Tombstone Tuesday

Howard Nicholson
22 Aug 1912 -- 12 Feb 1915
(Not sure how he is related to me? -- click here)



Just recently, my cousin was cleaning out her basement and found a "Grandmother's Book of Memories" that my grandma had filled out for me. It was dated May 1991, before I was even a year old, so I guess maybe my mom gave it to her to fill out, or maybe my grandma intended on giving it to me as a present later on. Whatever the scenario...I am really glad that she wrote in it for me and that it was eventually found among her things!! (she died over ten years ago)

Here is an excerpt, related to the subject of my Tombstone Tuesday post:


In case it's hard to see:

"One of the saddest things I remember is my Aunt Lena and Uncle Ed were staying with us. They had a baby boy about a year old and he died. The thing I still remember is their putting the iron crib in the back of the spring wagon and fixing it all up and putting him in there to take him the fourteen miles to the place where he would be buried and get a casket for him. His sister my age and I sat and cried for so long until we could find out more about what was done with him. His name was Howard Nicholson."

My grandma would have just turned five in 1915, when he died.

So sad!

Nowadays, if you have a child, it is extremely likely that he or she will survive into adulthood, and well beyond...I think we kind of take that for granted. It was so different, even just 100 years ago.

As a public health major, I learn a lot about infectious diseases, and the leading causes of death in the early 1900s as compared to now, and things like that...but I still never get used to coming across so many dead children in my family tree.

Rest in peace, Howard...gone but not forgotten!

My Great-Great-Great Grandparents

If you find my site by googling any of these names...please send me a note or write a comment!
I would love to hear from you...and I don't bite!

My Great-Great-Great Grandparents
(Paternal Grandfather’s side)
Stephen Badger ---born 1803 in Rockingham Co., Virginia ---died 1875 in Jasper Co., Illinois
Surbrina Lemasters Lee ---born 1812 in Ohio ---died 1889 in Jasper Co., Illinois

Samuel Barrett ---born 1792 in Cabell Co., West Virginia ---died 1862 in Rush Co., Indiana
Clarissa McComas ---born 1802 in Cabell Co., West Virginia ---died 1892 in Henry Co., Indiana

Noah Myers ---born 1814 in Rowan Co., North Carolina ---died 1887 in Jasper Co., Illinois
Malinda Sink (or Zink) ---born 1819 in Indiana ---died 1880 in Jasper Co., Illinois

Hedgeman Riley ---born 1822 in Page Co., Virginia ---died 1894 in Jasper Co., Illinois
Louisa Caroline Kibler ---born 1825 in Page Co., Virginia ---died 1910 in Jasper Co., Illinois

(Paternal Grandmother’s side)
Jesse Elisha Woodward ---born 1794 in Franklin Co., Vermont ---died 1885 in Nebraska
Annie Ortentia Kneeland ---born 1793 in Virginia ---died 1869 in Iowa

Elisha Drew ---born 1807 in Glengary, Ontario, Canada ---died 1882 in Stephenson Co., Illinois
Rebecca Dart ---born abt 1808, Canada ---died

Elisha Nicholson ---born 1834 in Dubois Co., Indiana ---died 1916 in Furnas Co., Nebraska
Delilah Angeline Goosic ---born 1839 in Ringgold Co., Iowa ---died 1926 in Furnas Co., Nebraska

Gabriel Martin ---born 1821 in Pennsylvania ---died 1897 in Latah Co., Idaho
Katherine Best ---born 1823 in Ohio ---died 1897 in Latah Co., Idaho

(Maternal Grandfather’s side)
Robert Gemmill ---born in Scotland ---died
Carolyn Fullerton ---born in Scotland ---died

Patrick Nickey (could be Hickey) ---born in Ireland ---died
Mary O’Connell ---born in Ireland ---died

Michael McCarthy ---born in Canada ---died
Johanna Harrington ---born in Canada ---died

John Powers ---born in Canada ---died
Winifred Keenan ---born in Canada ---died

(Maternal Grandmother’s side)
Carl David Schmidt ---born 1829 in Germany ---died 1915 in Ramsey Co., Minnesota
Anna Dorothea Fenn ---born 1833 in Germany ---died 1909 in Menominee Co., Wisconsin

Albert Henry Graffenberger ---born 1827 in Germany ---died 1914 in Lewis Co., Washington
Wilhelmina Biedemann ---born 1830 in Germany ---died 1900 in Renville Co., Minnesota

Nathaniel James Lewis ---born 1843 in Perth, Scotland ---died 1934 in Tranmere, England
Jean Durban Simpson ---born 1848 in Perth, Scotland ---died 1924 in Tranmere, England

James Stewart ---born 1848 in Tranmere, England ---died 1903 in Liverpool, England
Selina Dagnall ---born 1849 in Liverpool, England ---died 1939 in King Co., Washington