I have so enjoyed all the messages in this thread. The "Yankees" probably also aren't familiar with "sitting up with the dead." Have any of you had personal experience with this custom? I know that it was customary for family and friends to come in and sit. The body was always at the house until the "burying" and the oldtimers would never have allowed everyone to go to bed without someone staying up with the body, at least two people usually sat in the room with the body. Other neighbors brought food for those who came in to sit. Anyone else remember this? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Windwalker" <windwalker@fastmail.fm> To: <KYBREATH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 10:30 PM Subject: Re: [KYBREATH-L] Preachin on the Ground > Lots of customs, that are seldom heard of > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <BRogers386@aol.com> > To: <KYBREATH-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 2:01 PM > Subject: Re: [KYBREATH-L] Preachin on the Ground > > > > I enjoyed your email about early customs at family cemeteries. > > Bill > > > > > > ==== KYBREATH Mailing List ==== > > Have time to copy cemetery information into a database? Contact Jeanette > Shouse at library@tgtel.com. > > > > > > > > > > > ==== KYBREATH Mailing List ==== > Help build the Breathitt County KyGenWeb site. Submit information for posting to the site. Contact Jeanette Shouse at library@tgtel.com > >

Still done in some parts. Its was highly done up until the 50,s. A person would pass and the family would wash and dress the person in their best clothes.And lay them out in the parlor. Two Quarters or Silver Dollars were placed on the eyes. Mouth was filled full of cotton batting or quilt backing. The windows were opened to help cool the room. Most times the person was buried as soon as possible. Unless the ground was froze and sometime they would wait till spring. People would sit up with the decease. No "eats" would be done in the same room that was reserved till after the burying. The grave would be handdug and the service concluded. The practice was mostly stopped due to embalming rules and crypt laws. Although most were buried in wood coffins. The practice has changed in more recent times from that of several years ago, due to laws. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Karen" <gtskjs@mvn.net> To: <KYBREATH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 9:14 PM Subject: Re: [KYBREATH-L] Preachin on the Ground > I have so enjoyed all the messages in this thread. The "Yankees" probably > also aren't familiar with "sitting up with the dead." Have any of you had > personal experience with this custom? I know that it was customary for > family and friends to come in and sit. The body was always at the house > until the "burying" and the oldtimers would never have allowed everyone to > go to bed without someone staying up with the body, at least two people > usually sat in the room with the body. Other neighbors brought food for > those who came in to sit. Anyone else remember this? > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Windwalker" <windwalker@fastmail.fm> > To: <KYBREATH-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 10:30 PM > Subject: Re: [KYBREATH-L] Preachin on the Ground > > > > Lots of customs, that are seldom heard of > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <BRogers386@aol.com> > > To: <KYBREATH-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 2:01 PM > > Subject: Re: [KYBREATH-L] Preachin on the Ground > > > > > > > I enjoyed your email about early customs at family cemeteries. > > > Bill > > > > > > > > > ==== KYBREATH Mailing List ==== > > > Have time to copy cemetery information into a database? Contact > Jeanette > > Shouse at library@tgtel.com. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== KYBREATH Mailing List ==== > > Help build the Breathitt County KyGenWeb site. Submit information for > posting to the site. Contact Jeanette Shouse at library@tgtel.com > > > > > > > ==== KYBREATH Mailing List ==== > > > >

I've heard of this custom many times but have never seen or been to one. I may be a Yankee but I have Eastern Tennessee blood running through my veins. Thanks for all these stories, they are great! Cheryl Karen <gtskjs@mvn.net> wrote: I have so enjoyed all the messages in this thread. The "Yankees" probably also aren't familiar with "sitting up with the dead." Have any of you had personal experience with this custom? I know that it was customary for family and friends to come in and sit. The body was always at the house until the "burying" and the oldtimers would never have allowed everyone to go to bed without someone staying up with the body, at least two people usually sat in the room with the body. Other neighbors brought food for those who came in to sit. Anyone else remember this? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Windwalker" To: Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 10:30 PM Subject: Re: [KYBREATH-L] Preachin on the Ground > Lots of customs, that are seldom heard of > ----- Original Message ----- > From: > To: > Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 2:01 PM > Subject: Re: [KYBREATH-L] Preachin on the Ground > > > > I enjoyed your email about early customs at family cemeteries. > > Bill > > > > > > ==== KYBREATH Mailing List ==== > > Have time to copy cemetery information into a database? Contact Jeanette > Shouse at library@tgtel.com. > > > > > > > > > > > ==== KYBREATH Mailing List ==== > Help build the Breathitt County KyGenWeb site. Submit information for posting to the site. Contact Jeanette Shouse at library@tgtel.com > > ==== KYBREATH Mailing List ==== --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business $15K Web Design Giveaway - Enter today

Sometimes my family still does this. They live in the Breathitt and Wolfe County areas. Karen <gtskjs@mvn.net> wrote:I have so enjoyed all the messages in this thread. The "Yankees" probably also aren't familiar with "sitting up with the dead." Have any of you had personal experience with this custom? I know that it was customary for family and friends to come in and sit. The body was always at the house until the "burying" and the oldtimers would never have allowed everyone to go to bed without someone staying up with the body, at least two people usually sat in the room with the body. Other neighbors brought food for those who came in to sit. Anyone else remember this? --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business $15K Web Design Giveaway - Enter today

Some people say the custom may have started because the windows were opened for fresh air long ago when there were no air conditioning or screens on the windows. People would sit up with the dead to keep varmints from getting in and bothering the body. Cats were good at that so I am told and of course they can climb anywhere. I have sat up with my mother and other women at several people's homes up until the 40s or 50s. We had one lady that told funny stories to keep us awake after the family went to bed. Of course, we could not laugh out loud, but she helped us stay awake along with cups of coffee in the kitchen. We tried to be quiet to let the family get some rest because they were usually worn out from taking care of the sick person before they passed away. Didn't have nursing homes then and most could not afford hospitals for a long time. I don't remember anyplace where I sat up that did not have screens, but there was no air conditioning in the homes. Maxine --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.648 / Virus Database: 415 - Release Date: 3/31/2004

My Granny would always cover the mirrors when sitting up with the dead. I have a copy of her father's death certificate, on it, one of the questions was "Undertaker" and written in the box is "Home Folks" Michelle Williams Cole ----- Original Message ----- From: "charles friedly" <mfriedly@adelphia.net> To: <KYBREATH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 3:32 PM Subject: Re: [KYBREATH-L] Preachin on the Ground > Some people say the custom may have started because the windows were opened > for fresh air long ago when there were no air conditioning or screens on the > windows. People would sit up with the dead to keep varmints from getting in > and bothering the body. Cats were good at that so I am told and of course > they can climb anywhere. > > I have sat up with my mother and other women at several people's homes up > until the 40s or 50s. We had one lady that told funny stories to keep us > awake after the family went to bed. Of course, we could not laugh out loud, > but she helped us stay awake along with cups of coffee in the kitchen. We > tried to be quiet to let the family get some rest because they were usually > worn out from taking care of the sick person before they passed away. > Didn't have nursing homes then and most could not afford hospitals for a > long time. I don't remember anyplace where I sat up that did not have > screens, but there was no air conditioning in the homes. > > Maxine > > > > > --- > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.648 / Virus Database: 415 - Release Date: 3/31/2004 > > > ==== KYBREATH Mailing List ==== > > > >

My father-in-law was brought home for his wake in 1972 in Perry County. It seems to me that this custom was starting to be "phased out" around this time. I do remember washing dishes upon dishes upon dishes as the neighbors brought food in for the family and other mourners. His was the last "at home" wake that I went to. Margaret Hayes ----- Original Message ----- From: "Karen" <gtskjs@mvn.net> To: <KYBREATH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 10:14 PM Subject: Re: [KYBREATH-L] Preachin on the Ground > I have so enjoyed all the messages in this thread. The "Yankees" probably > also aren't familiar with "sitting up with the dead." Have any of you had > personal experience with this custom? I know that it was customary for > family and friends to come in and sit. The body was always at the house > until the "burying" and the oldtimers would never have allowed everyone to > go to bed without someone staying up with the body, at least two people > usually sat in the room with the body. Other neighbors brought food for > those who came in to sit. Anyone else remember this? > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Windwalker" <windwalker@fastmail.fm> > To: <KYBREATH-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 10:30 PM > Subject: Re: [KYBREATH-L] Preachin on the Ground > > > > Lots of customs, that are seldom heard of > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: <BRogers386@aol.com> > > To: <KYBREATH-L@rootsweb.com> > > Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 2:01 PM > > Subject: Re: [KYBREATH-L] Preachin on the Ground > > > > > > > I enjoyed your email about early customs at family cemeteries. > > > Bill > > > > > > > > > ==== KYBREATH Mailing List ==== > > > Have time to copy cemetery information into a database? Contact > Jeanette > > Shouse at library@tgtel.com. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== KYBREATH Mailing List ==== > > Help build the Breathitt County KyGenWeb site. Submit information for > posting to the site. Contact Jeanette Shouse at library@tgtel.com > > > > > > > ==== KYBREATH Mailing List ==== > > >