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Comments:
erica boessenkool - 2004-09-26 22:52:56 Dear Laura, am only just starting to read your "diary" but felt I had to say hello. It is all very exciting. Give my love to your parents and all the best. Regards, Erica (your australian aunt)* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-26 23:32:07 WOW! Holy Queen Wilhelmina! Liefste Tante Erica: dank je voor reading this blog--dat is zo mooi! I'm so delighted to see you! Please come visit often & add your comments! What a great surprise! Thank you!* * * * * * * * * * * * Annarborcrat - 2004-09-27 07:34:05 Laura, Most impressive trip. Have you seen the 3 or 4 graves in a residential section of Ann Arbor. One reads "first white person buried in Washtenaw County." You would never know it was there. If I remember correctly, it is off Packard, onto Brandywine, right on Terhune Street, and up a hill on the right of Terhune. I remember it is in direct north-south line-of-sight of the main Arborland sign which is further to the north.* * * * * * * * * * * * raymond - 2004-09-27 08:53:19 "August 1824 - Walter Oakman of Ireland d. 8- 1824 of Malaria, first person to die in Washtenaw Co. buried at Highland Cemetery." Per: Rootsweb. Ambitious trip, Laura, and very cool.* * * * * * * * * * * * Larry Kestenbaum - 2004-09-27 09:57:34 I'm very interested in taking part in cemetery tours. But probably not until after the election. One of the area's most prominent business people suggested to me recently that Washtenaw County establish a cemetery commission to care for abandoned cemeteries. "If the county doesn't do it, who will?" he asked. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-27 11:56:24Annarborcrat: that is absolutely fascinating; I knew nothing about that. Thank you for such a good tip--this site is on my list. Raymond: wow, what interesting information--thank you so much for looking it up--and he died of malaria! Remarkable. I'm going to put a visit to Highland Cemetery on my list--actually my friend, who knows all about it, offered to lead a tour for me to examine its history. Thank you both for your nice comments. It was really, really cool to run a finger over faded numbers, find the oldest grave in each cemetery, recognize Washtenaw County place names that once were family names and draw the connections, feel a bit more connected to the county's past, and just enjoy a beautiful fall day. We've already agreed to take another such tour and look at more abandoned cemeteries--the directory I had, and a cemetery map my friend had, were invaluable in finding these out-of-the-way spots. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-27 12:02:59 Larry, I'm very interested in cemetery tours too, on a number of levels, and I had the best possible time yesterday--there was nothing I'd rather have done. My friend is quite knowledgeable about this kind of subject, so I learned a lot, too, which was fun. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura again - 2004-09-27 12:23:12 Well, Larry, someone was taking care of the little Reynold's Corners and the middle-of-nowhere Dexter Cemetery--both had mown grass. Also, the former cemetery had a fair number of plastic flowers, not faded. The latter had a fresh new flag stuck next to one ancient monument. People are still visiting these places. Like the loud bike riders that pulled into Unadilla while my friend and I were entering a mesmerized cemetery spell and pulled out their [unintelligible curse] CELL PHONES and just started yakkin' away. The cemetery for them was not a beautiful and fascinating place but a rest stop. Boy, did that tick me off. Here's hoping their graves get more respect.* * * * * * * * * * * * Annarborcrat - 2004-09-27 13:29:28 Raymond, Your 1824 date would be one year earlier than the date in Terhune Cemetery. Thanks for the info. Its been 10 years since I was there. Just found this on the internet: "...The cemetery also harbors the grave of the first white child to be buried in Washtenaw County. Emily Whitmore lived from 1807 to 1825. The Daughters' of the American Revolution erected a stone wall around the cemetery in 1939; the area surrounding the cemetery was absolute wilderness at one time." Many of my ancestors are buried in Highland, including my great-great grandfather who came to Ypsi in 1833. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-09-27 13:33:58 That is *really* interesting, AnnArborcrat; and wow, it's amazing to meet someone (here in the blog, anyways) who actually has an ancestor in Highland Cemetery--that's very interesting. Thank you for the child's information. Reminds me that the name of the first child to be born in the county was Alpha Washtenaw [surname]--I don't remember the surname offhave--I think it was the son of the Plank Road Tavern couple--dangit, I don't have my J. Mann books here to paw through, but will tonight.* * * * * * * * * * * * add your comment: |