Tombstone Tuesday: My Parents

Gravestone of Thomas and Dorothy Broadfoot, 2008 River Bend Cemetery by Midge Frazel

Stone 2008, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Thomas and Dorothy (Stewart) Broadfoot

Since my Family History Writing Challenge is about my neighborhood, I think that it would be good to show readers the gravestone my parents chose for themselves. I was responsible for adding the end date for my mother. Money was set aside for it with a note of which monument company in Westerly, RI I should call.

My paternal family were stone masons and stone cutters and the granite industry was essential to Westerly. I wish the stone was aging better but it does blend in with the family gravestones around it. My mother did not choose to have her maiden name on the stone and ironically, with her dementia, began to call herself that name near the end of her life. But, this is how they signed their names on documents (see tomorrow's post) and so it is right that this is how this stone should read.

The project will cover the earliest years of my life and their life together. I decided to show some family documents because it might help others decide what should be kept and archived when they must clean out someone's house. It is a sad job.

I even kept the note that accompanied the "instructions" for burial, adhering to what was asked, as best that I could. I might have done some things differently but I tried to remember that this was not about my life. It was the story of theirs. So, let the story begin....

Josiah F. Broadfoot, Hero of World War 1

In Memory of Josiah F. Broadfoot
Never Forget

Photo by Midge Frazel, 2008 Flag Marker of Josiah F. Broadfoot

There are no known photographs of Josiah F. Broadfoot and no one in my family has the distinguished service cross.

On 12 December 2008, I wrote a blog post about sending for a photograph of my relative's gravestone who served in World War 1. This is a blog post about his life and service to his country.

Josiah Ferguson Broadfoot, my first cousin, twice removed, was born 13 Feb 1889 in Westerly, Rhode Island. His parents, Thomas A. Broadfoot (1862-1911) a stone cutter, and his wife Annie T. H. Ferguson (1859-1945) were naturalized citizens, having come from Scotland, where they were married on 17 Feb 1887 in Dalbeattie, Kircudbrightshire, Scotland. Thomas A. Broadfoot, the first of our family to come to America, is listed as arriving at Castle Garden, New York on 3 Apr 1883 at the age of twenty. As a stone cutter, worked for the Westerly & Niantic Monumental Works (Faverio & Broadfoot) in Westerly, Rhode Island.

Josiah was the second son of seven children born to Thomas and Annie. He was named for his maternal grandfather, Josiah Ferguson. The 1900 census lists him, as a eleven year old student, the oldest child in his family, because older brother Hugh, died as an infant in 1888.  The Rhode Island City Directories list him as a clerk at the age of 18 and as a salesman in a bakery at the age of 26.  Josiah was single when he entered the service. He was living at 27 West St. in Westerly, RI in 1915 with his mother.

Josiah served as a Corporal in Company B, 326th Tank Battalion, Tank Corps in World War 1 (ASN 9260). His service record (in a cablegram) states he was an "extraordinary" hero killed in action and gives the following information: Corporal Josiah F. Broadfoot,  volunteered to drive a tank to attack enemy machine gun nests. His volunteer service being accepted, he attacked enemy machine gun nests until his tank was put out of action. He, then, advanced on foot until he was fatally wounded.

Erected in his memory is a large blue-white granite cross, in the family plot (section 9) in River Bend Cemetery, states he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) He is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in Romagne, France in Plot H, Row 1, Grave 18.

Photo by Brian Zoldak, used with permission

(above) The Disabled Veterans of America, Chapter #6 of Westerly, Rhode Island is named in his honor and he is memorialized by a large granite marker.

Photo by Midge Frazel, 2008

(above) On grave marker in Rhode Island:

In Memory of/Corporal Josiah F./Broadfoot/ D.S.C./ Killed/at/ La Forge Farms/France/Sept. 27, 1918.

Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery

(above) On grave in France:

Josiah F. Broadfoot/Corpl. 326 Batt'n Tank Corps/Rhode Island/Sept. 28, 1918 (Grave 18)

Rest in Peace, my hero cousin.

Tombstone Tuesday: Carolyn Langdon

Nancy Bowler Smith Hall, mother of Harriet, grandmother of Carolyn, (Bowler Genealogy)

Photo by Brian Zoldak, 2013, used with permission

Pickering/ Carolyn B. [Belle] Langdon,/ wife of J. Winslow Pickering,/ grandaughter of Nancy Bowler Hall/ Aug. 25, 1863- June 27, 1946 (River Bend Cemetery, Westerly, RI.)

The wedding at India Point of Carolyn to J. Winslow Pickering "was very simple, amidst the surrounding of the old family homestead" (Bowler genealogy) and took place on 22 June 1886. But, it is described as high society weddings are right down to the flower arrangements, the ribbon decorations created by the bride and names two officiating clergy. I am imagine the guests, drinks in hand, strolling the grounds or sitting on the lovely porch looking out to sea.

Carolyn was educated at "the Buffalo Academy" and met J. Winslow Pickering out West. They had two sons, Nelson Winslow Pickering and Langdon Pickering. The man who is a descendant mentions Nelson Pickering as his grandfather. He tells me that Carolyn sold it to another family whose wife hated the water and she planted vegetation to hid it. They tired of it and sold it back to Nelson Pickering and then it was in the family again.

There is still so much to know about this "House at India Point" but I will leave you to think about summer days, sailing vessels and house lotteries for now.

But, wait, I am still trying to solve the original research question! Why was my great grandfather living in the house? 

Sea Captain's Lambs

Photo by Brian Zoldak, 2013, used with permission

Photo by Brian Zoldak, 2013, used with permission

Recording the Lost Sheep of Infancy

Even the smallest gravestone can bring significant information to the study of a family.

Little Nathan and Sarah Hall, children of  Capt. Palmer  Hall and his first wife Mary Ann DUNBAR are adorned with the tiny lamb on the top which is a classic gravestone for the period. When you approach these baby gravestones, you must remember the heartache of the loss by the parents. Many do not have as much information on them as these do. I am writing a presentation called "Comfortable Silence" about cemetery research and stones like these will be part of that talk. 

Their dated birth and death places can tell us where a family was living at that moment in time. As Capt. Palmer Hall may have been at sea for these events of birth and death, it is important to remember the place little children have in a family.

These siblings are very close in age. Calculating from the dates of death and years/months attained, he was born in February of 1850 and she in December of 1850. The 1850 census record list a very large household for this family (not a surprise from looking at the house itself) and as it was 1 July 1850, Nathan (as 5/12 months) is listed but Sarah is not. With closer examination, I discovered that grandmother, Phebe (Palmer) Hall, wife of Lyman is living with them as a widow. 

I love the 1850 census with all the people listed. This one makes me want to dig more into this family!

Second Sea Captain's wife: Nancy Bowler

Photo by Brian Zoldak, 2013, used with permission

Nancy B.  BOWLER

Bowler Genealogy found at Archive.org, (out of copyright)

Second wives are always interesting and there certainly have been enough of them in my family who have played a large part in the family history picture.

Nancy's is a long story! She was married to William Smith before she married Capt. Palmer Hall and had two children (Harriet and Albert) by him. She was born in New York but moved to Ohio with her parents and married him there. After William died in a railroad accident, she married at her daughter Harriet's home in Buffalo, NY, Capt. Hall. Harriet was the wife of George Langdon. Harriet must have liked her new step-father because she named her last living child, Palmer Hall Langdon. 

It states in the Bowler genealogy, that Nancy's marriage (in 1865) to Capt. Palmer Hall was "unusually happy" and that they led a busy life of social parties at India Point and that they traveled a lot. (I have found India Point. It is amazing.)

In 1904, the genealogy states that Nancy's daughter, Harriet Smith Langdon lived in the house on India Point.  She died in Illinois in 1916. The house "at India Point" then inherited by Harriet's daughter Carolyn Belle Langdon.

The son Albert, never married and was interesting in all "sporting matters", traveled abroad and went to the California gold fields!

The Bowler genealogy gives us a good description of Nancy's character and temperament which is quite rare in these complied genealogies of the time period. It is do interesting that it kept me going to find out more!

Eunice Pendleton

Capt. Lyman Hall's First Family

Eunice Pendleton, wife of Capt. Lyman Hall, photo by Brian Zoldak, used with permission, 2013

Eunice,/wife of/Capt. Lyman Hall/& daughter of Capt. John Pendleton./Born Aug. 26, 1766/died March 31, 1794/ Aged 27 years.

Capt. Lyman and Eunice were married on 27 Jan 1787 by Elder Isaiah Wilcox in Westerly, RI. 


A family member tells me that his family history tells him that Lyman Hall built a house at  a location called India Point in 1787.This sent me on an adventure to find out what this means and where it was located.

There is a vital record for this marriage which lists his father was Joseph (deceased) and her father as Capt. John Pendleton as it states on her gravestone.


It was the information that his father was Joseph that I needed to connect this branch of the Hall family back to the one I already in my tree. 

Eunice and Lyman had four children before she passed away: Eunice (1788-unknown), babies Joseph (1790-1790), Lyman 1st (1791-1791), Lyman 2nd (1792-1854), and John Pendleton Hall (1794- 1876). She died the day after her last child was born. How very sad. What was he going to do now?

Lettering in Marble

Wordless Wednesday: Capt. Lyman Hall and wife Phebe Palmer

Marble Stones Are Hard to Read

Parents of Capt. Palmer Hall

Close up of Capt. Lyman Hall's monument, photo by Brian Zoldak, 2013, used with permission

Close up of back side of Capt. Lyman Hall's monument,, photo by Brian Zoldak, 2013, used with permission.

Capt./Lyman Hall/ Born Aug. 30, 1761/Died Nov. 4, 1842/Aged 81 years.
Phebe,/(second) wife of/Capt. Lyman Hall/& daughter of Capt. Elias S. Palmer/ Born Aug. (8 or) 9, 1766/Died Sept. 22, 1858/ Aged 92 years

Tombstone Tuesday: Secrets of the Moving Dead

The Dead Can Move

Lyman Hall Monument,, photo by Brian Zoldak, 2013

Early in my research, I discovered a valuable book, now out of copyright, written my my 2nd great grandmother's brother, the Rev. Frederic Denison. The author of many books and an ordained minister, Rev. Fred (that's what I like to call him) was also interested in his family history and the lives of the people in Westerly, Rhode Island.

The last chapter in the book is a list of graveyards and people buried there. I love that many of the graveyards are called "Ground" for burying ground. Rhode Island has nearly 4 thousand such small family cemeteries. One of my favorites is Hall Ground #3 because of the mention of the picket fence around it. 

Dwight Brown's River Bend Cemetery book, lists 3 pages of folks named Hall (maiden or male surname). I really had visions of going to look for the lovely marble stones shining in the sunshine in a meadow.  But, the Lyman Hall listed here (in Hall Ground #3) is the son of Capt. Palmer Hall's father, Lyman Hall and he and his wife Abby are listed at Find-a-Grave in Oak Grove Cemetery in Hopkinton, RI. So much for the picket fence. 

Brian Zoldak went looking for me at River Bend Cemetery in Westerly and found Capt. Palmer Hall and his parents. Problem solved but in a round about way. So, back to learning about Capt. Palmer Hall.

Here's the page (#285) from Rev. Fred's book so you can see the little family cemeteries and their descriptions. (I recently broke down and bought a copy for my library. It is hard to really read on the screen.)

So, the secrets of the moving dead can be complicated by cemetery records (in print) no longer being accurate. 

William Dow

William Dow, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

William Dow 
photo by Brian Zoldak, used with permission

William DOW, husband of my paternal great aunt married her husband William DOW about 1908. Jessie was born in Westerly, RI but returned to Scotland to go "into domestic service".

Her parents and siblings returned as well and I think they may have had property owned there (or inherited) and decided to go back. I know where they lived but I don't know why they went back to Scotland.

Eventually (after being enumerated in the 1901 Scotland census), everyone returned to America. When Jessie returned to the US she went to her brother Alexander who lived in New York. She married William there.

Jessie and William lived in New York, Philadelphia and Georgia while raising three children. In 1940, she and William returned to Westerly to live on Bowling Lane near my family. By then, my grandmother Annie, Jessie sister, had died and grandfather Tom died soon after. Jessie's boys were grown up but their daughter Bertha (aka "cousin Freckles") was only 17. William worked in the dye business and was a Naturalized citizen. As you can see they belonged to Masonic organizations.

William and Jessie both completed 8th grade and Bertha was in high school in 1940. Jessie died, at 51, the October following the 1940 census but her husband lived until 1961. I have no memory of him being at any family gathering.

Over the years, family members have shared information with me about my Aiken family. The photos are great. 

Close Yet So Far

Aiken-Dow-Strong Plot Annotated, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Aiken-Dow-Strong Plot Annotated

Photo  by Brian Zoldak, used with permission

The orange square shows the location of my paternal grandparents. I knew my grandmother's sisters should be buried nearby. I found Georgina Watts Aiken's gravestone by walking down the "road" where the car is located in this photo.

I didn't venture into this next section, where Jessie Taylor Aiken and her family are buried. So, Brian, being the excellent photographer he is took this photo to show me where I should look next time I go to River Bend Cemetery in Westerly, RI

Remember, location is everything! Look at all nearby gravestones!

Tombstone Tuesday: Jessie Taylor Aiken

Photo by Brian Zoldak, used with permission

Jessie Taylor Aiken

Jessie was my paternal grandmother, Annie (Aiken) Broadfoot's sister and my great aunt. I had no idea where she was buried until I found out from family that she was also buried in River Bend Cemetery.

My friend, Brian Zoldak, had no trouble locating the plot. It was very close to where my paternal grandparents are buried.

Jessie was named for Jessie Taylor [1808-1879], wife of Alexander Aiken and for her father,  David Aiken's sister, Jessie Taylor Aiken [b. 1864]. Naming conventions like this can really help one be sure that you are researching the right women in a family.

I think my grandmother and this sister were quite close since for a time, they both lived on the same street (Bowling Lane in Bradford).  Jessie's daughter, Bertha, who my dad called "Cousin Freckles", died in 2011.  The late Virgil Veal, whose wife Ann is a Aiken descendant, gave me a lot of help sorting out my Aiken family. With Virgil and Ann, I wouldn't know where my great grandparents are buried. I would never have found them as they are buried in Georgia. They retired there and loved it.

Disabled Veterans Monument

Disabled Veterans, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

 Hero Josiah F. Broadfoot

Named for my 1st cousin 2x removed, Josiah F. Broadfoot, (1889-1918) killed in WWI and buried in France, this photo of this Westerly granite monument  was taken my friend Brian Zoldak. I am using it with his permission. He knew that this man was in my family tree.

Josiah heroism is well know in the Westerly, RI area. and it is great to see this chapter named for him.
I wish I had a photo of this young man who was one of the heroes in my family.

Special Marker

Sarah F. SCHOFIELD, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

This small marker next to my 2nd great grandparent's stone has been scratching my head.

Mystery solved: A reader from my circle at Google+ (Carol) suggests: "Those are funeral home markers, sometimes they are ALL I find on graves, they last for years, and for that I have been thankful. The newer ones don't always have raised stamped dates like this one, the dates appear to be attached with paper print type materials. Has her death year ever been inscribed ON the monument??" 

Yes, I think this is right. I have taken photos of funeral markers near gravestones! This is why this was vaguely familiar. Yes, Carol, the year of birth and death are on the monument (see like below) Let's have a round of applause for Carol!
I keep wondering what it is doing there. Sarah Frances Gardiner, wife of Joseph Schofield was born in 1845 not 1856 as it says on this marker. She did die in 1944.

There are birth and death years on the stone. Since her husband died in 1917, I think that the monument was put there when he died. As custom in my family, her year of birth and the line would have been put there at the same time and the year of death put there when she died.

Perhaps this was a sister of her husband Joseph who was unmarried and had the same name? No, that isn't the case.

Is this some kind of fraternal marker for her? It seems so generic>

Ideas are welcome.

Tombstone Tuesday: Look Around

Dow Gravestone, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Take Photos of Surrounding Graves

It pays to take a few shots around the family plot. This is what my parent's gravestone "looks at" every day! I went looking for this photo when my friend Barbara Fallon told me where the DOW gravestone is located (by section and road name) in River Bend Cemetery.

The original of this photo can be "zoomed" around in enough for me to see large names on monuments.

When I took this photo I was looking for my grandmother's parents. I didn't find them. Why? Because they are buried in Georgia. I wouldn't have looked there!

On my way to the Stanton reunion in mid-July, I will go to Westerly and take the photo of the Dow gravestone.

Mother and Son

Milner Sculpture, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Mother and Son

In River Bend Cemetery in Westerly, RI, is this lovely sculpture with a very large base. I cropped that out so you could see the detail.

Mothers and sons are on my mind today, with now having two grandsons. 

Yesterday, I was reading the book I bought about the granite industry in Westerly and much to my surprise there was information about this very monument. (Oddly, nothing about the family that paid for it but I will have to look into that!)

Milner Monument By John Francis Brines (1860-1905) [Built From Stone, The Story of the Westerly Granite Industry page 85]. His father was a stone cutter and John made this sculpture at a young age. He died at 44. Amazingly, I took his gravestone too without knowing it.

Taken in July on a picture perfect day, this is one of my favorite photos.

Thomas Barber Monument (front)

Thomas Barber Monument (front)
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

Re-post from 2007 about Moses Barber's Descendants

This is the front side of the memorial stone for the Thomas BARBER family.
Thomas BARBER 1730-1796 and his wife Mary BARBER 1735-1817 [#17 RIGR 4:3 p. 226]


Thomas3 BARBER (Thomas2, Moses1) b. 5 June 1731, d. 19 Apr 1796 was the son of Thomas BARBER and his wife Avis TANNER and he married Mary BARNEY, of Newport, b. ca. 1735, m. 22 Oct 1754, d. 1819


Deacon Weeden BARBER 1777-1860 and his wife Hannah BARBER 1782-1871 [#10 RIGR 4:3 p. 227 ]


Deacon Weeden BARBER (Thomas3, Thomas2, Moses1) b. 11 Dec 1777, d. 30 Aug 1860 was the son of Thomas BARBER and his wife Mary BARNEY. He married Hannah LEWIS, dau. of James LEWIS and Thankful BARBER, b. 1782, d. 1871


Benjamin M. BARBER 1823-1868 and his wife Martha BARBER 1821-1879
Benjamin6 Maxson BARBER (Benjamin5, Benjamin4, Nathan3, Benjamin2, Moses1) b. 1823 d. 1868 and his wife Martha Ann BURDICK b. 1821 d. 1879
He was the son of Benjamin5 BARBER and his wife Nancy BRAND


Nathan M. BARBER 1845-1910 and his wife Martha BARBER 1844-1893Nathan7 M. BARBER ( Benjamin6, Benjamin5, Benjamin4, Nathan3, Benjamin2, Moses1)b. 1845 and d. 1910 and his wife Martha (maiden name unknown)

Tombstone Tuesday: Going to Bed

Resting in Peace, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

The recent tweets and blog post from the Southern California Jamboree made me tired. Of course, when I said, "Go to bed!" this was NOT what I had in mind.

I think these side by side gravestones are quite lovely and unique, don't you?

The Gift of Books

James AITKEN family
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

This is the gravestone of my maternal grandfather's business partner and friend, Mr. James AITKEN. He was, according to my father, not related to my paternal grandmother's family who mostly spelled their name without the t.(I still have not proved this one way or the other!) Front of gravestone

My grandfather, Evans Stewart, died in June 1955 when I was 7 and a half years old.  We spent my early Christmas weeks living with my grandparents in their lovely Tudor style home. It is forever in this place, Christmas in my mind. Each night before I fall asleep, I mentally walk through that time, which really was only a few years. My maternal grandparents, Bop and Gram live on forever in me.

The only photo I have of Mr. Aitken is in my parent's wedding album as they were guests at that event in December of 1946 but I have not scanned all of those photos as yet.


My grandmother was not fond of Mr. Aiken. Part of the reason why was that he smoked smelly cigars. In the last few years before my grandfather died, Mr. Aitken used to come visit him at home when he was not in the hospital. The man was smart. He brought with him at each visit, an author signed childrens book for me. I could not wait until he visited. My grandmother left him in but you could tell she didn't want to. But, I think that Bop liked the man and so what could she do?

He gave me the gift of reading. Without his gift, my library card and the family Bible, I would not be the genealogist I am today. Rest in peace, Mr. James Aitken.

GYR: Rocks with an Owl

Unusual Gravestone
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

Graveyard Rabbits Carnival is: The Interesting, The Odd, The Beautiful.

This is the second gravestone in my collection of photographs which resembles a pile of rocks. It features a scroll with the names of the deceased (not from my family), some ivy leaves and if you look carefully a very cute owl.

Cause of Death: Drowned

William V. SCHOLFIELD
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

William V. SCHOLFIELD


Drowned in the Pawcatuck River in Westerly, RI, on 4 Feb 1852, William V. SCHOLFIELD probably ventured out onto thin ice and drowned. He was only 14 years old. The flower on his grave is symbolic of a life just coming into bloom.


He is buried behind his parents, Joseph A. Scholfield (1815-1855) and his wife Eunice C. Vibber (1817-1902) who were my third great grandparents.


It is still unclear as to whether this boy had another brother named William. The History of Montville, CT lists both a William V. and a William A. in this family!


I have located both gravestones but why a family would name two boys with the same first name before the first one had died is a mystery. I am assuming that this William's middle name is Vibber (his mother's maiden name).

Previous Post: 
William V. SCHOLFIELD, son of Joseph Arthur SCHOLFIELD and Eunice C. VIBBER was born 11 Oct 1837. He was drowned in the Pawcatuck River in Westerly, RI on 4 February 1852 at the age of 14 years, 3 months and 21 days.

William was the oldest child.

Source:
History of Montville, page 275, #71 [note: this source lists another son named William who was born in 1850 and lived to adulthood but this may be incorrect as he is not listed in the household in 1850]
1850 Federal Census, Montville, CT: William is 12 years old.