Many years ago my mother, Ruth Morris Blimes, and her sister, Marilyn Morris Carter, transcribed the records from the Stout Funeral Home in Nelsonville, Ohio. Several months ago my cousin, Ginny, brought me a box of folders with handwritten notes made by these two devoted ladies. She and asked me if I wanted to do something with these documents. What a gift! The records begin in December of 1906 and continue into the 1950s. Now begins the loving chore of putting all of this information into a format that can be used like an ebook for anyone who might be looking for this family information.
Each year is documented with names, dates of death and burial, age, place of residence, occupations, burial places and in some cases the names of parents or spouses. Some notations have only a few vital statistics, such as names and dates while others even tell how they died (“death by falling slate in mine”). This is an interesting project.
Sharing what I learn about my ancestors inspires me to keep digging for details about the lives of those who lived before. My ties to Nelsonville, Ohio run deep and the stories of those who lived and died there bring life into their bones. One of the first entries I read was for the twin daughters of my great grandfather Frank Tolliver (Hessie & Tessie). Many historians thought that there was only one child, either Hessie or Tessie, but this record proves what my mother had told me about the birth and death of these twin girls. Now I have a verifying death date direct from a primary source. Can’t wait to see what else I will find in these records.
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