When searching for Henry and Elizabeth (Armitage) Meinzen's unknown infants and children a few years ago, I contacted Union Cemetery in Steubenville, Ohio, where I knew Henry and Elizabeth were buried. I hoped to find the rest of her 15 children there.
I corresponded with cemetery employees several times and each request was returned with information. I finally asked it they would please send the names and information of all individuals buried in Section Q, Lot 203, the Meinzen lot.
These are the names of family members from their records:
Meinzen, William, age 16, interred 1888/11/27
Meinzen, Infant, stillborn, interred 1891/01/25
Meinzen, Infant, stillborn, interred 1904/08/20
Hendricks, Hannah E., 35 years, 6 months, 3 days, interred 1910/09/06
Meinzen, Edward C., 32 years, 9 months, 10 days, interred 1911/11/17
Meinzen, Elizabeth, 68 years, interred 1920/06/29
Meinzen, Henry, 88 years, 5 months, 5 days, interred 1926/01/02
Was the infant born and buried in 1904 Elizabeth's and Henry's. Elizabeth would have been 52. Her previous child was born in 1898 or 1899 when she was either 46 or 47. Or was the infant the child of their son and daughter-in-law, Henry and Helen/Ella (Dray) Meinzen?
These are the names of the additional individuals they sent:
Brison, Infant, stillborn, interred 1893/08/23
Easman, M. A., 5 months, interred 1894/06/15
Potts, David, 4 years, interred 1905/11/26
I have not yet identified these as family/not family, though research so far would suggest they are not family: I've found no connection between individuals with these last names and Henry and Elizabeth. Of course that's not to say there isn't a connection - just that I haven't found one. If they are not related, I assume one of two things: either Henry sold sections of his lot to them or he was very generous at a grievous time for their parents.
Perhaps I will never know if the infant who was stillborn in 1904 is Elizabeth's. I'd like to know, though, because it means the whole family would have been found!
Copyright © 2010 by Nancy Messier.
"And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers...." Malachi 4:6
What great help from the cemetery staff! Just goes to show that asking politely will be rewarde--- more often than not.
ReplyDeleteYes, they have been wonderful to help me. Polite helps -- and a donation doesn't hurt, either.
ReplyDelete