More fallen diggers found at Bullecourt burial site

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.

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War grave Lusitania gives up its sea-bed secrets

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.

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Margaret Tyler Coffin Plate 1885

Margaret Tyler Died July 2nd 1885 aged 80 yrs

Cemetery Walk Cochrane Catholic Cemetery Ontario Canada

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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.



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Coffin Plate of Sue E Smith 1852 ~ 1882

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

Coffin Plate Index

Cemetery Walk Trinity UC Cemetery Ontario Canada

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

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

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

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.

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Ryedale Windy Pits skeletons were 'sacrificial'

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.

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Ancient skeletons discovered in north Dublin

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.



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York mass grave skeletons were Civil War soldiers

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.



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Grave found beneath Barrie Ontario train station

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.

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Dutch woman solves mystery of slain Canadian WW2 soldier

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.


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19th-century grave unearthed at Eastern Michigan University campus

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

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

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

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.

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Montgomery County Pennsylvania, Hatfield Ledger Book 1858~1904

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?

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

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

Jennie M Sprague

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

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

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

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

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

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

Art historians are hunting for the grave of Mona Lisa.

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Where oh Where Has my Invitation Gone??

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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Cemetery Love

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.

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Free Access to Civil War Records on Ancestry!

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

Death Registration Years in Canada

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

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



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Ancient graves threatened by climate change

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.

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Man Tries to Save Cemetery From Being Washed Away

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.

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Coffin Plate of Thomas R Davis 1833 ~ 1889

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Robert H Thayer 1872 ~ 1873

The Broken Stone

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

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

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

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.


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Roadwork in Poland unearth German WWII mass grave

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

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

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

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.

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Coffen Plate For Lawrence Cotter

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

Lawrence Cotter

2,600-year-old Celtic tomb discovered in Germany

Archaeologists have unveiled the treasures of a 2,600-year-old Celtic tomb containing a wealth of art in Germany.

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Discovery of tombstone has descendants 'thrilled to death'

A tombstone found by Ingersoll homeowners who were recently renovating their fireplace is that of a pioneer with connections to Brant and Oxford counties, who was also a veteran of the War of 1812.

The pristine limestone grave marker of Comfort Sage, who died on April 5, 1887, at the age of 90 years and 10 months, was found by Russell and Heidi Watson. The couple had turned over a large rectangular hearthstone in their home only to discover that it was actually a tombstone.



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Who is really buried in John Wilkes Booth's grave?

Just who is really buried in the grave of Abraham Lincoln's killer?

Rumors have swirled for decades that John Wilkes Booth's Baltimore grave is occupied by someone else, and the presidential assassin survived his reported death.

Now descendants want to test the DNA of his brother and uncover the truth once and for all.

Read More

After 100 Years County Pioneer's Family Gets Cemetery

The 11 descendant families of pioneer John Wells have great cause to celebrate. The deed to the family's cemetery is finally in their hands after 100 years spent trying to acquire it.

Read More

25% to 30% Sale On Ancestry.com

I was reading the Olive Tree Genealogy Blog and found out that Ancestry.com has a huge sale on. If you want to save on a subscription to Ancestry this is the time.

Old Tombstone Found in Fireplace Hearth

Imagine finding an old tombstone in your fireplace! It happened recently in Ontario Canada.

A tombstone found by Ingersoll homeowners who were recently renovating their fireplace is that of a pioneer with connections to Brant and Oxford counties, who was also a veteran of the War of 1812.

The pristine limestone grave marker of Comfort Sage, who died on April 5, 1887, at the age of 90 years and 10 months, was found by Russell and Heidi Watson. The couple had turned over a large rectangular hearthstone in their home only to discover that it was actually a tombstone

Source: The Expositor. "Discovery of Tombstone Has Descendants Thrilled to Death" by Heather Ibbotson

Continue reading this fascinating story and see a photo of Comfort Sage

Neanderthal family found cannibalised in cave in Spain

Archaeologists in Spain have unearthed the remains of a possible family of 12 Neanderthals who were killed 49,000 years ago.

Markings on the bones show the unmistakeable signs of cannibal activity, say the researchers, with the group having probably been killed by their peers.



Read More

Coffin Plate: Ezra Holmes

The featured coffin plate today is for Ezra Holmes 1847~1899


View over 500 Coffin Plates at Ancestors At Rest Coffin Plate Collection

Neanderthal genes 'survive in us'

Many people alive today possess some Neanderthal ancestry. Between 1% and 4% of the Eurasian human genome seems to come from Neanderthals according to a landmark DNA study.



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Ancient Muslim cemetery demolished by military regime

A 124 year-old Muslim cemetery was demolished by the Burmese military regime’s Engineers’ Corps from Pegu Division on December 16, 2010, according to a statement issued by the Burmese Muslim Association.

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French Scientists Identify the Head of King Henry IV

With no DNA to help them, a team of French scientists has nevertheless identified this mummified head as that of one of the most popular monarchs to reign over France.

Henry IV was murdered 400 years ago and was buried. But his head was lost during the French revolution at the end of the 17th century when royal graves near Paris were ransacked.

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Coffin Plate: ARMAND in Massachusetts

The featured coffin plate today is for Lauuelina Jane Armand 1841~1866 Massachusetts.

View over 500 Coffin Plates at Ancestors At Rest Coffin Plate Collection

Coffin Plate: George W Abbott

The featured coffin plate today is for Geo W Abbott 1860~1879 Found in U.S.A.

Radar probes for submerged graves

The sloping pasture land near Weyers Cave in northern Augusta County contains centuries-old family mysteries that could be fully explained by a technology developed during the Vietnam War.

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Coffin Plate of Livonia Hodsdon 1807~1868

I have just added the Coffin Plate of Livonia Hodsdon 1807~1868. I had a look in the 1850 United States Federal Census on Ancestry.com. I did not find a Livonia Hodsdon but I did find a Livonia Hodgdon.

1850 United States Federal Census

Livonia Hodgdon
Age: 35
Estimated birth year: abt 1815
Home in 1850 (City,County,State):
Tremont, Hancock, Maine
Household Members:
Name, Age

Enoch Hodgdon 37
Livonia Hodgdon 35
Enoch Hodgdon 9
John W Hodgdon 8
Thomas Hodgdon 5
Cordelia H Mayo 16
Livonia Ann Mayo 17
Joshua C Mayo 13
Warren H Hodgdon 1

Not sure if this is the Livonia we are looking for. It will take a little more reasearch.

Tombstone Tuesday - Hugh Archer

Well its Tombstone Tuesday again so today its the grave of Hugh Archer in THE PRESBYTERIAN CEMETERY WYEBRIDGE, SIMCOE COUNTY, ONTARIO.

ARCHER

HUGH ARCHER

Died

Sep 11 1889-Aged 52 Yrs

JANE ADAMS - His Wife

Died Mar 14 1905 Aged 57 yrs

Featured Coffin Plate: Lydia J. Wallace died 1901

AnotherCanadian Coffin Plate. The featured coffin plate today is for Lydia J Wallace 1843~1901 Ontario Canada

Featured Coffin Plate: Mary Ann Wood

The featured coffin plate today is for Mary Ann Wood Found in Pennsylvania

Cemetery in Haverhill Massachusetts missing thousands of records

The Hilldale Cemetery, which was founded in 1859, is missing deeds for almost a third of the cemetery’s 4,816 graves.

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20101117thousand_of_records_missing_at_haverhill_cemetery/

Tombstone Tuesday, Metal Tombstones

Tombstone Tuesday. Well I was out taking some cemetery photos and this one caught my eye. At first glance one would not think that their is much different about this grave marker. From a distance it looks quite normal. But in fact the entire grave stone is metal. Metal grave markers of this type are rare in my area. And they are getting rarer all the time as they really don't stand up to the weather as well as granite and they are much more susceptible to damage by vandals. You can see cracks starting to form in this one and I would guess its days are numbered.

Geo Catlin

Died

Feby 16 1880

Aged 80 Years

At Rest

Featured Coffin Plate: Martha D. Wolfe 1847-1892

The featured coffin plate today is for Martha D Wolfe 1847~1892 Found in New Hampshire

I Wonder who they are.

I thought perhaps I should do something in honer of Remembrance Day today. So I started looking through my family photographs and I came across this interesting one. My grandfather was a airplane mechanic in WW2 and he brought back a few photos and other items. Some of the photos are of him but this one would seem to be the crew of a bomber. It looks to me like a Lancaster bomber but I am no expert. Did they make it back. I guess I will never know. Gramps died a long time ago and he did not talk much about the war any way. They look like nice young men and I can only hope they survived. Being in a bomber in WW2 was a dangerous job and I really don't know how they found the courage to keep going.

How Much For That Tombstone In The Window

How Much For That Tombstone In The Window. Over the years I have spent a lot of time in cemeteries. And while wandering about looking at all the grave markers I have often wondered about how much they must have cost. Many are quite large and beautiful and it must have been a fair burden for some of the families to pay for. Times were hard in The Good Old Days. People did not always have a lot of extra cash. But it was very important to them to have a nice memorial for their loved ones. So to that end I have done a little digging and one of the first things I found was a 1902 Sears and Roebuck catalogue. When I think of shopping at Sears tombstones are not the first thing I think of. But back then Sears sold just about everything you could think of.

The prices in 1902 would seem to start around $6 dollars for a small stone and go right up to almost $30 for a big 4ft tall stone. This would appear quite cheap to us. But when you think about how little people made back then. You realize just how costly they were and how hard it must have been to pay for. For example the 1901 Canadian Census tells us that back then a good wage for a man was about $1.50 to $1.75 per day. So you're looking at a week to a month's pay just for a tombstone. Not an easy burden. Then when you add the cost of the funeral and the fact that the person being buried was in many cases the main source of income for the family. One can really start to get a feeling of just how important it must have been to the family to have a nice marker.

Featured Coffin Plate: Joshua woodman 1807-1876

The featured coffin plate today is for Joshua Woodman 1807~1876 from Maine.

OLD PROTESTANT CEMETERY IN ST.MARYS, PERTH COUNTY, ONTARIO

Well I missed Tombstone Tuesday as I was out taking pictures of tombstones. So how about Grave marker Wednesday this week. This week it is the grave marker of Wm Barron. William lived with his family in Blanchard Township in Perth County. He was buried in the OLD PROTESTANT CEMETERY IN ST.MARYS, PERTH COUNTY, ONTARIO in 1858.

http://www.ancestorsatrest.com/perth_county_ontario/old_st.marys_protestant_cemetery_good.shtml

Expenses In Death 1733

Death Records come in many different forms. This is an interesting record from 1733.

Halloween Gallagher 1892~1953

Believe it or not, some children born on Oct. 31st are given the first name HALLOWEEN by their parents.

Found in the SSDI (Social Security Death Index) for Georgia:

Halloween Venable b. OCt 31, 1892 d Sept 1974

Halloween Kea 1916-1992

Haloween Russell 1921-1981.

But my personal fav is Halloween Gallagher born in Penetanguishene
Ontario 31 Oct 1892 to parents William and Agnes. Why is she my fav?
Because Penetang (as it's called) is not far from where I live!

Halloween went on to marry John Thomas Codnere from Toronto. In 1951
Halloween Codnere is found in the Border Crossing Records going from
Canada to Ashville North Carolina to join her husband, Dr. J. T. Codnere. She died in Sept. 1953 in Skyland, Buncombe North Carolina,
and her death certificate is online. I haven't found her tombstone but
I'd sure like to see a photo of it!

Featured Coffin Plate: Sophronia Clark 1823-1878

Featured Coffin Plate today is for Sophronia Clark 1823~1878 Found in Maine

1858 River Bend Cemetery Co. Alvah Taylor Rhode Island

1858 River Bend Cemetery Co. Deed #43 Alvah Taylor Rhode Island.

Bid on this Item

Featured Coffin Plate: Betsey A. Cheney 1824-1872

Featured Coffin Plate: Betsey A Cheney 1824~1872 Found in Vermont

Ontario Cenotaph Records on Ancestors At Rest

In my travels around Ontario I often take photos of Cenotaphs. If you have a WW1 or WW2 Ontario ancestor. It might be worth a look.

Guelph Cenotaph Wellington County, Ontario.
Meaford Cenotaph Grey County, Ontario.
Port McNicoll Cenotaph Simcoe County, Ontario.
Royal Canadian Horse Artillery Kingston Ontario.
Twenty First Canadian Infantry Battalion Kingston Ontario.
Elmvale Cenotaph Simcoe County, Ontario.
Saugeen Indian Reserve Cenotaph Bruce County, Ontario.
Waverley Simcoe County, Ontario, For the townships of Medonte, Tay, Tiny and Floss.
St. Marys Perth County, Ontario
Cookstown Ontario
Nichol Township Salem Ontario.
Midland Simcoe County Ontario.
Penetanguishene Simcoe County Ontario.

Ontario Cenotaph Records

Tombstone Tuesday: Drummond Hill Cemetery, Niagara Falls Ontario

Well its Tombstone Tuesday again.  This week I have decided to feature a grave marker in Drummond Hill Cemetery, Niagara Falls Ontario. Drummond Hill Cemetery named in honour of General Drummond, is a nationally recognized heritage site. It's known as the battleground of the "Battle of Lundy’s Lane", as well as the burial site of Laura Secord.

In 1799 Christopher Buchner purchased 400 acres of land from his father-in-law, James Forsythe. Christopher used the top of the hill as a burial ground. It later became the site of a fierce battle between the British and the Americans in 1814.

The gravestone is for Rheumanah Muisiners [Misener] who died in 1836. This is an early tombstone for Ontario. Many of the early settlers did not have the luxury of a fancy grave marker.

Rheumanah (nee Lanton) was the wife of Peter Misener from New Jersey. He was a soldier in Butler's Rangers and a Loyalist.

Movie Monday: 2 Cemetery Walks in Ontario Canada

It's Movie Monday again and this week Lorine has added two Cemetery Walk Videos for you on the Olive Tree Genealogy YouTube Channel.

Farnham Cemetery and St. Michael's Catholic Cemetery

Featured Coffin Plate: Alexander Cameron 1806-1889

Alexander Cameron 1806~1889 is the featured Coffin Plate for today

Ida Chase's Grave Robbed - Police Look for Grave Robbers & Descendants

Harwich police are searching for someone who broke into an imposing mausoleum, smashed through marble and slate walls, and opened the coffin of a woman who died a century ago, reports the Cape Cod Times.

Ida Chase died in 1913. She was put to rest in a grand mausoleum in Mount Pleasant Cemetery on South Street, along with her husband, a baby and two other female family members. The police suspect the grave robbers believed the mausoleum contained the remains of a wealthy woman buried with her valuable jewelry, and that's what they were after.

Continue reading...

No living relatives have been found. No doubt the police could use a genealogist or two on staff! Police are looking for more information and I wonder if they'd appreciate some genealogists having a hunt for Ida and any living descendants.

UPDATE: Okay I confess. I'm curious beyond belief! I watched an online video where Police took viewers into the actual mauseleum. By pausing the video I was able to read the inscription on Ida's tomb

Ida M. Chase

wife of George M. Chase

Born Sept. 2 1855

Died May 8 1913

A search of Ancestry.com found the couple living in Boston Ward 1, Suffolk, Massachusetts in 1910. Both were born in Massachusetts. According to the census, they had one child, but none were living

Tombstone Tuesday John Bell 1825~1904

Well its Tombstone Tuesday again and I thought I would post the tombstone of John Bell. John is buried in Batteau Hill Cemetery near Duntroon in Simcoe County Ontario. He is buried with his wife Mary and his son Malcom and daughter Catharine. It is interesting that Catharine and Malcom never married.

You can see the rest of Batteau Hill Cemetery at
Ancestors At Rest

Featured Coffin Plate: Thomas Christie, Ontario Canada

Featured coffin plate is a Canadian one for Thomas Christie of Hasting County Ontario

Tombstone Tuesday: Sisters die 4 days apart

This is a very sad tombstone for the little daughters of Thomas and Mary King in Arkell Ontario.

Little Catherine died first at the age of 5, on Dec. 9, 1870. Four days later her one year old sister Mary Ann died. Their mother had died previously in childbirth with Mary Ann.

"Mary Ann d. Dec 13, 1870 age 1 yr, 2 mos, 2 days


Catherine d. Dec. 9 1870 age 5 yrs, 7 mos, 16 days


Children of Thomas W. & Mary A. King"

A search for their death records shows that both little girls died of diptheria.

Featured Coffin Plate: Mark Burgess 1825-1886

Featured coffin plate: Mark Burgess 1825~1886 Found in Maine