Recently I joined my three sisters on a much-needed vacation and sister time in Charleston, South Carolina. We always include yummy restaurants and a beach journey if possible. After walking and walking in this beautiful, historic city, we enjoyed the relaxation each evening with a movie in our little rented house with a coveted dessert or two.
Part of my research for my books and for genealogical information included searching the cemetery at St. Philip’s for ancestors. I had done this before with my husband with no luck. Finding a tombstone that is legible from 1760-1780 is difficult. My father had seen it around 1952 and later in the 1960s. But the church has no records of where my relatives were buried just the fact that they were buried in the cemetery.
My father gave us instructions before we left for our trip. “I want pictures of you in the cemetery searching for the graves.” He laughed. And I’m sure we were a sight taking off across the graveyard scouring all the headstones for a familiar name or two. I promise not one of the four of us thought about not completing this task.
Growing up with Daddy and traveling with him led us to many cemeteries. Mama and the four of us would follow him around, listening to his stories or family or historical events. I still do this. For some odd reason, I like visiting the grave sites of historical figures whether in Europe or the US. From the elaborate tombs of Elizabeth I or the missing headstone of an Uncle Jack in North Louisiana.
After my sisters’ left, I stayed a few days and found myself in the Pioneer Cemetery in Orangeburg, S.C. I found some family members and one stone with unrecognizable lettering on it. Records show that Louis and Elizabeth Lestarjette (major characters in my Revolutionary Faith Series) are in this cemetery with their children but the graves are unmarked, disappearing through the 200 plus years. I will be back to try again to see if I can find out more.
I wondered as we roamed cemeteries, if anyone else does this strange activity on vacation or anytime. Do you have something you include in a vacation that might be a bit odd? Share here.
I haven’t been on a real vacation in decades. But this does sound interesting, and there were times I’ve seen old gravestone markers like this, and it is something to stop and investigate.
Marguerite, a few years ago Alvin and I, along with my daughter and her husband took a trip through Alabama searching for relatives on the Bramlett side. We looked first in the main cemetery but did not find anything. There was an old hippy looking man there that advised us to try another cemetery at which we found the graves of his great grandparents.
A funny part of the story – this man was called the “goat man” and he invited us out to his house. Crazy us we went. He was eccentric but hospitable. Gave Debbie cuttings from plants and we played with the goats. Didn’t end up in his freezer.LOL
A number of years ago we were in England and we wandered through a cemetery in Oxford. I don’t remember why we were there but my husband was videotaping and ended up tripping over a broken tombstone. I still hear of my lack of taking care of the cut he incurred (being an RN!). The 9-year-old granddaughter took care of later on the train when he finally pulled up his trouser leg to see the damage!