Jylare Photography

My family is planning a reunion in So Cal in June 2011 for my grandpa's 80th birthday. A photographer in Orange County, Jylare Photography, is having a give-away for a free photo session and I hope we win! It would be so wonderful to have great pictures of the whole family together. I don't remember the last time we were together...most of us made it (minus 1 sibling+family) for grandma's 80th birthday. The last time must have been grandpa's funeral (other grandpa) in 2000. Having the 6 kids spread out so far and wide has made it difficult. So...I hope we win!

Click here to see Jylare's gallery.

Memorial Day

We planned to visit 2 cemeteries where Kevin's family is buried. We had never been to them and tehya re very close. The first cemetery, Oliphant, is only about 7 miles away and it was really great. It is a small, side of the road county cemetery with no paved road, only a wooden post with a painted sign which says “Enter”. Kevin drove on the grass on well-worn markings and we got out to do our searching. I had printed out list of many names we were looking for and wrote the last names with a Sharpie on small index cards for the girls so they could help, although Kevin is the one who seemed to find everything.

This cemetery had many direct ancestors.

 

This is Jane Maddox Gott, born 1800, died 1873. She is Kevin’s 4th-Great Grandmother.

 

This is Willis Gott, Jane’s son, born 1823, died 1910 (these people lived quite a while I think), and his 2nd wife Sarah, born 1834 died 1918. Kevin’s 3rd-Great Grandfather. We are descended from his 1st wife Marie who should be here but I don’t have a picture of her, so we should go back. Good thing it’s close.

Thomas and Margaret Gott Stewart, Marie’s sister and brother-in-law. Kevin’s 4th-Great Aunt & Uncle.

 

Here are other Gotts in the cemetery; Eliza, Ettie, Norah and Selecta. I don’t know how we’re related but I’m sure we are.

GET THIS: We were taking pictures and standing next to a marker, I think it was Thomas Stewart but I have to go back to make sure, when an older couple came up to us and the gentleman said “That’s my grandfather.” So we talked a bit, his last name is Olinger, he said there are Gotts everywhere around, we introduced the girls, and they left. I didn’t get a full name, a picture of him, nothing, and yes, I am KICKING MYSELF. Someday I will learn to be a little more forward.

The 2nd cemetery was Center Point Cemetery. When we arrived they were just finishing a service, heard “Amen” to the prayer, a gun salute, and heard Taps, then the color guard led the procession down the street. It was nice to witness that on Memorial Day morning.

This cemetery is quite large and I had no idea where anything was. That wasn’t a problem at the last one, but it was definitely a problem here. Kevin did manage to find most of them.

 

Rev Edward Heverly, born 1871 and wife Alice born 1871. She is the daughter of Margaret Gott Stewart. Kevin’s 2nd-Great Aunt.

Artie Stewart born 1874 and wife Ophelia Stewart born 1871. He is the son of Margaret Gott Stewart. Kevin’s 2nd-Great Uncle. (Artie  Stewart and Alice Heverly are siblings.)

William H Beaman, born 1826 and his wife Margaret born 1824; the only Beaman on the whole trip. We came across this and I didn’t know how we were related but I took a picture of it anyway. William H Beaman is Kevin’s 3rd-Great Grandfather! I know, a direct relative I didn’t even realize it at the time. We usually stop talking about the Beaman line at John Riley Beaman, and William is his father. Awesome. He wasn’t on my list of names I was looking for and I couldn’t place him in my mind, and it’s not listed in any documents I have or online that he is buried here. I may have made a discovery!

We are hoping to go to Rock Rapids sometime to see more Beamans, but it will have to be an overnight trip and we have to find other things to do. I have NO IDEA how the girls will last so long in the car. Luckily, I do have exact descriptions of where everyone is:

Beaman, Cora 1872--1935 Block 08 Lot 45 Space 11
Beaman, Ella 1880--1951 Block 03 Lot 01 Space 09
Beaman, Gerald 1871--1935 Block 08 Lot 45 Space 12
Beaman, John Riley 1848--1924 Block 08 Lot 54 Space 06
Beaman, Mary 1847--1912 Block 08 Lot 54 Space 05
Beaman, Samuel 1893--1951 Block 08 Lot 45 Space 09
Beaman, Walter 1873--1917 Block 03 Lot 01 Space 10

It still doesn’t mean anything to me, I will have to get a map of blocks & lots etc from the cemetery office. But it should eliminate wandering.

We had a wonderful Memorial Day and this was such a great experience. It’s a huge blessing to be so close.

In other news, we have been working so hard at clearing out Grandma Beaman’s house and Mom & Dad watched the girls twice for us over the weekend so we could help. Kevin & I and Dennis filled up a dumpster largely by ourselves on Saturday – now my left hand can’t grip anything. But we did get John Riley Beaman’s Bible (Kevin’s 2nd-Great Grandfather), Grandpa Beaman’s Bible, and a few other sentimental items. Oh! And a shoebox full of OLD documents, like a fire insurance policy from 1887, a newspaper subscription receipt for 6 months for $1.00, a contract to put 5 horses up for a $100 loan, etc etc etc., 2 original wallets full of stuff like laundry receipts from 1933. And it’s MY job to go through everything. Although, I trust myself much more than I would anyone else, so it’s ok.