Doris, you have the most amazing messages. lol. [email protected] ----- Original Message ----- From: Ronney and Brenda Wade <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, February 29, 2000 7:05 PM Subject: Re: [FLESCAMB] Ben's Traveling Tombstone > I am sitting here on the edge of my seat and can't wait for part 3. Do type > fast. > LOL. Brenda > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, February 29, 2000 6:50 PM > Subject: [FLESCAMB] Ben's Traveling Tombstone > > > > Part two: > > > > My Uncle Bill Kersey was surprised to find out that the tombstone in Ft. > > Pickens was his grandfathers. He knew about the cemetery at Red Fish > Point, > > and said " that he had heard about that cemetery all of his life and had > gone > > there one time when he was a boy". He rememberd his grandmother Samanth'a > > Tombstone, but not grandfather Ben's. > > > > We went to Milton and found the recorded cemetery deed and the description > of > > the land. > > My Uncle did an aerial survey and found the cemetery right away. This was > in > > the late 1970's early 1980's. We went over and took pictures . There was > no > > tombstones. Someone had removed or destroyed all of them but a couple of > > slabs that marked baby graves. The fence had been torn down but the fence > > posts remained. It looked to be about three acres. > > One could tell that it truly had been a cemetery at one time. > > > > Meantime while we were trying to decide what to do with Ben's tombstone, a > > family member went over to see the cemetery and discovered a house being > > built near the cemetery. > > My uncle went to Ft, Pickens and took possession of the tombstone, because > > they were threatening to warehouse it and told us that it would probably > be > > lost to us, if we didn't come and get it. > > He put it in his garage for safekeeping, until we could figure out what to > do > > with the cemetery that had no tombstones. and a lot of people buried in > it. > > > > Finally, I set up a meeting with Richard Jernigan ( who was in charge of > > recording the Santa Rosa Cemeteries ) and my uncle Bill. > > We met Richard over at the cemetery, and he was able to establish it as a > > cemetery, by the artifacts there. We found what was left of Walter > Turner's > > tombstone. It was buried under about six inches of sand. We took pictures > of > > Walter Turners granddaughter, proping up the tombstone. All that could be > > read on the tombstone was Walter Turner born Dec 1873 died Dec and that > part > > is broken off. > > We were able to establish that it was 1933 through the childen of Walter > > Turner, who was still living at the time. > > > > Part Three Coming up. > > > > Doris > > > > > >