Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Quaker Cemetery~One of My Favorite Places

           

  As a genealogist, cemeteries are on the top of my list of favorite places. One of my favorite cemeteries is Quaker Cemetry in Camden, Kershaw, South Carolina. Not only is it a beautiful, historic burying ground, but it is the final resting place of many of my ancestors. 

Main Entrance to Quaker Cemetery
    The cemetery originally owned by early Quaker settlers of the Camden area.  Founded in 1759, Quaker Cemetery was bought by the city in 1914 and retained its historical name. Buried there are members of the early Quaker Church, Revolutionary, and Civil War soldiers as well as those from the World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam. Generations of the community have been interred in this peaceful place.

Roberts' Plot
Quaker Cemetery

    Historical markers are placed on several graves including those of my maternal Great Grandfather Gilbert Ernest Roberts, Sr. (1920-1944) and his brothers Wilbert Lewis Roberts (1918-1944) and Edman George Roberts (1922-1943). The brothers died as a result of combat in WWII.

  Some of the older graves are wonderful resources for genealogists. The stones were carved with information about the person buried along with family names and dates. Some even include the country of origin.

  Why would a cemetery be one of my favorite genealogy places? Family Connections. Those buried together in the same plot tell a story. Inscriptions on stones give clues to the lives of those long gone.

  Visiting the burial sites of my where my ancestors helps me to feel a connection to them. Memories of experiences and love shared with those I knew and a desire to learn more about those I didn't always fills me while I am there.
Learning about their GGMom & Frank
 Quaker Cemetery July 2015
     Recently, my daughter took her four children to visit the graves of their ancestors buried in Quaker. Sitting them on the wall that surrounds the graves of their Great Great Grandparent's, she told stories of the lives and memories of "GGMom and Frank". 
Azile Juanita Daughrity Roberts Sullivan (1921-2009) and Francis "Frank" Emerson Sullivan (1923-2004).

  Cemeteries are a great source of family history information and a source to the connect the generations. They can be a peaceful place to ponder and appreciate those who have gone before.

 Do you include cemeteries on your list of favorite places?

This blog post was written for Any Johnson Crow's  52 Ancestors Week 38 -Favorite Place


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