Stumbling Along in a Cemetery

As anyone that has known me for very long, they know I do not often stumble when I am walking through a cemetery.  However, yesterday (23 April 2016), I was in a cemetery I have never been in before.  I was not there looking for family members.  I could not help myself, though, to look around at the tombstones and marvel at the history behind each and every stone.

My wife, Becky, and I traveled to Logan County, Kentucky to honor a Revolutionary War Patriot who fought in that war.  I do this as a member of the Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard.  We are generally invited by the family of a RW patriot to honor and mark the grave as an American hero.  We carry many Colonial flags and place wreaths as part of the ceremony.  A well-documented biography is read to those in attendance.  With much fanfare including music and musket salute, we honor that true patriot of American Independence.  I belong to the Ohio Valley Chapter that meets at Willard Library in Evansville, Indiana.  I descend from a Revolutionary War Patriot Thomas West, Jr. who migrated from Chatham County, NC around 1807 and settled in northeastern Christian Co., KY in the area known as the Ovil Community.  My father, Gaither Glennis West, was born there in 1918.

Logan County & Christian County are separated by Todd County.  There are some of Dad's family buried in Logan County, but not in the area of where we went yesterday, at least as far as I knew.  With my family being in Christian County since the very early 1800s, I have many relatives with many surnames living there with some buried in Christian, Todd & Logan counties.  Some of the surnames of my direct ancestors are: Ragers, Phipps, Flatt, Martin, Williams, Rogers, Woodis, Blalock, Black, Buckner, Simpson, as well as West.  In addition I have kinfolks with surnames of Henderson, Cannon, Powell, O'Daniel, Tucker, Dossett, Hightower, Morris, Perkins - just to name a few!  Okay, I need to get to the point of this blog.  My 2nd. great grandmother was Margaret G. Woodis the daughter of William H. Woodis who was 95 when he died in 1913.

Now, back to yesterday's trip to Lewisburg, KY in the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery where we were honoring Reuben Browning of the Rev. War, we parked a little distance away from where the ceremony was to be held.  Becky and I carried several items like the wreaths and the Indiana State Flag that I would be carrying as part of the Color Guard of 16 SAR men from Tennessee and Kentucky (I was the only Hoosier).  We walked along this one roll of graves several times to get everything to where it was needed. One trip, I stumbled as I stepped into a mole trail.  As I recovered, I almost stumbled over a grave marker with the name Woodis!!!  Thomas A. Woodis (and his wife Martha C. Woodis) born in 1852 making him about the right age to be Margaret's brother.  I would have to check my records!  This Thomas died in 1950 making him 98 years old when he died!!!

When I got home I checked my files finding many years earlier I had discovered that Thomas A. Woodis was living in Lewisburg, KY when his father had died.  And, that I found where he had died in 1950 and was buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery!  I had this information for over 20 years and did not realize that he or any of my family would be buried in this cemetery.  I am known as Indiana Bones, a cemetery geek... I guess that is why I nearly stumbled over this grave marker!  Indiana Bones (AKA: John G. West)

Happy Birthday, America!

Have you wondered...

if you had a Revolutionary War Patriot or Soldier in your ancestry?  Dick Eastman posted on his newsletter a good article that may be of help. [Not mentioned was the 1840 U.S. Federal Census list those living in the household that are getting military pensions.  - JGW]

See his article at: http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2013/07/how-to-find-a-revolutionary-war-patriot.html

Happy July 4th.!

From TSGS

- Graphic created by Steve Oberlin, copyright 2009 by the Indiana Society Sons of the American Revolution.

From the First Mate's Photo Album

Sunset over the

Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West

Christian County, Hopkinsville, KY

Sunset at the Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West in Hopkinsville, KY

Don Counts & I as TSGS President & Vice-President and as local chapter & state officers of the Ohio Valley SAR Chapter and the Indiana Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, attended a ground breaking for a large monument in this veteran's cemetery to honor 71 men that provided service to the Revolutionary War.  These men lived or were buried in Christian County.  One of them was my ancestor, Thomas West, Jr.

In the foreground of this photo is the entrance to the cemetery with the tall monument featuring the American Bald Eagle and the large flag of the United States.  The eagle is golden in color and is about 30 feet high.

- Photo taken & submitted by JGWest

Revolutionary War Monument Ground Breaking

Hopkinsville, KY... TSGS President Don Counts and Vice-President John G. West attended the ground breaking ceremony yesterday evening (17 May 2012) in the Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West (one of four state veteran's cemeteries). [Click on photos to get a larger image]

[photo at entrance to cemetery]

The monument is being erected in honor of the Revolutionary War Soldiers and Patriots that lived or were buried in Christian County, KY.

[East side of monument]

The 9-foot tall monument will be officially dedicated on 04 July 2012 featuring 71 men recognized for providing us an independent nation.  It is being erected by the John Manire SAR Chapter of the National Society Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR).

[List of the 71 men to be recognized]

Counts and West are active members of the Ohio Valley SAR Chapter of the Indiana Society of NSSAR, having each served as Chapter Presidents and both are currently serving as State Officers of the Indiana Society of NSSAR.  For John West this was an exceptionally special occasion as his ancestor Thomas West, Jr. is one of the 71 men being honored. 

[NSSAR President General David Sympson presented the  Keynote Speech]

The Keynote Speech was delivered by NSSAR President General David Sympson.  A few of the other distinguished guests included John Manire SAR Chapter President Robert L. Fears (Master of Ceremonies) and one of my cousins genealogist Tommy Henderson of the same chapter.

[Charles A. Henderson]

The 3-member committee for the Memorial & Ground Breaking were Charles A. Henderson (Civilian Aide to the U.S. Secretary of the Army), William Turner (Historian, Publisher) and Judge James G. Adams.

[William Turner]

[Judge James G. Adams]

- Photos taken by JGWest and article compiled by JGWest

Marker/Plaque/Monument Monday - RW Soldiers

'
"In Honor of the Soldiers & Patriots of the American Revolution 1775-1783" - Buried in Vanderburgh County
This marker is placed on the grounds of the Winfield K. Denton Federal Building & the U.S. Post Office. Placed by the Mary Anthony McGary Chapter - Vanderburgh Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Commemorating 200 years of freedom for the United States of America - July 4th. 1976

- Photos taken & submitted by Donald R. Counts