It just doesn't end!
Fern and Betty and I slept in again, having stayed at our favorite hotel in Ashland. We are not usually messy, but this time it looked like a college dorm room. And, we didn't care!
We settled our bill, corrected some errors on it, and headed into town. I had recently found where one set of my grandparents had actually been buried in Ashland, the same town we had been staying in for years. I was determined to find them.
After breakfast, we were chatting with some of the locals. A nice gentleman joined us, and we were asking where a certain location was.
Me: Is it far from here?
Man: No, ma'am. Just get up there on the superslab.
Me: The what???!!!
Man: The superslab. It'll go from a four-lane down to a two-lane when y'all get to the red light.
Me: What if the light isn't red?
Man: Wait till it turns red. Then you'll be at the red light.
Me: Which way do we go after that?
Man: Turn left, Ma'am. If you head straight on, you'll run into a cow.
Fern and Betty are trying to hold their faces together while I'm talking to the man. I was about ready to beat them.
Another man: Now, y'all be careful not to get too close to Shucky Bean Holler.
Me: Is it dangerous?
Man: Not unless y'all are lookin' for some 'shine (moonshine).
We got on out of there, and head toward Ashland. Sure enough, the GPS took me straight to the cemetery where these grandparents were supposed to be located.
It was in the middle of town!
The cemetery was not overgrown, but it was not cared for very well. I got into the back to get my snake stick, and my sisters - the big babies - stayed in the car and hollered at me, telling me to be careful. Really.
I went all over that cemetery, nearly giving up as I saw weathered and toppled stones. I decided to try one more place in the nearly 100 degree heat. There, under a small grove of trees, where snakes would love to be stretched out cooling, I found the tombstone with both of their names on it!!!
I hooped and hollered, scaring Fern and Betty into thinking I had wrapped my feet around a nest of snakes. I told them I was fine, and to stop hollering.
This was on a side street that we have driven past hundreds of times. Right there in plain site!
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| Benjamin and Matilda Rice Pollard Cemetery, Ashland, Boyd, Kentucky |
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| Betty, Fern, and Peggy Ashland, Boyd, KY Public Library |
We went on to the Boyd Co., KY Library -- one of our favorites. It did not disappoint us at all. We made several worthy finds.
My sisters think I'm so smart. Gone are the days when we are standing and making copies. Between my Flip-pal and my cell phone, our research time was quality.
We had one more place to stop, and nearly didn't do it. We enjoy the Greenup Co., KY Library, too. But, we thought we might be running short on time. But, something told me to go on into the small town.
We were driving down the main street, and I couldn't seem to find it. It had been a former funeral home, so you wouldn't think it would be that difficult to spot.
We just kept on driving, and nearly drove off the road. There was a brand new library!!!! It was built in 2013, and we were tearing at each other to get out of the car and up the ramp. My gosh, it was beautiful!
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| Betty, Fern, and Peggy Greeenup Co., KY Public Library |
We made great finds in there. Miss Vicki Evans, the genealogist, was as helpful as anyone could ever ask for. She made copies for me of an excellent template that they use for Family Group Records. She even emailed it to me so it can be filled out on my computer.
We had our greatest success there. If you recall an earlier post, Ambrose Clemens stayed with daughter Etta B. and slept on a cot. A goat ate Betty's dress.
His death certificate states he was buried in Mt. Ebo Cemetery. I've never been able to find it, nor any listing for him on FindAGrave.
In their cemetery book, they showed before/after photos of the cleanup of this cemetery. In one of them, I remarked to Betty that it looked like a convict was working in there.
Betty: I don't think it's a convict. Look at what they're wearing. Fern has a skirt just like that.
Me: Betty, no one cleans a cemetery in a skirt.
Betty: I'm telling you, Fern has a skirt like that, and I love it.
Later, Miss Vicki told us how a team of convicts was used to clean up the cemetery.
Ha!!!
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| Mt. Ebo Cemetery Convict Cleanup |
I copied the page that shows him buried there. Not all stones are legible, but his and his family's were legible. I felt like I hit the jackpot!
Ambrose Clemens, Arthur, Etta B., and Daisy Fitzpatrick
Burial list at Mt. Ebo Cemetery, Greenup Co., KY
There were many more finds. These are certainly our highlights.
Our extremely successful trip is over. We are all back home now, and are planning our next trip.
I smiled as I listened to Fern and Betty reminisce about how they tried to bury a cat three times. Betty gave it a holy-roller funeral, but the cat kept crawling out.
I wonder what else can happen...
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