If you have a question about a cemetery or would like me to try and locate a grave, feel free to let me know. You can always visit http://www.Findagrave.com since it might be listed there already.
If there’s a topic you’d like me to address on the blog, let me know. Or if there’s a cemetery you’d like to know more about. I want this blog to be interactive, not a platform for just my experiences and views.
Just e-mail me at traci.rylands@gmail.com.
Adventures in Cemetery Hopping 
How many people are at the oakland cemetery?
Roughly, it’s around 70,000 but many of them are not marked because some of them had wooden markers that disintegrated. The number of actual marked graves at Oakland is around 40,000. There are about 7,500 people buried in the Potter’s Field section but none of those are marked. Some of the Confederate grave markers have “unknown” on them.
I am so excited to read your blog and to know that someone shares my love of cemetery exploring. When I looked at the cemeteries you had visited, I was stunned. My husband and I have been trying to find Harmony Grove Cemetery for years as one of his ancestors is buried there. We are very into our genealogy and have even visited a direct ancestor’s home which he built in England in the 1400’s. PLEASE tell me where Harmony Grove Cemetery is located. I am now a devoted fan and can’t wait to see what you will write next. Keep up the great work!
Conni Ellington, Plano TX
Hi, Conni! I am so glad you like the blog!
There are actually 11 different Harmony Grove cemeteries in the state of Georgia. The one I have visited is in Lilburn in Gwinnett County, Ga. In fact, I was there just yesterday taking pictures. If you tell me the name of the person, I would probably recognize it. The cemetery is not that big.
Find a Grave lists all of those cemeteries here. Keep in mind that if you do not see the person’s name, it does not necessarily mean they are not there. Not every grave is documented in every cemetery. Find a Grave is a volunteer effort so sometimes people may leave some out, especially if the cemetery is a big one.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=csr&CScn=Harmony+grove&CScntry=4&CSst=12&CScnty=0
Let me know if you find out which one he/she is in. I would love to help if I can.
I just found your blog, and I love the topic. Just a story for you. In my journey to document my husbands family – there remained a couple that we could not find graves for many years. We knew it to be in the Keithsburg area of Canton in Cherokee County but could not find it. One day sitting in a WaffleHouse on Hwy 5, I looked out the window and slightly hidden from the main road – I was looking at the iron gates to a cemetary. Well of course that was the next stop – Low and behold the original family members who moved into Canton were right there. It is such a thrill to find that marker… Georgie
Wow! I always love hearing stories like your, Georgie! You never know what you’re going to find when you least expect it. Even when you’re at the Waffle House. 😉
Ma’am, This is not a grave cover, but an iron coffin. http://www.qmmuseum.lee.army.mil/AOM_October_2012.html
Hi, Michael. Thanks for your comment with the link. I have seen those before. They are fascinating items. I’ve seen a few made for infants, too.
However, what I am writing about is definitely not a coffin. It’s a grave cover, as is spelled out in the patent J.R. Abrams applied for himself. That’s explicitly what he calls it. And the body is not placed inside the iron cover. The grave is in the ground under the cover, which is bolted down on top of a concrete or stone slab (usually). There are a few out there for adults, and they would be far too big to be contained in something so small.
I too visit graves all over. Mostly because I enjoy my genealogy. I visited Hickory Flatts Cemetary in Nontootla area, Fannin Co Georgia. I wrote down most all legible names. There were unfortunately over 50 graves with no names i was only able to read a handfull. i even tried using a pencil with paper to enable me Anyone wanting this info? I have kept this since Sep 25, 2010
I love it when I learn something I never would have dreamt even existed or needed to be don. The fact that you would have to heat the ground to thaw it out to be able to dig a grave. I live in Australia and we don’t get cold down here so thawing the ground just doesn’t need to happen.
Kind regards.
Chris.
G’day, Chris! I’m glad you enjoyed that post. I live in the Southern U.S. myself, so having to thaw the ground before a burial is a novel concept around here as well.
Are there any unique soil conditions you all have to deal with when performing burials in Australia?
Can you please tell me who Richard Gwenn is that took the photo of the little girl in the mourning sash and the hair wreath?
Hi, Jo! I am not familiar with the photo you’re talking about. Do you have a link to it?
Discovered you and your comments re: Madge Brigham when cataloging my childhood books for my kids. SONNY ELEPHANT was a popular book in the 1940-early 50s, and I have an original edition of it. “Tis sad that Brigham isn’t remembered.
It is very sad indeed that she’s been forgotten. I know you must treasure having that book.
Traci, this piece today (5-6-2017) you put out is quite interesting. Interesting in that it’s a small cemetery that, as so many small ones compared to the very large and famous ones, shows “common people” who made the town area sustain itself in on going history. Norfolk’s “Prospect Hill” looks well kept (outside of Abe Lincoln’s statue and the few tombstones that need cleaning & “little John’s” that needs fixing.)
The Muller Tombstone photo – cute. I got to get one with my last name on it for fun while posing with it. (I know of one at that famous Crown Hill Cemetery in Indy I told you about. Got that it my video I made about two years ago.)
Yesterday, as I was coming back from picking up my wife from work, while driving up Atlanta’s Moreland Avenue, I noticed on the right side a small cemetery – “Chestnut Hill”. This place is next to the Starlight Drive-In/Flea Market. Have you seen it? From Google’s map sections, it looks very wooded in the back section (if that is their property). Wonder who’s in that one?
Hi, Tom!
I know exactly which cemetery you’re talking about on Moreland because I’ve passed it a few times myself. I have wanted to go there because there are not many graves documented on Find a Grave so I’d love to do that.
But I’ve been a bit uneasy about going there alone as its is a bit rough around the edges down there. Westview is not in a great area either but it’s so big and fenced in that I’ve felt safe there. One day I may take my Mom with me to Chestnut Hill, she has no fear ha ha.
Traci
Your site is also educational! Being a Chicagoan, I especially liked the Rosehill Cemetery comments. Note: Your Website box does not accept my website name. It is martylobel.wixsite.com/chicagocemeteries. Thanks.
Thank you! I wish I had been able to spend more time at Rose Hill! So much to see! I hope to return in the not so distant future.
Very cool info! Have you ever heard of the old Lively Family cemetery (DeKalb County, in the Oak Grove neighborhood off Briarcliff Rd)? There are a handful of graves there, and it was visited and documented by Atlanta historian Franklin Garrett decades ago. Supposedly, there’s a grave of a Lively with a birth date of 1773.
Hi, June! That’s not one I had heard of but DeKalb seems to have a cemetery in every other back yard. I looked up this cemetery and it’s supposed to be located behind a house on Briar Willow Drive off Briarcliff Road. Which house it’s behind I don’t know. Would love to get a look at it but I’m not prone to trespassing. I’ll have to do some more research to pinpoint just where it is or see if Garrett’s necrology lists a specific site. Thank you!
I believe my grandfathers are buried in the lively cemetery. I have discovered it’s location on a recent survey. Do you live in Atlanta?
Johnathan, I’m sorry I’m just now seeing your comment. I do live in Atlanta, yes. If you know which backyard that cemetery is in, I would happy to be try and find it for you.
I’m so sorry, somehow I missed the Oct 24, 2017 reply! Yes, I do live in ATL – in fact, my husband and I bought & restored (and still live in) the original 1832 Lively farmhouse in 1987. That’s how we heard about the graveyard in the neighborhood. I’ll walk down get the address of the house it sits behind. Haven’t been there in many years, but the people who live in the house it’s behind are very kind and accommodating to visitors. They were told when they bought the house that the cemetery is public domain and people have a right to access their property to visit it. That said, they are so nice, even if that weren’t the case, I think they’d welcome anyone. You only need to walk up and around their house/driveway to access it. I’ll get the house address and post it this week. I have a copy of Franklin Garratt’s documentation of the cemetery if anyone would like to see.
June, I sent you an email at the address you left. I have been in touch with Jonathan and he has an address that records indicate the cemetery is located behind. If you could respond to my email at your convenience, perhaps you can help me make sure I’ve got that right before I head over this week and try to find it. I am so thankful you responded!
Just discovered your blog by searching for South Carolina Theodore Cordes.
Glad you found it! I hope you’ll continue to check back here.
Hi Traci- My name is Eric Bishop and one of my Great uncles named Henry Aubert B: 1903 in Nebraska is last seen in the 1940 Census living in Norfolk State Hospital. No one seems to know what happened to him after that. He’s not on Find A Grave. I see you state that there are records indicating 450 graves in the New NRC Cemetery. Can you tell me where to find those records? My family would like to know what happened to Uncle Henry. Thanks, Eric email me at javazone@tcsn.net
Eric, I just sent you an email in response to your comment.
Hi Traci- Thanks for your reply but I don’t see your email. Would you try again? Thanks, Eric
Eric, I’m going to just post what I wrote in my email here so you can see it faster:
Frankly, I don’t know where the records are for either of the NRC cemeteries Norfolk. It looks like a Find a Grave member named David Goltry transcribed those records into Find a Grave memorials in 2015. My best advice is for you to contact David via Find a Grave (his profile should have an email address) to see where he got those records in order to create those memorials.
A friend of mine, Trish, visited NRC before and after I did. You might want to read what she wrote about it. There is some interesting information in the comments from others seeking the records of loved ones who lived at NRC. Some say it takes a court order to get the information and that it’s been nearly impossible to get anything from the state.
Here’s a link to Part I of her series on it: https://abandonedforgottendecayed.com/2015/04/26/norfolk-hospital-for-the-incurably-insane-abandoned-hospital-in-norfolk-ne-part-1/
I wish I had better advice for you. I did look him up on Ancestry and as you found, he appears to vanish after the 1940 Census. It was much easier to live “off the grid” back then and leave little trace of your existence.
If you do find out anything, please let me know. I hope you’re able to find out more about Henry.
You did a video on a Cemetery down south and I need to get a copy of it , I connected the people associated with it from Detroit and they really want to see it , I tried to forward it to them with no luck can you help, if a purchase or donation is required I will be glad to respond, this Cemetery May be connected to the the Ford and Levy families. Thank you please respond Regards Lt Richard P Jones USAF AUX
Hello. It is part of my family ‘lore’ that my mother was a secretary to a Brandeis in the 1920’s to mid 1935. I don’t remember if she ever told me a name, or if it actually a Brandeis or one of the other executives? Any way of finding out?
I love your blog! I’m Chair of Calvary Cemetery in Knoxville and love the stories you discovered about those buried there. I’m working on doing a tour and would love to include those. I had already researched the Condon family- but was glad to learn about the others in your blog. I have many family members buried there.
Hi, Beth! I’m so glad you enjoyed my blog posts on Calvary Cemetery. Feel free to include the stories, I’m thrilled more folks will get to hear them. If you schedule a tour on a weekend, let me know and I might be able to come up to attend. My in-laws live in Farragut.
Hi I would like to take a tour of the cemetery can I just walk in and walk around I know There are some unique headstones there
Hi, Gayle! What cemetery are you wanting to tour?
When did you visit Wyuka Cemetery in Nebraska City, Nebraska? And how would I find your comments on it? Thank you.
Hi, Bob! I visited Wyuka Cemetery in Nebraska City in September 2017. You can read about my visit in these posts:
Hope that helps! I truly enjoyed my visit to that cemetery, would enjoy a return visit some day.
Hi Traci. I love your blog! Roy Fitzgerald was my great grandfather, and became a stagecoach driver in Yellowstone park at a young age. I published his posthumous memoirs last year as “The Roving Fitzgeralds.” I emailed you with more information. Thanks so much for this informative post!