Upon leaving Arlington Cemetery, we went north to the first corner and then east back across the Nodaway River to Tenville where we crossed Hwy 71 and went east on old Hwy 34. Of course I had to tell my son of my own teen age late night trips to Tenville to hang out and drink cokes at Sierp's gas station and cafe.
We drove on old 34 to the bottom of Ankeny hill then north toward Quincy - the first county seat of Adams County. There is no signage at Oakland (Quincy) Cemetery which is why I'm using an old picture of the first Adams County Courthouse as illustration.
Oakland Cemetery - which almost everyone refers to as 'Quincy Cemetery' - is south and west of Quincy. The cemetery lies on both sides of the road - the old part is on the north side and the new part is on the south side. Family members are buried to the east of the drive just as you enter the new section.
Above is the marker of my Great-Great Grandparents, George Washington Gravett (October 22, 1842-January 13, 1914) and Melinda Jane Cecil Gravett (June 17, 1846-October 31, 1923). They were married in Ripon, WI January 1, 1863. George was born in Kentucky and Melinda was born in Indiana.
Their eldest daughter (fourth of their children) Nancy Emma Gravett (July 14, 1870-September 16, 1914) married Bernard (Barney) Thomas Lynam (December 16, 1863-September 20, 1919) on February 13, 1888. (Note that Nancy and her father, George died the same year, 1914.) These Great-Grandparents of mine had four children - one of which was my--
Grandpa George Albert Lynam (November 29, 1891-September 14, 1947). I wasn't quite four years old when Grandpa Lynam died, so I have very vague memories of him. He and Bessie Lucille Duncan (July 16-1891- August 14, 1987) were married November 15, 1914. They lived on an acreage on the west side of Corning along old Hwy 34 when it was still the main road through town. I have many, many very fond memories of visiting Grandma Lynam there.
My Dad is the only member of his family not buried at Oakland. Both of his sisters are buried just to the left of Grandpa and Grandma - Leona Maxine Lynam Childers (June 19, 1915-August 7, 2002) and ....
Dad's baby sister, Evelyn Lois Lynam born May 8, 1923 and died four days later, May 12, 1923.
The Mt. Etna (Brethren) Cemetery is located southwest of the town of Mt. Etna in Washington Twp.
My maternal Great-Grandparents, George Robert Means (November 8, 1853-December 8, 1942) and Matilda Neoma Lippincott (June 21, 1863-August 7, 1945) were married August 28, 1881 in Mt. Etna. George was born in Indiana and Matilda was born in Clarke Co., Iowa.
My Great-Great Grandfather, Isaac Oscar Means, was born August 6, 1821 in Montgomery Co., KY. He died March 18, 1892. Isaac moved with his parents to Jefferson Co., Indiana in 1830. There, on February 17, 1845 he married Susanna Ellen Snyder (also seen written as Susan Snider). They were the parents of eleven children. Susanna was born in Dublin Co. Indiana February 21, 1827 and died February 8, 1911. This stone does not have Susanna's name on it. However, I did find 'Mrs. Susan Ellen Means' obituary in the February 15, 1911 Adams County Union-Republican newspaper; it states that she died at the home of her son, Harrison Means, near Fontanelle "where the funeral was held February 9 and the body was taken to Mt. Etna for interment beside the husband".
When I used to go to the cemeteries with Grandma Delphia, she told me her grandparents were buried here and a tree was planted to mark their graves. The tree died and has been cut down. There are two small stones on either side. This is just north of George and Matilda Means' grave. I assumed they were the graves of Matilda's parents, David and Catherine Lippincott, but know now that Catherine is buried near Gothenburg, NE where one of her daughters lived. Preston noted that you could almost make out Means on the larger piece of stone, but not for certain. More research is in order.
Preston was the last of my three kids to make the cemetery rounds with me. We were gone four and a half hours and drove about 110 miles. After leaving Mt. Etna Cemetery, we drove through Forest Hill Cemetery southeast of Mt. Etna where Mom's sister, my Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Howard Roberts are buried as well as their son, my cousin, Larry. We also drove through Mt. Zion cemetery north of Prescott where Mom's cousin is buried. In all the cemeteries we visited, with the exception of Arlington, I have great-aunts and uncles and numerous cousins buried. I find it somehow comforting to know where so many of my ancestors and relatives lie.
The cemetery pictured above is one we did not visit Saturday afternoon, though I do hope to get there someday. It is Good Hope Cemetery near Indian Head, Pennsylvania where my Great-Great-Great Grandfather, Samuel Ridenour, Sr. is buried. I have heard it is a beautiful spot up in the mountains and that you have to have four-wheel drive to get there. That sounds like an excellent cemetery visit to me!
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