Today I was off and while looking for some banking I saw my folder with my genealogy papers that were my fathers.
First I found the original cemetery lot papers from 1891. It was really strange looking at that paper. Which of his children had died at that time? Loretta had died c. 1894, so was it the elusive Dennis who drowned at that time? It was purchased in the summer, 15 August 1891 to be exact. I do not think a person would just go out and buy a lot of graves with no reason.
The lots are in Monongahela Cemetery. There is a story about that cemetery. Nothing spooky, but a bit interesting. Back about in the 1890's. Monongahela Cemetery was part of a large cemetery, which included a Catholic section. The workers at the mills and the mines would take a short cut thru the cemetery to get from work to home. With all that traffic the road started to deteriorate, and the officials asked the Catholics to help with the upkeep, they refused. This led to the Protestants to build a eight foot wall and separate the two cemeteries.
So, it seems my grandfathers original lot was in one and now is on the Catholic side close to the wall. Monongahela does not have the records, and a perusal of the Roots Web Information said that the records were kept at St. Thomas Church and that church burnt down on 30 December 1983, and the records were lost.
Another trip is in order, now that I have the lot location, hopefully, I can find some information about it when I go. But, more likely, they were too poor to place tombstone.
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