Eric, to brighten your day, see the Headstone(Find a Grave website or Google) which I designed,commissioned and financed for William Henderson Peck 1859-1950 in Bosque Bella Cemetary,Fernandina Beach,Florida. He was owned by Wm H Peck and the widow Henderson in Blacksburg,Va. Despite years of research I was unable to determine how he got to Howard University in Washington,DC or what happened to his mother who he listed as Hattie Henderson. Wm H Peck,owner was a notable in Blacksburg before 1863 when he sold everything and moved to Logan Co West Va. Well, Wm H Peck, enslaved became a notable in Florida. I am his descendant and when I found his grave without a Marker/Headstone not too long ago, I corrected the problem. A life well-lived deserved no less.
----- Original Message -----From: Eric Huffstutler <[log in to unmask]>To: [log in to unmask]: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 15:22:31 -0000 (UTC)Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] Cemeteries and Burial question
No doubt traditional burials are still being done and will be for quite some time but there is an upswing in cremations. Look at Joan Rivers who died recently. She wanted a “Hollywood” sendoff but the finally was being cremated rather than a memorial for fans to visit. The older cemeteries (ie established in the 1800’s) are having fewer and fewer burials as each generation progresses on. Family want less costs, less fuss, less maintenance connected with cremation. I know some religions frown upon it but even those are giving in these days as well.
The down side is that these older cemeteries are now being neglected, especially ones that do not provide for perpetual care but rely on the family to maintain the grave sites. Yes, people move away but even the weekend day trips that include visits to family cemeteries are becoming a thing of the past. Gone are the days when people would even hold picnics at gravesites. Oakwood Cemetery has an old restored bath house building they now use for storage but still stands as a reminder for those who use to visit and picnic and was even a point of interest for sightseers along trolley routes at the turn of the 20th century.
And forget where grandpa is buried? That goes hand-in-hand with the hobby of genealogy also falling to the wayside. You would be hard pressed to get an answer with todays children as to who their grandparents are including their names or where they live – let alone where they are buried. They just don’t have an interest in “old things” but only live for the moment.
Eric
-----Original Message----- From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Schug-O'Neill, Diane Sent: Tuesday, September 09, 2014 9:12 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] Cemeteries and Burial question
I agree with PJFenton, that current migration can cause a lot of "family forgetfulness" and folks just don't know where gramps ended up.
On another note: I was just told about some dog walking groups paying big bucks for the use of the grounds. They actually pay dues and that can go a long way towards paying cemetery costs. This sort of out-of-the-box thinking can go a long way.
Diane
Diane T. Schug-O'Neill Digital Conversion Specialist Geography and Map Division Library of Congress
http://www.loc.gov/rr/geogmap/
The opinions expressed in this email are mine and may not necessarily reflet the policies of thee Library of Congress as an institution.
-----Original Message----- From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Joanne Fenton Sent: Monday, September 08, 2014 3:47 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Cemeteries and Burial question
We have become so migratory that many family ties are lost. Ancestor searching may repair some. Recently in the Halls Community of Knox County TN the local citizens with County help restored the cemetery of their founder Thomas Hall. It takes persistence. PJFenton
Sent from my iPhone
______________________________________To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions athttp://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
______________________________________
To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe please see the instructions at
http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
|
