Peer Genealogists meet in Ogdensburg

Photo courtesy The White Gate Inn, Ogdensburg, NY.

Pamela Vittorio, Julie Hinton, Ruth & John Charlton

This past week, three descendants of Reuben Peer Sr. and his wife Margaret Keough (Chio) met in Ogdensburg, New York to visit the Ogdensburg cemetery and the graves of the Chio family, related to Margaret. Pamela is descended from Reuben Peer Jr, Julie from Clarissa Lovina Peer and myself from Lucy Adelaine Peer. Ruth shares our interest in genealogy and has done research with me on the Peer family.

This was the first time we had met Pamela who had put two and two together and proved the connection between Margaret Keough of Elizabethtown Township in Ontario and the Chio family of Ogdensburg. She did this using census records and the information from Clarissa’s Lost But is Found journal entry.

Julie and Pamela had already been to Watertown, New York visiting Pamela’s Peer connections there. Now we were converging on Ogdensburg and the Chio family. Pamela also has Cady family, closely related to the Chios and buried in adjacent graves.

The day was hot and dry, with the sun beating down on us as we searched the graveyard for the stones which we knew were there to be found. The first stones discovered were those of Alex and Esther Chio. Pamela and Julie were intent on not only visiting the graves but cleaning them up as best they could. They had been hard at this in other graveyards in Watertown and Ogdensburg for a couple of days previous to our arrival and were now quick to attack the buildup of lichens growing upon Alex and Esther’s stone. Their technique had been developing with each stone visited and they made quick work of the first location shown below in before and after shots.

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Chio Before Cleaning - Covered by Lichen

Chio After Cleaning - Lichen Removed

Cleaning the Stones

Cleaning gravestones is a delicate business. Care must be taken not to damage the stones. And yet, the lichen will eventually destroy the stone so removal is important to preserve the marker.

Pamela Cleaning Grave Stones

As Pamela and Julie worked they speculated on what a business that cleaned stones would be called and how it would be marketed. Focused on the task at hand “No Liking Lichens” was one phrase that kept coming up. Business or not, these stones were getting some much needed TLC. No solvents are used to clean the stones. Just water and a soft brush.

Julie and Pam Cleaning Gravestones

The stone above belongs to another of Pamela’s Cady relatives. We turned it over carefully, cleaned it just enough to get a good reading and then placed it back face down in the earth as we had found it. Stones that fall face down may be hard to read, but are protected from the elements and should last for many years to come.

Using Shaving Cream to Reveal Grave Inscriptions

This is a neat trick that Julie and Pam showed us at Ogdensburg Cemetery. If you can’t quite read a grave inscription, sometimes spraying shaving cream on the stone and removing the excess can reveal what otherwise may be hidden from view. A small window squeegee works well for this purpose. Here is an example. The first photo shows a hard to read stone. The second photo shows shaving cream being applied to the stone. In the third, the excess foam has been removed making the inscription much more readable.

Baby Oil to Polish the Granite

As a final touch, each of the stones that Pam and Julie worked on was polished with a soft cloth and some baby oil. This helps bring the luster back to the stone.

Other Monuments in Ogdensburg Cemetery

I spent some time wandering around Ogdensburg Cemetery while we there. I find cemeteries great places to photograph and appreciate the stonecutter’s art. Here are a few shots from that day not related to my ancestors or their families.

This family plot towards the south end of the cemetery was nothing short of fantastic. A stone pergola is held up by the monuments of departed family members. A bench at one end provides visitors with a place to sit and reflect.

Matthews

Frances Ford Seymour - Jane and Peter Fonda's Mother

Lydia Averell

Spencer