U.S. Soldiers' & Airmen's Home National Cemetery

United States Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., located next to the Armed Forces Retirement Home, is one of only two National Cemeteries administered by the Dept. of the Army.  

US Soldiers' and Airmen's Home National Cemetery

 Notable Internments listed at Find A Grave

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Honoring our Soldiers on Memorial Day

Soldiers from Alpha Company,4th Battalion, 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, the Old Guard, place American flags by headstones at the Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

Flags placed at headstones for Memorial Day  

The Washington Post

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Rosabelle (Cassingham) St.John

   

 Rosabelle (Cassingham) St.John
       

b. 4 Dec 1878 in Providence, RI

daughter of Albert Odian (Frank) & Emma (Warburton) Cassingham

m. Alfred Adelard St.John on 13 June 1899 in New Bedford, MA

1958

 New Bedford, Massachusetts

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Massachusetts Births, 1841-1915 at FamilySearch.org

Massachusetts Birth Records, 1841 - 1915

This collection contains the name index and images of  Massachusettes state birth records from 1841-1915. The registers of births are arranged in volumes by year. Within the volumes the birth entries are arranged by town then numerically by the number it was entered into the registers and are searchable on the FamilySearch.org site.

My latest find in this collection:

Birth record of our Grandfather

 Albert Edward St.John

son of Alfred & Rosabelle (Cassingham) St.John

(click image to enlarge)

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Virginia State Parks to Honor All Active-Duty Military & Virginia Veterans

      

Governor McDonnell Announces Virginia State Parks to Honor All Active-Duty Military and Virginia Veterans with Free Admission Through December 31st
– Will Also Offer Free Admission to All Visitors June 13th-19th During the Week-Long Celebration of Virginia State Parks –

RICHMOND - Two days before the start of Memorial Day Weekend, Governor Bob McDonnell announced today that as part of the year-long celebration of the 75^th anniversary of Virginia State Parks, all active-duty military, as well as veterans residing in Virginia, will receive free admission to all Virginia State Parks beginning this Friday and continuing through the end of the year.
"Our brave women and men of the military are called upon to sacrifice in countless ways. Now, a grateful Commonwealth thanks them for their service with free admission to all Virginia State Parks from this weekend through the end of the year. This is a small gesture of appreciation for the women and men who have given so much to defend our liberty and freedom. There are 327,000 active-duty military personnel, and families, as well as 823,000 armed forces veterans, who make their homes here in Virginia. We hope many will take advantage of this opportunity. We are also pleased to offer free admission to Virginia's State Parks for all visitors from June 13^th-19^th, in recognition of the 75^th Anniversary of the Parks. I encourage all Virginians to get out to a State Park this summer and discover first-hand our Commonwealth's beauty and wonders."
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, which manages the award-winning Virginia State Parks, is waiving all parking fees, the only fees charged at State Parks by the Commonwealth, for all Virginia-resident armed forces veterans. Fees are also waived for all active duty members of the armed forces including activated reservists and National Guardsmen, regardless of their state of residency. The offer is also good for the immediate family of active-duty personnel even if that person is not with the family.
To participate, veterans must either have a retired military identification card or a standard discharge form known as a DD214. Active duty personnel must have their photo identification card issued by the Department of Defense, and family members must have their government-issued ID card.

"Virginia has the best state parks in the country, and Governor McDonnell and I remain committed to making Virginia the nation's most veteran-friendly state," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security Terrie Suit. "This celebratory admission is a natural fit that continues our long-standing commitment to Virginia's active and retired military."

The free admission for military is not the only special in the year-long celebration in Virginia's state parks, which opened June 15, 1936.

"We'll offer free parking to all visitors June 13-19 as we celebrate our 75^th anniversary all week long," said DCR Director David Johnson. "With more than 8 million visitors a year, and around a $189 million impact on Virginia's economy, Virginia State Parks play an important role in Virginia's outstanding quality of life."
For more information about Virginia State Parks, visit www.virginiastateparks.gov.

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Marriage of Mary Kollien to Peter Flynn

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The wedding announcement of Mary Kollien

daughter of Ignatz & Maria Kollain

Date: 1920-06-11;  Paper: Trenton Evening Times

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James S. Casteel (1928-2002) of Ohio > California

James Stephen Casteel

son of Creed C. & Rose (Welcheck) Casteel

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Plane Crash takes life of Fred Wetzel

  
Fred "Mac" Wetzel

 

Date: 1952-07-27;

Paper: Trenton Evening Times 

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Relive the Secession Vote

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(click image to enlarge)

Date: 1861-07-06;     Paper: Daily National Intelligencer

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High-Tech Headstones

                            

Dave Quiring, president of Quiring Monuments, has created living headstones where a smart tag is built into the gravestone which visitors  can scan into their smart phone and are taken to a personalized website full of information about the departed person. Here their lives can be remembered with photos, sayings, stories, obituaries, videos, and even humor.
Read the Full News Article:
 High-tech headstones immortalizing life stories by Eric Johnson

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Another Day...Another Raid

  
1936

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Thrifty Drug Stores & the 5 cent Scoop

         

Thrifty Drug Stores: where they had the best ice cream for just 5cents/scoop.  

A summertime delight was just a dime and a bicycle ride away.

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Occupation: Coremaker

1899 Cleveland City Directory

entry for Michael & Peter Busch:

                       
                           Occupation:  Coremaker
                                A person who makes cores for foundry molds.

An early 1900's foundry image

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Historic Family Cemeteries in Virginia

 Preservation Virginia 
has prepared a map of Historic Family Cemeteries in Virginia that are endangered due to neglect, vandalism, inappropriate development, and/or agricultural practices.

You are invited to share the location of an endangered  historic family cemetery with Preservation Virginia.

Mother's Day Greetings

 

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The Ideal Mother's Day Gift

 

 May 8, 1934  

Trenton Evening Times 

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Robillard Family History

 
Robillard:  Of French origin; first seen in Normandy

One of the first settlers of this surname in Quebec was Claude Robillard who arrived in New France in 1663.

(click image to enlarge chart)

Robillard Family Genealogy Forum

Robillard on Geni

Olvera Street - Happy Cinco de Mayo!

    

Located in the oldest part of Los Angeles, Olvera Street is colorful Mexican marketplace and the setting for Mexican style music, dancing, and holiday celebrations.

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A celebrated holiday since 5 May 1862, commemorating the unexpected victory over the French army at the Battle of Puebla.

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"Here's where the fun begins!" - Han Solo

         
Sharing a favorite that never fails to make me smile!

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May the Force be with you

in your genealogical quests.

Book tells of a president's secret surgery at sea

A President's Secret Surgery at Sea

(click above for full article)

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Virtual Library Legislative Day - Contact Congress from home

ALA Virtual Legislative Day allows library advocates to contact Congress from home  

Virtual Library Legislative Day is part of the American Library Association’s (ALA) National Library Legislative Day on May 10, when hundreds of library advocates will descend on Capitol Hill to meet with members of Congress and their staffs. Library advocates who cannot make it to Capitol Hill for the event can still be a part of the effort by calling and/or e-mailing their elected officials on May 10 – or any time the week of May 9-13. 

So the trip to Washington isn’t in your budget? No problem! By calling and/or e-mailing your elected officials in Washington and asking them to vote for libraries, you can make a difference. Just five minutes of your time will help support and strengthen the efforts of the library supporters in Washington rallying on May 10. If you cannot call or e-mail your elected official on May 10, please do so sometime between May 9-13.

 Spread the word – please share this opportunity to voice support for libraries to your Friends group members, Board of Trustees, library staff, patrons, and community at large. To help you achieve this, ALTAFF has provided a reproducible bookmark and flyer. Both can be found at  http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/altaff/advocacy/virtualmarch/index.cfm. You can also promote on Facebook. RSVP (and share the event on your Facebook page) at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=215175918508373.