Reflections on the Past

Photo by Museums Victoria on Unsplash

As we head into the Christmas season (or are in the midst of the season), it’s a suitable time to think about the past and ways that we can better connect to our ancestors and those who came before us. As family historians we probably have a bit of an obsession with cemeteries and obituaries that tell us more about those people. We are fascinated with the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future from A Christmas Carol.
 
All in keeping with this, I thought I’d share an interesting book that I found in the fiction/mystery section of my local bookstore. It was misplaced on the shelf but it was fortuitous because I would not have found it otherwise. Over My Dead Body, Unearthing the Hidden History of America’s Cemeteries by Greg Melville is an interesting read which explores how we in America have treated our dead across the centuries. He explores this topic by crossing America from the Jamestown settlement to prairie cemeteries to the impact of the Civil War on burials. I think after you read this book, you’ll have a new appreciation of the past and perhaps a better understanding of how your ancestors may have been influenced or impacted by the changes over the years.
I’ve written past blogs related to death records, cemeteries and headstones.
DEATH RECORDS
Remembrance - Herding Cats Genealogy
Passing - Herding Cats Genealogy
Death and Taxes - Herding Cats Genealogy
Obituaries and Family History - Herding Cats Genealogy
Death Records and Genealogy - Herding Cats Genealogy
Death Records and Family Research - Herding Cats Genealogy
Happy reading!