Marker of names for unmarked graves.
St. Aloysius Cemetery
Friday, March 5, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Founder of St. John, Kansas
William Bickerton
1815-1905
Successor to Joseph Smith
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He was born in Northumberland England and came to the United States when age 17. He was baptized in the church of Jesus Christ in 1845 and ordained an Evangelist by Sidney Rigdon. When this organization dissolved he was commanded by the Lord to continue the church in its purity and served as President. Moved upon by the Lord, he brought the first settlement to Stafford county, founded St. John, and was honored as its first citizen. Noble, visionary, generouse, forgiving all speak of him. He walked with God.
Based on the family tree I found at Ancestry.com I was able to find the following census listings:
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1900 Stafford Co., KS, 85, widowed, born Jan 1815
1895 Stafford Co., KS [state], 80
1880 Stafford Co., KS, 63, divorced
1870 Allegheny Co., PA, 55, with spouse Charlotte, farm laborer, $12,000, $500
1860 Allegheny Co., PA, 44, with spouse Dorothy, Cole [coal?] boss, $600, $50
1850 Allegheny Co., PA, 30, with spouse Dortha, minor
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There is also a NY Passenger listing for a William Bickerton born about 1815 that arrived in NY from England on June 30, 1831.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
GYR Carnival - Anonymous Graves
There are many anonymous graves that pull my heartstrings. In our small Smith Family Cemetery, located in Houston County, Alabama, are 5 unmarked graves all in a row. I can only imagine that the missing ancestors I'm looking for are there but I have no way to prove it. Even if they are not my direct ancestors it is sad I may never know who they are.
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It doesn't take long for mother nature to attempt to reclaim this one acre plot. My first visit found few visible headstones and plenty of briars. It gets cleaned off about once a year.
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My GG grandfather, Henry Dennis Smith and his parents, Benjamin F. Smith and Mary Emmer Goodman are buried there. Mary died young and BF remarried and his second wife along with children from both marriages are all there. Mary's father, Malachi Dennis Goodman, died in the civil war. Is he here? Mary's mother, Nancy Anderson Goodman, was last known to live with her son-in-law [along with his new mother-in-law] in the Federal census. Is she here?
Locally, here in Kansas, I spend a lot of time at the Eastside Cemetery. In the original potter's field, now called city ground, is a grave that catches my eye each time I drive in. I blogged about it last year. I'm afraid there may never be a name associated with it.
This is a carnival posting for The Association of Graveyard Rabbits.
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