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Visiting Historical Sites, Living History Museums, and Folk Parks

Kilaned Cottage at Glencomcille Folk Park represented how my ancestors might have lived in Ireland, circa 1850s. Have you ever visited a heritage park, living history museum, or folk park where your ancestors lived? If not, I recommend you add it to your next genealogy trip to gain some incredible insight into what their lives, homes, occupations, and traditions were like. In the past year, I've visited several of these sites and came away with a much better understanding of where my ancestors lived, what they saw or did in their everyday lives, even what kinds of tools they used or clothing they might have worn. I find it's one thing to read in books about life during the times they lived, but it's quite another to walk through a cottage, sidle up to a sheep, step on a ship, or peek into a hedge school replica to bring that book learning to life.   Western New York & Canada  On my visit last year to Western New York and St. Catharines, Ontario, to research my Schiltz, ...

Visit to Greenwood Cemetery, Newton, Kansas


 

by Nancy Gilbride Casey


I've often shared photos, documents, and genealogical news on Facebook. I thought it worthwhile to publish them here, on Leaves on the Tree, as well. This will be an occasional project as the Facebook Memories posts come up.

 

Today's throwback is to July 3, 2021, when daughter Anne and I were coming back from a trip to Colorado. We journeyed through Kansas, and stayed near Newton, Kansas, just so I could visit Greenwood Cemetery, and capture some grave photos of my husband's Davis and Taylor ancestors.


These three headstones mark three Davis/Taylor graves. From right to left: The largest stone is for Collostin Davis and Ellen Maria Martin Davis, Jim's 3x great grandparents. The middle monument is that of the Davis' daughter Florence and her husband Henry O. Taylor. Lastly, next to the tree, is the grave of Blanche Davis Eddington, Florence's sister.

The largest stone is for Jim's 3x great grandfather Collostin James Davis, Civil War veteran of the 12th Maine Infantry. His wife was Ellen Maria Martin Davis; she and Collostin were the parents of Florence, Blanche and George. Sadly Ellen outlived her husband, and all of her children







The small, original stone for John Davis, Collostin's brother, and fellow Civil War veteran from of the 42nd Maine Infantry. An inscription for John was later added to the main stone (below), but the original one still present.

Inscription for George R. Davis, Collostin and Ellen's son.

Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) marker. The GAR was begun in 1866 as a fraternal organization for Union veterans. The F, C and L stand for fraternity, charity and loyalty. Both Collostin and John were members of the GAR during their lives and honored with these markers for their service during the Civil War, after their deaths.

Until next time....

Read other posts on the Davis and Taylor families:


NOTES

All images: Nancy Gilbride Casey, photographer, Davis and Taylor grave sites, Greenwood Cemetery, Newton, Kansas, 4 July 2021.

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