Coming Soon To This Space

Before long, we hope to end the long drought. About a year or so ago, this blog was forced to be suspended. It has started as a departmental blog for our local history room where both Sandy and I were employed. The purpose was to share our love for history and cemeteries, as well as help publicize our department.

However, the director who had originally approved the blog decided he didn't approve the time spent on it. And after funding cuts, both of us were let go at the end of 2011.

We are in the process of setting up a new historical research center. We hope to be able to resume full time blogging soon. As well as providing a place for local historians and genealogists to continue their research with knowledgeable assistance from Sandy and I.

Since the local history room at the library is now open only 3 mornings and 1 afternoon a week, and is staffed by someone who is a rookie at local history (and knows nothing of genealogy), we hope the new center is up and running soon.

So please watch this space. We hope to be back at it soon.

I better find some more cemetery pictures.

Why we are taking a break from the blog

It is sad times for libraries all over and we have been hit with some major budget cuts.

Unfortunately as of 1st of June 2011 Linda and I will be cut back in hours and will not have time to do updates as regular on the blog as we have. After that date we may take on the blog again as private citizens and continue.

Linda does such a great job with her blogging and does most of it on her own time anyway so stay tuned, someday soon we will be back. Genealogy is in our blood we can't go all these years and just walk away from it.

Meanwhile we are enjoying some new adventures and trying to keep working as many hours as we can.

Thank you to everyone who followed us we love hearing from you. We will be back hopefully soon.

Spring is finally here

Spring finally has arrived and it is time for genealogist and history buffs to start visiting their favorite cemeteries and discovering new ones.
A lot of people ask why should you visit the cemetery if you already have the dates of the birth and death of your ancestor. It is because you never know what you might find.
You may uncover the grave of a child that passed on as an infant that left no records behind. You may find other family members buried in the area that you may not known of or have forgotten.
By looking at the stones in the area you may discover a symbol showing membership to a fraternal organization or religious membership. You may also find that your family member was in the military.
Once you visit the cemetery you often will find it a peaceful, relaxing place to visit in today's hectic world.
If you decide to do a rubbing it is best to practice at home first. If you do a rubbing or photograph of the stone please remember only wet the stone with clean water. By using anything else you are introducing a foreign element that will hasten the decay of the stone. Because of this not always being done, many cemeteries are now asking you not to do rubbings. Always check with the cemetery for their rules and regulations and abide by them.

Hiatus

The Cemetery Diva's unfortunately will be unable to update our blog for a while a least.  Hopefully this will be just a temporary suspension and we will be back at a later time.
If you have followed our blog, please check back occasionally.  If we are able to continue, we hope you will join us again then.
Until then, please keep this blog in your memory.  Just like a treasured grave stone.

Tombstone Tuesday

Will be unavailable today. 
Sorry to all our faithful readers. 

Obituary--Fred Hoad

Just a week from the first announcement of an area soldier dying in battle, is this one.  Very different circumstances, as he was serving with the British forces, but sad nonetheless to come so close to the end of combat. 
From the 17 October 1918 Fremont TimesIndicator:

FRED HOAD MAKES SUPREME SACRIFICE
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Hoad Killed in Active Service in France Sept. 4
Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Hoad of this city received a letter from England October 12 conveying the sad news of the death of their son, Fred, who died September 4 in France while in the service of the British government.  Fred served with the British forces in Palestine and while there wrote the interesting letter which appeared in the TimesIndicator last April.  After serving in the Holy Lands he was sent to France for army service.  He leaves a wife and six children.  In his last letter to Mr. and Mrs. Hoad he wrote:
Dear Mother and Father:--I received your letter while I was holding the firing line but the thought of your prayers on my behalf and for the sake of my loved ones and being in the position I was in at the time when readint it, brought tears to my eyes. But thank God He has spared me once more and I am having a little rest at the back of the line, but I still put my trust in God as I thank Him every day not only for my safety but for my mates and I often try and show them their sins they are living in, to bring them out of darkness into light.  No goodbye and may God bless and help you all for many years to come.   Fred

While I realized that in World War II many Americans went to England to join the RAF, I didn't realize that we also contributed directly to the forces in World War I.  I don't know how common it was, but here at least was one instance.  And as I said last time, it is so sad that these deaths only start appearing one month before the Armistice.

Obituary--Paul Ellis Steffe

As I have been entering information into our obituary index for 1918, I have been touched by the history of World War I.  I know that while the war started for Europe in 1914,  the US didn't declare war until 1917, and it was later that troops began heading over there.  These facts are born out in the obituaries we have.  I am currently entering obituaries for October 1918.  Prior to this I have had men in service dying of influenza.  Even a couple family members who died after visiting their brother in Camp Custer, near Battle Creek Michigan.  But today, I finally entered my first obituary from one who died in conflict.

From the 10 October 1918 Fremont TimesIndicator:

PAUL E. STEFFE GIVES LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY
Son of Rev. and Mrs. J. W. Steffe Was Killed in Action in France August 30
Corporal Paul Ellis Steffe of Co. F, 126 Inf., 32d Div. F. F., son of Rev. Jacob W. and Julia A. Steffe died in France, August 30, 1918, from the effects of wounds received in action.
The first of July, 1917, he enlisted in Jackson, Mich., and was a member of Co. L, 31st Michigan, until the National Guard was disbanded and merged into Co. F, 126 Inf.  From Jackson he went to Grayling, from there to Waco, Texas.  The middle of January they were sent to Camp Merritt, N. J., where they remained in barracks until February 16, at which time they sailed for France, arriving at a port of France march 4, 1918.  Their first training was received at Champlette, and from there they were sent to Alsace, and then moved farther north to Lorraine.
When he came out of action after the battle of Chateau Thierry, which was his third offensive, his captain had been killed in action and only 28 out of his company were left.  The 32d Division was known as the "Iron Jaw Division" and was used as shock troops.  Paul wor his sharp-shooter's medal which he had received for accuracy.
After the battle at Chauteau Thierry the 126th went back into the woods for a much needed and well deserved rest, but they soon received their orders to move on to St. Mihiel, his fourth offensive, where he was wounded so severely that he died August 30th.
Paul was of a very bright and cheerful disposition and never during the past year has there been a complaint of any kind in any of his letters home, nothing but hope and cheer and always the word that he wanted to stay by it until the end.
Paul's death is the first death in a family of ten, and while it is a crushing blow to them all, it is with pride they can know and feel that never was there a cleaner, better or braver life ever given for its country and humanity than his.  It can be truthfully said of him, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."  John 15:13--Newaygo Republican.

Even though this article was in the Fremont TimesIndicator, it was reprinted from the Newaygo paper as indicated above.  What I find especially touching is the fact that the first Newaygo county death from combat, appears just over a month from the end of the war.