Remembering Those Who Have Passed..

Judge David Bolles Gravestone

We have all seen the warning on the back of some vehicles... "We Stop at All Railroad Crossings". Well there is also a group that posts a warning on their vehicles... "I Stop at All Cemeteries". It sounds odd, but being an individual who doesn't mind stopping and searching a cemetery, I can understand their inquisitiveness. For without those people, cemeteries they document on web sites like "Find a Grave" (http://www.findagrave.com/) and others, many of our ancestors and relatives would be lost for future generations.  Let me give you an example or two.

Elizabeth (Dow) Bolles Gravestone

A distant cousin, Judge David Bolles and his wife Elizabeth (Dow) Bolles, both died many years ago, David on 22 May 1830 and Elizabeth 16 Dec 1833. Both were living in Ashford, Windham County, Connecticut. Now Ashford, CT is not too close to where I live and it would take a few hours to drive to visit. The town is located about midway between Hartford, CT and Providence, RI, with no direct main highway linking those three locations together. But thanks to some kind and caring people, in this case  Wendy White and Nate Barmlett, I can find and see both David's and Elizabeth's final resting place with a few click of the keyboard and mouse. They are two of hundreds of volunteers that take time and help save the past.

To my surprise, I learned that this family is buried in the Old Cemetery, in Eastford, Windham County, Connecticut. This town is about 8 miles from where both David and Elizabeth lived. I would have search in Ashford and never found them there. On David’s stone his birth is recorded on his marker as 1765 and his death as mention before. The tombstone is a mossing grey, with fading engraving, most likely from the age of the stone and many years of weathering and acid rain. Elizabeth’s stone is in similar condition, with her birth as 30 July 1766 and death in Dec 1833.

Rev. David Bolles Gravestone

One fact that I do need to mention, just because the names and dates are etched in stone, it does not mean that all the information is correct. In this case they are correct. With this finding it reinforces other sources that were researched, confirming dates and now giving us an actual location of these ancestors. The saying to follow in genealogy is“without sources, genealogy is only mythology”. That's true in graveyards, on markers and with all information, so to be sure back up with additional sources whenever possible.

Susanna (Moore) Bolles Gravestone

Besides David and Elizabeth’s gravesites, other ancestors were found and documented in the same cemetery. They included, our David’s father, Rev. David Bolles (b. 14 Jan. 1743 - d. 11 Feb 1807), his mother; Susanna (Moore) Bolles (b. 1744 – d. 2 Nov 1807), his brothers; Charles Bolles (b. 19 Feb. 1775 - d. 27 Feb 1790) and Ebenezer Bolles (b. 28 March 1772 - d. 27 Feb. 1777),  David & Elizabeth’s youngest daughter; Susanna Bolles (b. 30 July 1787 – d. April 1790), two nephews; Augustus Levert Bolles (b. 23 Nov. 1803 - d. 12 March 1804) and Eliphax Hibband Bolles (b. 10 June 1796  – d. 30 Dec. 1800) , a daughter-in law of  Roxey (Backus) Bolles (b. 1800 – d. 8 March 1836), and two granddaughters ; Janett Bolles (b. 26 Nov. 1832 – d. 21 Dec. 1834) and  Helen Mariah Bolles (b. Nov. 1821 – d. 22 May 1826). These findings and with the information and links listed will only lead to more new and exciting discoveries.

In this one cemetery alone; many miles from where I’m located, several generations on one family were found, thanks to volunteers… WOW! Now you know why it’s not so strange to Stop… and visit a cemetery. You never know what you may find and who you may help. Wouldn’t be wonderful if more people got involved?  How many ancestors and relatives from your branch of our family tree can be located?  So take a photo, note the cemetery and plot location, it would be a nice way to have your relatives remembered. Drop me a note, so we can help save the past too.

 

To Be Continued……