Week 22 – At the Cemetery

 

Many of you may already be heading to a cemetery this weekend in order to pay your respect to those who died while serving our country. While this is the reason for Memorial Day, many use it as a way to remember family and friends, as well. It may have been from the time I spent with my grandmother when I was little, but I really love going to cemeteries any day of the week. They are such peaceful places. If you listen closely, sometimes you can hear the words of your loved ones whisper through the headstones when a gentle breeze blows by. There’s no better way to keep the memory of your ancestors alive than dropping by for a heart-to-heart talk, bringing flowers, or clipping a few weeds at their final resting place. I plan to be cremated but still want a headstone where my descendants can “visit” me after I’m gone. I won’t be there though, because I’ll be in a number of cemeteries, communing with my ancestors…

Christ Church Burial Ground – Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

Sprinkle some of me here where several of my Revolutionary Patriot ancestors are buried, including my one female patriot, Henrietta Cox Boude Hillegas, and her husband, Michael HIllegas, the first Treasurer of the United States. My fourth great-grandparents, Joseph and Henrietta (nee Hillegas) Anthony are buried here, too, along with some Cox and Boude ancestors. I have many ancestors who attended Christ Church. This is also where Benjamin Franklin, Dr. Benjamin Rush, and many of the movers and shakers of American Independence are laid to rest, including five signers of the Declaration of Independence. I would sure like to hang out with these folks. I love Philadelphia. I love the history. My roots run deep in this place.

Riverview Cemetery – Huntingdon, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania

I’ve spent some time in Huntingdon working on my family tree. Several generations of my family lived in this area of central Pennsylvania before migrating to the West. My first proven Revolutionary Patriot, Colonel John Patton and his wife, Jane Bartholomew Davis, are buried here. When he died in 1804, Colonel Patton was buried on a hillside near Boalsburg. His grave had been left unattended for many years. In 1938, he was re-interred from Centre County to Riverview Cemetery in Huntingdon to much fanfare. The day before, his remains were exhumed along with his saber which had been buried with him. That evening he was transferred to a metallic casket donated by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. National Guard sentries kept vigil until 2 o’clock the next day, Armistice Day, November 11, when his remains were carried by a caisson drawn by four horses to the cemetery. He was given a full military burial including a 21-gun salute. His final resting place was next to his wife who had survived him by almost thirty years. He was a young lad from Ireland who in a few short years after arriving in America, made a name for himself and had a big part to play in the war for American Independence. I’d like to get to get to know him better.

Allegheny Cemetery – Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

Even if I didn’t have any family here, this is one of the most beautiful cemeteries I’ve ever seen. It’s full of gently rolling hills, lots of trees, winding roads and incredible architecture. It’s the largest cemetery in Pittsburgh and one of the most historic. It was initially established as a rural cemetery, but today sits just ten miles from where the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio rivers (as in “Three Rivers”) meet. This is where my great-great-great grandparents, Thomas Williamson and Margaret Shillito, are buried. There is so much I’d like to know about both of these families. Their infant granddaughter, Margaret Matilda Patton is also here, as are many of my collateral Patton and Irwin relatives. Do yourself a favor and visit their website just to look around and you’ll know why I’d want to go back. https://alleghenycemetery.com/

Oakland Cemetery – Moberly, Randolph County, Missouri

My grandmother Powers was my best buddy growing up. I went on many a trip with her to this particular cemetery as a child. We would spend almost an entire day edging around the headstones with grass shears and we would take a picnic. She and my grandfather are buried here, along with her parents, her sisters, her brother and her young daughter.  This cemetery brings back many memories for me, and the summers I spent in Moberly. My grandmother was constantly telling me really fascinating stories about our family, but as a little girl, it just didn’t interest me. If a little piece of me were granted the opportunity to spend some time with her in this place, I promise I would pay attention.

Grand Prairie Cemetery – Cairo, Randolph County, Missouri

As long as we’re in the neighborhood, we may as well head north of Moberly a few miles and leave a little of me here. Jacob Dale, my great-great grandfather, along with many of his children, and even more grandchildren can all be found in this place, just off Highway 63.  I don’t know much about the Dale’s, but I’d like to. Maybe ol’ Jacob could enlighten me on who his parents are. My Powers, Chitwood and Dale families lived all over this area, so I should probably have a bit of me with them, too.

Hydro Masonic Cemetery – Hydro, Blaine County, Oklahoma

Hydro, Oklahoma sits just off I-40 (Route 66) west of Oklahoma City. North of town is the Hydro Masonic Cemetery, which sits on a flat piece of ground from where you can see for miles and miles in any direction. There are no trees, or anything else to obscure your view. It is one of the most peaceful places on earth. Rarely does a car traverse the road that runs in front. So many of my ancestors on my mother’s side are buried in this one square patch. Both sets of my great-grandparents, my grandparents, my parents, and more aunts, uncles and cousins than I think I could count.  These are my Okie ancestors. The Pennington’s came to this area from Kentucky and Missouri before Oklahoma was even a state. The Ditmore’s and all their kin came from Tennessee and North Carolina when the state was in its infancy. Although I live in Texas, I will always be Dust Bowl Proud, and I think a little piece of me should go back to the same land from where I came.

All over northern Georgia and western North Carolina are little country cemeteries where my Ayers, Cash, Davis, Echols, Haley and Prince ancestors reside. I’ve visited most of them, so I should probably go back for an extended stay.

I’d also like to be at Memorial Hill Cemetery near Waynoka, Woods County, Oklahoma, so my great-great grandmother Barbara Ann (Tetherow) Pennington won’t be alone.  For that matter, drop a little of me at Winnview Cemetery in Blaine County, Oklahoma. There may be no marker, but I know this is where Barbara’s husband, Pryor Pennington, is.

I can’t forget about Woodlawn Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas, so I can introduce my great-great grandmother Sarah (Williamson) Patton (on my dad’s side) to some of my Sturgeon relatives (on my mom’s side) – what are the odds they are buried in the same place?

Then there’s the location of that headstone. It doesn’t really matter to me. Regardless of where it is, I have already told my family that when I leave this world, I want a big marker with a family tree. I also don’t want my descendants to have to spend hours trying to find it. When they drive in the gate to whatever cemetery it will be, I want them to immediately see that big ol’ headstone, point and shout, “Oh look! There she is!”