Good day and welcome to the maiden voyage of OCAC (Old Cemeteries and Churches). Cemetery comes first because there are more old cemeteries than churches. Churches burn and gravestones don’t, usually. I have been fascinated by tombstones since the early 70’s. They tell more than dates of birth and death about a person. They can be be a source of eternal advertising, pardon the pun. On my parent’s stone in the Sarasota National Cemetery, where Sandy and I will be, later than sooner, hopefully, Their tombstone says “Great is Thy Faithfulness, on Dad’s side and “Romans 8:28”, on Mom’s side, in addition to name, WW II and rank.
As mentioned above, my interest goes back to the 70’s, when after Vietnam, I worked in Baltimore selling insurance for Connecticut Mutual. My job entailed dealing with independent agents, one of which was in Cambridge, MD. On SR 50 on the Del Marva Peninsula, where it turns south, and to the east, I saw a burned out church. On my return, I stopped. Beside the old church was a flat grave slab and on it described a story of a Revolutionary Veteran, who survived the war only to be hit in the shoulder by the wadding of a cannon, fired on the 4th of July celebration, 1782. The shoulder became infected and he died weeks later. Irony upon irony. Survived the war, died from celebrating it. In the 80’s, we visited Boston and while running the Freedom Trail, I encountered several Pre Revolution Cemeteries, No camera, but we will go back. My interest in this blog will also give us a reason to travel to other locals and explore OCAC.
We will also explore Black and Underwater Gravesites . My son, Jason on the Sherriff’s Dive Team, may assist with the aid of a watertight camera and Scuba equipment.
Until next time, Our Lord’s Blessings and stay upright!
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