Wednesday, October 06, 2010

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.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Muslim community told cemetery is illegal, asked to move the dead

Members of a small Muslim community in rural upstate New York say the uproar over a planned mosque near ground zero is behind attempts by local officials to shut down the community’s graveyard and remove the two bodies buried there.

Hans Hass of the Osmanli Naksibendi Hakkani community, 210 kilometres northwest of New York City, said Tuesday that anti-Islamic bigotry motivated the Sidney Town Board’s vote in August to pursue legal action to shut down the Sufi community’s cemetery.

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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday


For this weeks Tombstone Tuesday I have decided to feature the tombstone of Margaret Hogg. Poor Margaret died at the young age of 36 in 1884. I dont know any thing about Margaret but in my mind I see her as a sweet pretty young woman who died way too young. I can not even begin to emagen the pain her husband Samuel must of felt at her passing.

Gone but not forgotten
IN
MEMORY OF
MARGARET
Beloved Wife Of
SAMUEL HOGG
DIED
Dec 18. 1884
AGED
36 YEARS

Margaret is burried in
ALLENFORD CEMETERY IN ALLENFORD, BRUCE COUNTY, ONTARIO

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Tombstone Tuesday, A Lost Ship And A Battlefield Far From Home


Well in honour of Tombstone Tuesday I will blog a little about a grave stone in my local cemetery. The grave stone is located in Lakeview Cemetery in Midland, Simcoe County Ontario. It always surprises me the connections to history I find in my cemetery photos. The tombstone in question is not really remarkable in its self. Its just a typical late 19th century grave marker. Just like millions of others in cemeteries all over North America. But the inscription on this stone is what caught my attention. For it brings us into contact with two events right out of the history books. A mysterious lost ship and a great WW1 battle.

The first event would be well known to anyone with an interest in Great Lakes history. The mysterious disappearance of the ship Bannockburn.

The Bannockburn was a 245 foot long, 1,620-ton steel steamer built in 1893 at Middlesborough, Scotland, by Sir Raylton Dix and Company. On November 21st, 1902, the Bannockburn left the Canadian Northern elevator at Port Arthur bound for Midland Ontario on her last trip of the season. She was loaded to the gills with 85,000 bushels of wheat. The ship was sighted on the evening of the 21st steamer Algonquin. She was never seen again. The Bannockburn and her crew of 20 including George Stephens, had vanished.

The second event recorded on this stone is the death of Richard Stephens at the Battle of Cambrai in Oct 1918. Between 26 September and 11 October, Canadian troops advanced twenty-three miles through the heart of the German defences in some of the worst fighting of WW1.

See More Graves In Lakeview Cemetery in Midland

Friday, September 17, 2010

Thursday, September 09, 2010

Coffin Plate of Mary Luce 1801 ~ 1874

I have added the Coffin Plate of Mary Luce 1801 ~ 1874. I did a little looking and Mary may be from Massachusetts but that is just a guess. It would take a little more digging.

Mary Luce Coffin Plate

Saturday, September 04, 2010

Immigration Collection free through Labor Day

Ancestry announced today it has launched a collection of more than 1,700 recorded oral histories from immigrants who arrived in the United States through Ellis Island. This is the first time this collection of recordings has been available online. To celebrate the new addition, Ancestry is making its entire U.S. Immigration Collection free through Labor Day.

Ellis Island was the gateway for millions of immigrants between 1892 and 1954. The oral histories were captured by the National Park Service starting in the 1970s, and contain uniquely inspiring first-hand accounts recalling the lives these immigrants left behind, their reasons for leaving and their incredible and often-trying journeys to America. These recordings are housed at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum and until now could be heard only by visitors to the Island itself. In addition to oral histories from immigrants, the collection also includes recordings from military personnel who were stationed on Ellis Island and former Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty workers.


Immigration Collection

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

A Genealogy Gift


My genealogy and family history is really an important part of my life. I take great pride and derive great pleasure from my family history. One of the the things that I love the most is seeing or touching things that were part of my ancestors life. Buildings they worked in or lived in. Furniture they sat on or books the read. It makes them come alive for me and seem like real people. Not just names in a book. Well just this weekend I was fortunate to be given a very special gift. I went to visit my uncle Mac and he presented me with a direct link to my Great Great Grandfather Samuel Sandercock. His moustache cup. Samuel had a big moustache his entire adult life. And i guess it would get a little wet when he had his tea. So as was common at the time he had a moustache cup. Its not a valuable thing. At an antique store it would probably only fetch $50 or so but to me it is priceless.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Featured Coffin Plate: Robert Andrews

Today's featured coffin plate is for Robert Andrews 1786~1870

I wish I knew more about Robert but it's a rather common name! I also have the coffin plate for Lucy Andrews 1790 ~ 1869 and think it quite possible that they were husband and wife.

Sunday, August 08, 2010

Ancestor Death Record Finder

Can't find your ancestor in death records?


Most genealogists search death records such as Cemetery records, Obituaries and Vital Stats (Death Registrations or Certificates). If we don't find our ancestor in one of those death records, we're stuck! Where to search next? The free ADF (Ancestor Death Finder) can help.

What happens when a loved one dies? What events take place around the death of a family member? What kind of death record paper trail is created on the death of an individual? The answers to these questions will lead you to other sources of death records and hopefully end that brick-wall.


When an ancestor dies, many records of that death might be created. Let's talk about records kept before an ancestor death and those created after a death.

Continue reading

Friday, August 06, 2010

Funeral homes subsidizing services for the poor

We can't afford to bury the poor, undertakers say

Local funeral homes say they can no longer afford to spend millions a year subsidizing dignified farewells for the poorest Torontonians.

Under Ontario’s Funeral, Burial and Cremations Act, municipalities have the discretion to pay for services for people who received Ontario Works benefits or were on the Ontario Disability Support Program. Most get pickup, embalming, a particleboard casket covered by grey cloth with white rayon interior, a service, clergy honorarium, a hearse, “lead car” and limo for family, and burial or cremation.

Read more by clicking on undertakers

Monday, August 02, 2010

COPS BUST GRAVE SITE ROBBER

Twenty bronze vases from grave sites were found when police stopped a vehicle in Montgomery County. At least 13 were found to be stolen from Conroe Memorial Park. Read the rest of this article at http://montgomerycountypolicereporter.com/?p=9158

Friday, June 18, 2010

Hundreds Of Bodies Misplaced at Arlington National Cemetery

A seven-month long Army investigation has revealed a disturbing degree of mismanagement at Arlington National Cemetery including misplaced remains, mislabeled graves and one case of bodies buried on top of one another.

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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

The Coffin Plate of Silas Hanchet 1780 ~ 1848

I have just added the Coffin Plate of Silas Hanchet 1780 ~ 1848 on AncestorsAtRest.com This plate for old Silas is kind of interesting and rare. The date of 1848 makes it is an early plate. In fact this style of coffin plate is perhaps the first industrial manufactured plate. Up to this time most coffin plates had been manufactured locally by craftsmen. It is also interesting in that the inscription tells us Silas was a Mason. The date of death is written using the Masonic Calendar.