COGenBlog

Colorado genealogist Joe Beine has a new Web site called “Cemeteries and Cemetery Symbols.” The site will explore “the meaning of cemetery symbols and other graveyard oddities,” and is intended for “genealogy sleuths, taphophiles and goth kids.”

Each symbol is illustrated with photographs from Colorado tombstones, including:

• Thos. R. Brownlee (1865-1908), Green Mountain Cemetery, Boulder - Knights of Pythias
• Fred M. Moore (1878-1949) and Maria A. Moore (1879-1933), Littleton Cemetery, Littleton - Eastern Star
• George Traut (1883-1965) and Mary Traut (1883-1951), Littleton Cemetery, Littleton - IHS
• Alfred Packer, Co. F, 16 U.S. Inf., Littleton Cemetery, Littleton - marble Civil War marker
• C. H. McCormick, Fairmount Cemetery, Denver - Elks
• Sam’l A. Bonesteel (1842-1902), Fairmount Cemetery, Denver - Knights Templar
• Frederick Dearborn Wight (1837-1911), Fairmount Cemetery, Denver - Monogram

In addition, there are photographs of angels (here and here), as well as the symbols used by Odd Fellows, Shriners, and Freemasons.

A new book has just been published about Denver’s historic Riverside Cemetery, Colorado’s oldest “cemetery park” founded in 1876 (the same year Colorado became a state). According to the author, Annette L. Student, the book not only includes a history of the cemetery, but also 114 biographies of interesting Colorado citizens, including governors and other notable citizens ranging from cattlemen to prostitutes.

Ms. Student will give a slide presentation about Riverside at the September meeting of the Colorado Genealogical Society. Copies of the book will be available at the meeting, or you can order the book by writing to Annette L. Student, 2266 South Eagle Court, Aurora, Colorado 80014. As other locations for purchase become available, we will post updates here.

Birdie Holsclaw has an article in the latest issue of the NGS NewsMagazine (July/August/September 2006), “Catalog your own books — LibraryThing.com.” The article describes a Web service launched in August 2005 which allows users to catalog their personal libraries, create customized lists, and explore topics (”tags”) such as genealogy, history, and Colorado.

Julie Miller’s monthly column is in the 19 August 2006 edition of the Broomfield Enterprise. The topic for August is Using Style to Enhance your Genealogy. The article discusses the reasons for creating a genealogical style sheet, and gives examples dealing with names, dates, numbers, locations, punctuation, and sources.

Here are some important events coming up in the next two months:

30 August-2 September- Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Annual Conference in Boston, Massachusetts.

11 & 12 September- The Computer Interest Group of the Colorado Genealogical Society (CIG), Beau Sharbough seminar.

See the Colorado Council of Genealogical Societies events calendar for regular society events in Colorado.