Find A Grave Update

On Tuesday I took a PTO day so I could take a sewing machine class but I used the morning to work on some genealogy.  I decided it was a good day to call back East to different Cemeteries and find the plot locations for my mother, my Dad, my Second-Mom and my grandparents. 

I had just finished placing all my requests and was checking them and one was already claimed. 

I sure was excited.  Well today I was even more excited when I checked my email and had a message that a picture was posted. 

I am not sure what the correct protocol is on re-posting these pictures to my blog, so I am going to play it save and place a link back to the Find a Grave site.  

Hartmann, Edith, Mary & George

Cristina the volunteer sent a note that Edith's name is not engraved on the stone.  I was really disappointed to hear that little fact.  I did see the grave when I was about 11 before we moved to Florida, my Dad took me.  I have no recollection of it.  I like to think that he was going to add her name later and then we moved to Florida and it never happened.  I am guessing that it is a family plot. 

The nice thing is Cristina went the extra mile and took pictures of the other names engraved on the stone, down at the bottom.  Why would you engrave names at the bottom?  Thee is plenty or room up higher.  They would be my Dad's parents. 

Now because stories always make things more interesting.  Here is a little story.  The way the story goes is my grandparents didn't like my mother, she was a divorced women and in the 40's well you know.  According to her marriage registration to my Dad, her first marriage was annulled.  My parents waited until after my grandparents died to marry.  Of course my question is why did they wait almost three years after my grandparents died to marry.  Inquiring minds want to know but Dad was never a talker about this stuff, so I won't know.  Oh Dad you had such a way of putting spin on things.

One small step for me and my ancestors!

PS I just went and looked at the plot information again and it Grave 81 to 85.  That would include my grandparents, Dad & Edith & I bet Dad's sister Emma, since she was still single.

Wordless Wednesday

Beatrice Ann Chaplin

This is my Aunt Bea my Mother Edith's older sister. 
I am not sure if this is an 8th Grade or High School Graduation.  

Happy Easter

Easter 1951

This is from a photo album my Dad's made. 

He made all the albums when I was a kid.   

Notice who is eyeing the Easter Candy. 

When I was older we made Easter bonnets with paper plates, ribbons,  paper flowers and crayon drawings. 

Wordless Wednesday

William Thomas Chaplin

This was waiting for me in the mail when I came home this evening!  Thanks Cuz. This is my Maternal Grandfather. About 1908, Brooklyn, Kinds, New York.

Find A Grave

One of my goals for this year was to learn more about Find A Grave and to volunteer. So last week I became a member and on Friday afternoon I did my first volunteer experience.  It was a very good experience.  It felt good to help someone.  I am willing to look for gravestones in two of the local cemeteries here in Mesa. 

Friday I left work early and was able to stop by the office of the cemetery and asked for the map.  This is a helpful tool.  The grave I needed was in plot 103.  I walked right past the monument the first time because the names where on the side facing away from me.  I found it on the way back.  I received a nice thank from the requester.

I stll haven't requested my graves yet because I don't know the plot numbers.  I'll do that soon.

Can You Read the Address??

From Marriage License 1945

On Sunday when I was making a study of all the address were my mother Edith lived I looked at this address on the marriage license and wanted to hit my head against the wall.  My Dad's address is clear but my mother's is not.  I know she was 28 when she married so my educated guest is the address is 108 W. 87 guess that is St. for street.  I sure wish the clerk had cleaned out his typewriter keys so they would have made a nice crisp imprint. 

Can anyone make out anything different from what I see?  I would appreciate any comment you would leave.



Did I Really Find the Right Building??



Edith on Roof

 I have a picture of my mother at about age 4 or 5 on the roof of the apartment the family lived in.  Notice the shape of the roof with the lower and two higher sections.   Last night I Googled all the addresses I have of where Edith lived.  Since she was born in December of 1916, and this picture could be about 1920 or 1921.  The address of the 1920 census was 958 54 St, Brooklyn, Kings, New York. 

Same address?

Now check out the roof line on this building.  Do you see something similar?  I do.  It was one of those exciting moment you have while doing Genealogy.  I am sure these buildings have been gutted on the inside and remodeled a few times in the last 92 years.  I do not always trust Google to give me the exact addresses. 



Close up of Edith



Here is a scanned close up of the same picture. 



Back of picture.



Here is what her older brother my uncle wrote about her outfit.  Sounds like an older brother.



Sorting Again: Old Photos

Back in December I started making a scrapbook of my mother's life.  Called Edith's Life Story here is the link to the first pages I made.  Yesterday I was able to spend some time with my friends and I made five more pages.  Today I spent time adding the finishing touches and the journaling. I also Googled the addresses from her Birth Certificate, 1920, 1930 Census, her marriage certificate and her Death Certificate. 




I added some transciption of a note I wrote to my Aunt Bea, Edith's sister and her reply.  While reading and typing the note I decided to look up the name of the park they were in.  It was Shore Road Park in Brooklyn New York.  So of course I Googled the park and have the links for the park.  I will be adding the park information to her life story also.

Someday I will make a Google Earth trip video of all the address I have on my mother.  Some of the buildings are looking very run down, but considering she was born in 1916, I guess they won't look brand new.

I did copy and reprint some of the pictures because they are deteriorating.  So you are not really seeing double.

I still have some journaling to finish.  I want to write about what I know about her fight with breast cancer.

It has been a fun project.  My next one will be about my Dad.