In praise of friendly Canadians
Dec. 2nd, 2004 09:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
twilight33A few months ago I posted to a community genealogy board asking if someone lived nearby who could photograph my great-great grandmother's grave in Canada near Niagara Falls. I've received thick letters full of census information from two different people & multiple photographs of her tombstone in late summer and early winter shrouded in fog & fallen pine needles. The latter came with the description of "When I got there, I couldn't see the cemetery as it was hidden by a bank of fog... very spooky... but I'm glad I persisted. It was like an enchanted forest that I had to myself."
My great-great grandma, the eternal Canadian goth. I love it.
I am also amazed at how both people went out of their way to photocopy census records & did additional research to share with me. One even went to a different cemetery to photograph a family tombstone that may be related, even though I don't have any definite links yet. Both commented on how sad it was that the partially blank tombstone was clearly meant to include my great-great grandfather, but for some unknown reason he & his two daughters packed up and moved to California. I still haven't been able to find where (or if) he's buried, just an odd note that he was cremated in Berkeley.
I'd like to hope that he was returned to Canada, buried with his wife and nobody finished carving the tombstone. Maybe someday I can figure this one out & stop by to thank these two great people in person.
My great-great grandma, the eternal Canadian goth. I love it.
I am also amazed at how both people went out of their way to photocopy census records & did additional research to share with me. One even went to a different cemetery to photograph a family tombstone that may be related, even though I don't have any definite links yet. Both commented on how sad it was that the partially blank tombstone was clearly meant to include my great-great grandfather, but for some unknown reason he & his two daughters packed up and moved to California. I still haven't been able to find where (or if) he's buried, just an odd note that he was cremated in Berkeley.
I'd like to hope that he was returned to Canada, buried with his wife and nobody finished carving the tombstone. Maybe someday I can figure this one out & stop by to thank these two great people in person.
