Armed Forces Day at Riverside National

Today is Armed Forces Day so my sister and I went to Riverside National Cemetery. She is not a graveyard lover, although I keep trying to turn her into one. We had planned to walk around the cemetery to get our exercise but it was so hot we drove around and just kept getting in and out of the car to take pictures.

We also went across the way to visit the March Airforce Base Museum. I always wanted to see the War Dog Memorial.

Then the real reason we went to the cemetery is I was reading the Roll Call. Starting today, every hour, twentyfour hours a day, they will read the names of veterans until Memorial Day. All I can say is what an honor!!

Emily and Anna Niles, Boston, Mass

I have had this picture by John Thomas Grant on my screensaver for a long time. Of course I often stare at it while I am working on projects always wondering about the names. The names have stories and are not just names. Finally I took action. These are two unmarried sisters, Emily Hale Niles (1839-1908) and Anna Hale Niles (1840-1911), in the background is the stone for their mother Mary Ann Hale Niles. Mary Ann was born in Boston. She married William Jenkins Niles. He was a broker and the owner of a livery stable.

Before 1870 they moved to a house at 110 Beacon Street, Back Bay, Boston. William and Mary and their daughters all lived in this brownstone until their deaths.

Emily and Anna were both members of DAR. Their Patriots being Jeduthan Richardson and Ebenezer Niles.

There is so much more to learn about these ladies but for now I am just using my imagination to reconstruct their lives. They are buried under these beautiful gravestones in Cambridge, Mass.

Postcard, Charles Baber Cemetery, Pottsville, PA

Here is a vintage postcard of the Charles Baber Cemetery in Pottsville, PA. The cemetery was named after the man that donated the land, Charles Baber, who is buried there. This cemetery covers 25 acres. It is part of the Pottsville Project Fitness which deems the cemetery as a place ideal for walking and jogging. It is significant as a historic landscape, sounds like the perfect place for my morning walk.
The cemetery trustees offer many opportunities for the volunteer such as
Raking litter patrol ,Clean-up of branches and twigs, Straightening of flags, Snow shoveling of West Market Street sidewalk, Newspaper research of obituaries on microfilm at Pottsville Free Library, and Develop tree brochure.

There is also a book about the cemetery called Charles Baber Cemetery at Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania by Phillip A. Rice. It is currently out of print.

There are many civil war veterans buried there as well as many famous politicians.
One of the most interesting fellows is David G. Yuengling (1808-1877) He is the founder of the Yuengling Brewery. This brewery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the oldest brewery in the United States. Today the Yuengling Brewery is recognized as America's Oldest Brewery. They are still brewing and according to Linda in Lancaster, it is a fun place to go. The Brewery that is. Although the cemetery sounds like fun too.

Graveyard Stew

I am always researching for more sites to add on Graveyard Stew. I keep collecting stories about old and abandoned graves. It is so sad to read about these forgotten graves.

Here is one example. A story from Wake County, GA: Developers keep finding unexpected graves as they move into more rural areas. In the past many cemeteries were on the family farm land, land that has been broken up and sold many times over. There is no longer a marker, but the builders still need the land. These were real people once, great grandparents of someone, maybe me or you. Did you ever wonder why you couldn’t find GGGrandpa’s grave?

When the developers find a grave they have three choices. They can try and contact the surviving family, they can preserve it, or they can move it to another spot. Another option occured to me, but is not part of this story. What if the developers simple don’t say anything, and keep on working? Who would know? After centuries there isn’t much evidence left.

Another story from Charleston: They are moving dozens of old unmarked graves that are over 200 years old. On the sacred ground they are going to build affordable housing.

Now I have been around the historical community long enough to know that everything cannot be saved. I do not have a degree in Cemetery History (is there such a thing? If there is I want to learn all about it.) But something needs to be done! I have thought and thought. The only thing I know is to keep alert, keep posting grave sites on line, and keep the level of awareness going in any way you can.

One more story, one that belongs to me. It is a research problem of a great grandpa, Abel White in Indiana. In his will he requested that a portion of his land is set aside as a family cemetery. He asked to have an appropriate marble headstone to mark his grave. But I cannot find it anywhere. I won’t give up the search, even if he and his family are under a modern building, I want to know.

Excuse me, but I have to run over to my own cemetery and make sure it is still there!!

Postcard: Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Frederick, MD

This is Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Frederick, Maryland. The postcard shows the superintendent's residence. Researching on the web, I found no evidence that it is still there. This cemetery is positively on my "to see" list. This is the final resting place of Francis Scott Key. There is a beautiful monument in his honor at the entrance to the cemetery. The first burial was May 28, 1854. At that time the church cemeteries were all at capacity, so it was important to create a new one. Today there are over 34,000 silent residents.

Carnival, Cemetery Preservation

No, I have not found a rural, unknown cemetery and cleaned it up and straightened all the stones and transcribed each name and researched each “resident.” I wish I had. My favorite book is Love Cemetery about a lady that did just that.
I have not found a niche to dedicate myself to. If I had I probably would not be able to stick to it for long. There are so many aspects to attend to. And I want to explore them all.
Raising awareness of cemeteries and their importance is my job. No money in it but lots of rewards. Here is what I do.

I am on the Sunnyslope Friends of the Cemetery Iron Fence Fund board. We do a cemetery stroll each year raising awareness for Corona history. This is my favorite project. I love to get dressed up and be a historical person.

I speak on cemeteries whenever I get a chance. Once in a while I get a chance to speak to Boy Scouts about cemeteries. At first they look at me like they are not sure what to expect, but in the end they love to talk about it and ask questions. Some of which I have no answers to! For the genealogy community I talk about The Armchair Tombstone. It is how to research from your comfortable spot at home. And the general purpose What You Didn’t Know About Graveyards.

Of course there is the Graveyard Rabbit. I am so glad I discovered the association! I write two blogs and am the newsletter editor. I love being a Rabbit!

Traveling to different cemeteries is my fun. I enjoy the travel, I like the search, and I love to talk to people there, both dead and alive. It is especially fun with another Rabbit or someone who likes it too. But I often go by myself if I can’t find a cemetery lover to go with.

Shhhh..this is a secret. I am trying to write a book about a dog at the graveyard. I am not great writer, although I would like to be. But I have a great idea, now I am WORKING to execute it.

Often I get asked to take pictures of headstones and I always try to get it done. Each time I come away with a fun story to go along with the picture search.

I gave myself a pretend job at Find A Grave.

These are my little ways of doing cemetery preservation, and I am having a great time!!

Tombstone Poem

Your tombstone stands among the rest;
Neglected and alone.
The name and date are chiseled out
On polished, marbled stone.
It reaches out to all who care
It is too late to mourn.
You did not know that I exist
You died and I was born.
Yet each of us are cells of you
In flesh, in blood, in bone.
Our blood contracts and beats a pulse
Entirely not our own.
Dear Ancestor, the place you filled
One hundred years ago
Spreads out among the ones you left
Who would have loved you so.
I wonder if you lived and loved,
I wonder if you knew
That someday I would find this spot,
And come to visit you.

Author unknown