Cemetery and Gravestone Photos

Mount Moriah Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

2011-07-02T01:10:00.002-04:00

It appears that at last something is being done to clean up the cemetery. Following is a notice I received from The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania:

Established in 1855, Mount Moriah Cemetery was the chosen resting place for Philadelphia mayors, Civil War soldiers, and other notable historic figures. Accessible by trolley and intersected by Cobbs Creek Park, Mount Moriah was once a grand and peaceful retreat. In recent years, however, the cemetery has fallen into disrepair.

We're excited to announce that the Friends of Mt. Moriah has organized a volunteer clean up date for the cemetery for Saturday, July 16 from 8 am to 1 pm, and GSP will be assisting. To participate with the GSP group, please email your first and last name, phone number and email address to Emily Shaw at emily.shaw@genpa.org. We'll register you for the event and email you additional details, including where to meet.

Sugar Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Cemetery, Marion, Kentucky

2010-07-06T18:28:00.007-04:00

DEAN
T. Marion 1871 - 1944
Annie A. 1877 - 1944

[Thomas Marion Dean, son of Joseph Madison Dean and Isabella Caroline (Clement) Dean.]
[Rosa Ann "Annie" (Allen) Dean, daughter of Charles Washington Allen and Nancy Caroline (Lamb) Allen.]

Minnie Dean
May 28, 1906
Mar. 28, 1928

[Minnie Charlotte Dean, daughter of Thomas Marion Dean and Rosa Ann "Annie" (Allen) Dean.]

ALLEN
Nancy C.
Wife of C. W. Allen
Sept. 20, 1841
Nov. 23, 1909

[daughter of John Lamb and Charlotte (Farley) Lamb]

Chas. W. Allen
Oct. 30, 1846
Jan. 1, 1915
Co. K, 17th KY Cav.

[son of Drewry Allen and Margaret Smith (Melton) Allen]

Thanks to David Oxford for these great photos.

James Wheeler Cemetery, Marion, Kentucky (Continued)

2010-07-06T17:45:00.008-04:00

Benjamin F. Wheeler
Born Nov. 23, 1819
Died Oct. 25, 1860

[son of James & Mary (Elder) Wheeler]

James Wheeler
Born Oct. 16, 1782
Died Nov. 1, 1868

[son of John & Susannah (Clark) Wheeler]

Mary, Wife of
Jas. Wheeler
Born Oct. 23, 1785
Died Nov. 12, 1876

[daughter of John & Mary (Morrow) Elder]

Sallie E.
Wife of Bird McDonald
Born Nov. 19, 1867
Died June 29, 1911

[daughter of Isaac & Elvira (Crider) Wheeler]

Sister
Alberta M. Wheeler
May 10, 1907 - June 18, 1984

Sister
Mamie M. McDonald
Apr. 13, 1904 - May 30, 1992

James Wheeler Cemetery, Marion, Kentucky (Continued)

2010-06-13T15:34:00.008-04:00

Ida Bell Wheeler
Apr. 22, 1872
Sept. 5, 1968

Dau. of Isaac L. &
Nancy E. (Crider) Wheeler

Tinnie Wheeler
Sept. 11, 1863
Aug. 17, 1955

Dau. of Isaac L. &
Nancy E. (Crider) Wheeler

Robert F. Wheeler
Son of Isaac and Elvira (Crider) Wheeler
Dec. 19, 1865
Aug. 13, 1966

Corda Wheeler
Jan. 6, 1859
Mar. 27, 1955

Dau. of Isaac L. &
Nancy E. (Crider) Wheeler

Emily L.
Dau. of
Isaac & Elvira Wheeler
Oct. 29, 1856
Oct. 14, 1909

Thanks to Bonnie Gass for these great photos.

James Wheeler Cemetery, Marion, Kentucky

2010-05-31T17:26:00.008-04:00

Isaac L. Wheeler
Born
Apr. 10, 1829
Died
June 21, 3896

Nancy Elvira
Wife of I. L. Wheeler
Dau. of David & Tressa Crider
Sept. 12, 1832
Sept. 8, 1927

Married Oct. 23, 1850

WOODSIDE
Theresa
April 27, 1854 - Nov. 18, 1944
Dau. [of] Isaac Wheeler, Elvira (Crider)

Frank
Jan. 18, 1857 - Jan. 14, 1945
Son [of] Patrick Woodside, Sarah (Prowell)

James C.
Son of W. F. & T. J. Woodside
Born
Oct. 8, 1884
Died
Apr. 24, 1886

Ulysses Woodside
Aug. 16, 1891
Jan. 26, 1892

Son [of] Frank & Theresa

(Note: Words in [ ] are not engraved on stones.)

Thanks to Bonnie Gass for taking these great photos. To see more of Bonnie's photos from the James Wheeler Cemetery, visit http://www.westernkyhistory.org

Marissa Cemetery, St. Clair County, Illinois

2010-02-25T02:08:00.007-05:00

In Memory Of
Jacob Hemphill
Died Aug 21, 1887
Aged 23 Years

Matthew Hemphill
Died Dec. 18, 1865
Aged 64 Yr. 2 Ms.

[Note: Matthew was the son of Hugh and Sara (Lyons) Hemphill]

HEMPHILL
Mary S.
Apr. 1, 1844
June 21, 1930

Robert John
Nov. 2, 1837
Dec. 23, 1925

Children of R. J. & M. S. HEMPHILL
Mary Matilda
June 16, 1868
July 30, 1870

Albert M.
Oct. 18, 1883
Dec. 26, 1892

Infant Son Dec. 4, 1878

DICKEY
Maggie E.
1863 - 1947

William J.
1863 - 1930

[Note: Maggie was Margaret Elizabeth Hemphill, daughter of Samuel Reid and Mary Jane (Edgar) Hemphill]

Florida National Cemetery, Sumter County, Florida

2009-11-21T00:26:00.006-05:00

Robert Laurie Letton
CWO US Navy, World War II
Oct 14, 1905 - Apr 2, 1997

[Note: Husband of Clara Elizabeth Hughes; Son of James Henry and Jennie (Marshall) Letton]

Grady M. Hughes
Tec 4, US Army, World War II
Aug 11, 1919
Feb 2, 1995

Martha R. Hughes
His Wife
Jan 25, 1921
Sep 13, 2002

We Love You
Tom

William C. Hughes
SP5, US Army, Viet Nam
May 25, 1943
Feb 6, 1993

Bay Pines National Cemetery, Pinellas County, Florida

2009-11-04T19:24:00.005-05:00

Ray Charles Bauld
EMP3 US Navy
World War II Korea
Dec 23 1928 - Sep 18 1991

[Ray is the son of Charles O. Bauld and Pearl Lillian (Woodside) Bauld; and the husband of Teresa M. Bassett]

Reuben J. Kennedy
PVT 151 INF 38 DIV
World War I
August 14 1938

Marvin G McConnell
Florida
2d Lieutenant US Army
World War I
July 11 1893 - May 26 1958

These great photos were taken by John Carter.

Woodside Cemetery, Thomasville, Oregon Co., Missouri

2009-09-28T18:47:00.009-04:00

This large WOODSIDE stone for the family of Capt. James Posey Woodside contains the following inscriptions:
Capt. J. Posey Woodside, A Confederate, Born Mar. 18, 1843, Died May 21, 1912
Martha A. Woodside, A Christian, Born Dec. 28, 1847, Died Mar. 24, 1901
Nova S. Woodside, Born July 12, 1868 {not imprinted on stone is Nova's death date of Jan. 24, 1961]
Guy S. Woodside, Born Sept. 19, 1872, Nov. 22, 1944
Hal Woodside, Born Aug. 1, 1875 [not imprinted on stone is death date of July 14, 1960]
J. Clare Woodside, Born Sept. 12, 1883, Dec. 5, 1955

Separate individual stone for Capt. Woodside:

James Posey Woodside
Capt. Co. D 4 MO Inf.
MO State GDS
Confederate States Army
Mar. 18, 1843, May 21, 1912

Separate individual stone:

J. Clare Woodside
1883 - 1955

Wm. Pinckney Woodside
Born Oct. 6, 1845
Died

[Note: bottom of stone is broken off. Death date should be Feb. 5, 1851]

As you can see, this stone is broken in two. What can be read states:

J. H. Forbis
July 23, 1857
Died Feb'y, 1861

These great pictures were taken by Robert J. Stauffer, Jr.

Marissa Cemetery (Continued)

2009-09-07T00:13:00.006-04:00

The following stones are all in Section A, Lot 51 of Marissa Cemetery.

This is the front of the stone marking the graves of John R. Lyons and his wife Mary. To the right is a small stone marked FATHER, and the left is a small stone marked MOTHER.

On the right side of the tall monument stone is John R. Lyons, Born Sept. 14, 1814, Died May 21, 1915, Aged 100 Yrs. 8 Mo. 7 Ds.

This photo is the left side of the above monument. It reads:

Mary A. McKee
Wife of John R. Lyons
Died Feb. 7, 1885
Aged 68 Yrs. 9 Mo. 27 Ds.

James Birney
Son of W.M.K. & S.J. Lyons
Feb. 1877

Anna Flora Lyons
May 28, 1882
Dec. 15, 1959

Marissa Cemetery (Continued)

2009-06-02T18:54:00.007-04:00

LYONS
John McQuilken Lyons 1868 - 1954
Mary Levenia nee Preston 1869 - 1950

[John was the son of James Riley Lyons and Anna W. McQuilken]

This small white stone appears broken and placed back in the ground. All that is readable is: In Memory of Mary McKentey.

The Marissa Cemetery Book states the following:
Mary Mc Kentey dau. of James R. & Annie W. Lyons, 12 Mar. 1873, 5 June 1873, 2 mo. 23 d.

LYONS
George 1870 - 1945
Mary E. 1870 - 1950

[George was the son of James Riley Lyons and Anna W. McQuilken. Mary's maiden name was Burris.]

This stone for Mary Elizabeth Lyons is a separate stone for the wife of George. See combined stone above.

This stone is for the infant son of George and Mary Elizabeth Lyons who was born and died in 1896.

John W. son of G. & M. E. Lyons
Feb. 10, 1897
Sept. 29, 1918
Co. C 11 Reg. U.S.M.C.

Also on stone: Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.

Marissa Cemetery (Continued)

2009-05-10T19:30:00.006-04:00

The front of the stone has just the surname JOHNSON.

On one side is engraved:
James Johnson, Born Feb. 25, 1847, Died July 7, 1907

On other side:
Sarah, Wife of James Johnson, Born May 31, 1850, Died Nov. 5, 1916

[Note: Sarah's maiden name was Smith.]

JOHNSON is on top of stone.

Inscription on front reads:

Wm. H. Johnson
Aug. 18, 1869
Feb. 11, 1900

[Note: William was the son of Sarah and James above.]

This stone sits beside the above stone.

Edward L. JOHNSON
Sept. 15, 1878
Jan. 24, 1965

[Note: Edward was the son of Sarah and James.]

DICKEY

Edwin, Dec. 3, 1889, Dec. 29, 1980
Rose, June 27, 1891, Dec. 22, 1959

[Note: Rose's maiden name was Johnson.]

While this stone's markings have worn away, it is the stone for Thomas Smith, Jr. According to the Marissa Cemetery book and family sources, it originally was ingraved:

Thomas Smith, Emigrated from Antrim County,
Died Nov. 2, 1879, Aged 67

Marissa Cemetery, St. Clair County, Illinois

2009-04-11T19:04:00.007-04:00

This tombstone is for Benjamin P. Green. On the lower front it has the surname GREEN. On the side it reads: Died April 11, 1890, Nashville. Aged 67 yrs 7 mths 1 day

His wife Sarah's stone is in the shadows next to a tree and reads: Sarah, Wife of Benjamin, Died June 2, 1900, Aged 62 yrs 9 mths 23 das

[Note: Sarah's maiden name was Getty]

This stone is to the left of the one above and has a Dove near the top. It reads:

Martha Ann, daughter of B.P. and S. Green

[Note: Marissa Cemetery book also indicates she was born Feb. 29, 1871 and died Feb. 27, 1882]

James W. Green
Died March 27, 1877
Aged 50 yrs 29 d

Nancy Green Hendron
Born County Antrim, Ireland
April 1, 1843
Died Aug. 3, 1904

[Note: Nancy's maiden name was Smith. She was married to James W. Green and after his death apparently remarried. However, she is buried next to James and the lower area of her stone reads GREEN.]

2009-03-25T14:24:00.004-04:00

This wonderful poem was sent to me by Marilyn Mauldin.  I like it so much that I got her permission to publish it here.  Please note this is a copyrighted writing and is not for publication without her permission.  If you want more information please contact me, or you can reach Marilyn at .    Erma

              The Dash of a Lifetime

We see it on each tombstone inscribed between  two dates

The little dash so neatly carved; to what  does it relate?

Do Kings and Queens have a longer dash  than a worker in the field?

Are carvings hidden upon the stone telling of  bravery that would not yield?

No reference is made of the kindly deeds -  many done for you and me

Not a word is mentioned of a life given far  across the sea.

The stone is small, there is no room to note  discoveries made

Of finding cures, or transplanting hearts or  what part they may have played.

Hopes and plans, thoughts and dreams have  vanished some may say

Do deeds that we do here on earth remain  though we won't stay?

How could that little dash represent the  meaning of a life?

It doesn't tell their struggle or how they  endured their strife.

It seems that something's missing from beginning date to end

Still, that small chisled dash is the same  for foe or friend!

Reflect on this when next you see that dash on someone's stone

Perhaps with our more thoughtful deeds -  we'll leave longer dashes of our own.

(C)2007 Marilyn Mauldin  Collection

Woodside Cemetery, Thomasville, Oregon Co., Missouri

2009-03-08T20:38:00.009-04:00

Mabel F. Woodside

1884 - 1976

M. Posey Woodside

1924 - 1976

Donna R. Woodside

1921 - 2005

This large Woodside family stone has the following inscriptions:
Judge J. R. Woodside
Aug. 3, 1814 - Feb. 28, 1887
Emily H., his wife,
Mar. 31, 1822 - Aug. 10, 1910

Their Children
Elizabeth Woodside Forbus
Feb. 27, 1841 - Feb. 1861
Missouri Woodside, 1852 - 1935

These great photos were taken by Robert J. Stauffer, Jr.

Galum Presbyterian Cemetery (Continued)

2009-02-14T17:19:00.006-05:00

Jane Hamilton
Aug. 8, 1820
Mar. 15, 1882

[Note: Jane Brown Hamilton was the wife of Anthony S. Hamilton]

HAMILTON
Nancy J. 1825 - 1895

Woods L. 1814 - 1868

[Note: Woods L.Hamilton was the son of Anthony L. and Elizabeth (Woodside) Hamilton. His wife's maiden name was Nancy Jane Armstrong.]

Sister
Sarah Hamilton
1855 - 1904

[Daughter of Woods L. and Nancy J. Hamilton]

Brother
Alfred Hamilton
1866 - 1866

[Son of Woods L. and Nancy J. Hamilton]

Galum Presbyterian Cemetery, Perry County, Illinois

2009-02-03T18:51:00.006-05:00

HAMILTON
John A. 1852 - 1944

Ann E. 1858 - 1947

[Note: Ann's maiden name was Ann Eliza Kimzey. John was the son of Woods L. & Nancy Jane (Armstrong) Hamilton.]

HAMILTON
Elijah 1856 - 1935

Edna A. 1859 - 1944

[Note: Edna's maiden name was Hughey. Elijah was the son of Anthony S. & Jane (Brown) Hamilton. Various records show Elijah's name as Ephriam Elijah.]

HAMILTON
Anna B. 1870 - 1944

Albert S. 1866 - 1949

[Note: Anna's maiden name was Bigham. Albert was the son of Woods L. & Nancy Jane (Armstrong) Hamilton.]

These great photos were taken by Rod & Donna Erps.

Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery, Riverside, California

2009-01-14T20:20:00.005-05:00

William R. Olden
1822 - 1883

Sarah I. Olden
1825 - 1890

Beloved Husband
James W. Stoliker
1876 - 1867

Beloved Wife
Eleanor Stoliker
1876 - 1954

[Note: Eleanora's maiden name was Finlay]

2008-12-25T16:48:00.000-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

MAY YOU HAVE A NEW YEAR

FILLED WITH GOOD HEALTH,

HAPPINESS & PROSPERITY.

Contacting A Cemetery Office

2008-12-06T15:27:00.002-05:00

Cemetery offices can be busy places at times and often the staff is small. They get a lot of people visiting and looking for graves. To save yourself some time, and the office staff some stress, write well in advance of your visit.

The following suggestions may help you get a response more quickly:

Always enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for your reply.

Request a cemetery map with the location of each plot marked on it. This will help you find the graves you are seeking more quickly.

Limit your request to just a few grave locations. It is time consuming for the staff to look up the information and then mark it on a map. If you are requesting quite a number of lookups, allow more time to receive a response.

Give them the name you are looking for as well as the date of birth and death, and any other information you can provide that will help distinquish one person from another (such as a spouse, parent, or sibling's name). This is really important if you are researching a common name or there is more than one family member with the same name.

Not all graves are marked. Be sure to ask if there is a stone or marker on the grave. This just might save you a trip, if all you want is a photograph of the stone.

Try to visit the cemetery when the office is open in case you have trouble finding a grave and need more help.

And always write a Thank You to the person who sent you the information.

Laurel Hill Memorial Gardens, Lancaster Co., PA

2008-11-16T22:11:00.008-05:00

Laurel Hill Memorial Gardens is located off 9th Street, just north of Route 30, in Columbia, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

As I was leaving the cemetery several grave stones caught my eye and I just had to stop and take pictures.

Mother, Grandmother
LOWE
Margaret Rebecca
11/23/45 - 8/12/06

"Our Guardian Angel"

VALENTINE
Together Forever
Married July 20, 1958

John G.
Mar. 21, 1932
Dec. 17, 2000

Shirley L. (Widener)
Jun. 14, 1932, May 7, 2005

1915 Minnie P. Widener 2003

OBETZ

Jere L.
January 24, 1949
April 25, 2007

Barbara A.
November 8, 1960
[no death date]

WAKEFIELD

George A.
Nov. 27, 1944
[no death date]

Gloria J.
May 25, 1946
Jan. 22, 2000

Click on the pictures to get a larger view, especially the Wakefield stone.

Old DuQuoin Cemetery, Perry County, Illinois

2008-10-25T19:18:00.005-04:00

WOODSIDES
Charles E.
Mar. 3, 1928 Jan. 20, 1991

Doris L.
Dec. 2, 1929 Nov. 21, 1999

WOODSIDES
Carl R.
Oct. 4, 1907 Apr. 20, 1986

Cora E.
Feb. 11, 1906 Aug. 30, 1980

Hill Prairie Cemetery, Sparta, Randolph County, Illinois

2008-10-12T16:55:00.007-04:00

Mary H. wife of R. T. Lyons
Died Aug. 30, 1876
Aged 24 Yrs. 10 Mo. 12 D.

[Note: Mary Harper Cathcart Lyons was the wife of Robert Thomas Lyons]

Cora May, Adopted Dau. of
S. W. & S. M. Patterson
Died Apr 8, 1882
Aged 6 Yrs, 1 Mo. 2 D.

Infant Son of
S. W. & S. M. Patterson
Born Jan. 19, 1869

(death date unknown)

Many thanks to Lucy Higgins for taking the above photos.

Susquehanna Memorial Gardens, York, Pennsylvania

2008-09-21T23:22:00.006-04:00

Susquehanna Memorial Gardens is located on Chestnut Hill Road in York County, Pennsylvania. This photo is of the entrance to the cemetery.

The first 2 stones below are found in the John the Baptist section of the cemetery. The third is in the Solitary Life section.

This stone is for
Larry D. May
1943 - 2007

There is also a place reserved for his wife, Dawn Marea with the year of birth 1946

This is a combined gravestone:
Feltenberger
Edward C. 1914 - 1975
Velma M. 1914 - 2001

Sadly Missed By All

Daniel S. Grimm
1986 - 2003

The persons above were not related to me. I took the photos for other people. For more information visit their listings at findagrave.com

Brig. Gen. Wm. C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery, New Jersey

2008-08-30T23:11:00.004-04:00

The Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery is located at 350 Provence Line Road, Wrightstown, Burlington County, New Jersey.

Preston Jess Keeler, Jr.
AOMI U.S. Navy
Aug. 31, 1920 - Feb. 26, 2005
Betty Jane, his wife
May 13, 1923 - Oct. 2, 1993

[Betty Jane was the daughter of Orla Henry Bohannan and Mabel Stewart (Dougan) Bohannan]

Allen C. Pearlman
PVT U.S. Army
Mar. 22, 1914 - Mar. 27, 1991
Frances M., his wife
Nov. 9, 1917 - Jun 14, 2003

Memorial Park Cemetery, St. Petersburg, Florida

2008-08-19T19:17:00.004-04:00

Caroline M. Bauld
July 11, 1870
May 9, 1957

[Note: Full name is Caroline Matilda (Trout) Bauld. She was born in Buffalo, New York, and was the widow of Charles Bauld of New York]

BAULD
Charles O. 1901 - 1969
Pearl L. 1908 - 1990

[Note: Charles O. Bauld was the son of Caroline. Pearl's full name was Pearl Lillian (Woodside) Bauld, daughter of William J. and Lillie Barber (Samcoe) Woodside. Both Charles and Pearl were born in Buffalo, New York.]

Memorial Park Cemetery is located in Pinellas County, Florida. These photos were taken by Robin Yellen.

Sugar Grove Cumberland Presbyterian Cemetery, Marion, Kentucky

2008-07-30T18:14:00.004-04:00

WOODSIDE
J. Preston 1907 - 1973

Winnie 1905 - 1981

[Note: Joseph Preston Woodside was the son of James L. & Doris (Travis) Woodside]

Mother
Sarah Alice COLEMAN
1904 - 1985

[Note: Sarah Alice was the daughter of James L. & Doris (Travis) Woodside]

These photos were taken by Gene Hunter.

Laurel Grove Cemetery, Florida

2008-07-11T19:01:00.011-04:00

The following photos for my Pettit ancestors are located at the Laurel Grove Cemetery, Waldo, Alachua County, Florida.

This stone is for Henry Newton Pettit, Jr. son of Henry Newton & Elizabeth (Heard)Pettit. It reads:

H.N. Pettit
Born at Kaskaskia, Ill.
Aug. 29, 1822
Died
July 13, 1893(83?)

This stone is for the son of Henry Newton Pettit, Jr. & Louisa (Conant) Pettit. It reads:

Father
Nathan Conant Pettit
Jan. 12 1846
Nov. 9, 1926
Co. K, 5 Ill. Cav.

This is the wife of Nathan.

Tammie, Wife of
N. C. Pettit
Born July 19, 1856
Died Aug. 10, 1895

(dates are a little hard to read)

Daughter of
Nathan Conant Pettit and
Tammie Doane Pettit

Effie Doane Pettit
Mar. 16, 1887
Dec. 4, 1969

Alberta
Daughter of
N.C. & T. L. Pettit
Born Sep. 4, 1892
Died Dec. 15, 1893

These photos were taken by Bill DeSha. He has a great military writeup on Nathan Conant Pettit at findagrave.com

Funny Tombstone Inscriptions

2008-07-01T23:10:00.002-04:00

Under the sod and under the trees,
lies the body of Jonathan Pease.
He is not here, there's only the pod.
Pease shelled out and went to God.

Reader, if cash thou art in want of any,
dig six feet deep and thou wilt find a Penny.

Here lies Johnny Yeast.
Pardon me for not rising.

Here lies an Atheist,
all dressed up and no place to go.

Looked up the elevator shaft to see if the
car was on the way down. It was.

Beverly National Cemetery, Burlington County, New Jersey

2008-06-21T22:14:00.005-04:00

Henry Daniel O'Rourke
New Jersey
Major, US Army
World War I

July 15, 1878
November 30, 1958

Isabella
Oct. 31, 1887
Nov. 25, 1976
Wife of
Maj H. D. O'Rourke
USA

[Isabella was the daughter of David Marshall and Jane McGillivray, and sister of Jennie Marshall Letton]

These photos were taken for me by Find A Grave volunteer Arline aka Historical Passion.

La Verne Cemetery (continued)

2008-06-06T23:16:00.007-04:00

Carrie Ann Moore
1902 - 1926
In Loving Memory

[Carrie Ann (Woodside) Moore was the wife of Sherman Alfred Moore, and the daughter of John Wiseman Woodside and Ophelia Emma (McEuen) Woodside.]

WRIGHT
Sidney B., 1900 - 1965
Mamie E., 1901 - 1971

[Mamie Evelyn (Woodside) Wright was the daughter of John Wiseman Woodside and Ophelia Emma (McEuen) Woodside.]

In Memory of
William H. Webster
1896 - 1928

[William Webster was the third husband of Mamie Evelyn Woodside.]

Milton R. Woodside
1914 - 1937

[Milton Robert Woodside was the son of John Wiseman Woodside and Ophelia Emma (McEuen) Woodside.]

La Verne Cemetery, Los Angeles County, California

2008-05-30T22:16:00.005-04:00

The following gravestones for some of my Woodside ancestors, who are buried in the La Verne Cemetery, Los Angeles County, California, were taken by Meredith Bailey. You can see more of Meredith's photos from the La Verne Cemetery at findagrave.com.

This gravestone is for Elizabeth Jane (Hunt) Woodside, wife of Ephriam Milton Woodside, and is engraved:

Mother, Elizabeth J. Woodside
1848 - 1928
In Loving memory

John W. Woodside
1874 - 1942

[This is John Wiseman Woodside, son of Emphriam Milton Woodside and Elizabeth Jane (Hunt) Woodside.]

This stone has two memorials engraved on it:

Ophelia E. Woodside
1876 - 1953

Alberta Shafer
1917 - 1990

[Ophelia Emma (McEuen) Woodside was the wife of John Wiseman Woodside. Alberta Emma (Woodside) Shafer was the daughter of John Wiseman and Ophelia Woodside, and the wife of Russell Donald Shafer.]

Beloved Mother
Dixie Imbler
1898 - 1980

[Dixie Ophelia (Woodside) Imbler was the daughter of John Wiseman and Ophelia Woodside, and the wife of Ray Imbler.

Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery, Riverside, California

2008-05-20T23:41:00.008-04:00

The following gravestones are for persons connected to my Pettit line, and are at the Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery, 4414 14th Street, Riverside, California.

This stone is for Henry Pettit Valentine, son of Nathaniel D. and Bennetta (Pettit) Valentine:

Henry P. Valentine
1872 - 1954

This stone is for Winnie P. (Stoliker) Valentine, wife of Henry P.

Beloved Mother
Winnie P. Valentine
1879 - 1972

Elizabeth B.Valentine
1906 - 1967

(This is the daughter of Henry P. and Winnie P. Valentine)

This stone is for the parents of Winnie P. Valentine:

James Stoliker
1855 - 1883
Elizabeth Stoliker
1857 - 1934

Pioneer Memorial Cemetery, San Bernardino, California

2008-05-13T23:50:00.005-04:00

Pioneer Memorial Cemetery is located at 211 E 9th Street, San Bernardino, California. The following Pettit family photographs were taken by Barbara LeClaire and can be found at the Find A Grave website along with many other photos she has taken.

This gravestone is for James Heard Pettit, son of Henry Newton Pettit and Elizabeth (Heard)Pettit. It reads:

J. H. Pettit
Born Feb. 18, 1819
Died Feb. 6, 1884

This appears to be the reverse side of above stone and is for Jane (Bilderback) Pettit, wife of James Heard Pettit.

Jane Pettit
Born Nov. 27, 1823
Died Apr. 9, 1907

This stone is for the daughter of James Heard and Jane Pettit. It reads:

Mother
Benetta Valentine
1849 - 1927

This stone is for Joanna B. Valentine, daughter of Benetta and Nathaniel D. Valentine:

Wife
Joanna B. Readman
1881 - 1935

Funny Tombstone Inscriptions

2008-05-08T00:32:00.002-04:00

Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake.
Stepped on the gas instead of the brake.

Here lies Ann Mann
who lived an old maid
but died an old Mann.
December 8, 1767

As I am now, you soon shall be.
Prepare for death and follow me.
Scribbled below: To follow you I'm not content
Until I know which way you went.

Here lies the body of our Anna,
Done to death by a banana.
It wasn't the fruit that laid her low,
But the skin of the thing that made her go.

Here lies Lester Moore
Four slugs from a 44
No Les
No more

Hill Prairie Cemetery (continued)

2008-04-30T18:11:00.004-04:00

More Lyons family grave stone photos taken by Rodney Erps.

On front of stone:
George Lyons
Apr. 9, 1809
Mar. 18, 1864

On back of stone:
Mary
Wife of
George Lyons
July 12, 1823
June 1, 1891

Priscilla
Died Aug. 11, 1861
3 Yrs. 5 mo. 16 ds.

Mary P.
Died Nov. 28, 1862
Aged __ Months

(Note: age for Mary P. is blocked by a flower)

LYONS
Margaret Elder
Sept. 4, 1853
Feb. 16, 1944

Hill Prairie Cemetery (Continued)

2008-04-19T18:10:00.005-04:00

The following photos on the Lyons family were taken by Rodney Erps, a volunteer at findagrave.com.

This stone is for Robert William Lyons, and reads:

R. W. Lyons
Born Sep. 1817
Died Aug. 9, 1900

"that they may rest from their labour and their works do follow them." Rev. 14.13

The reverse side of the stone is for his second wife, Mary:

Mary A. Kinkead
Wife of R. W. Lyons
Died June 11, 1886
Aged 65 Years

"Blessed are the dead, that die in the Lord". Rev. 14.13

Infant
Dau. of R. W. & M. A. Lyons
Died Oct. 14, 1856

(Note: 11 days old)

Hill Prairie Cemetery, Randolph County, Illinois

2008-04-10T23:52:00.005-04:00

Jane
Wife of R. W. Lyons
Died
Feb. 17, 1850
Aged 17 yrs. 6 ms. 7 ds.

(Note: Jane's maiden name is Little. She is the first wife of R. W. Lyons)

George E.
Son of
R. W. & M. A. Lyons
Died
Nov. 1, 1857
Aged 3 yrs. 1 mo.

Thanks to Lucy Higgins for taking these great photos.

MOUNT MORIAH CEMETERY

2008-03-31T19:32:00.008-04:00

A most distressing situation has recently come to my attention. It has been 20 years since I visited this cemetery to take photos of my ancestors graves (see former postings). I requested some photos through Find A Grave and volunteers Floyd & Patti very kindly tried to take photos for me.

They were able to find one grave I was interested in. In doing so they also took a photo of the present condition of the cemetery.

DOUGAN
John S. - 1859-1937
Elizabeth H. - 1854 - 1953

This photo shows Floyd hunting through the overgrowth. The large stone at the far left is also for my ancestors. The top of the stone reads Phillips - Dougan. You can see how this area looked before by going to my former posting of September 2007.

Below are some more photos showing the condition this cemetery has deteriorated to. They were taken by R. Bradley Maule (phillyskyline.com). You can see these and many more on his wonderful website in the Mount Moriah photo essay section at http://phillyskyline.com/photo/mountmoriah/index1.htm

According to an article on the Mount Moriah Cemetery Dot Org website, a volunteer group called Friends of Mt. Moriah was formed, and was active in 2005. However, I cannot find any up-to-date information on this group. If you are interested in helping to bring this cemetery back to its previous condition please visit the Mount Moriah website at http://www.mountmoriahcemetery.org/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/

If anyone has information on this group please let me know. This is an historical cemetery with some famous persons buried here. Something needs to be done.

Swanwick Cemetery, Perry County, Illinois

2008-03-22T00:25:00.005-04:00

These great photos were taken by Cheryl Hughes. The graves are for her paternal great and great great grandparents.

HUEY
James S.
Jan. 24, 1847
Apr. 14, 1928

Jane B.
Jan. 20, 1849
July 30, 1927

Mary Ann Leslie
Wife of
Samuel Huey
Born Apr. 22, 1823
Died June 6, 1854

Aged 31 Yr. 1 mo. __ ds.

(Note: This is Samuel Huey's first wife)

This stone is a replica of the Samuel Huey home. On the front of the stone:
Samuel Huey 1813 - 1887

Samuel's second wife, Mary Coulter, and son Samuel H. also have their names and dates on this stone.

For some great family photos and genealogical information, visit Cheryl's Swanwick Cemetery listings at http://www.findagrave.com

More From Baldwin Cemetery

2008-03-16T20:54:00.006-04:00

Robert Burnett
Nov. 22, 1867
Jan. 6, 1936

Theresa A. Burnett
Jan. 12, 1868
Feb. 18, 1951

BURNETT
Anna M. C.
Aug. 13, 1888 - July 24, 1935

Andrew W. V.
Jan. 26, 1885 - Mar. 4, 1944

Vincent Burnett

(no dates on stone)

Finding "Lost" Cemeteries

2008-03-11T21:59:00.002-04:00

The following article was published in RootsWeb Review: 27 January 2008, Vol. 11, No. 9

"I once searched for a lost cemetery in a small Connecticut Community. My method was to visit the local coffee shop at breakfast time. All the "regulars" noticed me and spent time wondering who the stranger was.

Towards the end of my meal I asked the waitress if she had ever heard of the cemetery or knew anyone who might have knowledge of it. Without hesitation she approached the regular crowd with the answer they sought ("Who is that guy?"), and the question I had. Within seconds I had half-a-dozen friends, the way to the cemetery, and the history of how the surrounding land developed."

Jay Powell

Baldwin Cemetery, Continued

2008-03-04T19:03:00.004-05:00

BURNETT
Colonel C.
June 2, 1876 - July 6, 1936

Anna M.
Feb. 20, 1882 - June 21, 1963

(Note: Anna M. is Anna Mary Lyons, daughter of Archibald and Martha Boyd (Hemphill) Lyons.)

Hazel Burnett
1914 - 1956

(Hazel is the daughter of Colonel C. and Anna M. Burnett)

James Preston Burnett

Husband of
Helen B. Burnett
Jan. 14, 1870
July 7, 1910

Baldwin Cemetery, Randolph County, Illinois

2008-02-27T20:44:00.004-05:00

The Baldwin Cemetery is located at Baldwin Road and N 1st Street, North of the City of Baldwin, Randolph County, Illinois.

The following Lyons family stones are located there. Many thanks to Lucy Higgins for taking these photos.

LYONS
Jennie E.
1872 - 1956

William H.
1871 - 1957

LYONS
Mother: Velma K.
Feb. 20, 1918 - May 20, 1996

Father: James R., Sr.
Aug. 4, 1901 - Mar. 24, 1981

Son: Wayne K.
Mar. 6, 1941 - Aug. 18, 1967

Jordan's Grove Cemetery Continued

2008-02-19T18:27:00.006-05:00

The following Lyons grave stones were also found at Jordan's Grove. I do not know if there is a connection to my Lyons ancestors but felt they were worth listing.

In Memory Of Ann Lyons
Born Near Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, Ireland
Died Aug. 25, 1876
In the 80th year of her age.

In Memory of John Lyons
Born Near Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, Ireland
Died July 20, 1902.
Aged 80 Years.

Joseph Lyons
Born in Co. Antrim, Ireland
Jan. 1, 1819
Died Jan. 22, 1906
Aged 87 Yrs. 21 Days

More from Jordan's Grove Cemetery

2008-02-12T20:47:00.002-05:00

The following gravestones are for children of Archibald and Martha Boyd (Hemphill) Lyons.

Joseph Renwick
Son of
Archibald & Martha B. Lyons
Born Oct. 28, 1872
Died Feb. 13, 1888
Aged 15 Yrs. 3 Mo. 16 Ds.

Charles Lyons
1877(79?) - 1880

(This stone is extremely difficult to read)

Samuel Ross
Son of
Archibald and Martha B.
Lyons
Died Sept. 22, 1881
Aged 10 Mo. and 18 Ds.

Jordan's Grove Cemetery, Randolph County, Illinois

2008-02-04T18:06:00.000-05:00

Here are some Lyons gravestones found at Jordan's Grove Cemetery in Baldwin, Randolph County, Illinois. More to follow.

Archibald Lyons
Born in County Antrim, Ireland
Died June 22, 1915
Aged 85 Years

Martha B., His Wife
Born in County Antrim, Ireland
Died Feb. 21, 1941
Aged 95 Years

James Knox Lyons
1865 - 1949

[James Knox is the son of Archibald and Martha Lyons]

In Memory of
Elizabeth A.
Dau. of A. & M.B. Lyons
Born Oct. 1, 1870
Died Aug. 19, 1872
Aged 1 Yr. 10 Mo. 18 Ds.

Galum Presbyterian Cemetery, Perry County, Illinois

2008-01-29T16:06:00.000-05:00

Galum Presbyterian Church and Cemetery is one of the older churches and cemeteries of the county, with graves of some of the earliest settlers from the Denmark and Pinckneyville area.

There are three sections to the cemetery; the oldest sections being the South West and the North West, located on either side of the church, with the newest section being the East.

The above picture is looking NW; cemeteries are on either side and behind, then directly across from front of church.

To get to the cemetery, from the Courthouse in Pinckneyville go South out of town. Travel about 4 miles and you will see a sign on your right. Take this oil road on the right and follow it for 3 miles - Watch For Deer! The church is on your left.

The above information was taken from the Perry County Illinois History & Genealogy web page. To see the cemetery listings included in this article go to http://www.perrycountyillinois.net/. Then scroll down the page until you come to the various cemetery listings.

Wylie Gravestones Continued

2008-01-18T20:25:00.001-05:00

These 3 gravestones are located in the Swanwick Bethel Cemetery, Perry County, Illinois. They are for children of William Theodore and Nancy L. (Woodside) Wylie.

Wm. J. Wylie
1886 - 1913

Burns Service

Susan L. Wylie
1902 - 1902

Burns Service

Ira J. Wylie
1891 - 1912

Burns Service

More Wylie Gravestones at Swanwick

2008-01-11T18:02:00.001-05:00

While walking through the cemetery I saw these Wylie gravestones. I decided to photograph them even though I was not sure they were my ancestors.

In Memory of
James Wylie
Died Jan. 24, 1878
Aged 55 Yrs. 6 Mos.

Wm. T. Wylie
1852 - 1918

WYLIE
Crawford J. 1863 - 1938
Edna Lou 1878 - 1909

Wylie Gravestones at Swanwick Bethel Cemetery

2008-01-05T23:39:00.000-05:00

These two stones are side by side and flat in the ground.

Wm. Theo. Wylie
1855 - 1909
Burns Service

Below is the gravestone for his wife.

This stone was difficult to photograph due to mud covering the stone.

Nancy L. Wylie
1859 - 1935
Burns Service

NOTE: Nancy is the daughter of Robert John and Martha Jane (Pettit) Woodside.

Swanwick Bethel Cemetery (Continued)

2007-12-29T20:05:00.000-05:00

This Woodside family stone holds the following:

Father: Wilmer G., Oct. 18, 1937 - Aug. 10, 2004
Mother: Rita F., Jan. 5, 1942 - Dec. 30, 1976
Daughter: Carla K., July 20, 1965 - Dec. 30, 1976

This McCormick family stone reads:

James, Feb. 13, 1848 - Nov. 12, 1933
Sarah M., Oct. 4, 1856 - Dec. 20, 1921
Florence E., Jan. 7, 1879 - June 18, 1883
Charles W., Feb. 16, 1891 - Dec. 23, 1898

Asleep In Jesus

On the front of this monument:

George McCormick
Died Sept. 5, 1894
Aged 73 Y. 9 M. 26 D.

This is the reverse side of above monument. It is quite worn and difficult to read.

_______ McCormick
Died ____ 28, 1888
Aged 62 Y. 10 M. 24 D.

2007-12-23T17:06:00.001-05:00

FROM MY HOUSE TO YOUR HOUSE

More from Swanwick Bethel Cemetery

2007-12-19T02:05:00.000-05:00

This stone lies flat in the ground.

Wilmer Gene Woodside
A3C US Air Force
Oct 18 1937 - Aug 10 2004

"Will"
William H. Woodside
1962 - 1981

There are 2 persons listed on this stone:

Martha J.
Wife of
W. L. Penninger
Died Aug 14, 1873
Aged __ Yrs. 6 Mo. 3___(part is unreadable due to mud on sides of stone)

James A., Son of W. L. & M. J. Penninger
Died Aug 10, 1873, Aged 1 Mo. 2 Days

Swanwick Bethel Cemetery, Perry County, Illinois

2007-12-10T23:19:00.000-05:00

Entrance to Swanwick Bethel Cemetery on State Highway 13, just East of Swanwick in Perry County, Illinois.

John C.
Son of
J. M. & L. E.
Woodside
Died Feb. 11, 1851
Aged 1 yr. 2 m. 18 dys.

Thomas P. Woodside
Illinois
PVT CO B 81 REGT ILL INF
Civil War

Cemetery Research In Winter Months

2007-12-05T17:44:00.000-05:00

Now that winter weather has hit here in my area, it is very difficult to do any on-site cemetery research. I don't know about you, but I do not enjoy walking and searching through cemeteries with snow or ice on the ground and temperatures near freezing. So here are some ideas on alternate ways to find cemetery or burial information.

A great website to visit is findagrave.com. They have a database of over 16 million burial records. You can search for a cemetery and see who is buried there, or you can search on a surname or full name to see what cemetery they are buried in. The information is entered by individuals, so you may need to double-check birth and death dates. There are even some pictures that have been uploaded by individuals. You could get lucky and find a tombstone photo of one of your ancestors.

Try visiting or writing to local libraries, genealogy libraries, and genealogical societies in the area where your ancestor is buried. You may find your ancestor's gravestone inscription listed among the transcriptions owned by these organizations, or they may know where transcriptions are located.

Computerized cemetery records indexes can be helpful in locating the record you need. These can be found at some libraries, or can be purchased from genealogical and historical societies.

Another great idea is to visit the web page for the area where your ancestors lived or died. Many counties and states now have on-line databases with helpful information. I have had great luck using the Randolph County and Perry County, Illinois web pages. Visit rootsweb.com to find the state or county site you are looking for.

I hope these few ideas will help you. If you do not yet know the cemetery where an ancestor is buried, try sending for the death certificate. It often provides the place of burial. And don't forget to ask an older relative. Quite often older relatives know information the younger ones do not, even where to find that elusive cemetery.

Coulterville Cemetery (Continued)

2007-11-29T16:53:00.002-05:00

This family plot is located at the far end of the cemetery. Cemetery Road runs right behind the stones. Of course, it was the last part of the cemetery that I walked through.

Below is a separate listing of each stone.

Located at the left of the above photo, this stone reads:

John Woodside
Born June 5, 1782
Died Dec. 29, 1855

The lower half of stone is quite worn and hard to read, but I believe the above dates are correct.

The second stone from the left is for John's wife:

Nancy F.
Wife of John Woodside
Born Apr. 2, 1796
Died Nov. 29, 1869

Second stone from the right:

Robt. P. Woodside
Born Sep. 26, 1838
Died Jan. 31, 1864

There is a rifle at the top of the stone. At the bottom I was only able to read Co. F. However, Randolph County Cemetery Records state Co. F. 10 MO Inf-CW.

This stone is on the far right:

Josiah K. Woodside
Born Aug. 1, 1835
Died May 30, 1898

(All census records give this son's name as Joshua K.)

More from Coulterville Cemetery

2007-11-23T16:22:00.002-05:00

This pillar gravestone has the name Woodside engraved on the lower front, and engravings on three sides of the upper pillar. The stone leaning against the side of the pillar is for Sarah M. Woodside and is described in my previous posting.

The pillar stone has deteriorated quite a bit and is difficult to read. However, I believe I have captured most of the engraving properly.

The right-hand side of the pillar has the following engraving:

Sarah, Wife of R. H. Woodside
Died July 25, 1902
Aged 79Y 8M 28Ds

The rear of the pillar is engraved:

Woodside
Died June 25, 1898
Aged 80Y 2M 16(?)Ds.

(I could not read the beginning of the engraving, but believe this to be Robert H., husband of Sarah.)

The third, or left-hand side of the pillar reads:
Woodside, Died Oct 2, 1855, Aged 21 Days.

I could not get the first name, however, it appears to be for Robert and Sarah's daughter, Sarah M., as the death information is the same as on the white stone that is leaning against the pillar.

Coulterville Cemetery, Randolph County, Illinois

2007-11-18T17:16:00.000-05:00

Coulterville Cemetery entrance stone. This cemetery sits between County Highway 25 and Cemetery Road, just north of State Route 13 in Randolph County, Illinois.

This stone is leaning against a larger Woodside monument. It reads:

Sarah M., Daughter of
Robert H. and Sarah Woodside
Died Oct. 2, 1855, Aged 21 days

This is a more recent stone in the cemetery. I do not know if it is related to my Woodside line, but felt it worth photographing.

It reads: S. Harold 1894 - 1962 and Anna M. 1898 - 1979

Map of Holy Sepulchre Cemetery

2007-11-12T15:04:00.000-05:00

This map of Holy Sepulchre Cemetery was received from the cemetery office in 1998. The cemetery is located on Cheltenham Avenue between Waverly and Easton Roads, in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

At that time you could write to them or go in to the office with a list of the names you were interested in locating graves for. In addition to the map, they printed out a sheet from their computer which gave the owner of the grave site, the section-range-lot-grave numbers, the names of the deceased buried there and the interment dates.

With the map and list in hand it is rather easy to locate the graves you are interested in. It will still require some walking and looking, but is a lot less time consuming than working without this information.

Visiting Older Cemeteries

2007-11-06T18:59:00.000-05:00

Since my recent genealogy research trip took me to some older cemeteries, I thought I would share with you some things I learned.

First of all, be prepared to spend a LOT of time (read that as hours) at EACH cemetery. Older cemeteries do not have offices you can visit to ask questions, therefore cannot provide maps of the lot or grave layouts.

Second, the stones are not laid out in even rows and all stones do not face the same direction. This makes it very difficult to walk the rows to read stones.

Third, many of the older stones have deteriorated a great deal and are unreadable, are broken and incomplete, or they are just plain missing.

For one of the cemeteries I was visiting I had found a listing on-line at the County page. It gave the row or section of the cemetery where my ancestors were buried. However, when I got there I discovered the problems listed above, plus there was no way to distinguish the sections. So my daughter and I had to walk the whole cemetery to try and find my ancestors. We found some, but not all that were supposed to be there.

The second cemetery we visited was pretty much the same experience, except I did not have a listing that showed rows or sections, only names. This time I played it smarter and only headed toward the older looking stones. It still involved a great deal of walking and looking. I was about ready to give up finding anything when I practically fell over what I was looking for.

We had planned on visiting 4 cemeteries that day - only made it to 2 of them. We also had planned on spending 3 days visiting 7 to 8 cemeteries, never made it past the first day. The weather was horrible - severe wind and rain kept us in the hotel the other 2 days. Not a completely wasted trip but disappointing just the same.

So Number Four on the list would be to check the weather for the area you are going to before you finalize your plans. If the weatherman say storms are heading that way in a few days, stay home. We had beautiful sunny days driving out to the cemeteries and again driving home. Sometimes you just can't count on the weather staying nice!

2007-11-02T01:12:00.000-04:00

The following two gravestones are at the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery (see previous postings) and are for my husband's family.

This stone is in Section 12, Range 10, Lot 44

Mother: K. Stolzer 1890-1918

Father: A. Stolzer 1863-1934

(Note: The Stolzers were my husband's great grandparents - Katherine (Kern)& Andrew)

This stone is flat in the ground in Section 1, Range 5, Lot 38. I do not know the person engraved on the stone (Isabella Friel) but there are 3 burials in the cemetery's records: William Carroll 12/28/1900 age 11 yrs.; William Carroll 1/28/1908 age 3 yrs.; Nora Walsh 11/18/07.

2007-10-28T00:48:00.000-04:00

These two gravestones are at the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery (see previous posting) and sit side by side.

PETERS
Jacob - 1886-1929
Mary K. - 1888-1947
Mary Walsh - 1911-1960

(Note: Mary Walsh is the daughter of Jacob and Mary K. Peters)

HARE
Catherine M. - 1908-1970
Joseph T. - 1899-1977

(Note: Catherine M. Hare is the daughter of Jacob and Mary K. Peters)

Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Montgomery County, PA

2007-10-23T18:46:00.000-04:00

Sign at entrance to Holy Sepulchre Cemetery on Cheltenham Avenue in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

Walsh family gravestone located in Section 18, Range 5, Lot 14. At time of visit in July of 1998, this lot had three Graves with a total of 9 spaces.

Grave 1 included the following:

1F - Mary Walsh, born April 29, 1927, interred February 2, 1929
1/6 - Ann A. Campbell, born October 8, 1906, died January 29, 1995, interred February 3, 1995
1/8 - James J. Walsh, Jr., born November 24, 1904, died August 16, 1957, interred August 21, 1957
1/9 - James Walsh, born June 13, 1928, interred January 29, 1929.

Grave 2 included the following:

3C - Julia P. Walsh, born December 27, 1905, interred May 12, 1990
3/6 - Margaret M. Shuman, born August 28, 1929, died June 18, 1989, interred June 23, 1989
3/8 - James J. Walsh, Sr., born November 19, 1884, died February 15, 1962, interred February 19, 1962

Grave 3 included the following:

CR/6 - Elsie Murray, interred August 18, 1931
CR/8 - Rose E. Walsh, born 1886, died July 31, 1926, interred August 4, 1926

2007-10-14T18:43:00.000-04:00

I will be away from my computer for about a week doing genealogical research in cemeteries. Hope to come back with lots more information on my ancestors, as well as pictures.

Look for my next posting around the 22nd of October.

If there is some information on a particular relative you are looking for that might connect with one of my lines, please contact me through my email link under my Profile. I am always willing to share information.

Map of Caledonia Cemetery, Sparta, Illinois

2007-10-10T23:59:00.000-04:00

The Caledonia Cemetery is located about 1/2 mile east of the town of Sparta on State Route 154, in Randolph County, Illinois. The upper end of the cemetery is bordered by East Mound Street.

Hill Prairie Cemetery, Sparta, Randolph County, Illinois

2007-10-05T17:28:00.002-04:00

Samuel W. Lyons
Died Apr. 2, 1862
Aged 19 yrs. 7 ms. 10 ds.

Note: Samuel W. is the son of Robert W. and Bithiak (Patterson) Lyons

Renwick S.
Son of
R.W. & M.A. Lyons
Died Aug. 16, 1861
Aged 1 yr. 5 ms.

Note: Renwick is the son of Robert W. and Mary Ann (Kinkead) Lyons.

Hopewell Cemetery, Perry County, Illinois

2007-09-30T23:17:00.000-04:00

Hopewell Cemetery pg 1: "Hopewell Cemetery Contributed by Susan Patton Hopewell

Cemetery is located five miles west of Pinckneyville, Illinois, on Highway 154, then South on small side road, to a hill covered with stately trees. A sign is posted along the highway. The first burial date was before 1830. Some of the area's earliest settlers are buried here. The Hopewell Cemetery Association was organized June 2, 1970, to maintain and preserve this cemetery. Hopewell Presbyterian Church, which no longer stands, bordered the east side of the cemetery. The Church was built in 1831. By 1885, the parishioners had increased and a new church was built , called Four Mile Presbyterian Church, leaving the old one abandoned."

For the legend that goes with the above picture visit the web site by clicking on the above link.

More from Mt. Moriah Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA

2007-09-25T17:27:00.001-04:00

While these two stones do not appear to be of relatives, I took photographs to be on the safe side. Who knows, somewhere down the line I may be glad I did. They both are flat in the ground in Section 10.

My Husband, Thomas Dugan, Died May 24, 18??, Aged 51 Years.

Andrew, Son of the late Thomas & Jane Dugan. Died Sep. 22, 1876, Aged 10 Years.

May They Rest In Peace.

In Memory of My Daughter Eliza Goodchild, Died Aug. 18, ___7, Aged 26 Years.

Also My Daughter Ida Goodchild, Died Feb. 7, 1890, Aged 4 Years & 4 Mos.

Also Annie Dugan, Died Feb. 25, 1889, Aged 21 Years

Children of Jane and the late Thomas Dugan. May They Rest In Peace.

Finding A Cemetery

2007-09-21T01:10:00.000-04:00

In order to do cemetery research you will first need to learn where your ancestor is buried. Here are a few ways to do that:

Locate death records and/or obituaries. They nearly always mention the cemetery.

Ask family members if they have any funeral, mass or prayer cards. Also ask if they know of family burial locations.

Funeral homes can be helpful in locating cemetery records. The funeral home is often mentioned in obituaries and death notices. Also, funeral directors will have knowledge of the cemeteries in their area.

Check with the church your ancestors attended. Often a record of the death and burial is kept by the church. Also, some churches have attached cemeteries and will have records of the burials there. If you don't know the church, check a map of the area where your ancestor lived and see what churches are near where they lived.

Don't forget to check with the local genealogical or historical society. Quite often they have compiled cemetery indexes.

On-line sources can be very helpful and there are quite a few. Check out Cindi's List at http://www.cyndislist.com/deaths.htm for a varied list.

Some Lyons Gravesites at New Holland Cemetery, Ohio

2007-09-18T21:36:00.000-04:00

Dora Belle Lyons is the spouse of M. Luther Lyons.

Hassel Vernon, Infant Son of M. L. and D. B. Lyons June 20, 1907

Map of Mt. Moriah Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA

2007-09-14T21:05:00.000-04:00

Way back in 1987, before there was so much concern with privacy and records were more easy to obtain, I had contacted Mt. Moriah Cemetery to get any information they had on Dougan burials. For a fee they did the research and sent me a wonderful listing that included the name, age at death, date interred and grave site. I doubt very much you would be able to do this today with all the privacy restrictions.

This photo is a copy of the map that was sent along with the information. I was easily able to find each grave I was interested in.

Mount Moriah Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA

2007-09-10T00:45:00.000-04:00

The Mount Moriah Cemetery is located on Kingsessing Avenue and consists of an older section and a newer section. Cobbs Creek Boulevard cuts through the two sections. I did not take a photo of the entrance when I visited in 1998, but did find this photo on-line.

The Dougans are my paternal ancestors. This stone is for my great, great grandfather and his family. It is in Section 31, Lot 49. On the top of the stone is engraved Dougan. The front of the stone on the left side reads:
Father: Joseph Dougan 1823 - 1911
Mother: Mary Dougan 1829 - 1923

The right side reads:
1861 Robert C. 1864
1867 Mary Y. 1868
1864 Robert C. 1882
1871 Mary R. 1892

This small stone lays flat in the ground and is in Section 135, Lot 250, and is for my great grandparents child:

Willie T. Dougan
Born Aug. 2, 1881
Died May 6, 1887

This stone represents part of my great, great grandfather's family. It is located in Section 135, Lot 246. The top of the stone is engraved Phillips - Dougan. The front of the stone on the left side reads:
1882 Edith D. 1964
1882 Frederick 1965

The right side reads:
1856 Joseph 1931
1859 Jennie H. 1887
1884 J. Howard 1886

Tips for Photographing Gravestones

2007-09-04T22:21:00.000-04:00

Genealogy.com: Tips for Photographing Gravestones:

Cleaning the Stone

Cleaning a cemetery stone is a controversial topic. The first rule of conservation and preservation is to cause no damage. Unfortunately, by using household cleaners, chalk and shaving cream to enhance the lettering you may injure the surface in ways that are not readily apparent. Caution should be used before you destroy what you set out to preserve.

Over the centuries several different types of stones have been used to create gravestones. Some of the stones are quite porous and fragile, while others are resistant to damage. Be careful when attempting to improve the readability of the inscription. Types of stone:

Prior to the Nineteenth century: Sandstone or slate
Nineteenth Century: Marble and gray granite
Late nineteenth century to the present: Polished granite or marble

There are a few things that you can do that will not cause injury.

A soft brush or natural sponge and water will help you remove surface soil. Gentle brushing should remove surface dirt and bird droppings. Power washing should not be used; water should flow over the stone or be delicately sprayed onto the surface. Never use hard objects or stiff brushes to clean the stone. Removing lichens with sharp objects may inadvertently destroy the surface.
Not all cemeteries are regularly maintained. By trimming tall weeds around the base of the stone and cutting the grass you may discover epitaphs hidden under the overgrowth.

Caledonia Cemetery, Randolph County, Illinois

2007-08-31T00:33:00.001-04:00

The Caledonia Cemetery is located about 1/2 mile east of the town of Sparta on State Route 154, in Randolph County, Illinois.

Please note, these are only some, not all, of the Woodside graves in Caledonia.

This Woodside stone covers three burials:

David B. 1871 - 1936
Fannie S. 1872 - 1959
James Roy 1905 - 1906

Ralph N. Woodside 1907 - 1976

This stone is standing upright under a tree.

Mary A. Wife of J. J. Woodside
Born Oct 26, 1811
Died Feb. 18, 1892
Aged 80 Yrs. 3 M. 22 d.

The following three stones are flat in the ground:

Addison, Son of John J. & Mary Woodside, Died July 20, 1853, Aged 1 yr 3 mos. 9 ds.

John M., Son of John J. & Mary A. Woodside, Died June 21, 1848, Aged 1 year, 8 mos. 2 ds.

John S., Son of John J. & M.A. Woodside, Died Aug 26, 1850, Aged 1 yr. 9 ms. 26 ds.

PETTIT stones in the Caledonia Cemetery:

Jonathan Pettit, Died July 16, 1851, Aged 32 Yrs. 7 mo. 22 ds.

(Note: Randolph County, Illinois Information 1800-1850 by Randolph County Genealogical Society, Chester, Illinois, p.320, states this is husband of Mary)

Son of Jonathan & Mary Pettit, Died May 2, 1819, Aged 2 yrs.

(Note: Randolph County, Illinois Information 1800-1850 by Randolph County Genealogical Society, Chester, Illinois, p.320, states this is John Henry Pettit)

Map of Beverly National Cemetery, New Jersey

2007-08-27T14:45:00.001-04:00

In September of 2001 I contacted the cemetery office by phone with the names I was interested in. They were very polite and helpful and faxed to me a map similar to this one with the grave sites marked on it.

The Section and Grave Number are engraved on the back of the stones.

More on Elmlawn Cemetery

2007-08-24T15:44:00.001-04:00

The following gravestones are for the Samcoe family. While this is not a direct line in my Woodside family, the Samcoes are related to Lillie B. (Samcoe) Woodside, wife of William J. Woodside. The Samcoe gravestones sit next to the Woodside gravestones in the West Chapel Lawn section of Elmlawn Cemetery. See the previous Elmlawn posting for the Woodside gravestones.

This photo is an overview of the layout of the Woodside and Samcoe stones. The darker stone on the left is the Woodside stone, as well as the flat in ground plaque in front of it. The second and fourth stones on the right are the Samcoe stones.

These two photos are of the front and back of the stone that sits under the tree in rear of overview photo (Lot 522).

Engraved on the lower edge of front of stone are three names: Charlotte B. 1886-1934; George A. 1887-1949; Elizabeth 1855-1928 (These are in graves 4, 5, and 6).

Engraved on lower edge of rear of stone are two names and a blank space: Ruth E. 1906-1907; Geda L. 1892-1963 (graves 10 and 11).

These photos are the front and rear of the second Samcoe gravestone (Lot 525).

Engraved on lower edge of front are three names: William H. Sr. 1848-1897; William J. 1891-1942; Anna Martin 1890-1954 (graves 4, 5, and 6).

Engraved on lower edge of rear of stone are three names: Stanley Czapla 1887-1956; Ruth A. Bogner 1913-2004; Earl Bogner 1913-1966 (graves 10, 11, and 12).

This plaque laying flat in ground is at the rear of the above gravestone. It reads: Beloved Husband, Stanley Czapla, 1887-1956. It would appear this plaque was put in place at time of burial, then later his name was engraved on the large stone.

Photographing Gravestones

2007-08-15T22:56:00.000-04:00

When I visit a cemetery to photograph my ancestors gravestones I try to do it in the late morning or early afternoon. The sun is usually at a better angle at this time of day for photographing the stones. Just be sure not to throw your shadow onto a stone with a glossy surface or you will see yourself in the photo. (Yeah, I did this and, unfortunately, did not discover it until after I got home.)

I prefer to use a digital camera with a zoom lense and an LCD monitor. The monitor lets you know immediately whether or not you will be able to read the inscription. If it is an older, hard to read stone be sure to write the information down in addition to taking the photograph. In fact, I do this even when I can read the inscription in the monitor just to be on the safe side. After all, if I have traveled a long distance to get the photos I probably will not be going back anytime soon, if at all. Better to be safe than sorry.

With a large gravestone you may not be able to read the inscription clearly in the monitor, or on the photograph. This is where a zoom lense comes in handy; you can zoom in and photograph the inscription, in sections if necessary. Be sure to also get the full view of the stone.

Sometimes it is helpful to take a photograph at an angle in order to have some shadow in the inscription, which makes it easier to read. It depends on how the sun is hitting the stone. Be careful also with using a flash. A lot of the time it causes too much light and fades out the inscription making it unreadable.

Those bronze plaques that lay flat in the ground are harder to photograph well. It is difficult to read the dark lettering against the dark background. I have found, though, that you can deal with this in whatever photo program you have in your computer. I used Paint Shop Pro to lighten a plaque photograph so it is easier to read.

Another thing I like to do is make a sketch of the layout of the gravestones, especially when a family is grouped together. In the sketch I draw the shape of the stone and put a number on it; then further down the page, or on another sheet of paper, I write that number along with the inscription and a brief description of the stone. I also take an overview photograph showing this same layout. This can be very helpful if you ever need to go back to the site or another member of the family wants to visit the site.

Don't neglect the stones in the plots next to or near your ancestors. Take photographs of these stones and closeups of the inscriptions even if you don't recognize the names. You may find out later that they are extended family.

Take the time to stop in the cemetery office and look at the records. Sometimes there is more information than what is on the stone - such as a baby buried in a plot with another child or adult, or the name of a relative who is/was the owner of the plot. Also, if you can't find a stone for an ancestor but you know they were buried at that particular cemetery, the office can tell you if there was no stone at all.

Map of Greenmount Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA

2007-08-09T00:46:00.001-04:00

I contacted the cemetery office before my visit with the names I was interested in and they sent me a map similar to this one with the grave sites marked on it. This was in 1992, but I would hope the cemetery office would still be making the map available.

When writing to them be sure to enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope for their reply. The address is 4301 N. Front Street.

Greenmount Cemetery, Philadelphia, PA

2007-08-08T23:15:00.000-04:00

Greenmount Cemetery is located at 4301 N. Front Street, near Hunting Park Avenue, in Philadelphia. This is an older cemetery that was established in 1875. I visited it in 1998 and it was still in use at that time. I did not get a photo of the entrance, but did photograph the stone with the cemetery name on it near the entrance. If I remember correctly, the cemetery is surrounded by a green iron fence.

The following three stones are for my Dougan relatives, including my father. The first photo shows the two stones as they sit in the cemetery, side-by-side. Next photo is the family stone which reads as follows (parenthesis are my comments):

DOUGAN
Joseph R. 1877 - 1930 (my grandfather)
Joseph R. 1899 - 1956 (my uncle)
M. Evelyn 1905 - 1958 (my aunt)
George B. 1908 - 1960 (my father)
Mary J. 1877 - 1961 (my grandmother)

The third stone is for my grandparent's child that died very young. On top of the stone is engraved Our Baby. The front of the stone reads W. Mervin Dougan, Born 1909 Died 1912. Also in the plot, but not on the stone, is the grave of my aunt Erma's baby, Sheralyn Letton who died March 24, 1935, 1 month old. All these graves are in Section K, Lot 281.

This last marker is for my mother, Ida Blanche (Woodside) Trainer, formerly Dougan. She was the daughter of John Thomas and Ida May Woodside. It is a bronze plaque that lies flat in the ground in the Lawn Section, Lot 866.

TRAINER
Together Forever
John W. 1894-1969
Blanche 1908-1972

More From Beverly National Cemetery

2007-08-05T19:00:00.000-04:00

This is an overview of cemetery layout showing husband and wife stones side-by-side.

These two pictures are relatives on my father's side of the family - my aunt Erma (Dougan) and her husband.

Erma D
May 21 1901
Aug 10, 1996
Wife of
SGT James M. Letton
USA
(Sec. J, Lot 1730)

James M. Letton
Pennsylvania
SGT MTC
World War I
October 18 1899
April 28 1957

(Sec J, Lot 1731)

+++++++++++++++++++

This stone is for a relative on my husband's side of the family. (No relation to my Smiths)

James Andrew Smith
New Jersey
S1 USCGR
World War II
April 5 1915
June 27 1957

(Sec. L, Lot 2932)

Genealogy Through Cemetery Research

2007-07-30T14:29:00.000-04:00

Sometimes the only way to gain information and further your research is by visiting the graves of your ancestors. You may wonder why you should go to the trouble of locating and visiting cemeteries. I'll tell you why. You may think you are visiting the grave site of one person, then when you get there you discover a whole family plot. There can be a spouse (maybe even a maiden name), children, possibly the children's spouses, full or partial birth and death dates, birthplaces, and parent's names listed on the stone. Sometimes a grave stone will even provide military information or a hint of membership in an organization.

Yes, it is true! It has happened to me. I can't tell you how excited I was when I found such extended information. The grin on my face was huge. I began taking notes and pictures like crazy. What I thought would be a short half-hour visit to a cemetery turned into a couple of hours. I have even found evidence of previously unknown baby deaths.

Just remember, this is considered secondary information not primary. The people providing the information or the stone carver sometimes made mistakes. You will need to confirm the cemetery information with sources - birth and death certificate, marriage records, probate records, etc.

Is it worth it? Absolutely! It is a wonderful feeling to stand in the place that holds your ancestors' remains and see important information carved in the stones. If the cemetery you want to visit is a long distance away, use the trip as part of a vacation. And do it now. Older stones are deteriorating or being destroyed by vandals; old cemeteries are disappearing. You won't regret the trip, but you might regret a missed opportunity.

Beverly National Cemetery, Beverly, New Jersey

2007-07-22T17:17:00.002-04:00

The Beverly National Cemetery is a military cemetery located in Burlington County, New Jersey. Non-military spouses can often be found buried next to their military spouse. If you write to the cemetery office they will send you a map with the area(s) marked for the person(s) you are looking for.

As you can see from the photos, it is a beautiful cemetery with an Avenue of Flags Honoring Deceased Veterans and a lovely sitting area with 2 benches.

The Section and Grave numbers are on the back of the stones, which makes it fairly easy to locate the one you are looking for.

********************

My Woodside grandparents are buried here, side by side:

John T. Woodside
Pennsylvania
SGT 3 INF
June 15 1877
May 14 1948

(John Thomas Woodside is the son of William Steward Woodside and Rose Ann Lyons Smith, of Perry County, Illinois.)

Ida May
July 5 1883
February 15 1959
Wife of
Sgt J T Woodside
USA

2007-07-22T16:12:00.000-04:00

Since the Elmlawn Cemetery is located near Buffalo, New York and Niagara Falls, my daughter and I decided to make it a vacation trip. For us it was a 6 hour trip by car to Buffalo. We stayed near the 290 Expressway to make it easy to get to both the cemetery and Niagara Falls. A good portion of one day was spent visiting the grave sites and taking pictures.

The office at the cemetery is very helpful if you have any questions or need directions to a particular area. I suggest you write to the cemetery in advance with the names you are interested in. They will send you a map of the cemetery with the grave sites marked.

Elmlawn has a new website with more information on the cemetery, a map and directions, plus some genealogy information. You can visit them at www.elmlawncemetery.com

While you are there be sure to take time to take in Niagara Falls and visit some of the sites in Buffalo.

Elmlawn Cemetery, Kenmore, New York

2007-07-20T23:07:00.001-04:00

Elmlawn Cemetery is located in Kenmore, just north of Buffalo, New York, at 3939 Delaware Avenue. Located in this cemetery are the graves for my grandfather's brother - William J. Woodside, Sr. - as well as his wife, 3 of his children and and their families. All are located in the West Chapel Lawn section.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Front side of Woodside gravestone (Lot 515, graves #7, 8, 9). Names at bottom of stone are:

Edna M. 1915 - 1928
Lillie B. 1881 - 1954
William J. Sr. 1879 - 1959

Lillie B. (Samcoe) is the wife of William J. Woodside, Sr. Edna is one of their twin daughters.

Rear of Woodside gravestone. Names at bottom of stone are:

Thomas A. 1914 -
Evelyn A. 1915 - 1954 (grave #2)

Evelyn A. (Woodside) Green is the twin sister of Edna M. above.

At time of photographing (Sept. 2005) Thomas was still alive according to the cemetery office.

This Woodside marker is flat in the ground (Lot 514, grave #8). The names on it are:

William J. Jr. 1907 - 1961
Anna G. 1904 - 1991