Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Tombstone Tuesday: Another Name Puzzle


This week's gravestone is my greatgrandmother, Mary F. Orand, at least that's what it says on the stone. She is buried in the Ralls Cemetery, Ralls, Crosby County, Texas. My mother never talked about her very much. About the only thing I knew was that before I was born, I was supposed to be named after her and my father's mother. I was supposed to be Francis Ann Cheek. My parent's were sure I was going to be a girl because they already had a boy. Many of us remember the days when you didn't know ahead of time. After my surprise entrance, they quickly changed my name to Richard Orand Cheek. I never knew for sure where the Richard came from. The Orand is my mother's maiden name. I am eternally grateful that they didn't decide to just go ahead and use Francis or Frances as a boy's name. When I began to research our family history, I looked for the only name I knew, Francis Orand and had a hard time coming up with anything. I found Mary Orand and even Elizabeth Orand in the right places and the right times but no Francis. I finally came across a cousin who clued me in. Our greatgrandmother Orand was originally Mary Francis Elizabeth Brandon. Shazam, the pieces all fell into place. I am grateful to Dave, a FindAGrave volunteer for this picture.

6 comments:

  1. I need some help finding folks buried in Purdy Cemetery, possibly also Old Purdy Cemetery. Are you willing to help, Richard?

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  2. It will probably be awhile before I can get back to Purdy Cemetery and I have never actually found Old Purdy Cemetery although I know approximately where it is. I do have quite a few pictures from my last visit. How can I help you?

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  3. I've been asked to help locate Brummetts that may be buried in either [or both] cemeteries. I have a photograph that was sent to me of the Billingsleys & Brummetts gathered around the grave of Charity [Allen] Brummett. (I was told she could have been an Eason or a Skaggs when she died.) The photo looks like it dates in the 1940's. Is there a way I could send you the photo? It was taken in Purdy Cemetery. The stone was unmarked in the photo, and it may still be unmarked. (I've sent this person an invite to join your blog. Since you're in Oklahoma and I'm in Virginia, you might be better able to help her.)
    Thanks for your speedy response!

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  4. Re-reading" Jane Doe's" e-mail, she is looking for John Franklin Billingsley and his wife Anna Elizabeth "Rudy" [Weathers] Billingsley. The last fact she has is that they moved to Purdy in 1905.

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  5. Richard, I posted a comment before I signed in (Duh!), so I'll try again. Could you possibly be related to the Cheeks in Maysville Cemetery? I'm intrigued by one grave marker in partiular. It says "Grandma Cheek" nothing else - no dates, no nothing. There are also markers for Emily Cheek [no info], Henry Cheek [no info], and Hardy Cheek born 1875 [no date of death]

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  6. Hi, Richard! I am the Jane Doe maisie1942 was talking about. My great grandparents moved from Arkansas to Oklahoma around 1905, John Franklin and Anna Elizabeth Rudy Weathers Billingsley. I wondered if they might be in the Old Purdy Cemetery. I cannot find an index for either Old Purdy or Purdy Cemetery. The picture maisie1942 referred to was of my other great grandmother, Charity Allen Brummett. The picture probably was taken in 1935 in the cemetery in Purdy. There is a natural, unmarked stone. She outlived three husbands and could have been an Eason or Skaggs at the time of her death. If you can help point me in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated.

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