Shakin' the Family Tree

Graven Images...

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 23:26:46 GMT

One can tell the morals of a culture by the way they treat their dead.
Benjamin Franklin

Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis, Shelby Co., TN

Ford Cemetery, Appleton, Pope Co., AR

Mount Holly Cemetery, Little Rock, Pulaski Co., AR

St. Joe Cemetery, Pope Co., AR

Crooked Bayou Cemetery, McGehee, Desha Co., AR

Pinecrest Cemetery, Bryant, Saline Co., AR

Rockport Cemetery, Malvern, Hot Spring Co., AR

Old Baptist Cemetery, Center Valley, Pope Co., AR

Collegeville Cemetery, Bryant, Saline Co., AR

Oakland Cemetery, Little Rock, Pulaski Co., AR

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For the descendant on the Rootsweb Burris message board...

Sat, 07 Jul 2012 16:13:51 GMT

She posted in a thread with requests for information about William Burris, born 1782, and any descendants.

She thinks her g-g-grandfather, John Crockett Burris, died in Texas...if she's talking about John Crockett Burris who was the grandson of our brick wall William, then...

That's not exactly the way it went. See this entry for photos of his gravestone, and that of your g-g-grandmother, Sarah Ann Harrelson.

They are buried, with three of their children, in Ford Cemetery in Pope Co., AR.

And none of John's siblings died in Morgan Co., AL.

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Tombstone Tuesday: So whose grave is it?

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 01:23:17 GMT

I drove 175 miles today on what I was convinced was a sure bet.

I set out to match up a distinctive gravestone with the person whose remains lay beneath it.

It's a turn-of-the-century photo - another unlabeled one from the Williams family photo album.

I was just sure the grave had to be in Oakland Cemetery in Russellville.

Several of my Williamses, including Maxie and Jo's two daughters, Mildred Imognene, and Katherine Leah are buried there.

Why would we have such a large photo - the photo itself measures about 6" by 6" not including its black cardboard mount - unless this was the grave of someone in the family?

Mercifully, our temp stayed under 100 today - it was only 99.

So my first pass through the cemetery was in the car. And none of the tall monuments matched.

So I got out of the car in selected locations and started looking for a monument that could have been broken off, with other stones around it as in the photo. With a raised concrete border around the plot. Or concrete overgrown with grass.

I looked for the fence surrounding the plot in front of the monument.

Or evidence there had been one at one time.

Nothing. Zip, nada, zilch.

But it wasn't a wash...

Because I found Grace Electra Shinn's grave. She was the daughter of my great grandaunt, Mildred Carlton "Minnie" Williams and Josiah Hazen Shinn.

Grace's grave is with her paternal grandmother's, and her uncle's. Her grandma - Josiah's mother - was Elizabeth Frances Gilpin. After she divorced Josiah's dad, she married Samuel Reed Judd. The stone for the family plot says Shinn on one side, and Judd on the other.

But the question still remains...

Whose grave is it?

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Treasure Chest Thursday: Frankfort Cemetery, Franklin Co., KY

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:57:25 GMT

The video below is not old. It's the contents of the video that represents the treasures.

One of my Williams cousins and his wife traveled to Franklin County, KY last summer to photograph the graves of his great grandmother (who was my great-great grandmother), Catherine (Mueller) Williams. He videotaped all the graves in the Williams' family plot and included some wonderful bonus material.

The family plot is in Frankfort Cemetery.

Click here to view the video.

My thanks and gratitude go to cousin Cedric, who generously shared the video with me...

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Roselawn Cemetery, Little Rock, Pulaski Co., AR

Sat, 27 Aug 2011 21:37:11 GMT

So I went by Roselawn today as I was in town taking cemetery photos.

And I drove by this grave.

Chapin.

Now how could they not be related? But I didn't recognize the name.

I took the shot anyway.

Chester C and Mary Ruth Chapin

And came home and dug around.

Yep. Cousins.

I wonder if Chester and his eighth cousin, Hattie Belle, ever knew each other. They lived in Little Rock at the same time - for years.

And if they did, I wonder if they were ever able to puzzle through exactly how they were related?

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Tombstone Tuesday: Mount Holly Cemetery, Little Rock, AR

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 18:06:41 GMT

I went there on Sunday to photograph the graves of Frances Reeve Edmonson and her husband, John Parks Almand.

They are interred in one of the mausoleums, which was locked. I'm trying to contact the cemetery association to gain access, which is proving more difficult than I thought it would be.

Not to worry though...Mount Holly ranks close to the top of my favorite cemeteries, and I never get tired of taking photos there.

( Click here for more... )

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Wednesday's Child: Oak Grove Cemetery, Morrilton, Conway Co., AR

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 01:06:33 GMT

C C McDaniel, 10 Mar 1913 - 30 May 1913
Opal Irene McDaniel, 19 Oct 1911 - 10 Dec 1911
Jewel Blankenship, 10 Feb 1909 - 13 Apr 1911

These children are not related to me.

Still...

Just makes me want to cry.

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Tombstone Tuesday: George Washington Pettit, 1885-1935

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 20:50:02 GMT

George Washington Pettit was the paternal grandfather of my step-mom.

He is buried in Carter Cemetery, Russell, White County, AR.

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