Tombstone Inscriptions Reveal if Your Ancestors were Quakers

So, you have visited the gravesites of some of your ancestors, and luckily for them (and you!), original and readable gravestones mark their final resting places.  

However, while paying your respects, you note something different about how the death date was inscribed -- an oddity you know you haven't seen on other gravestones.  You realize you do not see the name of the month; but rather the number of the month after the word"DIED".  For example,  you see"8th Month".  What does this mean?   

(Gravestone photos below from the Friends (Quaker) Cemetery

in North Lewisburg, Champaign County, Ohio). 

To help explain the reasons for the preference to use the number of the month rather than its name, we can turn to a well-written article in the "Quaker Calendar". 

We also need to consider the result of a larger element that over time has changed the world's dating system.  

For gaining a better understanding of these date changes, I have utilized a helpful resource provided at the website: 

"Search For Ancestors" and their page:

 "The Change from the Julian to the Gregorian Calendar."

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Finally, I access the "Ancestor Birthday Search Calendar" to determine the date of birth; actually a calculated birth date, and I denote it as such.  

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Thus, we can make this our first step on our longer journey to learn more about the lives of our Quaker ancestors!

Spotlighting American Revolutionary War Veteran Lieut. Samuel Eldred, and his son Moses Eldred, buried at the Ridgeville Cemetery in North Ridgeville, Lorain County, Ohio

Thanking Frank Schmidt for sharing his biographical information about Lieutenant Samuel Eldred, Revolutionary War veteran, who rests in peace at the Ridgeville Cemetery in North Ridgeville, Ohio.  

Also, Samuel Eldred's son, Moses Eldred who was a War of 1812 veteran, and his wife Martha (DeWitt) Eldred (Marthy is inscribed on her marker), who are both buried by him. 

   Sharing from Frank Schmidt: 

"The attached photo is the headstone of my wife's 4th great grandfather, Lieutenant Samuel Eldred who is buried in North Ridgeville cemetery near Elyria, Ohio. Samuel answered the Lexington Alarm on April 19, 1775; crossed the Delaware with General Washington; was at Valley Forge until he was taken prisoner and held for 3+ years, and was at Yorktown for the surrender of Cornwallis.

Just several years ago, my father passed away, and I started documenting in Ancestry what I knew about his family and then started doing my wife's as her 3rd great grandfather was Joseph Cahoon who founded Bay Village. 

As I started to document family members, all these hints started popping up, one of them being Samuel Eldred. So, we contacted the local DAR and provided all the documentation, and she was admitted to the DAR with Samuel as her ancestor.

One really fantastic find as we were preparing her application was that Samuel took part in the Whitemarsh Encampment.  I had never heard of this, so decided to do more research. Here, the Whitemarsh Encampment took place less than 1/2 mile from where we currently live. Just to think, he may have walked on the very land we now live on."

"Here is a more detailed listing of what Samuel Eldred participated in.": 

Answered the Lexington Alarm on April 19, 1775

Siege of Boston

Battle of Long Island

Crossed the Delaware with Washington's troops

Battle of Trenton

Siege of Fort Ticonderoga

Battle of Saratoga

Whitemarsh Encampment

Valley Forge Encampment

POW from December 28, 1777 to January 28, 1781 

Surrender at Yorktown

"Resigned June 3, 1783 after serving for 8+ years (from what I understand, this is unusual for someone to have served this long.  I believe the typical enlistments were originally 1-3 years.)"

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 More information about Moses Eldred:

"Moses Eldred was the first postmaster of Ridgeville from 1815 to 1828. He was elected as an associate judge for Lorain County in 1824, and in 1816 owned an inn/hotel in Ridgeville."

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(Photos below) 

by Linda Ellis - January 15, 2017

  

(Above)

Original gravestone for Revolutionary War veteran 
Lieutenant Samuel Eldred

(Above)
War of 1812 Marker for Private Moses Eldred

"Roster of Ohio Soldiers of the War of 1812"

The Adjutant General of Ohio

Page 93

"Roll of Captain Harvey Murray's Company"

Served from August 21 until September 20, 1812

  (Above)

Original gravemarker for Martha (DeWitt)Eldred, 

wife of Moses Eldred
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(Above)

WPA Cemetery Plat Map for the Ridgeville Cemetery.

The gravesites for Samuel Eldred and Moses Eldred underlined in red.

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(Above)
Linda Ellis with a"This Place Matters"sign for the gravesites

of Samuel Eldred, his son Moses Eldred, and Moses Eldred's wife, Martha (Dewitt) Eldred (Inscribed as "Marthy" on her gravestone.) 
#ThisPlaceMatters

RIDGEVILLE CEMETERY, NORTH RIDGEVILLE, LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO

Sharing my video slideshow of the photos taken at the Ridgeville Cemetery in North Ridgeville, Lorain County, Ohio on January 15, 2017.

The Ridgeville Cemetery on "Find A Grave"