having the funeral at home and she told me that was commonplace in many families that had enough room in their houses. People were "laid out" in the parlor and the visiting hours and funeral were held there. Notice that this obituary shows both her status in the community, her church and her family.
I know that the headstones [Eliza's headstone] and the monument were already in place when Eliza passed away because I have the orders for the stone and the payment. It is opposite the Denison plot and partly faces a cemetery street called "Pilgrim Path" which is fitting as both Eliza and her husband Dudley were Mayflower descendants.
Kindle on iPod touch
After learning that the app for Amazon's Kindle was released for the iPod Phone/touch today, I downloaded the free app to my iPod touch. Since I already has a regular Amazon account, I entered my username and password to the app on my iPod touch.
I leapt up, and went to my desktop computer, launched Amazon and went to the Kindle page. I did a search for genealogy and came up with a book on genealogy for $7.99. I purchased it and it was immediately and wirelessly sent to my iPod touch.
I waited for the iPod touch to locate my wireless network in my house and launched the app for the Amazon Kindle and as this book is only 54KB in size, it quickly downloaded to my iPod touch.
This is what the Home screen looks like on the iPod touch. I tap on the book and it opens, ready to be read. Wow, was that easy.
I leapt up, and went to my desktop computer, launched Amazon and went to the Kindle page. I did a search for genealogy and came up with a book on genealogy for $7.99. I purchased it and it was immediately and wirelessly sent to my iPod touch.
I waited for the iPod touch to locate my wireless network in my house and launched the app for the Amazon Kindle and as this book is only 54KB in size, it quickly downloaded to my iPod touch.
This is what the Home screen looks like on the iPod touch. I tap on the book and it opens, ready to be read. Wow, was that easy.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
The Brothers Broadfoot
11th Edition of Smile For The Camera [March 10, 2009]
My grandfather, Thomas Broadfoot [in the center] and his brothers James [on the left] and John [on the right] proudly standing together to have their photo taken. I have named this photo, "The Brothers Broadfoot".
I received this photo from a fellow family member whose ancestor was John. I couldn't wait until she scanned it for me as my family doesn't have many of the photos from the "old country" [Scotland] or the ones taken in this county either. It a genealogical miracle to have this and the reason I have a tree at Ancestry!
James lived briefly with his brother Thomas in Rhode Island and then moved to Vancouver British Columbia where he died of exposure. His body was sent back to Dalbeattie, Scotland to be buried.
John went to California and had a large family. It is from this family that I have been given the treasure of this photo. I hope they find more photos soon.
Thomas, John and James had three sisters: Jane Smith Broadfoot, Margaret Harcomb Broadfoot, and Esther Wakeman Broadfoot [see gravestone above]. Jane came to this country and I knew her, Margaret I visited once when I was working with my family tree (on paper) but Esther married in Scotland and stayed there.
Wouldn't it be nice if every immigrant family has such a great photo of the brothers (or sisters) in their family like this one?
My grandfather, Thomas Broadfoot [in the center] and his brothers James [on the left] and John [on the right] proudly standing together to have their photo taken. I have named this photo, "The Brothers Broadfoot".
I received this photo from a fellow family member whose ancestor was John. I couldn't wait until she scanned it for me as my family doesn't have many of the photos from the "old country" [Scotland] or the ones taken in this county either. It a genealogical miracle to have this and the reason I have a tree at Ancestry!
James lived briefly with his brother Thomas in Rhode Island and then moved to Vancouver British Columbia where he died of exposure. His body was sent back to Dalbeattie, Scotland to be buried.
John went to California and had a large family. It is from this family that I have been given the treasure of this photo. I hope they find more photos soon.
Thomas, John and James had three sisters: Jane Smith Broadfoot, Margaret Harcomb Broadfoot, and Esther Wakeman Broadfoot [see gravestone above]. Jane came to this country and I knew her, Margaret I visited once when I was working with my family tree (on paper) but Esther married in Scotland and stayed there.
Wouldn't it be nice if every immigrant family has such a great photo of the brothers (or sisters) in their family like this one?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)