My goodness, you just never know where a comment will take you.
In September, I received a note from a gentleman inquiring about, "A place called Benton (1925-30) where a man who earlier had a place in Shermerville owned a house." I responded with what I could tell him and from then on I've been on a journey of discovery.
It turned out he too was interested in family history and lived in New York City where one of my elusive ancestors lived. I'd done some intense research on this line about six years ago, and then put it aside to attend to other projects and life altering events. While I'd dusted off the names every once in a while, my own research has taken a back seat to Village research.
Knowing full-well that a family historian knows local sources the average searcher doesn't, I asked my online friend a couple of questions about where to go to find New York area vital records and obituaries. His responses and his own digging for clues has led me on a two-month magical journey learning about my ancestors from early 1830s through 1900 New York and Brooklyn. I've also met family I've never known, shared our research and discovered some unbelievable coincidences.
One of those newly found family members lives in Wilmington, NC, where another of my ancestors lived at the same time as the family I am researching.
Last evening I sent a note to one of my new "cousins," who like my father was in the Navy. My sister lives in Wilmington, as did my father for the last few years of his life. In my note, I added a link to the story that began this blog - the story of the day I visited four Clark ancestors' homes in one day.
My "cousin" passed the link on to a friend of his who sent me a note today. A part of her note is included below.
That is more fascinating than you'll ever know. I tried to write a comment on her site, but was required to register with Google--too hard. So, here is what I tried to send her . . .
Judy,
. . . forwarded your site which I so enjoyed reading. My husband and I lived next door to the Duncan Clark House from 1978 to 1985 and know the owner . . . When we lived there, his Labrador was named Duncan in honor of Mr. Clark!
I am the historian for the Friends of Oakdale Cemetery. Our projects include trying to tend orphaned graves--those for which we know of no descendant. I suspect the friends are responsible for restoring the Clark grave markers. Their web site is OakdaleCemetery.org.
So, from an online historical question about my Village I have gone back in time to the home towns of two of my ancestors, and the final resting place of one of them. This has been an amazing journey.
Soon, my research will be placed back on the shelf so I can write about our Village founders for the Annual "Founders' Day Cemetery Walk and in doing so I'll tell the story of our Village and provide some of that "local knowledge" about a few men and women whose descendents may contact the museum in the future.
Thanks Robert for all your help, and for getting me moving forward on the Faron research steam engine.
