Who Do You Think You Are - Featuring Marisa Tomei

Who Do You Think You Are, sponsored by Ancestry.com is back for a 3rd season. Be sure to watch Episode 2 this Friday, February 10 at 8/7c on NBC.

Tomorrow's episode features Marisa Tomei who travels to Italy to find out who killed her great grandfather.

Gravestone ensures Civil War nurse won’t be forgotten

Michelle Green’s mission is to place a new marker on the grave of Civil War nurse Mary Dunbar (1815-1887), whose service as a member of the Woman’s Relief Corps is not recognized by the federal government. The timeworn gravestone is now barely legible.

Read More

Coffin Plate Of The Week. Steven Tyler 1798 ~ 1868

Steven Tyler Died Feb 26 1868 at the age of 70 years.


I went and had a look in the 1860 United States Federal Census and I think this is the man we are looking for.

Name: Stephen Tyler
Age in 1860: 63
Birth Year: 1797
Birthplace: New York
Home in 1860: Virgil, Cortland, New York

Post Office: East Virgil

Household Members: Name Age
Stephen Tyler 63
Margart Tyler 55
George Tyler 25
Emeline Tyler 20
Margaret N Tyler 20
William Tyler 18
Celestia Tyler 14
Anna Tyler 2
Infant Tyler 1/12

I cant say 100% that this is the Steven Tyler that this coffin plate belongs to but as it was with the coffin plate of Margaret Tyler who died in 1885 at the age of 80 I would say its a good bet.

This is a fairly common Coffin Plate for this time period but it may be possible to make some educated guesses that will tell us a little something about the family. The fact that the plate was purchased tells us that the family was not dirt poor. A coffin plate was a luxury. However it is a middle of the road plate as far as quality goes so they were probably not a rich family. Also the quality of the engraving is poor. This tells us that they probably lived in a more rural setting or small town. Coffin plates from a larger town or city generally have a better quality engraving.

'Tombstone Wall' a tribute to Morgantown's colonial past

In a little courtyard behind First Presbyterian Church in Morgantown, W.Va all is quiet. It always is. That's because Julie T. Berkshire already made her journey. On April 16, 1837.

George Hill laid his burden down in October of 1848. Dolly McCleary's work was done on Jan. 11, 1850.

And Col. William McCleary, a Revolutionary War soldier and statesman who entered this life in 1741, made his final call to duty 80 years later, in 1821.

The above-mentioned tombstones are but a few of the ones incorporated into a wall at the church that had its beginnings on Oct. 21, 1788.

Read More

Coffin Plate Of Ann A Smith

I have just added the coffin plate of Ann A Smith. Ann died October 23rd 1877 at the age of 17 years.

Thanks to Anns great-granddaughter for submiting this Coffin Plate. She tells me Ann was from Wells Maine and Ann was born ANNIE A. LITTLEFIELD.

If you want to see more Coffin Plates try Ancestors At Rest Coffin Plates

The Sad Story Of Charlotte Canda

I found this interesting little story on the Spinster Aunt blog. Poor Charlotte died in a tragic accident on February 3rd, 1845: her 17th birthday.


Read More

African-American slave cemeteries plowed over for spillway to be restored near New Orleans

The Bonnet Carre Spillway is a drainage structure in St. Charles Parish that protects New Orleans and surrounding areas when the waters of the Mississippi threaten to flood. When it was constructed near the year 1929, two cemeteries that had been dedicated to the burial of African-American slaves and their descendants were plowed over. The Kenner and Kugler cemeteries, which were active from the late 1800s until about 1929, are believed to contain up to 300 burials. Now both sites are slated to be reinstated as sacred places, as the Army Corps of Engineers makes plans to commemorate the cemeteries with memorials.

Read More

$10,000! Trip Of A Lifetime Ancestry.com Sweepstakes

Who Do You Think You Are is back for a 3rd season and will premier this Friday with Martin Sheen to lead off the series. In conjunction with Season 3, Ancestry.com is running a Sweepstakes where 3 Grand Prize winners will win a trip of a lifetime to uncover their own family history valued at $10,000! The Sweepstakes includes a trip to the winner's homeland to explore their family roots, round-trip airfare for two, hotel and $2,000 in cash, plus a 6-month Ancestry.com World Explorer membership and an Ancestry.com DNA test to discover their genetic ethnicity. 20 First Prize winners will receive a 6-month Ancestry.com World Explorer membership.

Win the Ultimate Family History Journey at Ancestry.com!

In conjunction with Season 3 of Who Do You Think You Are, Ancestry.com is running a Sweepstakes where 3 Grand Prize winners will win a trip of a lifetime to uncover their own family history valued at $10,000!  

The Sweepstakes includes a trip to the winner's homeland to explore their family roots, round-trip airfare for two, hotel and $2,000 in cash, plus a 6-month Ancestry.com World Explorer membership and an Ancestry.com DNA test to discover their genetic ethnicity.   

20 First Prize winners will receive a 6-month Ancestry.com World Explorer membership.  To enter, click on the graphic where you see the words ENTER NOW

Killed By Kisses

George Spencer Millet's grave in Woodlawn Cemetery, which tells a tragic and unusual story. His headstone reads: "Lost life by stab in falling on ink eraser, evading six young women trying to give him birthday kisses in office of Metropolitan Life Building." This happened the day after Valentine's day, on February 15th, 1909.

http://gothamist.com/2012/01/24/grave.php