Tombstone Tuesday - Quaker Burial Ground, London

While recently visiting London, I found the Quaker Gardens, formerly the Quaker Burial Ground.  It is located near Chequer Street in the Borough of Islington, across the street from Bunhill Fields Burial Ground.

According to the brochure for Bunhill Fields Burial Ground published by the City of London:  "This is the Bunhill Fields Meeting House and Quaker Gardens.  The gardens are a small fragment of a Quaker burial ground, which was the first freehold property owned by the Quakers, bought in 1661 and used until 1855 for 12,000 burials."


Bunhill Fields Burial Ground map
inset has Quaker Gardens, Bunhill, and Wesley' Chapel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WWII Wartime Shelter at Cardiff Castle

My last post was my mother's written memories of living in Washington, D.C. during World War II.  I recently visited Cardiff, Wales and toured Cardiff Castle.  The exterior walls of the castle complex have tunnels through them.  During World War II, these tunnels were used as a Wartime Shelter.  The exhibit has benches lining the walls, bunk beds, and a canteen. Posters were also on the exhibit's wall including one that reminded me of my mother's Victory Garden:  Dig for Victory.

 

 

 

 

 

Amanuensis Monday - Childhood Memories of Washington, D.C., 1941-1945

When the American Girl series of books and dolls issued a "Molly" doll who lived during World War II, my mother wrote these memories for my daughters.

1941- Washington, D.C.
     It  was a beautiful warm Sunday afternoon and we went to visit friends.
     When we arrived their family was huddled around the radio and "ssh" they wanted to hear every word -
              "THE JAPANESE HAVE BOMBED PEARL HARBOUR . . . THIS IS A DAY THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMY" (F.D.R. - 12/3/1941)
     So from age 6 to 9 I grew up in the war years.
     Gasoline was rationed - so my father sold our car.  Public transportation was a block away, and we walked a lot.
     We saved tin cans and newspapers "for the war effort".  Today we once again "recycle" them - this time to conserve our natural resources.
     Certain grocery items were also rationed:  sugar, coffee, butter . . . you had to tear coupons from your ration books to be able to buy these items.  About the same time "oleo margarine" came on the market, but not like today.  It was in a cellophane wrapper and there was a little yellow "button" inside.  You squeezed the "button" and released the yellow dye and then kneaded the package until the white "oleo-margarine" was the color of real butter.
     We put up "black out curtains" on our windows and had to draw them tight when the sirens announced an air raid drill.  The civil defense wardens would walk the streets to make sure no light escaped that could show where the houses and the city were in case of an enemy air attack.
     At school we took our small change and bought savings stamps which we glued into a book.  When the book was full we could get a War Bond.  Today they are called Savings Bonds (EE) or I Bonds.  I had a piggy bank, yellow with a mustache to look like Hitler - the German leader - that I saved my pennies in.  Each time I got a bond  my father scratched the bonds number into the soft plaster.
     An old school on the next corner was turned into a U.S.O. and traveling service men could sleep there over night.
     Women joined the Red Cross and rolled bandages for the war effort or knit socks from O.D. (olive drab) yarn.
     Men had to register for the draft.  Your Great Grandfather - Albert L. Dillon - registered, but because he was in his 30's, married and with a child, was never called. (He would have loved to have been in the Army Air Corp - he had been an Air Cadet in his 20s).
     Plans were made that I was to be sent to my grandmother's in Indiana if the war came to our  country.  We watched newsreels of children by the thousands being loaded on trains - each wearing tags with their identification, like shipping tags - being shipped to the country from large European cities which were being bombed almost nightly by the enemy.
     And then one day while I was swimming my mother called me out of the hotel pool.  Once dressed and outside the streets were crowded with happy people - laughing, blowing horns, dancing in the street.  We walked down to Lafayette Park across from the White House and joined a snake dance and then down Constitution Avenue.  Stores had set up tables outside their doors and were selling horns and noise-makers.  I bought a horn and blew it all the way home.  My mother said I could stay up until midnight!  I sat outside our apartment building blowing my horn until I woke up a baby and his mother complained.
              THE WAR WAS OVER IN EUROPE!! (V-E Day)
                                                                                   5-10-00 aj

Anna Lois tending her "War Garden"
Washington, D.C., 1944

Sunday's Obituary - John W. Rodenberg, John W. Rodenberger

A Sudden Death

Yesterday John Rodenberg, who lives at No. 930 north F street, and who has for a long time been an invalid, had two attacks of vertigo, one of them was so severe that he fell with it. Last evening he repaired to his room. About 2 o'clock his granddaughter, Cora Baker, on going up stairs to retire, looked into his room and saw that his chin was resting on the bed and his feet and body on the floor. She approached him and found that he was dead. A newspaper was lying on the chair and he had his spectacles on, showing that he had been reading. He probably arose from his chair and started to the bed and fell before reaching it. Coroner Zimmerman was summoned and found that he had died from a stroke of apoplexy. He would have been seventy-three years old if he had lived till next New Year's day. His wife, who was in Chicago on a visit at the time, has been telegraphed for, and also other relatives who live at a distance. The time for the funeral will be arranged as soon as they arrive
[Evening Item. Fri. Nov. 1, 1889, p1 c3]

The funeral of John W. Rodenberg Monday was largely attended.
[Richmond Sunday Register. Sun. Morning, Nov. 10, 1889, p8 c2]

Both newspapers are from Richmond, Wayne Co., Indiana.  Copies received from Morrison-Reeves Public Library, Richmond, Indiana.

John W. Rodenberger, son of Johannes [John] and Elizabeth Rodenberger, was born January 1, 1818 in Ohio, possibly Montgomery Co.  His first wife was Anna Maria Plankenhorn. They had at least four children.  She died in 1847.  John married Maria Long on April 23, 1848.  They had seven children.  John and his second wife are buried at Earlham Cemetery in Richmond, Wayne Co., Indiana. 

John and his brother George shortened their name from Rodenberger to Rodenberg.

Other Rodenberger Relatives in Philomath Cemetery

My previous post was about Elizabeth Rodenberger's grave at Philomath Cemetery in Union Co., Indiana.  Other family members are buried there as well.

Rachel Reasar.  October 9, 1813 - July 28, 1893.
     Rachel was the third child of Johannes "John" and Elizabeth Rodenberger.  She was born in Upper Milford Twp., Northampton Co, Pennsylvania.  She was baptized at Upper Milford Reformed Congregation on November 25, 1813 with Peter and Christine Hertzell as her sponsors .

Daniel Reasar.  Died September 20, 1857.  Aged 45 years, 4 months, 2 days.
     Rachel Rodenberger and Daniel were married February 25, 1834 in Wayne Co., Indiana

Elizabeth Reasar.  Daughter of D. and R. Reasar.  Died September 12, 1857.  Aged 18y, 8 m, 9d.
     Father and daughter died 8 days apart.

Ann M. Rodenberger, wife of John R. Rodenberger. Died February 19, 1847.  Aged 26y, 3m, 15d.
     Anna Maria Plankenhorn was the first wife of Johannes and Elizabeth's son John W. Rodenberger.  John, at some later date, shortened his surname to Rodenberg.  Both of Ann Maria's parents and possibly a brother are also buried at Philomath Cemetery.

Martin D. Rodenberger, son of John and Maria Rodenberger.  Died March 28, 1849.  Age 2 years.
     It is likely that his mother died at or near his birth.

Alvin Rodenberger, son of John W. and Maria Rodenberger. Died June 21, 1857. Aged 1yr, 21 days.
     Son of John W. and his second wife, Mariah Long Rodenberger.

Sarah Stanfer. Wife of Henry Stanfer.  Died September 12, 1853. Aged 20 yrs, 7 mo, 16dys.
     Sarah was the daughter of Johannes and Elizabeth Rodenberger.  Possibly child #10.  I believe her last name was actually Staufer based on Henry Staufer's 1907 obituary:
                  "In the year of 1850 he was married to Sarah Rodenbargar, and to them were born two       children, Helena McCashland, who lives near Abington, and the other dying in infancy at the time of its mother."

Phebe J. Rodenberger. Daughter of George and C. Rodenberger.  Died May 1, 1862.  Aged 11years 10months 3days.        George was the son born after John W. Rodenberger.  Both young men married Plankenhorn sisters.   Phebe was one of 13 children and the only one not to reach adulthood.

Cemeteries of Union Co, Indiana, 1934.

Elizabeth Rodenberger - Found at Last!

On my trip yesterday to the DAR Library in Washington, DC, I discovered the burial location for my 5th great-grandmother!  From the Cemeteries of Union County, Indiana book, Elizabeth Rodenberger, wife of John Rodenberger, died on September 30, 1842 at the age of 51 years, 11 months, 30 days.  She is buried in  Philomath Cemetery in Brownsville Twp, Union Co., Indiana.

Elizabeth's calculated birthdate would be October 1, 1790.  Her first child, Samuel Rodenberger, my 4th great-grandfather, was born to her at age 18 (thanks, Ray for the calculations). 

Elizabeth and John (Johannes) had at least 10 children:  Samuel, Leah, Rachel, Elizabeth, John W, George, Jacob, Paul, Peter, and Sarah.  Samuel, Leah, and Rachel were born and baptized in Upper Milford Twp, Northampton Co, Pennsylvania.  After Elizabeth's Pennsylvania birth, the family arrived in Ohio before 1818.  John Rodeberger was enumerated in the 1820 Federal Census of Montgomery Co, Ohio. In 1832, John purchased land in Wayne Co, Indiana, an adjoining county to Union Co.

Elizabeth is still a mystery since I don't know her maiden name or who her parents were.

A side note on the value of cemetery surveys.  The book mentioned above that contained this vital information was compiled in 1934 [Lacks title page, title information from 4th leaf - from the DAR Library catalog].  Based on the photo of the cemetery on the Find A Grave website, I'm fairly certain that these gravestones would be unreadable today.

This cemetery is located off of C. Rodenburg Rd. on the south end of Philomath. The condition is severely neglected. At one time, there used to be a church close by the cemetery but all that is left is the foundation.

Added by: R James
5/28/2011

This cemetery is located off of C. Rodenburg Rd. on the south end of Philomath. The condition is severely neglected. At one time, there used to be a church close by the cemetery but all that is left is the foundation.