Hi Everyone, Since the list is discussing cemeteries I would like to tell you about my visit to Scranton-Olyphant and St. Patrick's Cemetery. Although it is only 2 hours from where I live I don't get there very often and all my mother's relatives were from Olyphant, Carbondale and Scranton. My last visit a couple of months ago was short but I picked up quite a bit of information I didn't have before. The trip included one to GRSNP in Olyphant and was pleasantly surprised by all the friendly, helpful people there and the information that they have collected. I wanted to see the cemetery so went to St. Patrick's Rectory to get information on where my grandmother was buried. The woman I talked to could not give me any information and said that it would "take months" to even look and that an answer might not be forthcoming in any event. Apparently their records must be in terrible disarray. She did say that my grandmother would be in the "old section" of the cemetery since she died in 1915. She further said that I would recognize the "old section". Well, she was right. The old section consisted of a very small number of tombstones, some of which were buried almost completely or unreadable. I was surprised at the condition of this cemetery in general. It is right next to a place that people must use as their own private "dumping grounds" . I left the area feeling very let down. Needless to say, I didn't find my grandmother. Sorry this is so long, but I have been "listening" to the discussion and wanted to ask if anyone has any information on this particular cemetery. Thanks in advance for any insights. Toni Mason Researching: BOLAND, O'MALLEY, WALSH, MULHOLLAND
MY TRIP TO ST. PATRICK CHURCH TO ASK ABOUT THE CEMETERY WAS ANOTHER SURPRISE --FATHER KELLY TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE NO RECORDS KEPT FROM 1900 UNTIL THE LATE 1940'S-- I WAS VERY TROUBLED BY THIS AS MY FATER AND UNCLE WENT BACK TO PA IN 1964 ASND PUT AHEADSTONE ON THEIR FATERS GRAVE AND THEY HAD NO IDEA WERE HIS GRAVE WAS AS IT WAS SO MANY YEARS BEFORE THEY WENT BACK AND GUESS WHAT THE AHEADSTONE WAS PLACED ON MY GRANDFATERS GRAVE----I WENT BACK JUST A FEW YEARS AGO AND NO HEADSTONE. MY AUNT SAID ALL HER FATHERS SISTER AND BROTHER WERE BURIED IN THE FIRST ROW TO THE RIGHT--ALL WITH HEADSTONE WELL NOT TODAY THERE ARE NEW HEADSTONES BUT NOT ONE OF MY FAMILY SO I KEEP WONDERING WHAT HAPPED TO MY KIN . ----- Original Message ----- From: "Toni Mason" <tmason@stny.rr.com> To: <PALACKAW-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, June 29, 2001 1:05 AM Subject: [PA-LAC] St. Patrick's Cemetery > Hi Everyone, > > Since the list is discussing cemeteries I would like to tell you about my visit to Scranton-Olyphant and St. Patrick's Cemetery. > > Although it is only 2 hours from where I live I don't get there very often and all my mother's relatives were from Olyphant, Carbondale and Scranton. My last visit a couple of months ago was short but I picked up quite a bit of information I didn't have before. The trip included one to GRSNP in Olyphant and was pleasantly surprised by all the friendly, helpful people there and the information that they have collected. I wanted to see the cemetery so went to St. Patrick's Rectory to get information on where my grandmother was buried. The woman I talked to could not give me any information and said that it would "take months" to even look and that an answer might not be forthcoming in any event. Apparently their records must be in terrible disarray. She did say that my grandmother would be in the "old section" of the cemetery since she died in 1915. She further said that I would recognize the "old section". > > > Well, she was right. The old section consisted of a very small number of tombstones, some of which were buried almost completely or unreadable. I was surprised at the condition of this cemetery in general. It is right next to a place that people must use as their own private "dumping grounds" . I left the area feeling very let down. Needless to say, I didn't find my grandmother. > > Sorry this is so long, but I have been "listening" to the discussion and wanted to ask if anyone has any information on this particular cemetery. Thanks in advance for any insights. > > Toni Mason > Researching: BOLAND, O'MALLEY, WALSH, MULHOLLAND > > > > ==== PALACKAW Mailing List ==== > Have you visited some of the surrounding counties? http://www.rootsweb.com/~palackaw/#Surrounding_Counties > To unsubscribe: http://www.rootsweb.com/~palackaw/index.html#MailingList > >