The headstone ready for mounting for Lee Alfred Wilcox, paternal grandfather of Jean and her brother Bob Wilcox:
Cemetery gate where the Lee Alfred Wilcox headstone was placed (and the stone in place), just prior to the departure from Illinois:
New York - Watertown, Jefferson County - promotion for presentation on the Freeman and Wilcox families who lived in the area in the mid-1800s
Freeman graves - the Freeman Cemetery, Brownville, Jefferson County, NY:
Ceremony to recognize Private Edward Freeman of Col. Klock's Militia, Battle of Sackets Harbor. War of 1812 marker placed by the Daughters of the Veterans of the War of 1812 and Daughters of the American Revolution:
Visit to Mohawk Valley, Ostrander Cemetery, Danube, NY - location of graves of Isaac Freeman and wife Marion Gallup:
Military headstone for Jean's step-great-great-grandfather, Private Philipp Wolbert (Civil War), received before her arrival but not to be placed until weather permits:
Military headstone for Jean's great-grandfather, Private Frederick Mueller (Civil War), received and placed after she had left area. Weehawken Cemetery, North Bergen, NJ:
Kingston harbor, Sloop Clearwater, not ready to sail yet due to inclement weather:
Visit to Martin Guitar factory, Nazareth, PA (where Jean's guitar was manufactured:
Visit to Civil War Battlefield at Gettysburg, PA where Jean's great-granduncle Private Charles John Trapschuh of the Wisconsin 26th Infantry was captured and sent to Libby Prison. Memorial marker at that approximate location during that battle recognizes the losses of that unit:
Impromptu visit to the Conrad Weiser homestead, Berks County, PA. He was Jean's 7th great-grandfather:
Slight diversion along the Blue Ridge Hwy to visit Schuyler, VA and the Walton's Mountain museum, created in recognition of the work of Earl Hamner on that, and other, TV shows and movies (this is the "recipe room" - check upcoming podcast on moonshining for explanation of the parts of the still):
Stop at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, to visit the grave of Jean's 2nd great-grandfather, Captain Nathan W. Wilcox, Missouri Engineering Regiment of the West, Civil War (stone placed in 2010; new flag placed on this visit).
Ready to do your own on-site trip? Here are some suggestions:
A. Things to
consider
1. The dates & length of time for the trip
2. The places you plan to visit (then reduce
your expectations significantly!)
3. Means of transportation to destination
a. By air: Determine airport destination(s), checking on the possibility of arriving
& departing from different locations (check on car rental
expectations & requirements)
b. By vehicle: Plan route in advance but allow
for changes
Reminder: Most courthouses & many archives don’t allow cameras on site; if you have a camera phone, it may not be permitted inside.
B. People to
contact
1. Genealogy
libraries/librarians
2. Historical
society personnel
3. Cemetery
sextons
4. Vital
records offices
5. Church
officials
6. Courthouses
7. Local
Family History Centers
8.
Possible relatives or former neighbors of ancestors (to interview)
C. Things to
pack
1. Papers
and records
a.
pedigree charts & family group sheets
b. copies (not originals) of documents being
researched
c. Letters (esp. copies of correspondence with
on-site personnel, etc.)
d. lots of paper, pens/pencils, highlighters
2. Technological
equipment
a. cameras (digital & other backup)
b. audio recorder
c. video/digital recorder
d. walkie-talkies
e. netbook, laptop, or tablet, flash drives,
extra discs, cables, ?
f. scanner
g. PDA/pocket computer
h. cell phone, smart
phone
i. GPS
Suggestion:
Make appointments & arrange stops in an order that culminates in cemetery visits (don’t start at the cemetery).
3. Additional
equipment for graveyard excursions
a. long sleeved shirt(s) & trousers
b. boots, high socks
c. garden & rubber gloves
d. insect repellant & sunscreen
e. old towels
f. small scissors
g. umbrella
h. bottled water (with sprayer attachment)
i. soft brush
j. small reflective mirror or cookie sheet
k. light-weight foil
l. corn starch or powder (without additives)
m. spiral notebook & pencils
n. copy of genealogy on handheld
device
o. digital camera with GPS
Travel Hints:
-Check the latest carry-on & baggage regulations for the airline you are using.
-Plan to purchase whatever possible when you arrive to keep baggage light.
II. ON-SITE VISITS (be
sure to ask in advance about hours of operation)
A. Historical
Societies & Libraries
1. Often
societies & libraries are open by appointment only or for limited hours; be punctual and don’t stay after their posted closing
time
2. Be
mindful of the rules of the establishment (signing out material, no food or drink, cotton gloves for
document-handling, etc.)
3. Be
considerate, especially when people go out of their way to accommodate your needs
4. Make
donations to the historical societies, churches, & libraries
5. Offer
to send your compiled findings for their files (and follow through)
B. Vital
Records Offices, Courthouses, & Archives (see above suggestions)
C. Churches
(see above suggestions)
D. Ancestors’
Residences (be sure to have permission before entering property)
E. Cemeteries
(recognize that some are on private property & require permission)
F. Tourist
attractions and sights of the area
1. if this is your ancestors’ hometown, visiting
the local museum & learning about area history will help you
connect with your ancestors’ lives
2. buy some postcards
3. take photos of the area as well as tombstones
4. meet the residents . . . you might find a
distant relative!
Reminder: Clean up after yourself (at research facilities, cemeteries, and other locations)
III. AFTER THE TRIP
A. Organize/transcribe
notes
B. File
findings
C. Develop
film and catalog photos or transfer photos to your computer
D. Send thank
you notes and promised reports to the contacts you made
E. Make a
list of the things you want to accomplish on your next visit to the area
Short list of Suggested Readings:
Carlberg, Nancy Ellen. Cemetery Research. Anaheim, CA: Carlberg Press, 1782 Beacon Ave.,
92804; 2000.
Carmack,
Sharon DeBartolo. Your Guide to Cemetery Research. Cincinnati, OH: Betterway Books, 2002.
Keister,
Douglas. Stories in Stone: A Field Guide
to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography. Salt Lake City
Gibbs Smith, Publisher, 2004.
Creative Continuum, 2002.
Other Helps:
American
Automobile Association (AAA; in Calif. Calif.
Books
on the history of the states, counties, and cities you are interested in.
Chamber
of Commerce in the cities you will be visiting.
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