RIVER DEBRIS –TSGS Dock of Shame

Graveyard Desecration

Burr Oak Cemetery - Alsip, IL

Cemetery workers are accused in removing remains from plots (or double burying) in order to resale grave plots and then pocketing the money. They were dumping the remains into a common mass grave after digging them up from what is supposed to be their final resting place. This is another sad addition to our TSGS Dock of Shame.

- Submitted by JGWest

Tombstone Thursday - Matchen

Oak Hill Cemetery

Evansville, Indiana

Ozonal D. Matchen with wife & daughter. Unusual first name to my knowledge. Nice marker.

- Photo taken and submitted by JGWest

[Tombstone Thursday is dedicated in memory of Donald G. West 1952-2000]

Who lost this photo at a TSGS Seminar?

Lost & Found Dept.

(Click on photos to enlarge)

Nice photo of a soldier on a postcard style photo. Below is the back side. Does anyone know who this photo belongs? It was left behind at a TSGS Seminar a few years back. We would like to return it to its rightful owner.

- Photo taken & submitted by JGWest

RACING DOWN the RIVER -Brief Genealogical Notes

How many of you knew that Ancestry.com was actually The Generations Network? Well, that was the name of the parent company, but they have decided to go back to the name Ancestry.com since that is the name most people know this company. They, of course, have the largest commercial databases of genealogical data on the Internet. They are the latest & current owner of the leading genealogical software - Family Tree Maker. MyFamily.com is a very popular private (password only) Internet family site. Ancestry.com is a lot more... read about them and the name change on Eastman's Newsletter at: The Generations Network Becomes Ancestry.com

Last month Virginia Aldridge announced that she had over half of the Vanderburgh Co.,IN Marriage Applications - index to Volume 26 and images. Here is a link to her site: Marriage Applications, Vol. 26.

Not too long back, one of my sosn talked me into signing on to FaceBook to share information, photos and whatever else. You accept "Friends" to include in your FaceBook and you post items to your profile page that they can see and post comments (if they wish), you can upload photos to show to everyone on your "Friends" list. What has become neat about this is that you communicate with friends, family and associates in a different kind of environment then email, letters, or phone calls. I have been accepting a lot of my second & third cousins that I kind of know their names all of my life... since they live close by in the immediate area. Many have stated that they are very interested in their family history & have begun research. Now I have researched their ancestry for nearly 50 years and they do not know I have documented history done quite a way back, but need help going back further. I think I have some new contacts to join with me to research our common family lines! And it is kind of neat to get to know my cousins on an informal basis. It might be something for genealogists to add to their "tools" to research their family. You can visit their profile at: Facebook.

- Compiled by JGWest

Marker/Plaque/Monument Monday

Hedges Cemetery

Newburgh, Indiana

Hedges Cemetery is located on the Covington Court cul de sac, off Vann Road, in Newburgh. This is an example of how to maintain the dignity of an old cemetery within a subdivision.

- Photo taken & submitted by Brenda Joyce Jerome, CG

Happy Fourth of July Weekend!

After all of the fireworks being fired-up last night across our great country, here is a nice tribute to America's Declaration of Independence - with beautiful photos of fireworks and other patriotic photos: Fourth of July Slideshow

- Thanks, Don Counts for submitting this slideshow!

Don has sent me another link to a great Fourth of July site with music and slides - very uplifting! Here's wishing everyone a great Fourth of July Weekend!