FOLK GRAVE MARKER SURVEY: St. James Update
Stephanie and I have had the opportunity to go through the St. James church cemetery records in Woodbridge. We had hoped to use them to identify who was buried under those folk grave markers we had surveyed that either had no inscription or were illegible. Unfortunately, the scheme of recording had changed enough times over the years under various administrators that this was virtually impossible.
Nevertheless, we were able to compare our field data with the records to show variations in the spelling of names, correct and add information that had been unclear or missing on the markers, etc.
To give some idea of what we’ve been up against, out of 253 folk markers, we only have enough information (names and dates of death) for 69 to seek death certificates! Amateur genealogist, Elizabeth O’Donnel has been hired to travel to the NJ State Archives in Trenton to search for and make copies of death certificates. She was only able to find certificates for about half of those we had enough information for.
We have a very small data sample despite the large number of markers. Our plan now is to create a presentation which we can give to the congregation at St. James about our project and what we’ve found. We hope that members who have information will come forward.
One striking feature of the St. James records was how they reflected the 1918 influenza pandemic. Around the end of August of 1918, what had been nice, neat, double-spaced entries became obviously hurried and crammed together. We had heard stories of people finding unidentified bodies at the sides of the road, but actually seeing entries reading “Hungarian Man” or “Polish Baby” really drove the reality of that home.
It has been suspected that there may very well have been mass-graves since the number of bodies coming in would have easily swamped the limited staff of grave-diggers. There is evidence that just such an expedient was used in neighboring Perth Amboys.
Obviously, one immediate question is how they knew to identify the individuals as being Hungarian or Polish or Italian? This is an area that could use more exploration!
Gordon
Nevertheless, we were able to compare our field data with the records to show variations in the spelling of names, correct and add information that had been unclear or missing on the markers, etc.
To give some idea of what we’ve been up against, out of 253 folk markers, we only have enough information (names and dates of death) for 69 to seek death certificates! Amateur genealogist, Elizabeth O’Donnel has been hired to travel to the NJ State Archives in Trenton to search for and make copies of death certificates. She was only able to find certificates for about half of those we had enough information for.
We have a very small data sample despite the large number of markers. Our plan now is to create a presentation which we can give to the congregation at St. James about our project and what we’ve found. We hope that members who have information will come forward.
One striking feature of the St. James records was how they reflected the 1918 influenza pandemic. Around the end of August of 1918, what had been nice, neat, double-spaced entries became obviously hurried and crammed together. We had heard stories of people finding unidentified bodies at the sides of the road, but actually seeing entries reading “Hungarian Man” or “Polish Baby” really drove the reality of that home.
It has been suspected that there may very well have been mass-graves since the number of bodies coming in would have easily swamped the limited staff of grave-diggers. There is evidence that just such an expedient was used in neighboring Perth Amboys.
Obviously, one immediate question is how they knew to identify the individuals as being Hungarian or Polish or Italian? This is an area that could use more exploration!
Gordon
posted by Gordon Bond | 9:27 AM
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