-
A Small Stone with a Big Story
I stumbled upon a little headstone in Chicago’s Rosehill Cemetery in July 2015. I was surprised there wasn’t an existing memorial for this infant on Find A Grave. Because that little headstone is next to this: Who was Adam Schaaf? I wondered as I added a Find A Grave memorial for Baby Schaaf.…
-
A Cemetery Paved with Good Intentions
It was a little disconcerting, but I was impressed. While I was photographing headstones for Find A Grave at Riverside Cemetery in Black River Falls Wisconsin, I was being watched. Not from afar, mind you. The same pickup truck meandered through the very sections I was in at least a dozen times…
-
Cemeteries are Coming Back to Life
Winter dragged on forever here in the Midwest. I hadn’t been to Lakewood since January when the cemetery looked like this: For months I suffered headstone withdrawal, especially after Mother Nature’s 70 degree tease in late March. But yesterday, after a visit to the dentist, I rewarded myself with a cemetery…
-
Graduate of the Old Sacred Heart Convent
Celia McNulty’s obituary was printed in the Chicago Daily News April 8, 1913: “M’NULTY-Miss Celia, Sunday night, at her residence, 930 E. 65th, aunt of Dr. Austin A. Hayden, 32 N. State st., born 1850 Shullsburg, Wis., graduate of the old Sacred Heart convent, active for many years with Mrs.…
-
Mystery Monday: Death Certificate 6839
Who were Anita’s parents? Calvary Cemetery in Evanston is a distance from Aurora Illinois. Why wasn’t Anita buried closer to home? And Calvary is a predominantly Irish cemetery, so what was it that drew a French family there? Follow up: Thanks to blog follower Jim C., we know more…
-
Looks Can Be Deceiving
You know what they say about assumptions, right? Guilty as charged. In July of last year I was in Chicago’s Rosehill Cemetery taking headstone photos for Find A Grave, when I stumbled upon this: Of course I assumed the overturned headstone belonged to Scott M. Jones. After all, written in…
-
Thoroughly Modern Memorial
We tend to assume, do we not, that headstones are erected soon after the deceased is laid to rest. In some cases however, a descendant has a headstone put in place long after the death occurred. And this dear readers, is a wonderful clue that another family historian may be lurking about. So when a headstone looks…
-
Mystery Monday: Death Certificate 6711
What was Mrs. Looby’s given name? And where is she buried? My search in the Illinois deaths database on FamilySearch wasn’t much help. And I couldn’t find her on Find A Grave. I’m not related to Mrs. Looby, but I would like to solve her mystery. Can you help reunite her with her family here…
-
Chicago Obituaries: March 15, 1892
From page 9 of the March 15, 1892 issue of the Chicago Daily News; “BAGNALL-March 14, 1892, ROY, son of Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Bagnall, aged 5 months. Funeral Wednesday at 2 o’clock p.m.” “CAHILL-March 13, 1892, JOHN, beloved husband of Katheran Cahill (nee Morgan), aged 60 years. Funeral from…
-
Marriage Announcement of Sorts
Politically incorrect to be sure, but this newspaper notice is quite the genealogical treasure: And for the official record:
Join me as I search for ancestors in England, Germany, France, Isle of Man, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the USA.
