Find-A-Grave

I need to ask everyone, what has changed at Find-A-Grave site? Suddenly, I have had several emails from people who are interested in the family of a person that I have posted a memorial on that site. The nice thing is that most are cousins of mine interested in our common ancestors or family!

I am not sure what it is, but I like it!!!!! I guess it just might mean that people are using the site more to search for their family. And it shows that it is very worthwhile to help others find family member's grave & tombstones, especially for the ones that live a distance from where their family was buried.

You might want to check out Find-A-Grave http://www.findagrave.com/

- Compiled by JGWest

"Obsolete Occupations"

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Here is a great example of local obsolete occupations involving street cars found on the grave marker of Frank T. Lefler buried in Section 67 of Evansville's Oak Hill Cemetery. Wonder if the local paid for the marker or was he an official of the Local?

This photo & a nice link to other obsolete jobs was submitted by Christopher Myers (March 2010). Check this site for photos of some workers performing some obsolete jobs: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124251060

Here is a great list of job titles from "yesteryear" that genealogists & historians encounter and wonder just what was that job: (Found on Cyndi's List http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wiashlan/occupations.html

This reminds me of a joke... there were these two country cousins of mine that were very patriotic and with all of the strife in the world today, these two strappy young men decided to enlist in the military to help the good ol' USA fight aginst its enemies. The recruiter took one look at these two hillbillies and thought "no way!" He told them they were only accepting those that had needed skills. Oh, boy, this sure excited my cousins! Elroy excitedly stated that he was a "pilot" which really impressed & surprised the recruiter. He told Elroy to go in the other room to fill out enlistment papers. Clem with a big grin proudly stated that he was the best firewood cutter in Jenkins County. Well, the recruiter said that they really did not need firewood cut or otherwise. Clem retorted: "Well, you took Elroy and you have to cut it before he can pile it!" - JGWest

"First TV Episode to Feature the Civil War"

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"Who Do you Think You Are?"
is in its 2nd. season on NBC TV starting this Friday 04 Feb 2011. The first episode will feature Vanessa Williams researching her ancestor, David Carll, a Civil War soldier. She will find his grave near her father's that will look very similar to my Great Grandfather's marker below. James Tobias Long (Jr.) has a typical Civil War marker. Usually without dates... he was born 17 Oct 1846 (Hart Co., KY) & died 12 Mar 1930 (Owensboro, KY).

[Click on images to enlarge]

Below is a photo of JT long taken about 1900.
I am very pleased to have a copy of James T. Long' honorable discharge!

I am excited to see the show on Friday night to learn more about this African-American Union soldier of the Civil War.

- Compiled by JGWest

Happy Halloween!

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Halloween at the West Home in 2009.

I just do not have the energy this year to set-up our large cemetery. Our Letter Carrier last year loved the tombstone on the upper right. It says: "BILL, the Letter Carrier... Too many Bills! 2004-2008"

[Click to enlarge image]

- Photo taken & submitted by JGWest

Marker/Plaque/Monument Monday - Nancy Hanks Lincoln

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The Lincoln Boyhood
National Park...

is located in Lincoln City (Spencer County), Indiana. It is Indiana's memorial & tribute to President Abraham Lincoln. It is the site where he grew up and where his mother died and is buried. The museum has an artist's rendering of how she might have looked (below).

Read about this painting of Lincoln's mother.

Here is the grave marker for Nancy Hanks Lincoln.

[Click on photos to get larger images.]
This plaque is at the foot of this long stretch to the wooded knoll where Nancy Lincoln is buried. The grass has died from construction of a drainage system for the area.

-Photos taken & submitted by JGWest

This is a First for Me!

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Oak Hill Cemetery

Evansville, Indiana

Jesse Todd Boles

1981-2004

Section A, Lot 66, Grave 3

Notice the framed door in the middle. First time I ever saw one of these! I hesitated to open it, but finally decided that it would be ok for me to look (see below).

The little door protected his photo from the sun and other weather elements... I have not seen this feature on a tombstone before. Do not worry, I safely snapped the door in place. What a great idea, for more reasons than I have stated.

- Photos taken by JGWest

NAVIGATING ALONG the RIVER - Research Tips

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Below is my modified version of cemetery records that was used by the Dubois County 4-H Genealogy Project. Use it for your family history research to keep track of where your family is buried & the information about that individual. - JGWest

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Cemetery Record Sheet

NAME OF CEMETERY: Oak Hill Cemetery

LOCATION OF CEMETERY: Oak Hill Road, Evansville, Indiana (Vanderburgh County) near U.S. Highway 41

GPS LOCATORS:

BURIAL LOCATION~ Section: D Lot: 103 Row: Grave or Plot: 4

FINE-A-GRAVE: Memorial# 32638183

FULL KNOWN NAME OF PERSON BURIED: Donald Gene West

NAME OF PARENTS: Gaither Glennis West & Bernadine Long

NAME ON TOMBSTONE/MARKER: Donald Gene West

DATE OF BIRTH: 30 Dec 1952 DATE OF DEATH: 03 Jan 2000 DATE OF BURIAL:

OTHER PERSONS NAMED ON STONE (& RELATIONSHIP): None

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON TOMBSTONE: Inscription "Devoted Son and Brother" Also, engraved electric guitar.

PHOTO OF TOMBSTONE: