Monday, November 10, 2008

I'm Tombstone Annie....

Well....that's one of my nicknames....
Reverend Mather was buried more than 200 years ago, in 1806. 
The elements haven't been kind to the engraving on his stone. 
Taken in the ~Old Five Mile Cemetery~, aka Brookside Cemetery
on Rowaton Ave. in Norwalk, CT.
(backside of the tombstone in the first photo)
 Norwalk has begun to restore the old graveyards of our city
Poor restoration habits had been employed for many past years, 
not for lack of caring, but from lack of knowledge. 
Thankfully, there are now folks well taught in the best preservation methods.  
~

Enough of you have asked me why my blog is named The Tombstone Chronicler that I feel the need to explain a bit. (And, no, I don't reside in Tombstone, Arizona!) I became interested in genealogy about 15 years ago - don't really know what was the first spark, but along the way, I began wanting to know how I got here as me. Who were these people that came before me that made me who I am? 

I know from friends and family that this (read "my") genealogy thing (read "obsession") is a very personal journey/interest. Either you care or you don't. I care. Most of my family doesn't. And that's OK. It's my obsession/love not theirs. And I do love finding out about my own family and helping others (who may not even be related to me) find out about theirs. 

Out of my love of genealogy I've discovered the wonderful website www.findagrave.com.Now I spend some of my weekends traipsing through the cemeteries around here taking photos and then adding and documenting them on findagrave.com (F-A-G for short - their abbreviation, not mine:-). I try to go to the older cemeteries as those tombstones are the ones most in peril of being destroyed, by time and the elements, as you can see from the photos above (by the way, Moses Mather isn't my ancestor, just one of the tombstones I've added). I've even been the first to document several of the old cemeteries in our area. It's a good feeling to know that in some small way they've been "preserved" for the future. I also find it so very peaceful and calming to walk through these areas that are filled with so many different stories and histories. Believe it or not, when I first discovered F-A-G, there was only around 8,000 grave sites chronicled. Now there are around 27,000,000 chronicled (and counting!) - I've added 1,109 memorials and 1,460 photos! Word of mouth truly works! Amazing isn't it? (Click on that last above link to see my F-A-G page if you're interested.)

I know this is a love of some of us and not everyone. So - I'll try to remember to fill you in on this mad persuit of mine from time to time.  Just skip those posts if this isn't your thrill.  I'll forgive you....well maybe...o come on, you love tombstones too...right??;-)

xoabb
expect anything!

22 comments:

  1. I've always been interested in history, though I've yet to make the plunge into my own genealogy. It one of those there-just-aren't-enough-hours-in-a-day kind of things.

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  2. I love that fact that you're rabid about this but not pushing for others to be. :) I mean that in a general way, not about genealogy. Nothing worse than someone in love with a certain thing and insistent that everyone else be as well. Two thumbs up!

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  3. fascinating images and interest. :)

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  4. I too am addicted to my family tree. For over 4 generations, my "family" has been involved in tracing our history. I am just now finding my way around old documents, etc. that have been sent to me by various relatives.

    It is quite amazing when you find out that historical figures actually play a part in your life other than reading about them in the history books.

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  5. Glad to know where the blog name came from! I think graves and cemeteries are fascinating. Will check out your links when I get a bit more time. I actually work on a small genealogy web site started by a local funeral home. The owner has tons of clippings and info that he collected for over 60 years or more. My family has only been in the states for 4 generations, so I don't have a lot to trace. You mentioned Norwalk...my relatives come from around Norwalk, OH and dad always mentioned that Ohio used a lot of the same city names as Connecticut.

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  6. I forgot to say that the Ohio and Connecticut names are linked somehow...the Firelands has something to do with it?

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  7. Fascinating, isn't it? I've done a bit of research too, but had a lot more luck with my husband's geneology than with mine (Coming from Georgia, the records stop pretty abruptly at the Civil War.)

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  8. I just love hearing any family's history...and though I hadn't asked, I did wonder about your blog name.

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  9. I like genealogy, but I haven't worked on mine for a few years. I have not looked for tombstones though....

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  10. Thanks for the explanation of your blog name.
    My explanation of my blog name is in my first post.

    Bear((( )))

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  11. Annie recently I worked on our family tree and have traced it back as far as the 1600's. I also have about two hundred pictures of tombstones, so I know your love.:o)

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  12. Good pictures - and now I know! ;)
    Cheers, Klaus

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  13. I spent one college spring break in New Orleans with my oldest brother and his wife. One of our adventures (besides getting drunk on Hurricanes) was to check out the local cemeteries. Very interesting - not just the epitaphs, but the tombs themselves. Some had tables and chairs as part of the family mausoleum where family members would go on a Sunday afternoon to enjoy a picnic and visit with their dead.

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  14. Ahhh.... that's interesting and now I know!! Good information!! =)

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  15. I love the pics, so interesting and geneology is a wonderful passion.

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  16. Fabulous .. these are the most words you have shared since I am reading your blog .. wonderful post and a great 'hobby'

    :-Daryl

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  17. Cemeteries are soothing in a strange sort of way. I can understand your interest. Good post.

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  18. I love this! Geneology is somewhat interesting to me (only one side of my family interests me, so I guess I am not truly into it), but the recording tombstones is really interesting. I love old cemetaries. I love to see the stones and read what they say and imagine the lives of the people. The ones of children, especially several in a family, make me sad, but I still love how old gravestones are unique.

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  19. I love to visit cemeteries and have had a long time interest in my families genealogy. What a wonderful thing you and others are doing by adding all of these gravestones. I am fascinated.

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  20. Thanks for this enlightening post! I've been wondering about your name for a long time and as I came here today the question crossed my mind once again. I almost asked you when I commented on your current post. I'm so glad I scrolled down to read this! I love old graveyards for the silence, the stories and the secrets they hold. How nice to have contirbuted to something so historical and worthy!

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  21. Well, I'll be darned. I have always wondered and now wonder why I never asked!

    This is a neat hobby/obsession you have. I'm going to go visit the link and you keep up the great work, girl. How interesting!

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Thank you for taking the time to leave a thought. It's appreciated! xoabb