Memorial Day cemeteries, Part 2

Last night we finished up the South Run after I got home from work. 

The first stop was the Anna City Cemetery, in Anna, IL.  This is in Union County. 



Anna City Cemetery, Anna IL

Buried here are members of the Ussery family, which are a branch of the Rosan line.  The Ussery's began in North Carolina (that's as far as I have been able to take them, so far), then made the trek through Tennessee (stayed there for a while), then moved on up through Kentucky and into Southern Illinois.  They settled in the Johnson and Union County area, sometime between 1826 and 1847.

We begin with Sylvester and Mary "Polly" (Barnett) Ussery.  They are my 4th-great grandparents.  The first time we found this gravestone, I literally hugged it.  Yes...I did.  Somewhere there is a picture of me doing just that...but I am not sure where it is at this point in time.  You see, the Ussery's are somewhat of a mystery.  Or at least they were.  Since finding the main stone, I've been able to piece other things together.  Someday, I'd like to find out who Sylvester's parents were.  Did they make the trek to Tennessee, too?  Did they stay in North Carolina?  Were they even still living when Sylvester began the journey West?  So many questions!

You see a notecard on the stone below.  This is the third time this has happened to me at cemeteries.  Finding notes attached to stones, asking who decorates the graves and stating they are also related to the deceased.  This time it's someone related to the Ussery's, and he lives in St. Louis. 

Sylvester Ussery, 1793-1870
Mary Barnett Ussery, 1805-1887

Just down the gravel road from them, is the small plot of land designated as the Civil War plot.  In it, you will find two Ussery's... JT and WR.  Two more of my Civil War boys.  JT and WR were sons of Sylvester and Mary, making them my 4th-great Uncles.  JT lived until 1907, and I do not have a death year for WR at this time.



J.T. Ussery, 1844-1907



W.R. Ussery, 1847-unknown



Civil War area, Anna City Cemetery, Anna IL
**You can see our two Ussery stones with the red/white/blue flowers**

 Then not too far on the other side of Sylvester and Mary, is another son of theirs.  Martin Ussery.  He did not fight in the war.  And this year I am experimenting with something new.  Since flowers are so costly, I have decided to start a new tradition for some of the more distant relatives...saving the flowers for mostly the direct ancestors (and my Civil War boys, of course :) ).  I have seen this done in movies and on television, so I researched it a little.  By that, I mean I googled it.  ha ha.  Leaving a small rock on the gravestone.  Some people said it's an old Jewish tradition...some said it's a Scottish tradition, etc.  Basically, it's just a tradition.  So now it's going to also be mine.  I did this on a few people the other day, but here is Martin's stone...with my little stone.

Martin Ussery, 1838-1916

Upon leaving Anna, we drive north to Carbondale, to the Oakland Cemetery.  Mom's cousin Deb is buried there.  She and my Uncle Art were very close in age (born within the same year as each other), so they grew up together and were very close.  Mom said something yesterday, that I didn't remember hearing.  She said that Deb made the comment when Art died, that she was really mad at him...because they were supposed to grow old together.



Oakland Cemetery, Carbondale IL




Deb (Rosan) Wiggins, 1933-2007



Deb Rosan




Belle (Lively) Rosan, Deb Rosan, Arthur Carlisle, John Rosan




Deb Rosan, Belle (Lively) Rosan, Arthur Carlisle and John Carlisle (on lap)

In the above pictures, Belle and John Rosan were the grandparents of Deb, Art and John. 

Carbondale is the end of the road for the South run.  This weekend will be the North Run...all on Saturday, provided all goes well.  The North Run takes us to the rest of the Rosan line, which branches off to the Lively, Burton and Mathis families, as well as one Trill.

Until next time...  :)