Every now and then I have a couple of hours where I can get back to things like THE BLOG!

Last time I told you about an up-coming speaker at the Historical Society, Peter Klose, who would tell us about the abandon cemeteries in the area and about the mysterious grave of Lovel and Aurilla Beach.

It was a pretty good evening.  Unfortunately Peter's day wasn't all that charming.  He spent the day at the Vet's office with a sick cat (He runs Jungle Cat World) who had damaged the ligaments in his leg trying to do the things that the younger cats were doing! 

Been there!  Done that!  This old cat is always trying to do the things that the younger cats are doing.  AND I'm still in one piece and haven't had to go to the vet for ages!!<grin>

Anyway, he told us why we can't find some of the old abandon cemeteries - the directions given in the transcripts are wrong!  He has spent hours searching the fence lines and bush lots trying to figure out where they all are - in some cases he had success!

We found out he is a world traveller and has visited cemeteries and burial spots all over the globe and they are suffering the same neglect that our own abandon cemeteries are experiencing.  It was an interesting journey he took us on.

As to Aurilla and Lovel Beach, we found out so much about them, but we never did find out why they came to Clarke Township.  In later years one of their sons held land out in the north end of the township, but he was not the reason they came.  While living here they were, it seems, Methodists.  Thomas Ivory's old woollen mill was built nearby and the Methodists were allowed to use one room in the mill for Sabbath meetings.  Ivory also gave them permission to use a corner of his land as a burial place for the small congregation, and so that is why the Beach's were there.  Peter is of the mind to get in a "witcher" to find out if there are other graves in that spot that had no stones, or whose stones are gone.  If that fails, he might undertake the cost of GPR - Ground Penetrating Radar - to see where any other graves might be located.

Hopefully Peter will have time to put all his information together and donate it to the Historical Society for our files.  It will eventually make a great display, and may even lead to a cemetery finding project - wouldn't that be great!!!

On another note, the OGS (Ontario Genealogical Society) Conference is fast approaching on the weekend of June 1, 2 and 3.  It will be held this year at Guelph University.  I have been designing my booth and getting all my material ready for that busy weekend - hundreds of business cards, book lists, and of course, my "conference special".  This year it is not one of my books, as has been my custom.  It is a booklet from the UK Family Tree Magazine - their 2018 Genealogy Handbook.  Cost as much to ship it from Britain as the books cost!  I have a really heavy box of 100 copies for the occasion. Clarington's Home Children, and WW1 Nursing Sisters of Old Durham County, both local history books.  Even though it is a genealogy conference, I think I'll bring along my two gardening books, Companion Planting, and The Natural Gardener.  Family researchers are interested in all kinds of books, not just genealogy.  There will also be the proverbial SALE bin where everything in it is $5.

Front and foremost at Conference will be

The Marketplace at Conference is free to everyone - you do not have to pay to get in, nor be part of the conference.  So, if you like old books, new books, maps, all sorts of interesting things, please visit Guelph University that weekend and take a look (and I'm sure the vendors would like you to spend some money!)  To find out what building it is in, visit the OGS website at <www.ogs.on.ca> then click "conference".