Hamden Ohio

Lake Alma State Park
Site #52 - $19 p only (x2)

This is a very pretty park beside a lake. Many lily pads on the lake! (There were a few big rigs staying here - snowbirds possibly?) and a couple of weekenders that left when we arrived. It was on the chilly side (12C) and we made use of our heater.

On Sunday we headed into the library. Of course - it was closed on Sundays. We stumbled upon the two family graveyards in Allensville and there were lots of my "Graves" relatives buried here.  In the town Boblett Cemetery we found Samuel M. Graves and Rebecca (Ziegler) Graves plus John S Anderson & Nancy (Mahala Bethel) Anderson. On the hill out of town at Salt Springs Cemetery we found Samuel Grave's parents Joseph and Jane or Jennie (McVey) and Joseph's dad Jonathan who had died in 1846 (159 years ago!). All the names on the gravestones were quite readable. Exciting finds!!

We then drove to Athens. The University of Ohio is huge. And it was teeming with students. The old Town Center was very cool, with many of the roads all in brick.

The neighborhoods were very crowded with students and all the beautiful old homes have been converted to rental rooms for the students. It was kind of sad to see these grand old homes being used (and abused?) this way.  There were chairs and sofas on balconies and roof tops. We couldn't get over the masses of kids hanging about. Everywhere! We found the library but it, too, was closed on Sunday. Back at the camp, we went for a walk and had a fire.

On Monday morning we headed back to the McArthur library. We went through quite a few records and gathered bits of family information.  We found the little old geological lady a wee bit annoying and she wouldn't leave us alone even though I suggested she didn't have to stay.  Anyway, we made some photocopies and I was able to catch up on my email before heading back home for lunch. 

We decided to pack up the trailer but first, we went back to the courthouse in McArthur to see what they might have.  This was quite the experience.  The Courthouse was in session and young people lined the halls, sitting on chairs and waited for their time with the judge.  We were shown where the small and poorly organised records room was and we were left alone to have a look. We literally shuffled boxes around and dug through files to find old Wills and other legal documents.  We took them to an office next door for photocopying, but it would have been so easy just to gather these originals and leave. We could even look through the current books and records to see who was in court for what, who just got divorced, etc etc!? Unbelievable!  Anyway... it was rather exciting to go through the old documents!  We probably should have spent more time there.

I found John Shannon Anderson's probate and Samuel and Rebecca Grave's marriage certificate. So that was cool!  And then it was on to Athens.