Genealogical Gems

Normally we (Ukrainian Orthodox) bless the graves of our departed on St Thomas Sunday, which is the Sunday after Pascha (Easter). This year St Thomas Sunday was 8 May, which was also Mother's Day. Between that and all the rain lately, my parish postponed the Blessing of the Graves until this coming Sunday. Our priest, along with several parishioners, will visit the individual graves of our departed family members. We pray at each one. We chant at each one. He blesses each one with holy water. Everyone gets his or her own personal blessing. It is a beautiful day. Look for my reflections on this moving service next week! Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers. © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2016

George David Still is my 3 rd great grandfather. He is the elder son of Margaret Still. I have yet to determine who fathered him. He is buried at the Doe Run Presbyterian Cemetery in East Fallowfield Township , Chester County . His stone reads: Our Father George D Still Born May 3 rd 1808 Died Nov 8 th 1888 Finding George’s father remains on my To Do List. His mother, Margaret Still, is the daughter of Charles Still and Margaret Rhoades. George and his brother David were both born out of wedlock. George’s granddaughter – my Aunt Helen – was awesome in helping me when I first got interested in tracing our family. She did not know who her great grandfather was though. She always thought perhaps it was a passing soldier or something even more questionable. I have to admit I tried so hard to find out who fathered George before my aunt passed but sadly I did not make that connection. I still have not though I am closer! Hence, he remains on my To Do List and...

George Downing Still is a grandson of my 3 rd great grandfather, George David Still, and the great grandson of my 4 th great grandmother, Margaret Still. He and his wife Ida are buried at the Hephzibah Baptist Church Cemetery in East Fallowfield Township , Chester County . George & Ida Still Buried at Hephzibah Baptist Cemetery Their stone reads: Still Ida C. Still                   1872-1937 George D. Still             1875-1922 George was born 8 April 1875 to Robert and Albina Williams Still. His brother Alban Williams Still was born when George was four. (Side note – this makes me curious as to where the middle name Downing came from since Robert’s father is George David). George married Ida C. Groce in 1898. They had two children: Robert W. and Isabel May. Both the 1880 and the 1900 Census show George was a farm...

My grandfather – Joseph Ruczhak – would have been 98 years old today, 5 January. He and Baba (my grandmother / his wife Anna) are buried at the Holy Ghost Ukrainian Cemetery in Valley Township , Chester County . Their stone reads: Ruczhak Joseph              1918-1997 Anna                1917-2000 Gigi, as we called him, was one of 10 children! He was the second son of Panko Hruszczak and Bessie Matys. Of the 10, one sibling is still with us. He was born, raised, raised a family, and died in Coatesville. Vichnaya Pamyat! Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers. © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2016

My daughter, Anna, and I visited several cemeteries on Sunday after Liturgy. One was the Jewish Cemetery – Beth Israel. She pointed out the stones laid reverently atop the tombstone and said this was done instead of leaving flowers. I had no clue. Stones left on a grave may at first seem odd to those of us not raised or schooled in the Jewish Tradition. However, no surprise, the tradition dates back to the Old Testament when altars were made … you guessed it … of stones! In the days of the Old Testament, before the tombstones we are familiar with today, people marked graves by a mound of stones. It also reminds us that it was upon a stone that Abraham offers his son Issac up to the Lord. (Genesis 22: 1-19).   Christ Himself was laid in a tomb in which a stone was rolled in front of the entryway. (Matthew 27:59-60). “Stones are fitting symbols of the lasting presence of the deceased’s life and memory,” according to Shiva.com. Another site, MyJewishLearning.com, offers se...

Nicholas Ruczhak – my paternal grandfather’s brother – and his wife Anna are buried at the S. Nicholas Russian Cemetery in Valley Township , Chester County . Their stone reads: Ruczhak Nicholas           Mar. 9, 1921     Mar. 4, 2008 Anna                Oct. 22, 1922   May 26, 2014 I was fortunate enough to know Uncle Nick and Aunt Ann. Uncle Nick was born 9 March 1921 in Coatesville to Panko & Bessie Matys Hruszczak. He fought in World War II, serving as a Corporal in the Army. He served in the South Pacific in the Philippine Liberation with one Bronze Star, according to his obituary. After the War, he came home and married Aunt Ann – then Anna Petro – in 1948. They had three children, all girls. Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers. © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Panko and Bessie Hruszczak, my great grandparents, are buried at the Holy Ghost Ukrainian Cemetery in Valley Township , Chester County . Their stone reads: Hruszczak Panko    1893 - 1968 Bessie    1895 - 1972 Both my great grandparents came over as teenagers, settling in Coatesville. Panko’s Uncle Onifer Romanko – his mother’s brother – was already in Coatesville, also attended Holy Ghost and is buried up our cemetery too. Bessie followed her brother Frank here. After Bessie and Panko married, Frank and his wife and children moved to New Jersey . One of my goals for 2016 is to concentrate on my immigrants and my ancestral homelands. Panko, on his naturalization paperwork, stated he was from Prusy, Sambor , Galicia . Bessie’s (maiden name was Matys) homeland was Fraga, Rohatya , Galicia . Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers. © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Chrispin P VanHorn, my 3x great grandfather, is buried at the Doe Run Presbyterian Cemetery in East Fallowfield Township , Chester County . His stone reads: Crispin P. Van Horn Born Sept. 2, 1839 Died Feb. 9, 1902 Chrispin Pierson VanHorn was born 2 September 1839 in Philadelphia to George Washington VanHorn and Jane Dudbridge. He was one of six children. Two of his brothers – Asher and George – died in infancy. His other brother, Benjamin, and his two sisters – Joanna and Martha – lived into adulthood, married and had families of their own. In 1861, Chrispin married Maria Rice, according to the 1900 Census. However the US Civil War Draft Registration Book, dated 1863, lists Chrispin as unmarried. Since he registered with his brother Benjamin, who was still single at that time, I think the registrar mistakenly listed him as single. Chrispin and Maria had six children. My 2x great grandmother, Sarah Jennie VanHorn, was born in 1864. Her bro...

Mabel Florence Eckman, my husband’s grandmother, passed away On This Day in 1975. She is buried at the Greenmount Cemetery in Philadelphia . She is buried with her husband, John Charles Eckman. Their stone reads: Eckman John C. 1885 – 1950 Mabel F. 1888 - 1975 Mabel was born 23 July 1888 in New Providence, Lancaster County to Aldus and Emma Miller Eckman. Before meeting John Eckman (very distant cousins), she was married to John Anderson. She married him in 1909. I am told – though I have no documentation to prove or disprove – that it was an abusive relationship. That first marriage ended in divorce on 23 June 1923. She married John Charles Eckman, a Lancaster City native, on 7 January 1924. He preceded her in death. Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers. © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Robert and Mary Still are buried at the Hephzibah Baptist Church Cemetery in East Fallowfield Township , Chester County .   Their stone reads: STILL Robert W. 1902 – 1978 Mary A. 1907 - 1985   I believe this Robert is a distant cousin on my mother’s side. He is the son of George Downing Still and Ida C Groce, both of whom are also buried at Hephzibah Baptist Church .     Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.   © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Christopher Charles Castaldi is buried at the Hephzibah Baptist Church Cemetery in East Fallowfield Township , Chester County . My girls stumbled – literally – upon him the night we went up to “visit” my 4x great grandmother, Margaret Still who is also buried there. His stone reads: Christopher Charles Castaldi November 25, 1996 We’ll see you someday in heaven And hold you in our arms Until then you remain a memory A baby forever ours.   Had he lived, little Christopher would have been 19 tomorrow.      Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.   © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Catherine Kurenda Yuzwiak is my Baba’s sister. She is buried with her husband, John Yuzwiak, at the Holy Ghost Ukrainian Cemetery in Valley Township , just outside Coatesville in Chester County . She passed 37 years ago yesterday so I thought it fitting to feature her today on Tombstone Tuesday.   Catherine was born on 1 January 1912 to John and Frances Skrabalak Kurenda. She married John Yuzwiak (1904 – 1984) on 29 June 1929 at Holy Ghost Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (as it was then called). They had two sons: John and Stephen. She died on 16 November 1978.   Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.   © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

S. Guy and Edna M. Miller are buried together at the Octorara Presbyterian Cemetery along Valley Road (Route 372) between Quarryville and Christiana, in Southern Lancaster County.    Samuel Guy was born in 24 April 1879 to Samuel P. and Eliza Ann Miller. He died in November 1970. Edna lived from 1882 to 1961.   They had several children: Laura D., Frank Robert, James T., E. Catherine, Adda P., and Margaret.     Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.   © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Samuel P. and Eliza Ann Miller are buried together at the Octorara Presbyterian Cemetery along Valley Road (Route 372) between Quarryville and Christiana, in Southern Lancaster County. Samuel lived from 1848 to 1906. Eliza lived from 1852 to 1935.     The 1900 US Federal Census notes the couple had four children: Clinton, S. Guy, Charles, and Daisey. They lived on a farm in Sadsbury Township , Lancaster County at that time. The stone in the background (in the photo above) is that of S. Guy and his wife.   Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.   © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

Thomas F. McClure, son of David and Jane McClure died on 30 January 1893. He is buried at the Octorara Presbyterian Cemetery along Valley Road (Route 372) between Quarryville and Christiana, in Southern Lancaster County.   Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.   © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

William and Elizabeth Kunkle are buried together in the old German Reformed Church Cemetery on Sawmill Road in Strasburg Township . The cemetery which is full of Eckmans and of course these Kunkles, is situated on what is now private property. However it is along the roadside and the family there maintains it for the most part. My girls and I stopped by recently and took this photo then.   Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers.   © Jeanne Ruczhak-Eckman, 2015

In cleaning recently I came across a photo I took years ago. The photo was taken 23 years ago. It is that of my 2 nd great grandmother Martha Durkin O’Flaherty, her son Hugh, his wife Katherine, and great granddaughter Agnes.    I had this photo, like I said, for years and – until I pulled it out today for Tombstone Tuesday – did not realize exactly what I had. Awhile back my cousin asked me to find some information about her sister Agnes. Agnes only lived a few hours so I had never heard of her before then … or so I had thought. Here, I’ve had a photo of Agnes’ tombstone all these years.    On the tombstone, I notice that Katherine is spelled without the E on the end. I am not sure what the stain is in the photo. I have a feeling it was water poured onto to read it better (I was still pretty new to tombstone photos then). It did make the writing clear just not pretty.   They are buried together in Phoenixville, Chester County. I do not recall i...

W. Henry Williamson and Lt. Samuel Williamson, Civil War soldiers, are buried together in the Cheyney Burial Grounds. The cemetery is located in Thornbury Township , Chester County . The Cheyney land, including the university that now stands there, crosses both Delaware and Chester Counties .   William Henry enlisted in the Co. D 124 th Regt. Pennsylvania Infantry. He was, according to his stone, just 19 when he died at the Stafford Court House in Virginia on 3 February 1863. He was also known as William Henry and William Harry, according to the National Park Service (NPS), which lists his rank as musician.   Samuel was a lieutenant with Co. D 5 th Pennsylvania Calvary (65 th Volunteers). He was, according to his stone, just 20 when he was killed on 7 February 1863 in an engagement in Williamsburg , Virginia .   Samuel enlisted as a Sergeant on 30 July 1861. He was promoted up to Full 2 nd Lieutenant on 26 January 1862 and to Full 1 st Lieutenant o...

William Aldus Eckman (1871-1950) is buried at the New Providence Mennonite Cemetery in New Providence, Lancaster County . He is buried with his wife, Annie E. Stively (1869-1911) and their infant son Horace W. Eckman (1907-1908).   William was born on 20 April 1871, the son of Aldus John Eckman and his first wife Amelia Kunkle. He died in September 1950.   I know little of Anna Elizabeth. Horace Whitman Eckman was born on 23 March 1907 and sadly died the following year.   William and Anna had five children: Elizabeth A.; Horace Whitman; John Frederick; Martha; and William Edward.   I have looked for William for some time. His father, Aldus, is my husband's great grandfather. William had one brother (in addition obviously to the step siblings from Aldus' second marriage) Ulysses, who is buried over at Zion UCC also in New Providence, with their mother Amelia Kunkle Eckman.   Tombstone Tuesday is a genealogical prompt of GeneaBloggers. ...

Thomas Cheyney lies in rest at the Cheyney Cemetery near Cheyney University in Chester County . He is one of those men locals learned about in school – until the schools stopped actually teaching US history.    Born about 1732, he fought in the Revolutionary War. He provided information about the location of the British troops directly to General George Washington which aided Washington and his men to evade the British.  It is widely accepted that his persistence to speak with Washington saved not only Washington and his men but was a vital point in the fight for our freedom. He married twice. First he married Mary Taylor. She passed in 1766 and three years later he wed the widow Mary Bennett Vernon. He had, according to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, eight children! The children were: Ann, Lucy, Richard, Mary, John, Alice , Elizabeth, and William. The account did not specify who mothered whom.    He died on 12 January 1811. His land is...