Claiming Kin Virtual Cemetery at FindAGrave.com

This Memorial Day I honor my maternal and paternal ancestors (veterans and non-veterans) virtually with the launch of the – Claiming Kin Virtual Cemetery– at FindAGrave.com! [1]

Click to visit virtual cemetery online now!

I actually established this “on-going” virtual cemetery New Year’s Day of this year, but did not want to release it online until –

1) I had 20 or more ancestors listed
2) I had a chance to verify each ancestors’ connection to me and my family

The purpose of this new virtual cemetery is to link the interments of all my maternal and paternal ancestors together despite the geographical location of their graves. Those of you who have been following me for a while know FindAGrave.com  is one of my favorite online resources to use with my family research. I started creating virtual cemeteries last year with the launch of my “on-going” Chapple Family Virtual Cemetery and when I see the number of visits that post has received via my blog’s Google Analytics dashboard widget and Feedjit live traffic feed, I hope that this post about this new virtual cemetery will do just as well too!

According to the Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, on May 5, 1865, Decoration Day was established for our nation to decorate the graves of veterans with flowers. The first observance of this federal holiday took place at the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. But by the end of the 19th century, Memorial Day ceremonies were being held on May 30 across the United States. By 1971, the US Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday and it was at that time that it would be observed on the last Monday in May.

With so many Americans honoring the deaths of love ones who were not veterans on Memorial Day, in December 2000 Congress passed and the president signed in to law — “The National Moment of Remembrance Act” — so that veterans are particularly not forgotten on this national day!  [2]

The National Moment of Remembrance encourages all Americans to pause wherever they are at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence to remember and honor those who have died in service to the nation.”

To my family and friends, have a wonderful Memorial Day and if time allows, visit a local cemetery today! If you cannot make it to an actual cemetery, then I invite you to take a virtual stroll through the Claiming Kin Virtual Cemetery by clicking the link or the graphic above; feel free to leave virtual flowers if you like!

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Source Citation:

1.   Taylor-Harris, L. (2013, May 25). Claiming Kin Virtual Cemetery. Find A Grave – Millions of Cemetery Records and Online Memorials. Retrieved May 25, 2013, from http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=vcsr

2.   U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. (2012, November 30). Memorial Day History. Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs. Retrieved May 25, 2013, from http://www.va.gov/opa/speceven/memday/history.asp

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Blue Monday: “Pistol Fell Out of Bra, Woman Says of Slaying”

The murder of my Aunt Estella (Chapple) Thomas wasn’t the only shooting tragedy my mother experienced in her family. My aunt’s oldest daughter, Carolyn (Bingham) Bryant, was murdered at age 29 on 10 April 1975. I was 15 years old walking home from school when my mom pulled alongside me and told me to get in the car. As soon as I got in, she immediately told me that daddy heard on the mid-day news that a, Carolyn Bryant, of the 2500 block of Pierce Street, died early that morning. He wasn’t sure, but he thought it was mom’s niece. Therefore, we were in route for Carolyn’s house to find out for sure. It was her! Carolyn was a shy soft-spoken woman who kept to herself. Who would want to kill her?

Pistol Fell Out Of Bra, Woman Says of Slaying

A woman says her pistol fell out of her bra today and discharged when she tried to catch it killing a woman with whom she was arguing.

Carolyn Bryant, 24, of the 2500 block of Pierce, died about 1:30 a.m. today in Ben Taub Hospital, less than an hour after she was shot on a lounge parking lot in the 2600 block of Gray.

The other woman, Cynthia Freeman, 23, of 2614 Gray surrendered to police.

~*~

By the time we arrived at Carolyn’s house, the brother, of the man who called himself Carolyn’s father, and his girlfriend were the ones at her home. They pretty much took over the care of her children (2 daughters), all her personal belongings, and made all of the funeral arrangements. There was nothing my mother (who Carolyn pretty much stayed in contact with), or any of Carolyn’s mother’s side of the family could do.

Just as I don’t believe my aunt Estella’s shooting was an accident, I don’t believe my cousin’s shooting was an accident either!

I did do a quick search at the Harris County District Clerk’s office for more information and this is what I learned:

CASE DETAILS

File Date
5/14/1975

Case (Cause) Status
Complete

Offense
MURDER

Last Instrument Filed
Felony Indictment

Case Disposition
DISP-022376

Case Completion Date
02/23/1976

Defendant Status
DISPOSED

Bond Amount
$0.00

Next/Last Setting Date

DEFENDANT DETAILS

Race/Sex
BLACK

DOB
02/12/1952

In Custody —  N

Address
3345 ELGIN 3 HOUSTON TX

COURT DETAILS

Court
176th

Address
1201 Franklin (Floor:19)
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: 7137556328

Judge Name
Shawna L Reagin

Court Type
Criminal

ACTIVITIES

Date
PROBATION START DATE
02/23/76

PROBATION END DATE
02/23/86

03/12/1980    JUDGMENT
PROBATION TERMINATED

03/12/1980   RECORDED
VOLUME 0048 PAGE 0149 APP MINUTES JM

02/23/1976   JUDGMENT
CONVICTION

02/23/1976   JUDGMENT
LESSER OFF. GUILTY PLEA – NO JURY

02/23/1976   PENALTY
PROBATION – TDC AMT 10 YEARS

02/23/1976   RECORDED
VOLUME 0048 PAGE 0149 APP MINUTES JM

 

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Source Citation:

“Pistol Fell Out Of Bra, Woman Says of Slaying” HOUSTON POST, Houston, Texas, 10 April 1975.

The State of Texas vs. Freeman, Cynthia Yvonne. 022801901010-3. 176th Harris County Criminal Court. 1975. OFFICE OF HARRIS COUNTY CLERK. Web. 24 Jun 2012.