Ancestors At Rest

Killed By Kisses

2012-02-01T07:52:00.000-08:00

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

Who Do You Think You Are is back for a 3rd season on Friday

2012-01-31T06:03:00.000-08:00

Who Do You Think You Are, sponsored by Ancestry.com is back for a 3rd season and will premier this Friday, February 3 at 8/7c on NBC. Martin Sheen will lead off the series and other celebrities lined up include Marissa Tomei, Blair Underwood, Helen Hunt, Jerome Bettis, Robb Lowe, and Paula Deen among others.

Be sure to tune-in and see what each of our celebrities learns about their family history!
Check out the WDYTYA site at http://www.nbc.com/who-do-you-think-you-are/

As well, watch for the Martin Sheen interview on Olive Tree Genealogy blog at http://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com

Lorine McGinnis Schulze of Olive Tree Genealogy was invited to participate in the Media Conference Call with Mr. Sheen and Lorine tells me her interview article will be online in a few days.

13 Stray Tombstones in Pennsylvania - Where Do They Belong?

2012-01-28T09:10:00.000-08:00

State police at Schuylkill Haven are investigating the discovery of 13 tombstones found in East Norwegian Township, Schuylkill Co. Pennsylvania.

Of the 13, only six have been transcribed so far, which state:

Robert D. Phelger 1875-1951

Frank 1866-1910

Loretta A. Buries 1900-1945

Harry J. Johnson 1887-1924

Mary A. Rote 1888-1933

William E. Gramley 1886-1948

Police have not yet transcribed the other 8 tombstones but are anxious to learn where the tombstones came from.

Anyone with information as to what cemetery the tombstones are from or who may have been in possession of the stones is asked to contact state police at Schuylkill Haven at 570-593-2000.

Source: Origin unknown of tombstones left on side of Saint Clair road

A Stray Tombstone in Pratt Kansas

2012-01-26T10:00:00.000-08:00

A Construction Company was performing remodeling at a house in Pratt Kansas when they discovered a headstone on the west side of the house under a concrete slab.

The headstone reads: C.E. Miller 1887 – 1932. No one knows why the tombstone is there. Authorities wonder if perhaps someone is buried there or was the stone taken from a local cemetery.

A check of nearby Greenlawn Cemetery revealed that a Corinda E. Miller was born and died in the same years listed on the found tombstone and is buried in Section 31 in Greenlawn.

Cemetery officials stated that the stones are similar. The speculation is that perhaps the stone found at the house was a temporary marker and once a permanent tombstone was erected, the temporary one was taken away.

A puzzling mystery!

I dont really like this Igrave and natural burial stuff.

2012-01-25T10:52:00.000-08:00

For those of you who read yesterdays post about Igrave I have to say that while I find it interesting, as a genealogist I don't really like this Igrave and natural burial stuff.

For genealogists like myself big old fashioned tombstones are one of the most important sources of genealogical information available to us. In many cases a tombstone is all that remains to tell us about the people who have gone before. Paper and electronic records are just too easy to lose.

All the folks who are being buried in natural unmarked graves risk being lost forever. I myself (like the Kings of old) want the biggest monument I can get.

iGrave. The device that lets you find your relative's coffin

2012-01-24T10:52:00.000-08:00

Everyone buried at The Preserve, a 1.5-acre natural burial site in Lafayette, Indiana, receives a RF transmitter disk in the center of their casket, or in the grave if there is no casket.

Read More

Coffin Plate of William Hall and Mary Jane Hall

2012-01-16T13:41:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Karen Linley for submiting the coffin plates of William Hall and Mary Jane Hall.

William Hall
Aged 83 Years 9 Months
Died Aug 19 1921

Mary Jane Hall
Died June 22 1922
Age 74 years

William Hall born 15 June 1843 in Yorkshire England died 13 Aug 1921 in Gordon twsp, Manitoulin Island, Ont Canada married Mary Jane Griffith 08 Jan 1872 in Bondhead, Simcoe Co, Ont Canada she was born 30 May 1848 in Tottenham, Simcoe Co, Ont Canada died 22 Jun 1922 in Gordon twsp, Manitoulin Island, Ont canada.

500 NAMES IN THE COFFIN PLATE INDEX

Texas crews excavate bones of purported ex-slaves

2012-01-15T13:59:00.000-08:00

Crews of scientists with wooden spoons and small metal picks dig carefully around bones embedded in a dry lake bed, excavating what is believed to be the remains of freed slaves and their children buried in a long-forgotten cemetery.

More than two dozen graves were exposed this summer in a section of a reservoir that dried up in the severe Texas drought. Officials later organized a thorough excavation effort and were recently embroiled in a brief legal battle over where to rebury the bones.

MORE

17th Century Letters Lost & Found

2012-01-14T07:27:00.000-08:00

Thought I would re-post this as I think its kind of cool. A few days ago Lorine of the Olive Tree Genealogy Blog heard from a researcher working for Dutch National television who is doing research on history and genealogy for a program called ‘Brieven Boven Water’
This TV program is all about letters sent by Dutchmen overseas to the New World and other places in the 17th and 18th centuries. The letters never arrived, since the ships that transported the letters were hijacked by the English.

Read More

Gravestone ensures Civil War nurse won’t be forgotten

2012-01-08T08:06:00.000-08:00

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

No More Kisses For Oscar Wilde's Grave

2011-12-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

For decades, fans of Oscar Wilde have paid tribute to the Irish writer by leaving kisses on his tomb at Paris's famed Pere Lachaise Cemetery. But years of greasy lipstick smears have badly damaged the memorial, a stone angel designed by modernist sculptor Jacob Epstein.

Read the rest of the story

Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner Holiday Special

2011-12-09T06:30:00.000-08:00

Want a Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner for Christmas but worried that you shouldn't spend the money right now?

Great news! Here is a Home for the Holidays coupon for you! Just use this link for your Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner and give your special code HoHo11A at checkout to receive 10% off your purchase of a Flip-Pal™ mobile scanner or a Flip-Pal™ mobile scanner with Creative Suite Craft Edition DVD.

This coupon is good from December 5-18, 2011 or while supplies last.

Read other posts about this amazing portable scanner:

Fun With 87 Year Old Auntie & Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner
Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner, Best Thing Since Sliced Bread

Remember - use this link for a Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner and give your Home for the Holidays Coupon code HoHo11A.

Leave a tribute on the USS Arizona War Memorial

2011-12-07T14:30:00.000-08:00

Attack on Pearl Harbor

December 7, 1941, "a date which will live in infamy," is seared into the American psyche as the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and took the United States into World War II.

That immortal phrase was delivered the following day by President Roosevelt in an address to Congress and the nation. He predicted that "always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us."

This year, on the 70th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks, Americans continue to remember the shocking event and the loved ones who lost their lives that day. It was a tragedy that affected millions of lives. Many people alive today have a personal connection to December 7, 1941, and there are many more who lost fathers, uncles, grandfathers, and friends, or heard stories about that day and its aftermath from those who lived through it.

At Fold3, we keep history alive and provide personal perspectives to the past through tributes left by others. We invite you to leave a tribute on Fold3 on the USS Arizona War Memorial. Share a story, link to a photo or letter, and bring your memories to others so we may all continue to remember.

Anne Bronte Gets a New Grave Stone

2011-12-05T11:07:00.000-08:00

A new plaque has been installed at Anne Bronte’s grave in Scarborough England to ensure that visitors will be able to read the inscription for many years to come. The grave, which is located in St Mary’s Churchyard, has been subject to weathering and erosion over the years and had become illegible in places. Anne Bronte, the youngest of the three world-famous Bronte sisters, died at the age of 29 in 1849.

Read More

Ancestry has free access to WW2 records Dec. 2 - 7, 2011

2011-12-04T09:16:00.000-08:00

Million Historical World War II Records in Remembrance
of the 70th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Attack

Collection includes the most comprehensive set of WWII Navy Muster Rolls ever released online and
exclusive Pearl Harbor veteran records

PROVO, UTAH – (December 2, 2011) – In remembrance of the 70^th anniversary of the attack
on Pearl Harbor, which marked the United States’ entrance into World War II,
Ancestry.com (Nasdaq: ACOM), the world’s largest online
family history resource,
today announced it is offering six days (December 2-7) of free access
to its entire World War II Collection. One in five Americans is a
direct descendant of
a WWII veteran, with four out of five having a WWII veteran in their
families, according to research done by Ancestry.com [1].
The Pearl Harbor attack spurred millions of Americans into military
action. By the end of the war, nearly 16 million Americans had served in
the U.S. Armed Forces - more than a quarter in the U.S. Navy.

Highlighting the World War II Collection is the release of the
World War II Navy Muster Rolls (1939-1949), which includes more
than 33 million records detailing nearly all enlisted personnel who
served aboard a U.S. Navy ship between January 1939 and January 1949,
including more than 2,400 Americans who were killed
in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Muster Rolls provided quarterly reports
of personnel assigned to a ship, duty station or other activity. These
reports noted sailors who experienced significant changes in status,
such as promotions, transfers, leave or time
in the infirmary. In addition to all enlisted men, the Navy Muster
Rolls also include selected officers, female officers of the Army and
Navy Nurse Corps, wives and daughters of Navy personnel and civilians.
Nearly anyone searching for a family member who
was enlisted in the Navy during this time period should be able to find
their records in this collection. These new U.S. Navy Muster Rolls and
the entire World War II collections can be found at
ancestry.com/pearlharbor

Carol
Horner-Iacona of San Marcos, Texas has utilized the U.S. Navy Muster
Rolls to create a book
of memory honoring her father who served as a Seaman First Class V-6
aboard the U.S.S. Helena, which was torpedoed on the morning of December
7th in Pearl Harbor. Charles Horner, now 91, was unable to speak of his
experience in the war until recently. The
records Carol has uncovered have helped fill in the gaps to a family
story she hopes is never forgotten, including more than a dozen records
of his service during WWII, including the Muster Rolls detailing his
post on that fateful day at Pearl Harbor.

“The attack on Pearl Harbor pulled the United States into the deadliest conflict in world history,"
said Donald L. Miller, critically acclaimed author of The Story
of World War II and host and associate-producer of the new HBO
documentary, He Has Seen War. “Only 11 percent of World War II veterans
are still alive today, and as many of these veterans
continue to pass on, our connection to these historic events is being
lost. By making these records available, Ancestry.com is helping to keep
the stories of these brave men and women alive.”

Ancestry.com is further expanding the World War II collection by making these new records available
as part of the free access promotion:

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl Cemetery) Database-
This collection contains more than 120,000
records from 1949 to 1976, including headstone images and photos of
names on war memorials. Seven hundred veterans who died in the attack
on Pearl Harbor are buried at the Cemetery. This is the second largest
final resting place for crewmen who lost their
lives on December 7, 1941, the primary resting place being the USS Arizona Memorial.Together
these two locations comprise the majority of the 2,402 Americans who
died in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Also buried at Punchbowl Cemetery
are veterans of the
battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. This unique collection is available
only on Ancestry.com and offers families the opportunity to pay their
respects and discover information about their ancestor’s final resting
place.
U.S. WWII Young Men’s Draft Cards -This
collection includes draft cards from theseven draft registrations held
between
November 1940 and December 1942. Because of privacy laws, information
on most of these registrations was not previously available to the
public. The first installment of these cards includes almost two million
filled out by men living in North Carolina who
were born between 1897 and 1929.

“World
War II impacted millions of American families and we felt this was an
appropriate time to
make our collection available at no cost to provide the public an
opportunity to explore through records, how the War may have touched
their families,”
said Josh Hanna, Executive Vice President,
Ancestry.com. “Ancestry.com hosts the largest online
collection of historical military records and these new additions to our
World War II catalog add further depth to this important collection.”

Early 19th Century Photographs - a Olive Tree Genealogy YouTube Video

2011-11-30T09:45:00.000-08:00

Olive Tree Genealogy has added a new video about early 19th century photographs! You can watch it on Olive Tree Genealogy YouTube Channel. If you have some old photos and are interested in learning more about them you should have a peek.

Cemetery Walking With Olive Tree Genealogy

2011-11-27T09:35:00.000-08:00

The Olive Tree Genealogy You Tube channel is growing by the day. Yesterday's video was a Cemetery in Stockton California. The Olive Tree Genealogy You Tube channel now has almost 50 Cemetery videos online.

See Olive Tree Genealogy Blog for a list of the current Cemetery Walks

Press Release: MyHeritage acquires FamilyLink.com and WorldVitalRecords.com t

2011-11-25T05:56:00.000-08:00

MyHeritage acquires FamilyLink.com and WorldVitalRecords.com to enter US market

Significant move into US and addition of historical content mark major evolution for world's most popular online family network

PROVO, Utah & LONDON, UK & TEL AVIV, Israel-- MyHeritage, the most popular family network on the web, announced today the acquisition of FamilyLink.com, Inc., maker of the family history content sites FamilyLink.com and WorldVitalRecords.com. This is MyHeritage's seventh and largest acquisition since 2007. The purchase marks a significant move into the US market commercially and operationally, and will boost MyHeritage’s offering to families with the addition of a vast database of more than 3 billion historical records. With offices and staff in Europe, Australia and Israel, MyHeritage will now be adding its first US-based office in Utah, the home of FamilyLink.com and often cited as the family history capital of the world.

“We are delighted to join forces with the talented FamilyLink team in Provo to deliver meaningful value to families across the world,” says MyHeritage CEO and Founder Gilad Japhet. “Combining close to one billion family tree profiles on MyHeritage with FamilyLink's massive library of historical data delivers a perfect one-stop-shop for families looking to discover and share their family history".

Founded in 2006, both FamilyLink.com and WorldVitalRecords.com are subscription services which provide access to a huge database of historical content, covering several billion individuals within census, birth, marriage and death records, as well as the web’s largest archive of historical newspapers. This content will deliver new insights and value to the 60 million people who have signed up on MyHeritage in 38 different languages, creating more than 900 million profiles in 21 million family trees. When brought together under the MyHeritage umbrella, the company’s innovative Smart Matching technology will automatically match any of the new historical data to the relevant users' ancestors and relatives within the family trees.

“Our team of family history veterans couldn't be more excited about joining forces with MyHeritage”, said FamilyLink.com CEO Paul Brockbank. “This acquisition creates new horizons in exploring family history. People will receive the opportunity to search the most comprehensive historical content sources and make exciting new discoveries; share this information with their close family and save it into their family tree. Combined under the leadership of MyHeritage, the service will continue to flourish and add more value to millions of families”.

MyHeritage Founder and CEO Gilad Japhet adds: “The establishment of a US base for MyHeritage in Utah, the international center for genealogical research, is an important milestone in our growth and brings about an exciting opportunity for the company and the families we serve. MyHeritage provides the perfect service to collect the family’s treasured archive to share and keep for future generations in a setting that is friendly and secure – and now we're excited to top this off with vast amounts of content that will add more color and life to family trees. Through our powerful search engine and automatic Smart Matching technology we'll find your mother's yearbook, your great-grandfather's will and your ancestor's immigration record, leaving you with the time to marvel at, enjoy and share your family heritage. We'll do that on a massive, global scale, as we live in a world that is smaller and more tightly connected than ever before”.

This is the latest in a series of strategic purchases by MyHeritage since 2007 which have included Pearl Street Software, makers of GenCircles.com and the Family Tree Legends software; free family tree backup service BackupMyTree.com; European family social network market leader OSN (Verwandt) GmbH; Dutch family network ZOOOF; British family network Kindo.com and Polish family network Bliscy.pl.

The majority of the FamilyLink.com employees will join MyHeritage, based out of the company’s new US office in Provo, Utah: bringing the benefit of their collective expertise within the family history and North American genealogy market. The CEO of FamilyLink.com, Paul Brockbank, previously CEO of Logoworks and GM of Hewlett Packard Web Print Solutions, will play a key role in supporting the transition over the coming months and will later join the MyHeritage advisory board. FamilyLink.com founder Paul Allen, previously a co-founder of Ancestry.com, and FamilyLink.com's "We're Related" Facebook application, will not be part of the merger with MyHeritage.

In the short-term, MyHeritage will continue to operate the two sites FamilyLink.com and WorldVitalRecords.com, with the intention of achieving full integration within MyHeritage in 2012. With immediate effect and for an introductory period, loyal subscribers and users of MyHeritage will be entitled to discounts of up to 50% on FamilyLink.com and WorldVitalRecords.com subscriptions, and vice versa.

Press Release: Archives.com Partners with Family Tree DNA to Offer DNA Testing

2011-11-23T05:53:00.000-08:00

Archives.com Partners with Family Tree DNA to Offer DNA Testing

DNA Tests Available Through Archives.com for the First Time Providing Access to the World’s Largest Genetic Genealogy Database

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Nov. 22, 2011 -- Archives.com,
a website devoted to making family history simple and affordable,
announces another exciting way users can explore their family heritage.
Archives.com has partnered with Family Tree DNA ,
the world leader in genetic genealogy, to enable users to purchase DNA
tests through its website for the first time. These are being offered at
up to 30 percent off the regular price for a limited time. Archives
recognizes that DNA testing plays a critical role in family history
research, and is glad to offer a simple, convenient way for users to
get started with genetic genealogy.

The growing field of genetic genealogy utilizes science to tell us more
about our ancestors, and maternal and paternal lineages. Family Tree DNA
can help researchers to verify known connections or uncover previously
unknown ethnic ties with the world’s largest genetic genealogy database
of over 350 thousand records, several times larger than the nearest
competitor. Archives.com now offers three types of DNA tests: the
Y-chromosome DNA test to trace paternal lines and surname matches; the
mitochondrial DNA test to determine maternal line matches; and the
Family Finder test kit, which tests autosomal DNA to reveal ethnic
percentages and trace genes across maternal and paternal lines.

Archives Director of Product Joe Godfrey commented, “Genetic genealogy is an
extremely exciting field. We’ve been interested in integrating DNA
testing into Archives.com for some time, and I’m glad we are working
with Family Tree DNA, the world’s largest genetic genealogy database, to
make this happen. This initial integration will give users the ability
to find historical records and start exploring their genetic genealogy
all in one place. In the future, we intend to provide users with more
robust tools and resources that will enhance the experience even
further.”

Family Tree DNA VP of Operations Max Blankfeld noted, “We are thrilled to
partner with Archives.com, a website we know will play an important role
in the future of online family history research. Archives.com provides a
genuine alternative to the more expensive websites out there. Easy
access to DNA testing will allow Archives.com users to explore this
important facet of genealogy research.”

Archives looks forward to collaborating closely with Family Tree DNA , the
community, and project managers, to provide the best integrated
experience between the two websites possible. Also Archives encourages
people to take advantage of the limited time discount on DNA tests found
on Archives.com.

Depleted Texas Lakes Expose Ghost Towns, Graves

2011-11-21T15:44:00.000-08:00

Johnny C. Parks died two days before his first birthday more than a century ago. His grave slipped from sight along with the rest of the tiny town of Bluffton when Lake Buchanan was filled 55 years later

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/11/20/as-drought-continues-depleted-texas-lakes-expose-ghost-towns-graves/?test=latestnews?test=latestnews#ixzz1eO2UtEwP

RootsTech Free Registration Giveaway! By Olive Tree Genealogy

2011-11-10T08:57:00.000-08:00

The Olive Tree Genealogy
is giving away a free RootsTech Free Registration. If you haven't heard about RootsTech, it's an amazing Genealogy-Technology Conference in Salt Lake City Utah.

If you want a chance to win go to The Olive Tree Blog

Olive Tree Genealogy More Cemetery Walk Videos

2011-11-07T12:55:00.000-08:00

The Olive Tree Genealogy has added more Cemetery Walk videos. This is just a few of what she has online.

Cemetery Walk: St Paul Cemetery Oakville Missouri

Cemetery Walk: Hillsdale United Church Cemetery Ontario

Cemetery Walk: Cochrane Catholic Cemetery Ontario Canada

Cemetery Walk: Uxbridge Cemetery Ontario Canada

Cemetery Walk: Trinity United Church Cemetery Beeton Ontario

Cemetery Walk: St. Paul's Anglican Cemetery, Melancthon Twp, Dufferin Co. Ontario

Cemetery Walk: Waubaushene Protestant Cemetery, Waubaushene Ontario

Cemetery Walk: Genier Catholic Cemetery, Cochrane Ontario

Cemetery Walk: Farnham Cemetery, Arkell Ontario

Cemetery Walk: St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery (NEW ONE) Orillia Ontario

Cemetery Walk: Donegal Cemetery, Perth County Ontario

Cemetery Walk: Price's Corners Cemetery. Dufferin Co. Ontario

If you want to have a look at all the great Cemetery Walk videos try
Olive Tree Genealogy You Tube Channel

The UK mainland's first fully intact Viking boat burial site has been uncovered in the west Highlands of Scotland

2011-11-03T18:12:00.000-07:00

The site, at Ardnamurchan, is thought to be more than 1,000 years old.
Artefacts buried alongside the Viking in his boat suggest he was a high-ranking warrior.

Nothing like death to liven up a trip

2011-10-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

If you're going to Europe, visit a cemetery — they're authentic, artsy and oozing with history.

Read More

Roman-era couple held hands for 1,500 years

2011-10-21T13:58:00.000-07:00

The skeletal remains of a Roman-era couple reveal the pair has been holding hands for 1,500 years. Italian archaeologists say the man and woman were buried at the same time between the 5th and 6th century A.D. in central-northern Italy. Wearing a bronze ring, the woman is positioned so she appears to be gazing at her male partner.

Read More

Maple Leaf Gardens' time capsule found

2011-10-19T09:26:00.000-07:00

Crews working on the reconstruction of Toronto's iconic Maple Leaf Gardens have found something that just might be a historical treasure — but exactly what it is remains a mystery.

Read More

Gramps Was A Fish

2011-10-13T12:39:00.000-07:00

Was just reading a news report about how are ancestors were fish. Researchers are able to paint a picture of what this fish ancestor would have looked like. It would likely have been a predatory marine fish with good eyesight, jaws and sharp teeth. I guess this is genealogy to the extreme. How weird is it to think that if we could take our family tree back far enough we would start adding fish. My GGGGGGGGG bla bla bla Grand Father was a fish. It just kind of blows my mind to even think about it.

Think I will go Red Lobster for dinner.

Prehistoric Teen Girl's Grave Found Near Henge

2011-10-11T17:09:00.001-07:00

Four to five thousand years ago, a wealthy teenage girl was laid to rest in a grave at what archaeologists believe is a newly found henge in Kent, England.

Read More

Athen’s First Cemetery At Risk Of Destruction

2011-10-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

The First Cemetery of Athens in Greece, which is the oldest cemetery in the city, is in need of preservation due to neglect.

Read More

Mausoleum Makeover

2011-10-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

One of South Dakota's founding fathers is resting much more comfortably now following an extreme mausoleum makeover.

Workers have breathed new life into the R.F. Pettigrew family plot located in Sioux Falls. The restoration team saved the Pettigrew tomb from certain doom.

Nestled on a rolling hill in the heart of Woodlawn Cemetery is the final resting place of Richard Pettigrew. The remains of South Dakota's first U.S. senator, along with other Pettigrew family members, are kept inside this stately mausoleum fashioned after an ancient Greek temple; a century-old relic of Victorian-era excess.

Read More

Ancestry 15 days of free databases

2011-10-01T14:24:00.000-07:00

Ancestry is having 15 days of free databases and daily prizes in sweepstakes draws.

"Starting October 1, Ancestry.com will feature a free collection each day for 15 days. And you'll get FREE access to select collections from around the world thru October 15. "

Get 20% off Family Tree Maker 2012

2011-09-27T13:44:00.000-07:00

Did you know you can get 20% off Family Tree Maker 2012

Get 20% off Family Tree Maker 2012

Zombie Graveyard Found In Ireland

2011-09-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

Archaeologists have unearthed a 'zombie' graveyard in Co Roscommon dating from the 8th Century.

The gruesome discovery was made by a team from the Institute of Technology Sligo, which discovered that skeletons were interred with large rocks placed in their mouths to prevent them rising from the dead at a historic site overlooking Lough Key, Co Roscommon.

Read More

Soldiers graves from the War of 1812 in Chatham-Kent

2011-09-14T11:49:00.000-07:00

Researchers and history buffs are hoping two days of ground sweeping this week in a Chatham-Kent, Ont., park will locate the graves of four soldiers from the War of 1812.

Read More

Town Seeks To Ban Backyard Burials

2011-09-13T16:43:00.000-07:00

When a loved one is laid to rest, it might be a surprise that they won't necessarily be buried in a cemetery.

In Colorado, a burial can practically take place anywhere in the state, as long as it's not federal land.

Read More

Cemetery Walk Cochrane Catholic Cemetery: Video 4

2011-09-05T16:41:00.000-07:00

Cemetery Walk Cochrane Catholic Cemetery Video 4

Ned Kelly's remains found in mass grave

2011-09-02T15:13:00.000-07:00

The headless skeleton of infamous bushranger Ned Kelly has been found and identified more than 130 years after his execution in the Old Melbourne Gaol.

That a group of scientists could identify the body of a man who was executed more than 130 years ago, moved and buried in a haphazard fashion among 33 other prisoners, most of whom are not identified, is amazing," Victoria Attorney General Robert Clark said in a statement.

Ned Kelly was born in 1855 in Beveridge Austrailia. The eldest son of eight children to John 'Red' Kelly and Ellen Quinn.

His criminal life started early. Arrested first at the age of 14 for assaulting a Chinese man. In 1878 his mother was arrested and sentenced to three years' imprisonment for her part in an attempted murder. So Ned and his brother Dan, along with 2 friends went into hiding from police. The Kelly Gang as it was soon to be known ambushed a group of police on their trail in Stringybark Creek, killing three of them.

The Kelly gang spent the next 2 years on the run untill police cornered them at the Glenrowan Hotel. But his gang wore suits of body armor, possibly fashioned from moldboards plows and weighing 96 lbs. each, strong enough to repel the lead bullets in use at that time. During the gun fight three of the gang members died. But Ned, was captured after being shot several times in the legs. He was sentenced to death for murder.

Cemetery Walk: Cochrane Catholic Cemetery Video 3

2011-09-01T10:52:00.000-07:00

Olive Tree Genealogy has added more Video of the Cochrane Catholic Cemetery in Cochrane Ontario.

Olive Tree has lots of other Cemetery Walk videos as well.

Cochrane Catholic Cemetery

Coffin Plate Of Mary Thomas 1859

2011-08-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

This is a nice early coffin plate from 1859.

Mary Thomas
Died July 14 1859
Aged 20 Years 2 Mo 14 Days

More Coffin Plates

More fallen diggers found at Bullecourt burial site

2011-08-26T17:57:00.000-07:00

They were buried where they lay. Not in mass graves prepared by the Germans, but in haste, by fellow diggers who pushed dirt in on top of the crater where their dead companions had been taking shelter, and then fled. And there they are believed to remain, up to 13 Australian soldiers, interred in a nameless pit beneath a road in northern France.

Read More

War grave Lusitania gives up its sea-bed secrets

2011-08-25T07:25:00.000-07:00

I am sure not many of us had ancestors on the Lusitania but its an interesting story.

The first images of artefacts that have been recovered from the 'Lusitania' the world's largest passenger underwater war grave.

The objects which include the ship's telemotor, telegraph and two porthole windows are now in saltwater tanks in a laboratory in Tralee, Co Kerry, having been recovered on Monday as part of an archeological exhibition in the making of a documentary by 'National Geographic' magazine.

Read More

Margaret Tyler Coffin Plate 1885

2011-08-23T18:36:00.000-07:00

Margaret Tyler Died July 2nd 1885 aged 80 yrs

Cemetery Walk Cochrane Catholic Cemetery Ontario Canada

2011-08-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

Cemetery Walk Video 2 for Cochrane Catholic Cemetery in Ontario Canada. View other Cemetery Walks on Olive Tree Genealogy Channel on Youtube

Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner: Try It, You'll Like It!

2011-08-20T12:46:00.000-07:00

Well I just gave the Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner a try and I have to admit the thing is kinda cool. When I first heard about this thing I did not see much use for a mobile scanner. At least not for me.

The Flip Pal Mobile Scanner (and Webley)

However after listening to my wife rave about her Flip-Pal Scanner I thought I would give it a try. We have taken it on a few genealogy trips in the past but it has always been her that uses it. So this morning I had to scan a few photos so instead of starting up my PC I just grabbed the Flip Pal. (After asking my wife if I could touch it)

Anyway the scanner worked great. I had the photos done and on a flash drive in 5min. It would have taken me that long just to fire up my old PC.

If you want to read more about the Flip-Pal Mobile Scanner take a look atThe Olive Tree Genealogy Blog

Killora Graveyard, Craughwell, Co. Galway

2011-08-17T07:55:00.000-07:00

This is a really nice video of Killora Graveyard, Craughwell, Co. Galway. I don't have any ancestors buried in Killora Graveyard. But if you are like me you will enjoy looking at all the history that such a place has hidden away.

Killora Graveyard, Craughwell, Co. Galway

Coffin Plate of George W Benson 1820 ~ 1864

2011-08-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

I just added the Coffin Plate of George W Benson 1820 ~ 1864 to the index on AncestorsAtRest.com

George W Benson
Co K Thirtieth Maine Vols
Mustered At Augusta
Jan 11 1864
Died at New York
Sept 5th 1864
Aged 44 years

This is a really interesting and rare Coffin Plate as it has a photograph of George on it. It also contains a rather large amount of information about the military service of George in the Civil War. This plate is also mounted in a wood frame. This was done for display purposes and is not part of the coffin plate.

Stone Age tomb unearthed in Scotland

2011-08-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

Thousands of human bones have been found inside a Stone Age tomb on a northern Scottish island, archaeologists say.

The 5,000-year-old burial site in the Orkney Islands came to light when a homeowner dug away a small mound in his yard to improve his ocean view, National Geographic News reported.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2011/07/22/Stone-Age-tomb-unearthed-in-Scotland/UPI-16921311369715/#ixzz1UpiwGMcn

Pioneer graves found at school site

2011-08-12T08:32:00.000-07:00

Almost a dozen 180-year-old graves, including those of three children, have been discovered during an archeological excavation at the site of a former elementary school in Amherstburg Ontario.

Read more: http://www.windsorstar.com/life/Pioneer+graves+found+school+site/5209311/story.html#ixzz1UdnCwe9v

Texas Drought Unearths Long-Lost Slave Cemetery

2011-08-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

One of the worst droughts in Texas history is helping archaeologists unearth a small piece of American history, a graveyard for freed slaves.

While the heat may be taking a toll on crops, livestock and people's livelihoods, it has helped archaeologists uncover two graves that are believed to have been buried for more than a century.

Read More

Coffin Plate of Sue E Smith 1852 ~ 1882

2011-08-03T10:04:00.000-07:00

I just added the Coffin Plate of Sue E Smith 1852 ~ 1882.

Coffin Plate Index

Cemetery Walk Trinity UC Cemetery Ontario Canada

2011-08-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

This is another Cemetery Walk in Trinity United Church Cemetery in Beeton Ontario Canada, This is the last video of four of the tombstones in this cemetery taken in April 2011.

There are 24 gravestones in this video but there are 3 earlier Cemetery Walks you can watch on Olive Tree Genealogy YouTube Channel

Are you related to Gengis Khan

2011-07-29T07:30:00.000-07:00

Archaeologists in Russia have unearthed what they say are remains of a nephew of the founder of the Mongol Empire, Gengis Khan.

The remains of Isunke Khan were discovered during excavation in Russia’s East Siberian region of Transbaikalia, which were earlier initiated by the Russian Far Eastern Federal University.

The remnants’ DNA testing is yet to be implemented but if DNA can be extracted it would be fantastic for people who believe are in the same family tree as Gengis Khan.

UK's 'oldest' open-air cemetery discovered

2011-07-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

Recent radiocarbon dating of two skulls found at a sand quarry in Greylake nature reserve near Middlezoy in 1928 revealed them to be 10,000 years old.

Greylake

Mystery surrounds unmarked graves at Halifax navy cemetery

2011-07-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

They are scattered throughout a small military cemetery in Halifax -- dozens of weathered headstones dating back more than a century, bearing the names of seamen and civilians associated with the Royal Navy.

The grave markers were meant to stand as enduring tokens of respect, but they also serve as a reminder of the many more men, women and children buried here whose names cannot be found on any memorial.

Read More

Ryedale Windy Pits skeletons were 'sacrificial'

2011-07-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

A new investigation has revealed that human skeletons discovered in caves on the North York Moors were likely to have been the victims of ritual sacrifice 2,000 years ago.

A forensic examination of their bones, for the BBC's History Cold Case series, has revealed evidence that at least one of them had been scalped.

Read More

Ancient skeletons discovered in north Dublin

2011-07-11T07:35:00.001-07:00

Workers laying pipes in Rush, north Dublin, have uncovered a previously unrecorded ancient burial ground. Historians believe the human remains could date back to the 9th century and belong to Vikings.

Read More

York mass grave skeletons were Civil War soldiers

2011-07-09T09:31:00.000-07:00

Mass graves containing 113 male skeletons were unearthed just outside the city walls in 2008. It is thought the men had fought for the Parliamentarians during the siege of York in 1644. An investigation for the BBC series History Cold Case has concluded the men probably died from typhus fever.

Read More

Grave found beneath Barrie Ontario train station

2011-07-07T09:27:00.000-07:00

Workers renovating an unused Barrie train station have discovered what may be a First Nations grave disturbed during the building’s 1905 construction.

On Monday, while digging in the crawlspace of the Allandale train station with a shovel and a rake, workers unearthed a small collection of bones buried just six inches down.

Read More

Dutch woman solves mystery of slain Canadian WW2 soldier

2011-07-03T15:48:00.000-07:00

In an out-of-the-way spot in an old Dutch cemetery, there's a place that is forever New Brunswick. Anyone visiting the Gorinchem cemetery from this province could pick it out immediately: a small New Brunswick flag is there, and, at the base of the white headstone, a painted rock from McLaren's Beach in Saint John.

Buried in the grave is the body of Harold Magnusson, a 22-year-old from Saint John who was killed in 1944 in the operation immortalized in book and film as A Bridge Too Far.

Read More

19th-century grave unearthed at Eastern Michigan University campus

2011-06-30T08:31:00.000-07:00

Several old bones that were found on Eastern Michigan University's campus have been identified as belonging to an older man buried in a 19th century Catholic cemetery.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110629/METRO/106290417/19th-century-grave-unearthed-at-Eastern-Michigan-University-campus#ixzz1Qm3Jt7Sp

Abigail K Rundel Coffin Plate

2011-06-29T07:29:00.000-07:00

This is the coffin plate for Abigail K Rundel. Abigail died July 23rd 1866 aged 67 years.

Scientists to dig up the grave of Shakespeare

2011-06-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

Scientists have applied for permission to exhume the body of William Shakespeare, hoping to establish how he died and use state-of-the-art computer equipment to create a groundbreaking three dimensional reconstruction of the famous writer.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2007037/Shakespeare-Scientists-bid-dig-grave.html#ixzz1Qfrr11yT

Found grave ends 20-year search for Civil War vet

2011-06-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

A search that began more than 20 years ago came to fruition last week in the Peetz Community Cemetery when the final resting place of a former Civil War soldier was found.

Read More

Montgomery County Pennsylvania, Hatfield Ledger Book 1858~1904

2011-06-25T09:35:00.000-07:00

I have added scans of the pages from the Montgomery County Pennsylvania, Hatfield Ledger Book 1858~1904. This great old farm ledger came from New Hanover Township in Montgomery County Pennsylvania. The original owner of the book did not sign his full name (he just put Hatfield at the top of each page) however there is a loose paper from 1878 in the book that belonged to James G Hatfield. The Hatfield ledger is a great genealogy find for this area of Pennsylvania as it contains a large number of local names starting in 1858. I had a hunt for a few of the names found in this ledger in the 1860 United States Federal Census and found many of them in Montgomery County, Berks County and Bucks County.

If you want to take a look go to

Hatfield Ledger Book 1858~1904

Who Was Marie Olsen?

2011-06-25T04:49:00.000-07:00

Do you know Marie Olsen? Her gravestone was found recently in St. Paul, Minnesota. The only clue are the dates inscribed on the stone 1879-1932

See Geneanet's Genealogy Blog for more information.

Updating My Cemetery Page

2011-06-18T13:01:00.000-07:00

I spent an hr or or so updating my cemetery page at http://www.ancestorsatrest.com/cemetery_records/

Jennie M Sprague

2011-06-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

I found this interesting memorial photo in an antique shop in Cambridge Ontario. It is for Jennie M Sprague 1857 ~ 1895. I have not found out who she was yet but I will keep hunting.

Cemetery Walks on Olive Tree Genealogy YouTube Channel

2011-06-06T04:44:00.000-07:00

Join Olive Tree Genealogy and Ancestors At Rest on Cemetery Walks.

Videos of Cemetery Tombstones in North America are online at the Olive Tree Genealogy YouTube Channel.

You can also search for more death records at Archives.com

Toronto Cemeteries on FamilySearch

2011-05-31T17:28:00.000-07:00

Family Search Labs has added the following cemetery records today

Canada, Ontario, Toronto Trust Cemeteries, 1826-1935

https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/show#uri=http://hr-search-api:8080/searchapi/search/collection/1627831

It includes the following records:

Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Necropolis Cemetery
Potters' Field Cemetery
Prospect Cemetery

The Leatherman Gets a New Burial

2011-05-28T05:37:00.000-07:00

The Leatherman was given a new burial this week.

In 1889 this mysterious man who I've talked about on AncestorsAtRest in an earlier blog post, died and was buried at the side of the road. For years he had wandered the country from New York to Connecticut. Earlier this week his remains were dug up and what was found was reburied in a plain pine coffin in a suburban New York cemetery.

No bones remained but some earth and nails from his old coffin were put in his new pine coffin and buried with him in his new resting place.

No one knows the Leatherman's real name; he remains a mysterious figure who begged for food and slept outdoors from the 1850s to his death in 1889.

Death Records on Archives.com

2011-05-26T10:27:00.000-07:00

This may be a new site for some of you to explore. I'm exploring it now! I hope to find an ancestor or two.

Congratulations To The Olive Tree Genealogy Blog

2011-05-06T07:29:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to my wife. The Olive Tree Genealogy blog has been chosen as one of "11 Essential Genealogy Blogs" on Indian Country Today Media Network. Way to go Lorine.

Go Take A Look

The Grave Of Mona Lisa

2011-05-03T19:02:00.000-07:00

Art historians are hunting for the grave of Mona Lisa.

Read More

Where oh Where Has my Invitation Gone??

2011-04-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

Where can it be? Prince William and Kate Middleton are getting married tomorrow in London England. And I'll be gob-smacked - my invite has not arrived!

But my family tree clearly indicates that I, Brian Massey, am the 28th cousin, 4 times removed, of Wills. So what's up with not inviting me and my spouse to the wedding of the century!! I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and say maybe it was a space issue but I just found out that the Palace revoked the invitation previously sent to the Syrian ambassador. So... that means there's a couple of empty spots at supper!

Here's the direct royal line down to Elizabeth from William I. It's a bit confusing but here's how it works - King Henry II's mother Matilda, was the sister of my direct ancestor David, 1st King of Scotland. That's right - I've got royal blood. My family always told me I was special...

At least, I've got royal blood if the online family trees can be trusted... but if they're online, they can't be wrong can they?

The line from my 26th great-grandparent David King of Scotland, comes down several generations to Bryan Stapleton who died in 1394. My Stapleton family carried on in the male line and ended up leaving England in the early 1800s for Canada.

So there we have it. If the online royalty trees are correct, I'm Will's cousin. And I really don't get why he didn't have all this figured out. I mean the guy can afford to hire a genealogist for cripe's sake! Or if he hasn't got the money what with marrying Kate, all he has to do is ask Grandma to pony up some Euros.

My wife says I should take him off the Christmas Card list.

Disclaimer: My tongue was tucked so far into my cheek it went numb. I won't be able to lick the stamp for Will's Christmas or Birthday card at this rate!

Bedlam Bodies Found

2011-04-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

Opened in 1247, London’s St Bethlehem Hospital was the world’s first institution dedicated to mental illness. An abbreviation of its name produced the modern word “bedlam”.

Archaeologists have now discovered as many as 1,000 bodies at the hospital’s former burial site near London’s Liverpool Street station, as part of the capital’s Crossrail development. While some of the remains will ultimately go on display in the Museum of London, Government regulations demand the bodies are ultimately reburied locally – though indecision still surrounds the exact location.

Read More

'Pay $10,000 to keep old family graves'

2011-04-19T14:13:00.000-07:00

As someone who appreciates the importance of preserving cemeteries I could not believe this next story. It seems this area in England wants to dig up the older graves so they can sell them again. Relatives could be asked to pay between £1,000 and £5,000 (that's approximately $2,000 to $10,000) to keep a plot that's more than 75 years old. Remains that were removed could be placed in an unmarked common grave.

Massacre at the hillfort

2011-04-18T14:07:00.000-07:00

Archaeologists at the site in Derbyshire found four babies, a two-year-old, a teenage boy and three adults.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1378190/Iron-Age-mass-grave-reveals-slaughter-women-children-challenges-theory-pre-Roman-peaceful-life.html#ixzz1JuZ7mb1H

Bones of Leper Warrior Found in Medieval Cemetery

2011-04-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

The bones of a soldier with leprosy who may have died in battle have been found in a medieval Italian cemetery, along with skeletons of men who survived blows to the head with battle-axes and maces.

Read More

Cemetery Love

2011-04-11T06:23:00.000-07:00

OK so its not the kind of thing I normally blog about but this story is making the rounds and I just thought it was cute. And it is taking place in a cemetery so its sort of on topic.

A deer has been standing watch for several days over a female goose nesting in a Buffalo city cemetery. For at least four days, the buck has stood guard near the nest of a Canada goose as she sits on her eggs inside a large urn at Forest Lawn cemetery, home to the remains of rock icon Rick James and President Millard Fillmore.

Read More

Free Access to Civil War Records on Ancestry!

2011-04-10T15:00:00.000-07:00

Ancestry is giving away free access to their Civil War Records.Civil War Records

Death Registration Years in Canada

2011-04-05T11:27:00.000-07:00

Registration of Deaths in Canada is the responsibility of each province or territory. Even after Civil Registration of Vital Statistics began, many people did not comply with the law as they were suspicious as to why the Government wanted this information.

Genealogists will find that the information provided on a death registration varied over time. For example in Ontario, parents' names of the deceased individual were not required before the early 1900s.

Following is a list of provinces and territories of Canada and the official year of the start of mandatory Death Registrations:

Alberta 1870
British Columbia 1872
Manitoba 1882
New Brunswick 1888
Newfoundland & Labrador 1892
Northwest Territories 1925
Nova Scotia 1864
Nunavut before 1999 see NorthWest Territories
Ontario 1869
Prince Edward Island 1906
Quebec registered in church from the early 17th century
Saskatchewan 1905
Yukon 1898

For other death records see http://ancestorsatrest.com

Roman graves uncovered in Canterbury

2011-03-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

Archaeologists have uncovered an ancient burial ground in Kent where around a hundred people were laid to rest.

Read More

Ancient graves threatened by climate change

2011-03-12T16:39:00.000-08:00

Archaeological treasures that have been frozen for millennia are being destroyed because of climate change, according to Edinburgh researchers.

Remains in some of the coldest places on earth are being exposed as warmer temperatures cause ice and hardened ground to thaw.

Edinburgh University experts said the materials at risk included ancient tombs, artefacts and human remains.

Read More

Man Tries to Save Cemetery From Being Washed Away

2011-03-11T09:47:00.000-08:00

A man in Dorchester County is trying to save a historic cemetery that is on the verge of being swept into the Chesapeake Bay.

Donald Willey has been working for eight years to save the Anchor of Hope Cemetery on Hooper's Island. He has cleared away the trees and brush that have covered the cemetery for years.

"It needs to be taken care of and I knew if I didn't do it nobody else would," Willey said.

Willey says so far he has uncovered some 150 graves. The oldest graves dates back to 1805.

Read More

Coffin Plate of Thomas R Davis 1833 ~ 1889

2011-03-06T13:22:00.000-08:00

Just added the Coffin Plate of Thomas R Davis 1833 ~ 1889

Thomas R Davis 1833~1889

Archeologists are set to begin exhuming human remains from an unmarked Eastern State Hospital cemetery in Lexington KY

2011-02-26T16:44:00.000-08:00

Archeologists are set to begin exhuming human remains from the 1840 - 60s in an unmarked Eastern State Hospital cemetery in Lexington KY

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2011/02/23/1645570/crews-to-begin-exhuming-remains.html##ixzz1Eph2C27K

Coffin Plate of Ester G Webster 1827 ~ 1865

2011-02-24T15:30:00.000-08:00

I have just added the coffin plate of Ester G Webster 1827 ~ 1865. It looks like Ester was from Rockingham, New Hampshire.Ester G Webster 1827 ~ 1865

Grave of 'Nosferatu' discovered

2011-02-23T16:34:00.000-08:00

The grave of the German actor Max Schreck has been found near Berlin. Schreck set the standard for movie vampires with his now legendary 1922 portrayal of Nosferatu.

Read More

Ancestry Offers USA 1910 Census Index for Free

2011-02-20T11:09:00.000-08:00

Search the enhanced indexes for free through February 21, 2011

The 1910 U.S. Census on Ancestry.com is offering the 1910 census indexes for free through Feb. 21st.

Enhancements include:

* Clearer, crisper images

* Improved indexes with two new fields: mother's and father's birthplace

* Millions of alternate names to help you with hard-to-find relatives

Sounds like a good plan! Search 93 million improved records from all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, plus U.S. Military and Naval Forces — free through February 21.

In Salt Lake City For Rootstech

2011-02-08T17:51:00.000-08:00

Well I am in Salt Lake City for Rootstech 2011. But before it starts I hope to spend a day doing a little genealogy research at the Family History Library.

Coffin Plate of Robert H Thayer 1872 ~ 1873

2011-01-30T13:03:00.000-08:00

I have just added the Coffin Plate of Robert H Thayer 1872 ~ 1873

Robert H Thayer 1872 ~ 1873

The Broken Stone

2011-01-28T06:56:00.000-08:00

The mystery of how a centuries-old tombstone from North Haven wound up in the basement of the former Clinton Police Department remains. But through modern-day communication and some old-fashioned research, the burial plot where the stone belongs has been identified.

Members of Clinton's highway department were working at 48 E. Main St. — the building that housed the police department from 1971 to 2005 — when they found the 214-year-old relic on Jan. 4. The headstone, which is in three pieces, is gray slate inscribed with "In Memory of Mrs. Ruth Sackitt wife of Mr. Solomon Sackitt who died March 27, 1796 in the 41st year of her age." And at the bottom: "Death is a debt to nature due that I have paid and so must you."

Sgt. Joe Flynn keeps track of property and evidence that comes through the police department, now at 170 E. Main St. He said he checked with Clinton's town clerk to determine whether Ruth Sackitt's name was listed in the town's records.

http://articles.courant.com/2011-01-12/community/hc-clinton-tombstone-0113-20110112_1_headstone-burial-plot-death

The Leather Man

2011-01-26T06:39:00.000-08:00

Leather Man' to be exhumed from Ossining

The obscurity behind a 19th-century, leather-clad wanderer who traversed Westchester County and Connecticut for more than 30 years may soon be unearthed.

A recent state Supreme Court ruling will allow a team of scientists to exhume the body of the "Leather Man," a legendary figure who was buried at Ossining's Sparta Cemetery in 1889 and whose true identity continues to stir intense speculation.

"He is one of this country's major historical mysteries," said Ossining Historical Society President Norman MacDonald. "Not only can we give this man a more dignified resting place, but we hope to find out a lot more about him."

The Ossining Historical Society, as owners of Sparta Cemetery, sought the court order so forensic testing could be conducted on the Leather Man's remains and also to rebury him elsewhere on the 2-acre site, MacDonald said.

Presently, the Leather Man is buried in a "pauper's grave," mere steps from busy Route 9 and, as such, a safety hazard. The second-hand headstone — another man's name is etched on the back — sits alone, removed from other plots, at the cemetery's entrance and is easily missed.

http://www.lohud.com/article/20110120/NEWS02/101200398/Famed-Leather-Man-to-be-exhumed-from-Ossining-grave

Bog Bodies

2011-01-25T06:07:00.000-08:00

Scholars have long tried to make sense out of one of the oddities of the archaeological world —bodies pulled from ignominious burials in cold water bogs everywhere from Ireland to Russia.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/columnist/vergano/2011-01-16-bog-bodies_N.htm?csp=obnetwork

Work stops on excavation at old cemetery in Los Angeles

2011-01-22T07:08:00.000-08:00

Officials have halted some excavation on the site of a planned Mexican American cultural center after complaints about the removal of skeletal remains that have been unearthed there.

Read More

Roadwork in Poland unearth German WWII mass grave

2011-01-21T14:58:00.000-08:00

Construction workers in Poland have reportedly disturbed a mass grave of German soldiers from World War II.

Polish police say human bones, scraps of military uniforms, belts, gas masks and bullets have been found scattered along a road under construction.

Read More

Bones beneath Derry church may be mass grave from siege

2011-01-20T06:50:00.000-08:00

A mass grave dating back to the 17th century and the Siege of Derry has been unearthed under a Presbyterian Church in Londonderry. It is thought the site is the final resting place of “a huge number” of Presbyterians who died during the siege.

Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/bones-beneath-derry-church-may-be-mass-grave-from-siege-15053958.html#ixzz1B7EjKrgi

Not so odd for grave markers to go astray

2011-01-19T07:25:00.000-08:00

Think the holiday discovery of a 123-year-old tombstone in the fireplace of an Ingersoll, Ont., home was a one-of-a-kind occurrence? Not at all.

Tombstones have been known to turn up in unlikely and unsettling places. Like in someone's yard. It happens from time to time, even right here in Brantford.

Read More

Grave marker mystery solved

2011-01-16T06:45:00.000-08:00

The mystery of the forlorn tombstones in Mitchell has been solved.
The strange tale of the two granite markers, engraved with the names Blanche and Jody, dates back decades.

Read More

Coffen Plate For Lawrence Cotter

2011-01-15T06:39:00.000-08:00

I have just added the coffin plate for Lawrence Cotter. Lawerence was 52 years old.

Lawrence Cotter