Over 300 Million New Names Added Online

There were over 150 new collections added or enhanced this week at
FamilySearch.org. FamilySearch volunteers indexed over 120 million
records—over 300 million new names—from original source documents to
accomplish this great feat. The massive release was announced this
past week at the National Genealogical Society annual conference in
Salt Lake City, Utah.

The records can be found at FamilySearch’s Record Search pilot
http://pilot.familysearch.org/ (FamilySearch.org, click Search
Records, and then click Record Search pilot) or Beta.FamilySearch.org.
http://beta.familysearch.org/Be sure to share the good news with
family and friends.

Collection Name
Records Indexed

Argentina Baptisms , 1645—1930
4,209,653

Argentina Marriages , 1722—1911
150,895

Australia Deaths and Burials , 1816—1980
106,767

Austria Births and Baptisms , 1651—1940
88,885

Austria Burials , 1768 – 1918
31,756

Austria Marriages , 1722 — 1898
25,383

Bahamas Births , 1550—1891
53,476

Barbados Baptisms , 1739—1891
222,010

Barbados Burials , 1854—1885
92,226

Barbados Marriages , 1854—1879
15,666

Belgium Births and Baptisms , 1560—1890
354,038

Belgium Deaths and Burials , 1564—1900
67,182

Brazil Baptisms , 1688—1935
3,597,609

Brazil Deaths , 1750—1890
43,931

Brazil Marriages , 1730—1955
475,107

Canada Births and Baptisms , 1661—1959
2,160,243

Canada Deaths and Burials , 1664—1955
101,189

Canada Marriages , 1661—1949
262,982

British Columbia Death Registrations , 1872—1986
928,851

British Columbia Marriage Registrations , 1859—1932
124,593

New Brunswick Births , 1819—1899
25,414

Nova Scotia Births , 1702—1896
125,791

Nova Scotia Marriages , 1711—1909
32,245

Ontario Births , 1779—1899
455,469

Ontario Marriages , 1800—1910
28,574

Quebec Births , 1662—1898
27,212

Caribbean Births , 1590—1928
438,073

Caribbean Deaths , 1790—1906
13,088

Caribbean Marriages , 1591—1905
88,186

Costa Rica Baptisms , 1700—1915
176,574

Costa Rica Deaths , 1787—1900
31,505

Costa Rica Marriages , 1750—1920
57,849

Czech Republic Births , 1637—1889
33,062

Czech Republic Marriages , 1654—1889
12,698

Dominican Republic Baptisms , 1726—1924
114,209

Dominican Republic Deaths , 1666—1862
14,636

Dominican Republic Marriages , 1743—1929
31,992

Ecuador Baptisms , 1680—1930
593,710

Ecuador Deaths , 1800—1920
43,852

Ecuador Marriages , 1680—1930
271,061

El Salvador Baptisms , 1750—1940
218,500

El Salvador Marriages , 1810—1930
28,162

France Deaths and Burials , 1546—1960
347,368

France Marriages , 1546—1924
1,397,204

Germany Births and Baptisms , 1558—1898
33,749,332

Gibraltar Marriages , 1879—1918
2,201

Gibralter Births and Baptisms , 1704—1876
30,515

Great Britain Deaths and Burials , 1778—1988
69,278

Great Britain Marriages , 1797—1988
22,036

Channel Islands Births and Baptisms , 1820—1907
41,647

Isle of Man Births and Baptisms , 1821—1911
224,489

Isle of Man Deaths and Burials , 1844—1911
42,389

Isle of Man Marriages , 1849—1911
42,662

Wales, Births and Baptisms , 1586—1907
773,392

Wales, Deaths and Burials, 1586—1885
15,109

Wales, Marriages, 1541—1900
39,630

Grenada Births and Baptisms , 1866—1891
33,239

Guatemala Baptisms , 1730—1917
466,223

Guatemala Deaths , 1760—1880
20,921

Guatemala Marriages , 1750—1930
112,610

Hondurus Baptisms , 1730—1930
220,317

Hondurus Marriages , 1800—1910
31,686

Hungary Baptisms , 1734—1895
14,210

Iceland Marriages , 1770—1920
42,954

India Births and Baptisms , 1800—1945
887,579

India Deaths and Burials , 1800—1945
566,529

India Marriages , 1800—1945
203,970

Ireland Deaths , 1864—1870
51,249

Italy Births and Baptisms , 1806—1900
1,940,693

Italy Deaths and Burials , 1809—1900
438,494

Jamaica Births and Baptisms , 1752—1920
331,497

Luxembourg Births , 1662—1840
7,835

Luxembourg Deaths , 1702—1798
1,554

Luxembourg Marriages , 1700—1810
1471

Mexico Deaths , 1680—1940
362,067

Mexico Marriages , 1570—1950
6,232,176

Panama Baptisms , 1750—1938
269,054

Panama Deaths , 1840—1930
21,463

Panama Marriages , 1800—1950
39,839

Paraguay Baptisms , 1800—1930
101,337

Paraguay Marriages , 1800—1900
14,400

Peru Baptisms , 1556—1930
4,013,461

Peru Deaths , 1750—1930
101,257

Peru Marriages , 1600—1940
443,248

Philippines Births and Baptisms , 1642—1994
334,139

Philippines Deaths and Burials , 1726—1957
5,128,622

Philippines Marriages , 1723—1957
2,247,381

Portugal Baptisms , 1570—1910
424,354

Portugal Deaths , 1640—1910
100,234

Portugal Marriages , 1670—1910
59,735

Russia Births and Baptisms , 1755—1917
170,844

Russia Deaths and Burials , 1815—1917
100,647

Russia Marriages , 1793—1919
33,559

Samoa Baptisms , 1863—1940
28,013

Samoa Burials , 1895—1970
42,061

Spain Deaths , 1600—1920
186,259

Sweden Baptisms, 1611—1920
9,280,828

Sweden Burials, 1649-1920
1,207,501

Sweden Marriages, 1630-1920
2,243,064

Switzerland Baptisms , 1491-1940
1,001,685

Switzerland Burials , 1613-1875
138,011

Switzerland Marriages , 1532-1910
268,739

Switzerland, Basel City Church Books, 1380-1917
Images Only

Switzerland, Schaffhausen Genealogies and City Directories, 1460-1952
Images Only

Ukraine, Births and Baptisms
14,166

Uruguay Marriages , 1840—1900
19,810

United States 1910 Federal Census (AZ, CA, DE, FL)
4,078,117

United States Births , 1867—1931
20,946

United States Deaths , 1867—1961
3,705

United States Marriages , 1733—1990
7,176

Arizona Births and Christenings , 1909—1917
27,483

Arizona Deaths , 1910—1911; 1993—1994
10,168

Arizona Marriages , 1888—1908
75,094

Arkansas Births and Christenings , 1880—1893
11,724

Arkansas Deaths and Burials, 1882—1929; 1945—1963
38,956

Arkansas Marriages , 1837—1944
1,005,608

Delaware Births and Christenings , 1710—1896
30,298

Delaware Deaths and Burials , 1815—1955
209,592

Delaware Marriages , 1713—1953
70,024

District of Columbia Births and Christenings , 1830—1955
121,224

District of Columbia Deaths and Burials , 1840—1964
372,173

District of Columbia Marriages , 1830—1921
242,760

Florida Births and Christenings , 1880—1935
28,301

Florida Deaths and Burials , 1900—1921
24,800

Florida Marriages , 1837—1974
860,110

Hawaii Births and Christenings , 1852—1933
150,992

Hawaii Deaths and Burials , 1862—1919
105,519

Hawaii Marriages , 1826—1922
103,871

Idaho Births and Christenings , 1856—1965
75,881

Idaho Deaths and Burials , 1907—1965
31,253

Idaho Marriages , 1878—1898/1903—1942
88,588

Kansas Births and Christenings , 1818—1936
59,392

Kansas Deaths and Burials , 1885—1930
39,907

Kansas Marriages , 1840—1935
378,903

Kentucky Births and Christenings , 1839—1960
547,119

Kentucky Deaths and Burials , 1843—1970
1,971,681

Kentucky Marriages , 1785—1979
1,532,718

Louisiana Births, Christenings , 1811—1830; 1854—1934
16,890

Louisiana Marriages , 1816—1906
129,641

Maine Births and Christenings , 1739—1900
940,882

Maine Deaths and Burials , 1841—1910
172,879

Maine Marriages , 1771—1907
597,508

Maryland Births and Christenings , 1650—1995
206,288

Maryland Deaths and Burials , 1877—1992
11,686

Maryland Marriages , 1666—1970
253,727

Montana Marriages , 1889—1947
197,930

New Mexico Births and Christenings , 1726—1918
435,411

New Mexico Deaths , 1788—1798; 1838—1955
9,627

New Mexico Marriages , 1751—1918
93,387

New York Births and Christenings , 1640—1962
1,351,166

New York Deaths and Burials , 1795—1952
701,396

New York Marriages , 1686—1980
859,927

North Carolina Births and Christenings , 1866—1964
156,156

North Carolina Deaths and Burials , 1898—1994
2,742,609

North Carolina Marriages , 1759—1979
2,128,391

Ohio Deaths and Burials , 1854—1997
2,535,557

Oregon Births and Christenings , 1868—1929
70,253

Oregon Deaths and Burials , 1903—1947
29,035

Oregon Marriages , 1853—1935
57,523

South Dakota State Census+B21 , 1935
673,322

Tennessee County Marriages, 1790—1950
10,145

Utah Births and Christenings , 1892—1941
48,049

Utah Deaths , 1888—1946
148,933

Utah Marriages , 1887—1966
308,854

Vermont Births and Christenings , 1765—1908
402,329

Vermont Deaths , 1871—1965
235,415

Vermont Marriages , 1791—1974
185,433

Virginia Deaths and Burials , 1853—1912
785,241

West Virginia Births and Christenings , 1853—1928
544,589

West Virginia Deaths and Burials , 1854—1932
56,688

West Virginia Marriages , 1854—1932
203,378

Wyoming Marriages , 1877—1920
14,070

World Misc Births , 1534—1983
616,742

World Misc Deaths , 1767—1950
15269

World Misc Marriages , 1662—1945
28668

Who Do You Think You Are with Spike Lee

Tonight is the last episode of Who Do You Think You Are? This Week's Episode features Spike Lee and looks like it should be quite interesting. The website for Who Do You Think You Are? can be found at http://www.nbc.com/who-do-you-think-you-are/. The website features bios of the celebrities featured in the show, photos, and several video clips as well as articles on how to get started in family history.

Ancestry.com is a partner with NBC on this genealogy show.

I'm going to miss the show when it is over but NBC has picked it up for another season!

Who Do You Think You Are?

Last nights episode of Who Do You Think You Are? featuring Susan Sarandon was pretty good. I enjoyed this episode quite a bit more than the last one. This episode focused on Susan's attempts to find out what had what had happened to her grandmother Anita who was last seen in the 1930s. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who has not had a chance to see it yet but I will say that they do find out what happened to Anita.

If you did not get a chance to watch last nights episode I would recommend you take the time. You can watch past episodes at NBC.Com

Or go to
Ancestry.com to start looking for your own ancestors. Ancestry.com is a partner with NBC on this genealogy show.

Dont Forget, Who Do You Think You Are? Is Back On This Week

This Week's Episode of Who Do You Think You Are? will air this Friday. Susan Sarandon sets out to learn more about her grandmother Anita, who led a life shrouded with mystery and who disappeared out of Susan's mother's life when her mother was just a child. In the episode, Susan visits the New York City Public Library and the New City Library in Rockland, New York.

You can learn more about
Who Do You Think You Are? on the NBC website.

Soldier's cross found under junk pile

A rare historical artefact from World War I, found languishing among rubbish in a Lumsden church, has been preserved for future generations.

The hand-crafted wooden cross, which marked the grave of Captain Eric Buckingham Alley in a cemetery near Flanders, was believed to be one of only two crosses of its type in New Zealand.

Read More

DNA from letters helps identify Pearl Harbor casualty

DNA lifted from envelopes sent home by a young sailor aboard the battleship USS Oklahoma in 1941 helped identify his remains 68 years after he died at Pearl Harbor.
Read More

Archaeologists discover a Roman-era mummy

A Roman-era mummy was recently unearthed in a Bahariya Oasis cemetery, about 190 miles southwest of Cairo. The 3-foot-tall female mummy was discovered by Egyptian archaeologists. The figure was found covered with plaster decorated to resemble Roman dress and jewelry,

Read More

'Vandal pinned down by Jesus tombstone Down Under'

A man was pinned to the ground by a tombstone bearing an image of Jesus during an alleged vandalism attack on a Brisbane cemetery, a court has heard.
Read More

Tip Of The Week - Manitoba Vital Stats

Manitoba Vital Statistics. Genealogy Searches for Unrestricted Records. Manitoba has unrestricted access to the following records online:

Births more than 100 years ago.
Marriages more than 80 years ago.
Deaths more than 70 years ago.

Burial Records for Grace Church New York

Have you seen Grace Church, Jamaica (Queens) Burials 1710-1731 and

Grace Church, Jamaica New York Tombstone Recordings ? They are free online on Olive Tree Genealogy website

Tip Of The Week - Alabama Deaths On FamilySearch.org

Family Search has some great death records for Alabama. Alabama Deaths statewide 1908-1974

Tip Of The Week - Michigan Death Records

In my travels around the net I often find interesting death record databases that I think are worthy of note. So I have decided that each Saturday I will Blog about a database that I have found useful. So with that in mind...........

Seeking Michigan has searchable indexes plus images of death records from 1897 to 1920. This Library of Michigan collection of Michigan death certificates features nearly 1 million records. Information includes the decedent's birth date and place, parents' names and birthplace, cemetery name and location, and much more.

Adding Coffin Plates

I am going to spend today adding more coffin plates to my pages. I am working on Frances M Heald right now.

Caretaker of Kabul's British cemetery Rahimullah dies

Last week, after almost 30 years of tending the graves in the British Cemetery — through a two foreign invasions, Taleban rule and a civil war — the elderly caretaker was laid to rest in a Muslim graveyard not far from where he worked.

READ MORE

DNA From A 4000 Year Old Graveyard

Chinese archeologists have excavated an extraordinary cemetery. Its inhabitants died almost 4,000 years ago, yet their bodies have been well preserved by the dry air.

Read More....

Press Release - WW1 Soldiers killed at Fromelles are identified

While they could not be named individually, three British soldiers were confirmed to be among the 250 soldiers recovered from the mass graves at Pheasant Wood and 128 were confirmed to have served the Australian Army. The remaining 44 are, for the time being, classified as ‘unknown’.

Veterans Minister Kevan Jones said:

“Identification is a challenging task and this has been no exception. We are disappointed that there was insufficient evidence to name British soldiers but I would like to thank the families for the support that they have all given to this project.

“Although no British soldiers could be named, I am pleased that we can confirm three having served with the British Army. What is most important is that these men have all been laid to rest with the dignity and honour they deserve. The identification process will remain open for another four years, and I hope that families will continue to make contact.”

Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, said;

"Of the 250 soldiers found, I am pleased to announce that 203 have been identified as Australians, and that 75 of these have been positively identified by name.

"The number of soldiers that we have been able to identify exceeds even our most optimistic forecasts. We are unlikely to identify every man; however, we will continue to take all reasonable steps to maximise those named in the future.

"Each of the 250 sets of remains that were found have been analysed using all available historical, anthropological, artefact and DNA evidence. For those who have been identified so far, DNA proved to be a key piece of the identification puzzle.

"I am also pleased to say that we have strong reason to believe that more identification could occur in the future.”

A Joint Identification Board, with members representing the British and Australian Governments, considered the available evidence including DNA from the soldiers’ remains and from the families who came forward. Where there was clear and compelling evidence the Board was able to confirm the identities of individual soldiers.

The Board will reconvene in May to consider additional family samples that have only recently been returned from Australia. This additional testing and second Board will help ensure that as many soldiers as possible are identified before the 19 July 2010 commemorative event that will mark the official opening of the new cemetery.

Notes for Editors

1. The full list of names of Australian servicemen who have been identified is available on the Fromelles Project web site www.cwgc.org/fromelles
2. The remains of 250 World War 1 soldiers killed in the 1916 Battle of Fromelles were recovered last year and reburied with military honours at a new military cemetery constructed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
3. The reinterment of 249 of the 250 soldiers from Pheasant Wood was completed in mid February. The burials were each conducted in a dignified military ceremony by serving members of both the British and Australian Armies. The remaining soldier, who will be representative of all those who died in the Battle of Fromelles but who have no known grave, will be reinterred during the Commemorative Event on 19 July 2010.
4. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has published a list of names at www.cwgc.org/fromelles of those soldiers who may be among those yet to be identified. Families who believe they have connections to, or information on, one of the soldiers are being encouraged to come forward to assist with the process which remain open until 2014.
5. Anyone believing they may be related to a British soldier should contact the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre, Historic Casualty & Deceased Estates Casework, Services Personnel and Veterans Agency, Building 182, Imjin Barracks, Gloucester GL3 1HW, email: Fromelles@spva.mod.uk telephone: +44 (0)1452 712612 x 6303 or 6256.
6. For more information, please contact Roz Britton-Elliot, MOD Press Office, 0207 218 5903.

Happy St Pats To All My Irish Ancestors

In honor of St Patricks day I thought I would talk about all my Irish ancestors. I have many Irish ancestors. So many in fact that if asked about my ethnic background I always say Irish first. Truth be told I probably have more English DNA than any thing else but it is my Irish heritage that speaks to me. I think that's perhaps the reason for my love of Irish music. So in honor of all my Irish ancestors who came to North America in search of a better life.............

* William Massey from Delgany, Wicklow Ireland arrived Quebec before 1843. 3rd g grandpa.

* William Montgomery (4th g grpa) from Co Fermanagh left Ireland during War of 1812 with his parents Thomas Montgomery and Mary Johnson (5th g grandparents). They were captured by British off coast of Newfoundland and held prisoners until 1816 then sent to Quebec. Later Thomas and Mary left for Oneida Co. New York but William remained in Quebec and married Jane Graham from Ireland.

* Jane Graham 4th g grandma.

* Cornelius Kennedy born Killarney and his wife Elizabeth Clifford (4th greats) born Co. Derry came to Ontario circa 1847 during Irish Famine. Their daughter Catherine Kennedy (3rd great) also born Ireland.

* Mary Jackson nee McKanor (4th g gramma) and son William Jackson (3rd g grandpa) from Tipperary sailed on Sir Robert Peel to New York in Oct. 1857. Came on to Ontario a few years later.

* James Hogan and wife Ann Hayden came to Ontario from Ireland ca 1843 4th g grandparents.

* James Holden, wife Frances Hamilton (4th g grandparents), son Sinclair Holden (3rd g grandpa) came from Co. Tyrone, Ireland between 1822 and 1826 to Whitby Ontario.

Who Do You Think You Are - Who's On When

The TV genealogy series, Who Do You Think You Are? at 8:00 Eastern/7:00 Central Time is on NBC every Friday. Here is the schedule so you don't miss it:

* March 5 – Sarah Jessica Parker
* March 12 – Emmitt Smith
* March 19 – Lisa Kudrow
* March 26 – Matthew Broderick
* April 2 – Brooke Shields
* April 9 – Susan Sarandon
* April 23 – Spike Lee

Olive Tree Genealogy Blog posted thoughts and critiques of the last two episodes. You can read them at

Episode 1

Episode 2

There is also a companion book which sounds pretty good!

My Thoughts on Who Do You Think You Are

It seems like everyone is talking about Who Do You Think You Are. So I guess it is time for me to join the crowd and say something. Having watched the first two episodes I can say for me the second one was a little better than the first. So hopefully it will continue to improve as we go along. It is not that there was anything really bad about the first episode. I just found the second one a little more interesting, perhaps because of my own black ancestry.

There were of course some issues with the genealogy presented in each of the two shows. But you must give the producers a little leeway in this as they are trying to produce an enjoyable and exciting television show that is only one hour in length. No one would want to watch if they did not spice it up a little.

The first two episodes featured Sarah Jessica Parker and football player Emmitt Smith as they journeyed around the United States and the world in search of their ancestors. Now I know most of us can not afford to go flying all over the world looking for our ancestors but fortunately we can do a lot of our research on line with company's like Ancestry.com. In fact Ancestry was one of the sponsors of Who Do You Think You Are.

In the case of Emmitt Smith they also used DNA testing to explore his ancestry. This DNA testing is quite interesting as it can provide information that you sometimes just can not find any other way. For Emmitt it gave him some insight into his white and native American background that researchers using more traditional methods were unable to find.

So all in all I think it is a good show that is well worth watching. It will inspire many current genealogists to get back to work. I also think it will create a whole new crop of genealogists both young and old to start digging into their family tree.

I just hope all the new genealogists don't take up my place at the microfilm reader.

WHAT ABOUT THE WOMEN?

Today's post on the Olive Tree Genealogy Blog is honoring International Women's Day. In honour of the unsung and unknown female ancestors in our family tree, take some time today, this week and this month to pick one and find out more about her.

I am going to spend some time looking for my 5th Great Grandmother Margaret Drummond. I know almost nothing about Margaret other than she was born in Scotland 1780~1820. Not much to go on but I think she deserves another look.

Family History Sweeps. $20,000 Ultimate Family History Journey™ Sweepstakes. Enter today

Family History Sweeps. $20,000 Ultimate Family History Journey™ Sweepstakes. Enter today.

Daughter discovers a genealogy gold mine in father's letters

Oswald Holzer, a Jewish physician, deserted the Czechoslovakian Army in 1939 as Nazi Germany overtook the country and conscripted the army. He ended up in China where, eight days after they met, he married Ruth Alice Lequear on Sept. 20, 1940.

Nearly 60 years later, when Oswald and Ruth died within three days of each other, Schirm and her siblings discovered 534 documents dating back to 1885 and including 392 letters written to her father by 78 different people during World War II.

Read More

Can You Help Find a WW2 American Soldier

The Ask Olive Tree Blog posted an interesting puzzle today. A lady in Australia has found a WW2 dog tag is trying to find out about the owner.

Read More

Ancient Greenland man's DNA decoded

Scientists have pieced together most of the DNA of a man who lived in Greenland about 4,000 years ago, a pioneering feat that revealed hints about his appearance and even an increased risk of baldness.

It's the first genome from an ancient human, showing the potential for what one expert called a time machine for learning about the biology of ancient people.

Ancient Greenland man's DNA decoded

Website Updates

I have added some more Funeral Cards, Coffin Plates and Store Ledger Books.

56 kilos of opium found inside tombstone

Four people in Vancouver Canada charged with importing a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking after an imported tombstone was found packed with over 56 kilograms of opium. The 550-kilogram stone was shipped to B.C. from Iran and inspected at Vancouver International Airport, where border agents discovered a hidden cavity.

OliveTreeGenealogy Gives Away Footnote.com, Ancestry.com And GenealogyBank.com

Olive Tree Genealogy is giving away Subscriptions to Footnote.com , Ancestry.com and GenealogyBank.com as part of the Olive Tree 14th Birthday Bash. The draw for 5 lucky winners will take place on Feb. 15th. Names will be chosen from subscribers to the Olive Tree Genealogy newsletter. So go and sign up for the newsletter if you want a chance to win.

Hopewell Township, York County Pennsylvania, 1890 Tax Book

I have added some more pages to the Hopewell Township, York County Pennsylvania, 1890 Tax Book. Its an interesting little book that helps replace the missing 1890 census for Hopewell Township.

Hopewell Township Tax Book

I also have some pages from the Elk Creek Township, Erie County Pennsylvania, 1876 to 1878 Store Ledger Book.

Elk Creek Township

Sharing Memories (Week 10) - First Day and Year of School

Well as I was saying yesterday I am taking part in Sharing Memories - A Genealogy Journey. This weeks journal topic is Sharing Memories (Week 10) - First Day and Year of School . So with that in mind.....

I actually do remember my first day of school. At least a little bit. I can remember walking down the street to the bus stop. A little girl crying. The stale musty smell of the bus. But what I remember most about that day is meeting my first school friend, Greg Scott. Greg and I became best friends that day and for that first year of school we were inseparable. Sadly a year or so later he moved to another school.

Its funny but as I write this, I find little bits of scatted memories are popping back in to my head. I remember playing the part of the innkeeper in the Xmas pageant, Making snow flakes out of paper. The large communal sink in the boys washroom that you had to use your feet to make the water come on. Strange what we remember.

My first teacher was Carole Peet. She was a nice lady. I think she still lives around here some place, but she is long retired now I am sure. I remember she lived on a farm. She would bring baby chickens to school and other small critters. Perhaps that's part of the reason I have a bunch of critters my self.

Sharing Memories - A Genealogy Journey

I am taking part in Sharing Memories - A Genealogy Journey. Lorine of the Olive Tree Genealogy is hosting what one might call a genealogy journal writing club. It is a really neat idea and I think you will want to take a look.

Take A Genealogy Journey

It's important as genealogists that we not forget about writing our own story. And this series of blog articles is a great help for inspiring the rest of us to share our story with future generations.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the OLIVE TREE GENEALOGY

WOW. The Olive Tree Genealogy is one of the oldest genealogy sites on the web. "HAPPY 14th. BIRTHDAY OLIVE TREE GENEALOGY!!" Subscribers to the free Olive Tree Genealogy newsletter will be
entered in a Birthday Draw to win one of three terrific prizes. Join
today for a chance to win! Read more about the February 15, 2010 Birthday Celebration

Battle of Stoney Creek Graves

Hamilton Ontario councillors are looking to the federal government to cover the cost of drafting a plan to excavate suspected soldiers’ remains near Smith’s Knoll on King Street.

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Coffin Plate of William Cochran 1805 ~ 1881

The Coffin Plate of William Cochran 1805 ~ 1881 is now online on AncestorsAtRest.com

William Cochran 1805 ~ 1881

No room in the cemetery for Haiti dead

Even in death, there is no dignity for the abandoned people of Haiti. The Grand Cimetière, the last home of the country's most famous families, has in five days turned from a place of respect and mourning into an installation of horror.

Read More

More Fillmore, Andrew County, Missouri

I have added more pages from the Fillmore, Andrew County, Missouri ledger book.

Fillmore, Andrew County, Missouri ledger book

Fillmore, Andrew County, Missouri. Genealogy Database

I have added a great little genealogy resource for Fillmore, Andrew County, Missouri. Its a ledger book that was used by the Town Board Of Trustees to record the minutes of their meetings. The ledger starts in 1900 and ends in 1910. It has 200 pages containing hundreds of local Fillmore, Andrew County, Missouri names. I have the first 50 pages online right now. The rest should be on in the next day or so.

Fillmore, Andrew County, Missouri

Coffin Plate of Simeon Pearl 1782 ~ 1864

I have added the Coffin Plate of Simeon Pearl 1782 ~ 1864. Simeon Pearl 1782 ~ 1864 I went and had a hunt for Simeon Pearl 1782 ~1 864 in the 1860 United States Federal Census on Ancestry.com. I think I found him in North Andover, Essex, Massachusetts.

Hamilton County Ohio Records online

Wow I just found a bunch of Hamilton County Ohio Records online. If you have Hamilton County Ohio ancestors you need to take a look.
Hamilton County Ohio Records

Or if you want to take a look at my Ohio pages go to Death Records for Ohio

Naturalization Records Updates

Hi all. I have updated the Naturalization Records section of AncestorsAtRest.com
I have added some links and a cool new map that will take you right to the state page for Naturalization Records on NaturalizationRecords.com.

NaturalizationRecords.com is the best site on the net for starting your search for Naturalization Records. Naturalization Records can be very important to your genealogical research but they are often overlooked.

AncestorsAtRest.com Naturalization Records

Coffin Plate of Betsy G Gray 1825 ~ 1888

I have added the Coffin Plate of Betsy G Gray 1825 ~ 1888. Betsy G Gray 1825 ~ 1888

Coffin Plate of William M Genschow 1872 ~ 1933

The Coffin Plate of William M Genschow 1872 ~ 1933 is now online. William M Genschow 1872 ~ 1933

Coffin Plate of Joanna C Locke 1844 ~ 1907

I have added the coffin plate of Coffin Plate of Joanna C Locke 1844 ~ 1907. Had a quick look in the 1900 United States Federal Census on Ancestry and it looks like she was born in Massachusetts. If you want to take a look at the coffin plate go to Joanna C Locke 1844 ~ 1907

Back to work

Well as many of you will have noticed I have not been Bloging much for the last little while. I have had to give my time to a few other projects but they are winding down now so I will be able to spend a little more time on the Bloging and on AncestorsAtRest.com So with that in mind I am going to spend the rest of the day adding a few coffin plates to the database.

Coffin Plate Database

1749 Widow's Rights in Massachusetts

An interesting notice about social customs in Massachusetts in 1749. Apparently if a man married a widow, he was excempt from her previous debts if she married him while barefoot and wearing only her nightgown.

1857 Ad for Coffins & Coffin Plates

An interesting 1857 ad for coffins and coffin plates. offin plates are decorative adornments attached to the coffin that contain free genealogical information like the name and death date of the deceased.

Cemetery Restoration Project

The restoration project of the Old General Cemetery at Williamsburg by the Covington County Genealogical & Historical Society is nearing completion.

The membership of the society is soliciting the aid of the descendants of families buried in this cemetery during the 1800s. Many of the earliest graves, dating prior to the Civil War, have missing markers.

30 burials have been identified so far and will be recorded on a monument. Anyone knowing additional names of those buried there will be able to have those names engraved on the monument.

Email hiliroc@c-gate.net for more information or to provide a name

Wreaths Across America

In national cemeteries across America the graves of hundreds of thousands of veterans will be adorned with Christmas wreaths during ceremonies set to take place simultaneously Saturday, Dec. 12.

Wreaths Across America is a tradition that began 18 years ago in Maine to recognize the service and sacrifice of veterans and their families. It has since spread across the country to include more than 400 national cemeteries, as well as 24 national cemeteries on foreign soil and several locations in Iraq.

Continue reading about Wreaths Across America

Uncovered Bodies From 170-Year-Old Tennessee Cemetery To Be Re-Buried

A developer has been given permission to go ahead and re-bury bodies from a 170year old cemetery that developers had planned to relocate into a 50-foot buffer zone mandated by a 2002 rezoning. The property is located in Ooltewah, Tennessee

View names of those buried in the Ooltewah Cemetery

A to K and L to Z

210-year-old Irish immigrant's grave uncovered in New York park

For 210 years the body of 28-year-old County Kildare native James Jackson, a young Irish immigrant, has lain undisturbed in the center of Manhattan’s Greenwich Village.
But this week, as park workers dug below Washington Square they revealed his gravestone, a three foot sandstone tablet buried so long ago that it’s a wonder the writing on his headstone is still so clear.

Read More About James Jackson

Ask Olive Tree Blog, A Fantastic Blog

If you are looking for answers to your genealogical questions try the Ask Olive Tree Blog. Queries, challenging genealogy puzzles, brick wall ancestors -- ask Olive Tree, get answers.

Ask Olive Tree Blog

Death Reports of American Citizens

Death Reports of American Citizens Abroad,1910-1974 has just been put online on Ancestry.com

Death Reports of American Citizens Abroad includes records of the U.S.
consular officers that reported to the Department of State the names
of U.S. citizens who died within their consular districts. These death
reports commonly provide acceptable documentation in the English
language for cases in which satisfactory proof of an American death
might be very difficult to obtain in any other form.

You might also want to consult the
Ancestor Death Record Finder to help you in your
search for an ancestor's death.

The free death records on AncestorsAtRest.com include Coffin Plates, Funeral
Cards, Obituaries, Cemetery records and more.

Coffin Plate of Hermine Stephan

The Coffin Plate of Hermine Stephan is now online. From the photo I would say Hermine died in the 1900 to 1915 time period.

Hermine Stephan

If you want to take a look at all the coffin plates on Ancestors At Rest try the Coffin Plate Index

Man crushed to death by 200-kilo gravestone

Police in Vienna are investigating after a 40-year-old man was killed when a 200-kilo gravestone fell on top of him. Police said foul play had been ruled out and fingerprints on the stone had revealed the man had touched it before it fell.

Historical group protecting plots

There’s a plot of land off South Dixie Road that seems empty — but it’s not.

There are no markers, no fences, nothing to indicate it’s a cemetery except a few places where the ground has sunken in a little.

“I wouldn’t have known it was a cemetery,” said Mitch Adams, a senior GIS (Geographic Information Systems) technician for Whitfield County. “I only know it’s one because Marvin (Sowder) told me it was and because there are indentations in the ground.” Sowder is a local history enthusiast.


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Tying The Knot In A Cemetery

Becka Sampaio and her fiance Kevin Bossons are planning a Halloween wedding and are dead set on tying the knot in a cemetery.
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Berger Family Memorial Cards

This is an interesting group of memorial cards for the Berger family. I had a look around to see if I could locate this family but was unable to pin them down. I did find a Joseph Berger living in Miamisburg, Montgomery, Ohio in 1900. It would take a little more work to see if this is the family we are looking for.

1900 United States Federal Census
Joseph Berger
Age: 62
Birth Date: Jan 1838
Birthplace: Germany
Race: White
Ethnicity: American
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1848
Relationship to Head of House: Head
Father's Birthplace: Germany
Mother's Birthplace: Germany
Marital Status: Widowed
Residence : Miamisburg City, Montgomery, Ohio

Household Members: Name Age
Joseph Berger 62
Ernest Berger 16

Sometimes people refer to this type of memorial card as a funeral card. This is not strictly correct as a funeral card was generally a small card that contained information on the funeral of an individual. I have lots more funeral and memorial cards on Ancestors At Rest.com

Abraham Manning Coffin Plate

I have added the coffin plate of Abraham Manning to my coffin plate section on Ancestorsatrest.com

Old Abraham was aged 81 years 8 mos 26 dys when he passed on. No date on this coffin plate but I would say it is from about 1870 to about 1890.

If you want to see all the coffin plates in the index go to the Coffin Plates Page

Orange Beach Community Cemetery Many Unmarked Graves

Locals have long known there are bodies in the Orange Beach Community Cemetery unaccounted for by above-ground markers. But the extent was not known until 2000 when Tony Kennon, who is now the city's mayor, sought to have his late father, Robert Kennon, buried in Orange Beach's only graveyard. When a body turned up in what was thought to be an empty plot, firefighters scanned the ground to look for an unoccupied spot.
Read More

Historic Miami Florida cemetery confirmed as burial place for Miami black pioneers

As researchers confirm that a Miami cemetery unearthed by construction crews was the final resting place of pioneering black residents, developers erecting a residential complex on the site move to keep what remains of the burial ground.

The mysterious, long-forgotten Lemon City cemetery unearthed by construction crews earlier this year will likely be preserved as a historical monument to the pioneering black Miamians who were buried there in the early 20th century.

The developers' decision to preserve the burial ground came after researchers found historical confirmation of the previously unknown cemetery's existence in a 1941 book published by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a government agency set up as part of President Franklin Roosevelt's response to the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Continue reading the full story

Emmett Till's Casket Donated to the Smithsonian

The National Museum of African American History and Culture has acquired the original casket of Emmett Till, whose brutal murder in 1955 energized the modern civil rights movement. Read More

Marilyn Monroe

I thought this story about the grave of Marilyn Monroe was interesting. Marilyn Monroe

Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis Tennessee

Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis's oldest graveyard opened in 1852 and houses the remains of many prominent, and notorious, citizens. It's a microcosm of Memphis history—Civil War, Masons, yellow fever, immigration, crime: it's all represented.

Of particular note is the number of victims of yellow fever, which struck the city most severely in 1878. Half the populace fled Memphis and at the height of the disease that summer, 200 people died per day.

Over 1,000 Civil War soldiers are buried in the cemetery, as are former politicians, blues singers and criminals.

Read more about Elmwood Cemetery

FREE World Vital Records until AUGUST 18th!

WorldVitalRecords Free Site Access Today! World Vital Records announced today that it is extending its FREE ACCESS to the site until August 18th.

Genealogists have 4 more days to explore World Vital Records and find ancestors for FREE.

Death of Doris Hardisty, Guelph Wellington Co. Ontario

A Yearbook I bought on yielded this Death Notice:

DORIS HARDISTY

The late Doris Hardisty who passed away early on Saturday morning November 1st was a student in Form IV A and her death cast a mantle of gloom over the studen body of the Collegiate. When we remember her attractive personality and the great promise of her life, her death is particularly sad. in school and school activities, in Church, in Young Peoples' organizations, she is greatly missed.

A search of the Death Records on Ancestry.com revealed that Doris died of acute peritonitis after an operation in Guelph General Hospital (Ontario Canada). Gangrene set in and Doris died at the age of 16 years and 10 months. She was the daughter of Ernest Edward Hardisty and Lily Burton, both born England.

Coffin Plate of Ruth Stone 1782~1863

I have added the Coffin Plate of Ruth Stone 1782~1863 to my coffin plate database. I did a little digging and it looks like Ruth Stone may have lived in Jaffrey, Cheshire, New Hampshire.

Ruth Stone 1782~1863

Footnote 1930 Census Is FREE

Footnote has opened up the 1930 census for all to view FREE during the month of August. This is a great opportunity to have a look for your ancestors.

51 Headless Vikings Found in English Execution Pit

I found this story interesting and was thinking I would pass it on. I would love to see if they could get any DNA from the bodies.

Naked, beheaded, and tangled, the bodies of 51 young men—their heads stacked neatly to the side—have been found in a thousand-year-old pit in southern England. Read More

St.Andrews Presbyterian Cemetery, Hillsdale, Simcoe County, Ontario

I now have a list of names to go with the photos of St.Andrews Presbyterian Cemetery, Hillsdale, Simcoe County, Ontario.

St.Andrews Presbyterian Cemetery

Obituary Of Harry Patch Last British Survivor Of WW1

He was a plumber from Somerset, in many ways an unremarkable man, but Harry Patch became the last British survivor of the carnage of the Western Front.
Read More

Townland of Minmore, County Wicklow Ireland. 1839

I have added a list of tenants renting land from Earl Fitzwilliam in the townland of Minmore, County Wicklow Ireland in 1839. Anne Burgess has been transcribing the 1839 Fitzwilliam rentals records, and putting them into a spreadsheet for each townland, hoping in that way to construct a sort of census substitute for 1839 in southwest Wicklow.

Townland of Minmore

I also have the following Townlands done.

People from the Fitzwilliam Estate in Wicklow that went to Ontario Canada.
Aghold Townland County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Ardoyne Townland County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Ballykelly Townland County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Boley Townland County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Coolattin Townland County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Coolboy Townland County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Coolboy Lower Townland, County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Coolkenna Townland County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Coolroe Townland County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Cronelea Townland County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Cronyhorn Townland County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Kilcavan Townland County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Kilquiggin and Quigginroe Townlands County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Knockatomcoyle Townland, County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Larragh Townland, County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Minmore Townland, County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Monaghullen Townland, County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Park, Coolruss and Drummin Townlands County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.
Raheengraney Townland, County Wicklow in 1839. A census substitute.

You can see them at Ireland Genealogy

Remains from Fort Craig cemetery reburied

The remains of more than 60 Civil War era men, women and children, who were initially buried near Fort Craig in southern Socorro County, will be laid to rest for a final time at the Santa Fe National Cemetery on Tuesday, July 28. Among them were three Buffalo Soldiers, who were reburied with full military honors after their original graves had been desecrated by trophy hunters.



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Coffin Plate of Henry Richmond 1813~1885

I now have the coffin plate of Henry Richmond online.

Henry ? Richmond
Died March 30th 1885
Aged 72 yrs 7 mos 6 days

Henry Richmond Coffin Plate

Crazy Coffins

Vic Fearn and Company is a 160-year-old company in England that makes coffins. That doesn't sound terribly exciting, but recent customers may make you think twice about that impression. Crazy Coffins

Maxwell Factory In St.Marys Ontario

This is a photo of my Great Grandfather John Massey at work in the Maxwell Factory in St.Marys Ont. John is the guy in the middle with the funny look on his face. I am told he was a bit of a clown at times so the photo would seem to back that up. I think the photo was taken around 1920.

The Coffin Plate of Alexander Cameron 1806 ~ 1889

I have added the Coffin Plate of Alexander Cameron 1806 ~ 1889 to the database on AncestorsAtRest.com. I did a little research on old Alexander and it looks like he may have come from Scotland and lived in New York City. It would take a little more work to confirm this.

You can have a look at the coffin plate of Alexander Cameron 1806 ~ 1889 at Alexander Cameron

If you are interested in looking at the index to all the coffin plates on AncestorsAtRest.com just go to the Coffin Plate Index

St.Johns Anglican Cemetery, Waverley, Simcoe County, Ontario

I have added a index to the photos of St.Johns Anglican Cemetery, Waverley, Simcoe County, Ontario. It makes browsing the photos much easier.
St.Johns Anglican Cemetery

If you are interested in other Simcoe County Ontario Cemetery records try Simcoe County Ontario

Archeologists to recover bodies from downtown Montreal grave yard

Archeologists will spend the next several months removing the remains of dozens of people buried under Dorchester Square and Place du Canada in Montreal.

The area was once the site of a Roman Catholic cemetery where between 40,000 and 50,000 people were buried.

A number of bodies were moved to Notre-dame-des neiges cemetery when the downtown burial site closed in mid 1850s, but some of the bodies are still there.



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St.Andrews Presbyterian Cemetery, Hillsdale, Simcoe County, Ontario

I have started to add some photos of graves in St.Andrews Presbyterian Cemetery, Hillsdale, Simcoe County, Ontario. St.Andrews Presbyterian Cemetery

Coffin Plate of Mrs Mary Love 1834 ~ 1879

The Coffin Plate of Mrs Mary Love 1834 ~ 1879 is now online. Mary Love

The Coffin Plate Of Samuel Lorenzo Love

The coffin plate of Samuel Lorenzo Love is now online. Samuel Lorenzo Love, Died Nov 4th 1879, Aged 23 years 2 months 12 days. Samuel Lorenzo Love

Cemetery Discovered at Florida Building Site

Historians and archaeologists want to know who was buried in an apparently forgotten cemetery uncovered in a Miami construction site.
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Government to locate kin of Civil War veteran killed with ax in 1877

As U.S. Army Pvt. Levi Morris died a slow, painful death from an ax wound, he told the medical workers tending to him that his only relative lived in Akron.Henry Pickett. For the past few weeks, the U.S. government has been trying to track down the Pickett family, but there was a big problem. Morris died in June 1877.In New Mexico. And Pickett, obviously, died long, long ago.

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Southampton headstone found north of Barrie

John McDonald, whose headstone was found last month in a ditch north of Barrie, was a Prince Edward Island native and fisherman whose resting place is a Southampton pioneer cemetery.

Ann-Marie Collins, archivist at the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre, confirmed that McDonald's grave marker had been missing from the old cemetery along the banks of the Saugeen River.

"It's just amazing that this stone has been found," she said. "There has been one other stone turn up in my time at the Bruce County museum, that's eight years now, and we're still trying to place it."

No one has been buried in the old Southampton graveyard for more than a century, and McDonald would have been interred there in its last 10 years of operation, Collins said.

He was only 46 years old when he died of "brain fever" on April 6, 1890. Collins first caught wind of a possible Bruce County link yesterday morning from a Simcoe County museum staffer. Further investigation verified it. Collins obtained a copy of the cemetery interment records and McDonald's date of death matched.

Several phone calls were received from people who subscribe to Ancestry.com saying that McDonald was from Southampton along the shores of Lake Huron.

... Continue reading

Unique Graves, Headstones & Tombstones

Unique Graves, Headstones & Tombstones. From the unusual to the amusing, you don't want to miss seeing these Cemetery Monuments!

Mel Blank, a Scrabble Headstone, Hippies, Computer Geeks and more....

Coffin Plate of Lucy Andrews 1790 ~ 1869

The Coffin Plate of Lucy Andrews 1790 ~ 1869 is now online. It looks like Lucy may have lived in Brimfield, Hampden, Massachusetts.

If you want to see the coffin plate of Lucy Andrews or take a look at the index of over 500 coffin plates go to Coffin Plates

The Forgotten Coffin Of Gladys Winifred Fowler

An amateur sleuth has solved the mystery surrounding the tragic death of a young New Brunswick woman whose coffin has been lying in a dusty, unclaimed crate at a London cemetery for more than 90 years.

But one nagging question remains for Barry Smith: Will anyone from Canada come forward to bring her home?

Read more about Gladys Winifred Fowler who was only 18 when she died in 1917.

Missouri Archives Online Vital Records

I just found this online and I thought I would pass it on. The Missouri Death Certificate Database, containing death records created after 1910 and over 50 years old, makes that information available online through a searchable index that links to a digitized image of the original death certificate. The index can be searched by first name and last name, county, and by year and month. Once a name is selected, a digitized image of the original certificate can be retrieved. This is an ongoing project and additional records will be added as they are transcribed and imaged.

I have added a link to this valuable Missouri resource on my Death Records page on Ancestors At Rest.

Parish Of St. John, Pequea And Christ Church, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

I have added some records for Parish Of St.John, Pequea And Christ Church, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

St.John Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

The Canadian National Registration File of 1940

If you are researching family in Canada in 1940 then you may be interested in The National Registration File of 1940. The National Registration was a compulsory registration of all persons, 16 years of age or older, in the period from 1940 to 1946. It makes a great census substitute and has a lot of great info. If you would like to read more about how to access this fantastic resource go to The Olive Tree

500 More Names Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery, El Paso Texas

I have added 500 more names to my Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery, El Paso Texas database. I now have A-B-C-E names online. Sorry D is not done yet.

Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery

Want to Buy a Cemetery?

For sale: 13 acres, 4.5 of them undeveloped. Easy access to public transportation. Walking distance to the waterfront. Historical details. Lush landscaping. Well maintained by its landlord of more than a century.

One last thing: It’s a cemetery, one that comes with 6,500 filled graves.

Read More

Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery, El Paso Texas 3000 Names

I have just added 3000 names of people in the Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery, El Paso Texas. This is just the letters A and B for today. I will add more in the next few days.

Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery

Cool Site For Ontario Photos

Hi All

I just found a cool site for photographs. It is called Images Ontario and it is just great. I have all ready found some of my ancestors and am just getting started. I don't know how long the site has been online but I think its great.


Images Ontario

World's top 10 cemeteries

Lonely Planet's "Best in Travel 2009" lists the world's top 10 cemeteries. At number 10 is the City of the Dead in Cairo, Egypt.

Havana's famed Colón Cemetery suffers ravages of time

All but uncared for four decades since Fidel Castro came to power, the 137-year-old Cristóbal Colón Cemetery of Havana is facing one of the most difficult challenges in its history: the indignity of old age.


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Pioneers Of St. Marys, Perth County Ontario 1840~1860

I have created a new group on Facebook called Pioneers Of St. Marys, Perth County Ontario 1840~1860. And I would like to invite anyone with an interest in St. Marys to join me. This group is for anyone who can trace their lines back to early St. Marys. Or for anyone who has an interest in the history of this historic little town. I have used the years 1840 to 1860 as a guideline but feel free to post about any 19th Century St.Marys subject.

I have many early St. Marys lines and thought it would be fun to have a place to talk to others with ancestors in St.Marys.

Pioneers Of St. Marys, Perth County Ontario 1840~1860.

Coffin Plate for William Roughsedge 1830~1884

The coffin plate for William Roughsedge 1830~1884 is now online on AncestorsAtRest.com

Or William Roughsedge Coffin Plate

Making a Genealogy Time Capsule

My post about the Roman grave goods found in London started me thinking about how great it is to find a physical connection to our ancestors. It is so fantastic to be able to touch something that belonged to one of our ancestors. I am fortunate to be in possession of many items that belonged to my ancestors. But what will future generations have that belonged to me? Only time will tell.

If you are interested in sending a little bit of yourself into the future you may be interested in a series of articles on the Olive Tree Genealogy Blog called Making a Genealogy Time Capsule.

Just think how fantastic it would be if a hundred or perhaps a thousand years from now archaeologists were to find a time capsule full of information about you and your family.

Woodlawn Cemetery Guelph Ontario

Adding some photos I took in Woodlawn Cemetery Guelph Ontario. Woodlawn Cemetery

Unique Roman glass dish found at London grave site

LONDON, Apr. 29, 2009 (Reuters) — Archaeologists have unearthed a Roman glass bowl, thought to be a unique find in the Western Roman Empire, at an ancient cemetery beyond the walls of the old city of London.

The "millefiori" dish (a thousand flowers), believed to date from around the 2nd to 3rd century A.D., is a mosaic of hundreds of indented blue petals with white bordering.

"For it to have survived intact is amazing. In fact, it is unprecedented in the western Roman world," said Jenny Hall, curator of the Roman collection at the Museum of London.

(edited)

The artifact was found 2.5 to 3 meters (yards) down at a sprawling ancient cemetery in Aldgate, east London, just beyond the old city walls. Romans were required by law to bury their dead outside the city gates.

It formed part of a cache of grave goods found close to a wooden container holding the ashes of a probably wealthy Roman citizen from the ancient imperial outpost of Londinium, now mostly hidden beneath modern-day London.

Continue reading Unique Roman glass dish found at London grave site