Cemetery Plots Make a Nice Christmas Gift

One of the more amusing (at least to me) incidents in my family history research was the story related to me by mother regarding an interesting Christmas gift that her parents received from my great-grandparents.

Apparently one year for Christmas my great-grandparents, Virgil and Edna Wright, gave all of their children cemetery plots for a Christmas gift. Now this may not have seemed like a great gift at the time, but everyone will eventually die - and planning ahead makes good sense. Today my grandfather and grandmother are buried right next to my great-grandparents because of this gift.

In light of the family dynamic, the gift makes sense - afterall, the 80 acres that the family farm sat one were divided into thirds, with one great-aunt on the east and the other on the west. When the house passed down into my immediate family, I grew up having great-aunts on both sides. A very tight knit family, indeed.

Pre-planning for one's funeral is a good idea, and I'll admit that I wouldn't mind if I received a cemetery plot as a Christmas gift. Although, I think I would prefer to be buried at Park Cemetery closer to cousin James Dean. For some reason, I've always enjoyed that look and feel of that cemetery.

We're just a few days away from Christmas and there are many gifts to be received. No matter what I receive, I'm sure that it won't top my great-grandparents for the most unusual gift.

Today in my database : John Field (b. December 8, 1673)

Today's featured relative in my database is my maternal 8th-great grandfather, John Field.

John was born December 8, 1673 in Deerfield, Hampshire Co., MA, the son of Zechariah and Sarah (Webb) Field. John married Mary Bennett, daughter of James and Mary (Broughton) Bennett. Mary was born December 10, 1675 in Northampton, Hampshire Co., MA. I do not have her date of death. John died February 17, 1717/18 in Coventry, Windham Co., CT.

Known children of John and Mary (Bennett) Field are as follows :
i. Mary Field b. 1697 Deerfield, MA.
ii. John Field b. October 4, 1700 Deerfield, MA., m. Amy ________
iii. Sarah Field b. April 14, 1703 Deerfield, MA., d. February 29, 1704 Deerfield, MA.
iv. Pedajah Field b. January 28, 1706/07 Deerfield, MA.
v. Bennett Field b. December 13, 1709 Deerfield, MA., d. April 6, 1770 Manfield, CT., m. Elizabeth Spofford.
vi. Sarah Field b. July 20, 1712

I descend from John and Mary (Bennett) Field through their son, Bennett, as follows :
John Field and Mary Bennett
Bennett Field and Elizabeth Spofford
Bethiah Field and Seth Pierce
Gordon Pierce and Thirsa Smalley
Francis S. Pierce and Rebecca Page
Edmund G. Pierce and Catherine Groenendyke
William Franics Pierce and Clara Pennisten
Edna Muriel Pierce and Virgil Lee Wright (my great-grandparents)

Pearl Harbor : Great-Uncle John High

Pearl Harbor, the "day that will live in infamy", touched my immediate family in a number of ways. Not only did my grandfather and several great-uncles enlist to fight the Japanese - but my great-uncle John High was on board the U.S.S. Oklahoma on that fateful day.

I didn't get much opportunity to ever really talk to him about his experiences, but I do know that I'm thankful to God that he survived the attack.