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!

—–

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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Wordless Wednesday: Spending Time With Our Oldest Living Family Member

Well almost wordless . . .

The Chapple~Smith Family Dinner my brothers and I hosted on 2 December 2012 was a HUGE success! It was wonderful seeing cousins (along with their adult children who have children of their own) I had not seen in many years. But what made this afternoon such a special one for all the descendants was spending time with their oldest “living” Chapple ~ Smith family member — my Mom, Carrie Chapple Taylor! So below are a few photos of mom –who celebrated her 84th birthday this past October– with family members who arrived early for our dinner event!

Mom with her oldest great-granddaughter, which happens to be my “mini-me” (Bowie Family)!

Mom with another one of her beautiful great-granddaughters (McLemore Family)!

Mom with her great-nephew, Bernard, and great-niece, LaJuana (Armstrong & Jean Families)

The Armstrong and Jean Families

Mom with her nephew, Ralph and niece, Bettye (Marshall Family)

First Cousins Meet At Last!

On this day . . . November 23, 1863 . . . the color photo process was patented. So to celebrate this day in history as well as celebrate an invention that definitely changed our lives, I share a  color photo I took with some First Cousins I met for the very first time this year!

From (l. to r.) Juska Ann, Liv, Roland, Mom, Bettye, Reginald, and Ralph

Earlier this year, I blogged about the murder of my mom’s sister, Aunt Estella Chapple Thomas (read, “Blue Monday: Woman Killed,” for more information). At the time of her death, she was the mother of 5 children (Carolyn, Charles, Roland, Juska Ann, and Donna Marie) – ranging in ages 1 to 7. After Aunt Estella’s  death, her children (with the exception of the baby, Donna Marie, who died 2 months after her mom from Nephritis) were sent to live with their father who was a soldier in the United States Army overseas. Some years passed before they would return to the US and Texas. Because they were so young when all this happened to them, they literally did not remember any of their mother’s side of the family by the time they were stateside.

Well, some recent Chapple Estate matters have made it possible for me to finally meet my first cousins Juska Ann and Roland Thomas for the very first time on August 25, 2012! This meeting also made it possible for my cousins Bettye, Ralph, and Reginald (my Aunt Ella Louise‘s children), to meet them for the very first time as well . . . woo-hoo!

From (l. to r.) – Juska Ann, Roland, Bettye, Reginald, and Ralph

But the most important point in all this is that my mother got to spend time and see the smiling faces of  all her sisters’ children. This was such a wonderful reunion and a day we won’t forget!

From (l. to r.) – Juska Ann, Roland, Mom, Bettye, Reginald, and Ralph

 

Funeral Friday: Mrs. Ella Louise Marshall

A complete transcription of her funeral program is below:

Funeral Service

For

MRS. ELLA LOUISE MARSHALL
1923-1969

Monday, April 7, 1969
11:00 A. M.

——–oOo——–

“And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, write;
Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth;
yea saith the spirit that they may rest from their labours; and
their works do follow them.” –Rev. 14 – 13.

——–oOo——–

MT. HOREM BAPTIST CHURCH
1915 Lockwood
Houston, Texas

——–oOo——–

Reverend Thomas F. Freeman, Minister

Reverend Ellis Gordon, Asst., Minister

 

OBITUARY

To die: – To sleep:  no more; and by a sleep to say we end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to., ’tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.

Loving, kind and understanding, are the words most appropriate to describe Mrs. Ella Louise Marshall. She was born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Chapple September 18, 1923 in Houston, Texas, and was reared in the fifth-ward section. She was a student of the Atherton Elementary and Phyllis Wheatley Schools. At an early age she united to the Canaan Baptist Church. She later united to the Mt. Horem Baptist Church where she remained for more than twenty years.

In 1942 she united in holy matrimony to Edward Marshall, and to this union were born three children: a daughter, Mrs. Betty Marshall Armstrong, Two sons: Ralph and Reginald Marshall.

While at Mt. Horem, Mrs. Marshall was a member of Naomi Circle and the Mission Chorus., not only was she active in the church, but in her community as well., her good works leave their impact on all who knew her and loved her.

She is survived by her husband: Mr. Edward Marshall, Mother: Mrs. Ethel Chapple; 2 sisters: Mrs. Carrie Taylor and Mrs. Altha Scott; 1 brother Mr. Joseph Chapple Jr., 1 daughter; 2 sons; 1 grandson; 4 Nieces; 10 Nephews; 1 Aunt; 1 Great Aunt; 1 Great Uncle; and a Host of Relatives and Friends.

She will be missed by all who loved her.

 

Order of Service

*Body will rest in state 9 – 11 A. M.

Prelude

Processional

Poem

Invocation

Hymn

Scripture

Prayer

Obituary

Acknowledgments

Selection
Combined Choirs                                       “We’ve Come A Long Way”

Eulogy

Prayer

Recessional

Directing: Ross Mortuary

Interment— Memorial Gardens Cemetery

 

 

 ACTIVE PALLBEARERS

Lee Fuller
James Young
Alvin Steele
Marion Smith
Columbus Hartwell
Willie D. Williams

HONORARY PALLBEARERS

Lillie Gordon
Irene Dixon
Maudry Walker
Allene Steele
Thomas Scott
Loresa Parson
Freddie Randolph
Charlene Flourony
Melvina Foster
Shirley Bonton

——–oOo——–

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The Family wishes to express their deep appreciation for the many flowers, telegrams, calls and expressions of love kindly shown to them at this time. May God Bless You and Keep You.

——–oOo——–

[Smalley – 227-2639]

 

Wordless Wednesday: Ella Louise Chapple Marshall (1923 -1969)

Well, almost wordless . . .  October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and this month I wear pink in honor of my aunt — Ella Louise Chapple Marshall!

Ella Louise Chapple Marshall

Even though I was a young child when my Aunt Louise died (I was 9 years old), what I remember most about her was her joy and contagious laughter! She could truly light up a room and she had a sense of humor that literally kept people laughing. Family and friends felt at ease with her and genuinely loved being around her. She was a true gem!

Liv turns 3!

To help me celebrate my 3rd birthday, my beautiful aunt was right there! In this photo she’s holding on to my cousin Reginald Marshall. Standing next to her is (from l. to r.) Annie Ray Gilbert (friend), my cousin Ralph Marshall, mom who is helping me cut the cake, and Mary Gilbert (Annie Ray’s sister and friend).

I love this photo and will cherish it for as long as I live because it is the last photo of  my aunt that we have in our collection taken a few years  before she passed away, 2 April 1969, from breast cancer. You can read more about her burial at FindAGrave.

If you have my beloved aunt, Ella Louise (Chapple) Marshall, from Houston, Harris County, Texas (who also lived a few years in Pecos, Reeves County, Texas too) in your family research, let me hear from you because . . . I’m claiming kin!