November, always a gray month in my mind, lost an hour, but found some rain to contribute to this morning’s gloom. I feel the veil between the physical and ancestral realm is thin at this time, a belief held by ancient celts and modern Mexicans as we honor the families who preceded us in life and death. Personally, I’ve seen this in action: Monday it will be 24 years since my Mom passed over, quietly, unexpectedly, in her sleep. Three (?) days later, her sister followed her, after lying down for a nap. A year later, my legendary Aunt Bernie passed. I honor all of my predecessors with an Ofrenda, but I bring them back throughout the year, too, as I tell their stories.
As I mentioned earlier, my great-grandmother, Christina Kirsch Goodson, for whom I am indirectly named, has been haunting me to visit her family graves. My research easily found the cemeteries of her parents and grandparents, the former in Leavenworth and the latter in Corydon, Indiana. My great-grandfather, Halleck Goodson, was also from the area, but I was a little skeptical that I would find his parents or grandparents.
We got a late start on Monday, but the weather was absolutely perfect. Our first stop was Cedar Hill Cemetery in Corydon, IN to search for the graves of my great- great-great-grandparents, Christian and Elizabeth Rudy.
3x great-grandfather Christian Rudy, was born in Baden-Wurttemberg, Deutschland in 1800. His parents were Johann Christian and Maria Elizabeth. His father died when Christian was eight years old.
Around 1822, 3x great Grandpa Rudy married Susanna Elizabetha Walk and they proceeded to start their family, which grew to include my great-great-grandmother,Caroline Christina, born 1842; I was able to find All of their Baptismal records in Baden, thank-you Lutherans!
In 1849, 49-year-old Christian and Elizabetha, with five of their six children, left Wurttemberg, and traveled to the port city of Havre, France, where they boarded a ship for America, arriving in the Port of New Orleans, Louisiana. The children on the passenger list of the JH Glidden are Susanna, 26; Andreas, 18; Christiane, 16; Caroline, 6 (my 2x great-grandmother); Christian (Leonhard), 4. Christian lists his occupation as Farmer.
From New Orleans, the family set out for Corydon, Harrison County, Indiana, where they settled. One of their daughters, Christiana, married a well-to-do merchant, Leonard Keller, shortly after their arrival. Though the Rudy family moved to nearby Leavenworth several years later, both had moved back to Corydon to live with Christiana before they died, so I knew also keep an eye out for the name Keller.
This is a historic cemetery, beautifully maintained by the city of Corydon, where folks have been buryin’ since 1810.
Sure enough, we were able to find them, their names etched on the back of the Keller obelisk near the front of the park. We’d like to return to use some cleaner on the gravestone, as it is somewhat yellow and turning black, but we’ll have to check the rules.
Next, we went looking for the Everdon-Tower Cemetery where my great-great-grandparents Kirsch are interred. A bit of a ways south of the interstate, we made an abrupt left and drove slowly down this tree-covered road, waiting for the chickens to make their own way to the side.
At the end of the road, you suddenly come into a clearing with some newer graves on the right, but keep going to the turn-around and lo! and behold! an old, well-kept cemetery with my Kirsch grandparents, Nicholas and Rosina? Caroline Kirsch, appears on your left.
Great-great-grandpa Nicholas Kirsch, born in Bodendorf, Rheinland, Prussia, arrived in New York City around 1853, according to his naturalization papers. I’ve had a lot of fun searching passenger lists, but dates and ages are off. I think he was only 16 when he arrived in 1854. Later, he claims to be older, which isn’t too surprising. What I’m sure of is that he somehow made his way to Louisville, Ky and in 1861 he volunteered for the Kentucky 4th Cavalry Regiment where he served as a bugler. I’m super impressed with the role of Buglers..
On November 23, 1864, 2x great grandma and grandpa, Caroline Rudy and Nicholas Kirsch were married in Louisville, Kentucky. While living in Louisville, Caroline gave birth to two sons.
Some time before 1870 2x great-grandparents Nicholas and Caroline Kirsch moved their family to Jennings Township, near Leavenworth, Crawford County, Indiana, where Caroline’s parents, Christian and Elizabeth Rudy, were living.
In the 1880 census, the Kirsches were living in the same place and had expanded to three more sons and two more daughters, including my personal haunt, Christina Caroline, who was born in 1874. Nicholas Kirsch, working as a stonemason, owned the farm where Christina and her siblings grew up.
It is some of the prettiest country you’ll find. The leaf changes were Not at peak, but the sunshine was abundant and the layers of trees covering the rolling hills overlooking the bend of the Ohio River was awesome. (by the way, the other side of that river is Kentucky)
Next up was what had been known as the Old Tower Cemetery, and I was prepared for devastation. It is, as it says, Old, and I expected broken, blackened headstones. I was surprised to find that there are no headstones left at all. There are white plastic dowels stuck in the ground to mark where broken markers were removed, or to make a guess at it. This is an admirable project; I think it’s more respectful to do this than to leave it an unkempt pile of rubble. This is, most likely, where my great-great Grandmother and Grandfather Catherine and Northumberland Goodson were buried.
We added a stroll through an antique store, and munched a good meatloaf plate lunch at The Overlook Restaurant in Leavenworth, to make it an even better daytrip.
My ancestors are already arriving for the Days of the Dead celebrations, but I’m still working on my new LEGO sugar skull decoration (that may take until next year). Dee and I are meeting up for some luncheon and a play at the USI Theatre today, but I’ll pull it all together for All Souls Day.
If you enjoy history and genealogy, you should check out my blog, All My Ancestors.. It needs some (a lot) of editing, but has the bones of my maternal, paternal lines, my husband’s maternal ancestors, and The Sonnystone Saga.
Look out for shades in your neck of the woods (and welcome them!).
Peace
