On Assignment

Sometimes when the phone rings it is someone referred to me by the local library, or the museum calling to ask if I can help someone or redirect someone looking for me there. I've been in the newspaper several times about the cemetery/genealogy projects I oversee for my genealogical society. I get cemetery calls the most.

Gale Wall and Warden Sam Cline

So, it was no surprise a few weeks ago, while in the middle of a cemetery in another county, that my cell phone rang. The surprise was my caller. It was the Warden of our local correctional facility. [Before my son joined the Army he was a Master Sgt. Corrections Officer at the prison]. Warden Cline wanted to know if I would be interested in a research project for him. The task: find living family of an officer that died in 1928 from injuries sustained when an inmate escaped. Of course I said yes!

The officer, Lee White, had no children and 3 siblings. I quickly located 2 great nephews. They will be invitied to a memorial service at the Eastside Cemetery later this month. It was thought Lee White would be honored at the annual state service in 2011 but it was discovered he had been included in the 1993 service. I plan to attend the service in a few weeks and will include more information in another blog post. I had the opportunity to meet Warden Cline last week and receive a tour of the prison. It was called the Reformatory when first built. I have collected 7 original wanted posters along with articles and history on the Reformatory since my son worked there. I took these along for the Warden to copy.

Lee V. White - Eastside Cemetery

After the call and before my meeting with the Warden I wondered how he got my cell phone number. While at the cemetery locating Lee White's grave I mentioned it to the cemetery manager and he told me he was the one that gave the Warden my cell phone number. That tells you how often I am in the Eastside Cemetery.

During my meeting with the Warden I informed him of the cemetery sign project that my genealogical society is working on. To place a name sign in the 17 cemeteries without one. The reformatory has a small cemetery on the grounds that I want to include in this project. He has authorized my request to install the sign our society will purchase. When my research on the Reformatory Cemetery is complete I will provide a copy to Warden Cline. I will blog about this in the months ahead.

My husband thinks it is funny - the requests and calls I receive. I tell him there are worse things to be known for.