It's Time to Play ... Tombstone Mysteries

The bottom of this tombstone says:

Text Luke C. 10. V. 42.

I've sent several people queries about this tombstone. I couldn't quite tell what it meant.


Initially, I  thought it said:  Luke 6. 10. V. 42.  After I wrote the first draft of this posting (having looked at the picture at least 100 times), I finally saw the "6" as a "C."  Clearly Chapter and Verse (duh!).  I was so convinced it was a 6 that I couldn't come up with any other option.

It's still rather odd - I expect the person ordering the tombstone wanted the actual text from Luke on the tombstone or just
Luke C. 10. V. 42., not the word text engraved on the tombstone. I could be wrong, but it seems funny!

From the New International Version of The Bible  -
Luke 10:42  ... but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” 

This seems an odd selection for a tombstone.  For some time, I've considered the possibility that I misread the numbers. Could it be 10:12? What about 20:12 or 20:42?

I searched for other possibilities and described them in my second draft of this blog.  Then it hit me -- the woman buried here is Mary.  Now it makes sense.  Here's the verse in context.  Rest in Peace, Mary.

Luke 10:38-42
At the Home of Martha and Mary

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

The tombstone is in Bunker Hill Cemetery, Weissport, Carbon County, Pennsylvania.

Memory of

Mary

Wife of 

Josiah Ruch

Born Feb. 9, 1833

Died Aug. 21, 1892

Age 59 Yrs,  6 Mos. & 12 Days

 Till next time, keep the blue side up ... Lynn
P.S.  I'm not related to Mary or Josiah! 

The G.A.R. Bible - It's a "goodie!"

I was going through old books and came across a Bible that belongs to my husband.   I've seen this Bible before but it was several years ago before I had done much research on my husband's Pennsylvania Civil War ancestors and relatives.
 
The inscription in the Bible says:

Presented to J. D. Bartolett

Post No. 484 G.A.R.

by Comrade John McKelvey

January 1887.

I found that only the Death page is filled out.  The names are all men and no two have the same surname. Clearly, these are members of The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Post 484 who died between 1886 and 1893.

J.D. Bartolett. J.D. Bartolett is not one of my husband's ancestors.  I know, I researched his family tree. Between the Old and New Testaments are pages allotted for Births, Marriages, and Deaths.  I googled "J.D. Bartolett" and learned this is probably John D. Bertolette.  On findagrave.com, I found Joe Nihen's memorial for him.  Joe and I go back several years.  We're on-line genealogy pals, thanks to findagrave.com and Joe's careful documentation of  the graves of Carbon County  Civil War veterans.  According to Joe, Lieutenant Colonel J. D. Bertolette died in 1881 and is buried in Lehighton Cemetery.  

John McKelvy.  Not surprisingly, Joe also created a memorial for John McKelvy.  John served as a private with the 38th Pennsylvania Militia Infantry and is also buried in Lehighton Cemetery.

Daniel Kresge.  Next I studied the list of names.  The only one I recognized is the first name on the list.  Daniel Kresge, died 1886.  My husband's great-great uncle, Francis Rhoads (also - Roth) married Emma Kresge in 1899.  Her father was Daniel Kresge.   

The Men.  I sent photos of the bible and a transcription of the names and dates of death to Joe Nihen.  If possible, he was even more excited by this find than I was.  He used the dates to update his information and begin new research.  He said most of the men are buried in Lehighton or Weissport, Carbon County, PA. He said he found veterans buried in Carbon County that he didn't know about.

I'm not sure how this Bible ended up with my husband's family.  Emma's husband, Francis Rhoads died between 1910 and 1920.  Perhaps she lived with her in-laws for a time and the Bible remained in their home.

Final Resting Place for the Bible.  I'm currently looking for a home for the bible.  Options include the Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, PA, the Lehigh County Historical Society (which has an excellent library with a regional focus, the Carbon County Library in Jim Thorpe, or possibly the descendents of Daniel Kresge.  I'll take my time researching the best option; meanwhile I'll share digitally with as many people as possible.

As Joe Nihen said, "It's a goodie."  Below is a list of all names in the G.A.R. Post 484 Bible.

Till next time, keep the blue side up ... Lynn 

Daniel Kresge

June 8th 1886

Joseph Trumbower

Nov 28th 1886

Aaron Weidaw

January 9th 1887

Peter Suartwood

October 3rd 1887

Samuel L. Meckes

June 7th 1888

John W. Gilham

September 30th 1888

Albert Schoepe

February 4th 1889

Henry H. Kramer

August 4th 1889

J. R. Dimmick

October 27th 1889

John Brindle

January 15th 1890

J. H. Kline

February 22d 1890

Valentine Newmoyer

June 22d 1890

Charles Langkamerer

August 9th 1891

Kilian Hofeker

May 14th 1892

Frederick P. Sutter

July 28th 1892

Alvin J. Hofford

August 2d 1892

Henry Grow

January 7th 1893

Joseph F. Rex

April 1st 1893