Southern Graves

The scenario: You know where an ancestor died, yet are unable to find their burial place even after searching every cemetery in that locale. If indeed their body was shipped to another city, there should be a record -- Transportation of Corpse -- as in the case of Mr. Claus H. Meyer. He died 5 February 1912 in Summerville, Dorchester County, South Carolina. His body was transported about twenty miles (maybe a little more) to Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina for burial in Bethany Cemetery. These records may be found at the local county level or at the funeral home that handled the burial. (Click to enlarge.) Ancestry.com. South Carolina, Death Records, 1821- 1955  [database online]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.  Citing South Carolina Death Records  from South Carolina Department of Archives and History. Claus H. Meyer Born Jan 21, 1837 In Wehdel, Ger. Died Feb 5, 1912 In Summerville, S.C. He Giveth His Beloved Slee...

I'm interrupting this blog, normally dominated by tombstones, to highlight history in general. For those of you that don't know, budget proposals in the state of Georgia have forced Secretary of State Brian Kemp to close the archives to the public, effective November 1st. Appointments will be allowed, but based only on available staff. In other words, at no time can you simply walk into the archives and access public records. And since the staffing will be curtailed to nothing, good luck on getting that appointment. Oh! And, by the way, Georgia's Virtual Vault has been acting up a lot lately. Coincidence? Maybe not. So this might even hurt online Georgia research. Here is the letter I submitted to Governor Nathan Deal. If you are interested in sending your thoughts, information on how to do that follows. Re: Closing of the State Archives I think effectively closing the Georgia Archives to the public is a grave mistake. The ability for the public to physical...

I recently received an email requesting information about cemeteries to visit in Charleston, South Carolina. I have only been there once, but that was enough to make me fall in love with the city. It also did not take long to discover that Charleston is a treasure trove of graveyards and cemeteries. I thought I'd go back over some of the photos I took from that trip more than four years ago. It didn't take long for me to find more blogging fodder. Incidentally, I also wonder why I didn't post some of this stuff then. Maybe I'm growing -- a better researcher, a better creative thinker? I hope so! Looking at this image again reminded me of something everyone might not know... Hier Ruhen In Gott [Here Rest In God] Claus Diedrich Geb 12 Octob 1873 Gest 18 May 1886 Anna M. C. A. Geb 2 Nov 1885 Gest 19 May 1886 Kinder von [Children of] H. F. Bittesohn und Meta Geb [née] Meyers Bethany Cemetery Charleston, South Carolina Photo © 2008 - 2012 S. Lince...

Velma F. Williams was born 28 January 1900 in Ellaville, Georgia to Henry J. and Mamie Williams. She attended Georgia Normal and Industrial College, "A State Institution for Georgia Girls," located in Milledgeville. She was a senior in 1919. In 1920, she was still listed with her parents in the Ellaville Federal census with an occupation of public school teacher. In October 1922, Velma married William Wallace Peavy, Jr. Their engagement was noted in the 24 September 1922 edition of the Atlanta Constitution : Engagements WILLIAMS -- PEAVY Mr. and Mrs. H. J. Williams announce the engagement of their daughter, Velma, to Wallace Peavy, Jr., the wedding to be solemnized in October at the Methodist church, Ellaville. After her marriage, Velma made her new husband's home town her own -- the little railroad stop of Byron, Georgia. The Peavys were prominent there. W. W. Peavy Home, 2010 In 1930, Velma and her husband were living next door to his parents. The Willia...

Make no mistake, I'm all for living with Jesus. I plan to spend eternity at His side. However, I can't help but feel this epitaph is a wee bit, um, creepy. Lola Sue Giles June 28, 1935 Aug 7, 1937 I Left Here To Live With Jesus How Happy I Am -- Come See Me Taylors Chapel Cemetery Black Rock Mountain Rabun County, Georgia Photo © 2012 S. Lincecum It's the "Come See Me" part that gives me the willies.

I posted briefly about the first of this series about four months ago . Since then, I have finished the entire 3.5 book saga. My conclusion? They're great reads. I've heard tell that there are possibly more on the way, and I for one hope that rumor is true. Here's what I posted about book 1 of the Graveyard Queen series back in May: First in the "Graveyard Queen" series is entitled The Restorer by Amanda Stevens. This read is a work of fiction about a cemetery restorer, Amelia, that finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation in the well-known southern city of Charleston, South Carolina. There actually are mentions and descriptions of cemetery art and symbolism. The main character also has the fortune / misfortune of seeing ghosts. A good combination of criminal minds, local history (some fictional), and paranormal activity, all set in a southern cemetery, with a little bit of romantic tension thrown in for good measure. What more can you ask...

Taylors Chapel Black Rock Mountain Rabun County, Georgia Photo © 2012 S. Lincecum

While the sentiment intended could be quite benign, I couldn't help but feel sad when I read the tombstone placed for Mr. Joseph F. Gray at Taylors Chapel Cemetery: Joseph F. Gray Nov 23, 1870 June 15, 1942 A Man That Gave So Much And Received So Little Taylors Chapel Cemetery Black Rock Mountain Rabun County, Georgia Photo © 2012 S. Lincecum I found Mr. Gray's obituary, but was unable to glean anything specific to warrant the words on his stone. Augusta Chronicle (Georgia) 16 June 1942, Section A, Page 10 (Viewed online at GenealogyBank .) Joseph F. Gray Dies at Clayton Funeral services for Joseph F. Gray, brother of the late Thomas S. Gray of Augusta, will be conducted at his home in Clayton, Ga., today, and interment will follow in the Clayton cemetery. Mr. Gray died at 6:30 yesterday morning, following an extended illness. A native of Atlanta, he was reared in Augusta, where he found his first employment on the Augusta Chronicle, then under the...

Edward Giles II Oct 8, 1945 Dec 19, 1947 As You Pass By Look At Me The Way I Am You Soon Will Be Taylors Chapel Cemetery Black Rock Mountain Rabun County, Georgia Photo © 2012 S. Lincecum

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit with family in north Florida. While there, since just about everyone knows my love for cemeteries, I was directed to a small family graveyard in Lee, Madison County. According to FindAGrave , it is known as Hays (Hayes) Cemetery. J. E. & Gertrude Horton Whitty © 2012 S. Lincecum Upon entering the gate, the first few graves I came across were part of the WHITTY family. John Edward Whitty (1864-1938) married Gertrude Horton (1871-1928) and had several children. One, a son, was John Butler Whitty (1895-1976). Photo © 2012 S. Lincecum John Edward Whitty was a prominent citizen of Lee, Florida. In the early 1900s, he owned a drugstore with his sons. And, in 1923, he was a member of the Florida House of Representatives for Madison County. While googling around, I came across several photos of members of the J. E. Whitty family housed online at the Florida Memory Photographic Collection . Here are a couple of goodies: ...