Charles Stark

On this day, 22 July 1882, Charles Stark passed away. He was my 3rd great-grandfather.

Born on 10 December 1802, in Pendleton, Anderson County, South Carolina, Charles Stark was the son of James Benjamin Stark and Rebecca Geary.  Charles was the couple’s second child, joining older brother Thomas Geary Stark, who was born 13 May 1801.

Rumsey S. Watts

On this day, 26 February 1942, Rumsey S. Watts passed away. He was my 2nd great-grandfather.

Born on 7 December 1859, in Russellville, Cole County, Missouri, Rumsey was the son of John K. Watts and Cynthia Ann Payne and younger brother of John W. Watts, who was born circa 1858.

Doing God’s Work: The Monks

It is week 25 in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge. This week’s writing prompt is Unexpected. Unexpected? The one thing I have learned in more than two decades of genealogical research is to expect the unexpected. You never know what you are going to uncover! Take for example my recent “religious” findings…

ABCs & Our Family Trees: Letters N & O

I have always been fascinated by language, specifically where it originates and how it adapts, mutates, and relates to other languages. That is why I found the recent series of blogs by Andrew’s Kindred so intriguing. It combined my love of etymology with my love of genealogy. I was so inspired, in fact, that I decided to try my hand at chronicling the origins of our families’ surnames.

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This is the thirteenth installment of a series of posts documenting the etymology of many of our families’ surnames (recent and distant, direct and indirect.)

Well, since I already covered the M names, let’s now address the letters N and O:

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Tombstone

It is week 21 in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge. For this week, the writing prompt is Tombstone.

Marking the places where the dead are buried is a human practice older than recorded history with some of the oldest known stone markers dating back to 3,000 to 4,000 B.C. Known as dolmens or chamber tombs, they were megalithic monuments. The earliest tombstones, like the dolmen, were a stone or stones covering the entire grave. Unlike earlier tombstones, today’s headstones are much smaller, serving as memorials for the deceased. While some headstones are simple, carved only with the deceased’s initials or name, others are elaborately carved or decorated, with each symbol representing a theme or feeling. Some of my favorite family headstones contain these symbols (with these meanings):

• Anchor: Steadfast hope
• Book: Faith, wisdom
• Dove: Holy Spirit, purity
• Garland: Victory over death
• Hands: Relationship, affection
• Heart: Devotion, love
• Ivy: Faithfulness, memory
• Lamb: Innocence, youth
• Lily: Purity, resurrection
• Oak: Strength, resilience
• Skeleton or skull: Life’s brevity
• Weeping willow: Mourning, grief