The Adventures of Indiana Bones (aka Cemetery Geek!)

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As a "self-proclaimed cemetery geek," I have decided to introduce a new feature for the blog: "The Adventures of Indiana Bones (aka Cemetery Geek!)"  I seem to be in or around cemeteries almost every day and I can not help but find something unusual to take a picture or to tell a story.  This feature will provide the format for all of these things I find interesting and I hope you bloggers will like them, too!  

Today's adventure story is about this see-through tree.

 As you can see this tree is somewhat hollow and you can see right through it!  It is right on the line between St. Joseph and Alexander Memorial Park Cemeteries.  This section of St. Joe is directly behind Memorial Park's Office building.  I have three generations of my family buried in this small section.  My Great Grandfather James Henry Wood was buried here in 1933 about 4 years after his granddaughter (my Mother's sister) was buried here in 1929.  Grandfather Wood's daughter, my great aunt Susan Margaret Wood is buried here, too.  I suspect this tree was here in 1929 when 3 year-old Mildred Louise Long was buried here.


 Click on these photos to get larger images that will show things more clearly.

 This is a cool picture looking right through the tree at the grave markers.  The inner wood is very soft and I doubt that the tree will survive very many more years.

 In these 2 photos, you can see how this tree has lifted up and moved these grave stones!

I was putting flowers on Aunt Maggie's grave when I noticed the big hole in this tree.  From the road where Aunt Maggie's grave is located (about 8 -12 rows from this back row), I did not know you could see through the tree.  I am glad I walked up to it.  Another nice Adventure for Indiana Bones, a cemetery geek!

- Photos taken and submitted by JGWest

"Cemetery Geek!"

What in the world is a "Cemetery Geek?"


Last Sunday, I attended the Oak Hill Cemetery Walking Tour led by Dennis Au, Shawn Dickerson & Chris Cooke.  A newspaper reporter was asking several people why they came out for this tour.  When she asked me that question... I could not think of a good answer.  My thoughts were in the notion of who wouldn't want to be in this tour!  As a genealogist, most of us love cemeteries, as we do courthouses, libraries, genealogy web sites, family photos and records of any sort.


I told the young reporter that as a genealogist I could not help but be here... I guess I am a "cemetery geek!"  I could not think of anything else to describe why I came out for this tour!!!  Well, that got into the newspaper story, in fact it was the first paragraph about the tour.  I was listed as a "self-proclaimed cemetery geek."    http://www.courierpress.com/news/2012/may/21/oakhill-tour-line-p/?print=1  


Being highly interested in science, math, etc., the term "geek" (to me) is basically a positive adjective of a person's in-depth interest or involvement in a particular subject.  I have always been interested in seeing these little monuments (often called grave markers) to people's lives since I was a kid of about 12-13 years of age.


My mother was an avid fan of Memorial Day, a time to remember our American soldiers and family members.  Mom would make Dad drive her around to all of the cemeteries with family to decorate their graves with flowers.  After a time, it was hard to tell who wanted to do this the most.  Of course, us kids were dragged along, too.  I started to get curious about all of these graves... who were these people to us.  That and a 5th. Grade English assignment to make a 4-generation family chart got me interested in my family history.  Shortly after I got out of service, my father died which made grave visitations a little more important to me.  The next Memorial Day and many years afterwards, my younger brother Don and I took turns taking Mom around to decorate the graves.  Mom's Aunt Maggie Wood decorated graves, too.  Don & I began putting out flowers, too.  Then, suddenly in about 2 years time - Mom, Aunt Maggie & Don were no longer with us and there really was no one else alive to decorate the graves or know where most were buried.  So, this became my primary "duty!"  We decorate my wife Becky's family, too.  Becky has a birth & adopted family to remember.


I have become a volunteer for a web site called "Find-A-Grave" to take grave marker photos to post online for others to be able to see their family's markers.  On this blog I have a feature called "Tombstone Thursday" that I post interesting or unusual grave markers that I find from time to time.  I even have a photo album on FaceBook called "Cemetery Hopping" (going from one cemetery to another & posting photos from each!).  Yesterday, I told my friend Jill Brinkley who works at Alexander Memorial Park Cemetery that we were out cemetery hopping decorating family graves... she said you are always going to cemeteries!  I guess she is right!


I guess cemeteries have become a part of my life... I was once even in charge of Evansville's City owned cemeteries - Oak Hill & Locust Hill.  In the Sons of the American Revolution, I travel around with other members dressed in Revolutionary War uniforms serving in Color Guards to honor the graves of Revolutionary War Soldiers.


OK, it appears that I am a "cemetery geek!" for sure.  I do think of the term as a good thing.  Writing this blog, I thought I should check to see what the definition of a cemetery geek might be.  I went to Google to search for the term.  What came up was that news article about me being a cemetery geek... there was no other use of the term except in describing me!!!  I may have coined a new term.  One related to genealogy, at that!  How many of our readers might be able to proudly call themselves "Cemetery Geeks?"  You would not have to be as extreme as me to qualify.  There are at least 3 qualifiers, however.  One you must know that the word "cemetery" does not have an "a" in it and that (two) you must actually go to a cemetery to see all of its glory from time to time.  Three, you must feel strongly about cemetery vandalism as being one of the lowliest things people can do.  Don't be shy or modest, please let me know if you are or want to be a cemetery geek!!!


- Compiled by JGWest (AKA: Cemetery Geek)

From the First Mate's Photo Album... Illinois Holland Family

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Who is in this photo is unknown, but it is a great photo to share. They are obviously of Holland heritage wearing bonnets & wooden shoes! The original photo is of better quality than these scanned copies. The original was too large to lay flat on the scanner, but hopefully you can see enough to enjoy it from the two photos scanned.

Oddly there is only one male. He is interesting in many ways. I am not sure that is his mustache or possibly a stain or marking like the mark on his chest by his left arm. The mark on his chest shows like an ink stain on the original and the mustache is just a dark , but normal coloring in the photo. Click on the photo to get a larger image. His pipe is really cool! He is wearing wooden shoes, but notice how he is standing with his toes pointing inward a lot! Check out his hat & what seems to be a polka-dotted tie. The first lady seated on the right side with the very large wooden shoes looks just like my Mom's Aunt Maggie Wood. Nearly every single lady has a different style of clothing and necklaces.

Notice in the lower right corner: "Sandstrom Photo 1913 Moline, Ill" Which makes this photo nearly one hundred years old! The origin of the photo or who is in it is unknown.

The above photo is an attempt to improve the quality of the left side of the photo (and include what was cut-off) from scanning. I really love this photo!

- Photo was scanned and submitted by Mindy Meijer