Photos and Photography

Since around 2001, I have been honing my photography skills.  My husband definitely introduced me to "real" photography.  What I mean by "real" is the use of professional and semi-professional level equipment to take photos.  The other goal early on for me was to use the available technology that was out there.  Cameras and the way we take, display, and store photos, along with the quantity in which we take them has changed so much in the past 10 years.  I can hardly manage the quantity but I think I've got the technology down which includes how to retouch photos in a basic fashion and store them appropriately.

My learning curve in photography really peeked in 2005 when we had a couple of  "point and shoot" digital cameras that were great at the time.  We also had a Nikon SLR film camera from 2003.  Yes, a film camera that even now takes the most awesome photos.   The only drawback is that it is film.  A film camera does force you to be smart about your photo taking.  It can really make you get it right the first time.  The other catch is that you can't preview what you've taken on the back of the camera.  I must admit though, our film camera does such an awesome job that it is almost fool proof.

2003 Castaway Cay, Bahamas

Since about 2008, the film camera has been sitting in the closet.  Even though we'd be sure to have the photos put on a CD when we'd have the film developed, we no longer pull that camera out.  The best use of that camera now is not just to show our children a little piece of history but that camera takes the best black and white photos using good old black and white film.  We now use our Nikon Digital SLR.  It takes amazing photos and you can take them in large quantities.  I am, however, beginning to realize less is more.  If I take 200 photos at an event, I try to keep only the best and essential photos.  You can over do it with digital photography.

Whether it's my volunteer work on the school yearbook, school photographer at my daughter's school, or work on my family tree, photos are everywhere in my life.  They can tell a story or just solidify family memories.  I love photos in general.  The older photos that people have either sent to me or I have come across in my own collection, are truly a way to peek at the past and at those who came before us.

So, I think I will try to embark on a few part blog post about photography and photos as it relates to and is useful in genealogy and building your family tree.  The next post will be on July 11th.  I hope to offer tips, solutions, and share ideas about this very important subject within genealogy - Photos!

The Irish Settlement Cemetery - Newport, New York

As is my practice these days, I am posting a recent email correspondence about a very important subject in my family research - Old St. Patrick's Cemetery at the Irish Settlement in Newport, New York.

May 19, 2012

Hi P and J,

I recently received a message online from someone that Old St. Patrick’s Cemetery at the Irish Settlement is in jeopardy of basically disappearing.  From what it sounds like, there are only around 50 identifiable headstones of the 240 or so buried in this location. 

Some sort of volunteer project took place at one point…maybe by the Boy Scouts…..which involved moving and lining up all of the remaining headstones on the site.   I guess the headstones no longer rest where they were originally laid for the most part.  Anyway,  I am not sure that this is something new.  You may already know this.  The cemetery is quite old but still marked from the roadside from what I understand.

I thought that I’d share the comments below from one R.W.  She is a volunteer who helps on Find A Grave and found me online.  I was able to tell her who the Mahardy’s were but I don’t know about the rest she indicates in her information below.

She has photographed a few headstones for me at this location.

Given that McLaughlin’s and Maxwell’s are here and at St. John’s Cemetery, I thought I’d let you know. 

Also, I went through my notes again to locate where Joseph Patrick Maxwell is buried.  Everything I have points to St. John’s Cemetery in Newport.  While his wife, Judith “Julia” Shaffrey Maxwell, is buried at the Irish Settlement Cemetery, my notes indicate specifically that Joseph Patrick is buried at St. John’s.  I noticed online at Find A Grave that many, many Maxwell’s of our line are buried there but JP’s grave is not indicated.  It is sad to say but I wonder if it is unmarked.

Thanks,

K.E.

From:
Sent: Sunday, May 06, 2012 4:22 PM
To:
Subject: Old St. Patrick's Cemetery

Here is the list that I would like to share with you to get your reaction to it. 

At the old St. Patrick's Cemetery a list of names was posted by somebody.  It looks like it has been there at least a couple of years but there is no indication who posted it or when it was posted (possibly part of the misguided Boy Scout project of years past).  There is no other information at all. There is no indication where the person who posted the list found the names and there are no dates. We found the Cullin/Cullen stones and the name is spelled both ways -- parents one way and children the other.  We'll blame that one on the stone carver.  I did not find both husband and wife Bahen/Beahen stones so I don't know if that is the fault of the stone carver or the person who made the list.  Mahada is probably Mike Mahardy since we know that he is buried in the cemetery and doesn't appear on this list.  John Broscaru's name may be spelled incorrectly, if not, then he is the only Romanian in Newport.  And I have never known anyone named Behamam -- in Newport or anywhere else. Here is the list:

Name

Barney, Nancy

Barry, Patrick

Bartol, Andrew

Beahen, Elizabeth

Bahen, Patrick

Behamam, Catherine

Bell, Mary

Bowers, Ann

Boylan, Catherine

Boylan, Luke

Boylan, Margaret

Brayton, Lydia

Brayton, Mercy

Brayton, Neil

Broscaru, John

Bullard, Bezaleel

Butler, (Mrs.)

Butler, Mary

Carver, (Mrs.)

Cary, Daniel

Casey, William (Mrs.)

Clark, James

Clark, Michael (Mrs.)

Clark, Peter

Clarke, Mary

Clifford, Daniel

Clifford, Mary

Conway, Mary

Corcoran, Michael

Cullen, James

Cullin, Bridget

Cullin, James

Curtin, Mary M.

Daily, Jo (Mrs.)

Daley, Patrick

Daley, William

Daly, Elizabeth

Dempsey, (Mrs.)

Dempsy, (Miss)

Desmond, Jeremiah

Dewyer, Patrick

Dorcy, Morris

Doyle, May

Drum, William

Duffy, Nancy

Dwyer, Patrick

Eaton, Albert

Eaton, Luther

Fitzsimons, Cathenne

Flavin, Martin (Mrs.)

Fox, Charles

Fox, James

Fox, Michael

Fox, Thomas

Gartland, Hannah

Gartland, James

Hardy, (Mrs.)

Harkins, Avis

Harkins, James

Hawkins, Daniel

Hawkins, James

Lynch, (Mrs.)

Lynch, Morris

Mahada, Michael

Mahoney, Kate

Martin, Aaron

Martin, Daniel

Martin, Patrick

Maxwell, (Miss)

Maxwell, (Mrs.)

Maxwell, Catherine

Maxwell, Julia

Maxwell, Mary

McCabe, Andrew

McCaul, Bernard

McGinnis, Anne

McLaughlin, James

McLaughlin, Mary

McLaughlin, Michael

McNaley, Elizabeth

Mulerhill, Bridget

Mulerhill, Daniel

Murphy, Carrett

Murray, Mary

Nolan, Elizabeth

O’Riley, James

Pierce, Anne

Pierce, William

Riley, (Mrs.)

Riley, Bridget

Riley, Majorie

Rounds, Reuben

Scanlon, Martin

Spain, Charles

Spain, James (Mrs.)

Spain, Mary

Spain, Stephen

Spellman, Patrick (Mrs.)

Sullivan, James

Tassel, Ann

Ward (son)

Ward, Philip

Young, Caty