Decoration Day

When I was a little girl Memorial Day was still called Decoration Day and the cemeteries would be full of people putting flowers and flags on the gravesites of loved ones. You'd get dressed up to visit with family, friends, and distant relatives you might not see often as you walked around the cemetery and remembered the relatives, neighbors, and friends who were buried there. You'd have taken food along with you to snack on in the car. I don't have a clear memory of what you did about bathrooms. Hmm... It was a bit boring for an older child to walk around the cemetery in the heat and watch older people talk and so you find yourself wishing later that you had paid more attention and picked up more family info along the way.
Yesterday Mom Weyer and Judy were on the way with the flowers (FRESH ones of course) for half the cemeteries Mom visits when Judy started to feel unwell. So, John and I took Mom, in Judy's car. I grabbed my camera as I knew they wanted to start a photo record of where all the relatives' grave sites are. We went to Old Stone Church Cemetery for Dad Weyer's parents, Matie and John Weyer and his half brother's wife; Kossuth in Mediapolis for Dad Weyer and the Pillings (except for Julie and Connie); Aspen Grove in Burlington for Great Uncle George and aunt Inez Weyer and Vivian, and some cousins; 6th Street Cemetery for the first Weyer in America, Joseph Weyer; and Sacred Heart Cemetery in Crapo Park for John and Elizabeth Weyer, born in the 1850's and parents of the 16 children who were written about and photographed for the Hawk Eye and also for cousins of Dad Weyer. It was a beautiful, sunny day and interesting to learn some more family history. By the time we got home, an indoor picnic was ready at Mom Weyer's and we ate with Stephen, Carolyn, Judy, John W.ll, Cindi, and Nathan.

Today Mom Weyer and I went together to Sharon Reformed Presbyterian Church Cemetery for Julie Pilling, Elmwood Cemetery in Morning Sun for the Moyers family members (Mom Weyer's grandparents and great grandparents), and Oak Grove Pioneer Cemetery in Trenton (near Mt. Pleasant)for Grandma Matie Weyer's mother and possibly grandmother. I certainly wouldn't have found that place on my own! It was NOT as nice a day as yesterday and Mom and I finished up in the rain. I'll be putting all these photos, and history notes for them, on CD's.
While we were in Morning Sun, Mom pointed out the white two story house where her grandparents had lived after they moved to town from their farm east of Newport. She said it had had lots of purple clematis climbing up the front of the wide porch when she was little and out back there was a wonderful vegetable garden and raspberry bushes. Pearl Moyers sold some of the vegetables and berries he grew. He and Jessie Mae Swan Moyers (Hotel Swan in Mediapolis was run by two of her sisters) rented a room to a teacher and Jessie would always use linen tablecloths and napkins for every meal when she had boarders. At that time a ball park was across the street with a tiny ice cream shop (still standing) on the opposite corner. It was fun to hear a bit about them. John C remembers visiting when he was very young. He remembers the garden, of course. :-)
So, since I'd have to change the blog to do captions I'll tell you which photos I put on because I liked the angle or the stone. Ghoulish, perhaps, but then I'm from Kentucky, where coffin quilts were made in the mid 1800's.
Top two: Grandpa's
Then:
Matie and John Weyer at Old Stone. Their flat stones are in the foreground. A candle lit service of Christmas Carols is held at the church every Dec.--there's no heat or electricity.
Joseph Weyer at 6th Street 1810-1860. You can just make out the flowers by his little stone. We stuck in what might have been eagle feathers we found under the oak. I wonder how old the oak tree is?
John and Elizabeth Weyer's at Sacred Heart, parents of the 16 children--written about in The Hawk Eye. The name Weyer is written across the top of the stone.
A very impressive Moyers stones I liked in Elmwood--parents of Pearl Alfred