Roberts Roots & Branches

What do you do when you find a relative's name missing on the Veteran's Memorial Wall? You fill out an application and submit the paperwork. Isaac Roberts(165) had no descendants so I do not think anyone else would have realized his name was missing from the wall. Isaac is the son John Richard Roberts(8) and Selina Parker(162) and grandson of Hugh(1) and Margaret(2) Roberts.  Isaac served in WWI and served in the US Army in France with A&F.  He was a Private.  He was discharged on 22 May 1919.  Isaac died in the 1923 Frontier Mine No. 1 explosion in Frontier, Wyoming.  He never married.   I felt such an honor to be able to fill out the application and submit  Isaac's Honorable Discharge Papers.  (Thank goodness a relative had given me copies.)  Thank you South Lincoln County Cemetery District for helping me get his name added.

One day I went quilting with some others close around,      And the beauty that I found there was to me quite profound. The greetings of each other told of friendship true and old,      And the stitches and suggestions made it fit in every fold.   Some were speaking bravely of events now past and gone,      And the test it puts before one when a love mate passes on. How can I tell you plainly of the strength these ladies have,      They have passed the greatest hardship, so serene, calm and sad.   And yet we find them cheerful and eager to give some of their time;      Glad that they can be of service to some causes that are fine. If I should have these similar trials in my days to come,      I hope I can remember the others that have won.   At the peaceful quilting party, a thought burned in my heart,    ...

    Many years ago while I was researching at the sexton's office they offered to give me a copy of their Funeral Registers.  Oh the information these sheets contained were very valuable as well as interesting.  The Registers have the deceased's name, residence, place of death, marital status, spouse's name, date of birth, birth place, profession, business or industry, name of father, name of mother, social security number, where the funeral was held, name of clergy presiding over funeral, and then the detailed charges from the cemetery.  Those charges included clothing, services, transportation, hair dresser, casket, vault, grave space, opening and closing of the grave, funeral notices, and other miscellaneous charges.  The Funeral Registers also list the payments to the cemetery including who made the payment and how the payment was made; cash, check or labor.     Yes labor.  Some of our ancestors dug graves to help pay off t...

    Are you journaling during these historic times?  You should be!   I have been keeping track of the pandemic numbers, the things that have changed in society, the things I feel; my fears and anticipation, the nature of the virus and the things the experts are telling us.  In fact, I am writing everything I wished an ancestor would have written about the Spanish Flu pandemic. It is never too late to start.  Grab a notebook and begin.  You write whatever you want.  You write however you want.  You share what you want, and don't share what you don't want.  You direct your journal.  You cannot journal wrong! Journal. . .a few minutes everyday. . .

Have you ever seen tombstones placed very close together?   It is possible that one is a headstone and one is a foot stone.   If you set a foot stone at the foot of a grave and the grave below the foot stone has a headstone the stones will look very close together. Here are a couple of examples of headstones and foot stones from the Kemmerer Cemetery:

             On one visit to the Rock Springs Cemetery, I noticed there were a couple of people working in the general area of the Oblock Section and very close to the Meacham headstone.     Discreetly I sauntered across the rutted and uneven grass and as I got closer, I realized it was the Meacham headstone.   I was concerned that Reuben had passed away and the memorial workers were adding a death date.   Interested in the monument workers labors, I questioned their work on the headstone while eyeing their handiwork.   Rather than an addition to the marker, they explained they were making a correction to the marker.   Reuben’s birth date had been inscribed as August 8th, when in fact his birthday is August 3.   Below are three pictures of the same headstone before and after the correction and a current image of the headstone. Same Headstone, Three Pictures incorrect birth date for Reuben correct dates, but incomplete...

It is a great idea to go back and look at your sources and re-analyze what information you have.  

Volumes I & II, 245 pages!  I am almost done! I still need to:  visit each cemetery and check my work add four more graves to the maps when I find them take four more photographs and add to their respective places in the book take a few more misc photographs from each cemetery to add to each book proof read check layout and make sure format is consistent for each page add an index So close!  I am thrilled with the layout and overall look of the book.  I am excited to share with everyone!   I took the rest of the day off and celebrated by forcing myself to stay away from the computer!

While researching you run across some very interesting things.   I ran across this as I was researching cemeteries for my book.   Who knew this would have to be in the official Rules & Regulations of for a cemetery!

Happy Independence Day! AND Happy Anniversary! Isaac Roberts(10) & Janet Howie(16) married 4 July 1895 in Trimdon Grange, Durham, England AND Happy Birthday! James H. Roberts(24) born 4 July 1897 in Trimdon Grange, Durham, England born on his parents 2nd anniversary!

Volumes I & II; two volumes; 145 pages... Proof reading, corrections, and another trip to each cemetery and they are done!   I can see the finish line!

              Andrew Hamilton(45) born 17 February 1867 in Scotland and died 24 February 1933 in Rock Springs, Wyoming.   Andrew’s wife, Jane Roberts(15) was born 28 May 1874 in England and died 13 February 1949 in Arizona.   Jane is the daughter of Hugh(1) Roberts and Margaret Roberts(2).             When Andrew died, Jane purchased a dual headstone, however when Jane died she was living in Arizona.   Looking at Andrew and Jane’s headstone you would believe that both are buried in Rock Springs, Wyoming, however Jane is buried in Arizona according to her obituary.     It is important to gather all documents relating to your ancestor.  It is important to read all the documents your have.  Jane's obituary was published in the Rock Springs Rocket, Rock Springs, Wyoming.   So do you believe what everything you see?  ...