RootsandBranches

02/08/2026

Super excited!! I have some stickers available for purchase if anyone is interested!! Only have these three versions so far but just wanted to let everyone know!

02/05/2026

Giles Edward Calvin was born on October 12 1857, in Sodus, Berrien County, Michigan, to John K. Calvin and Hannah M. Gilbert. As the eldest child in his family, Giles grew up alongside his siblings Jennie A., Vincent, Rosetta J., and Arthur M. Calvin, likely taking on the quiet responsibility that otten comes with being the firstborn in a rural 19th-century household.

He is most often remembered today for his unusual and memorable marriage to Grace Gilbert, known historically as one of the early “Bearded Ladies.” The two were not only husband and wife, but also cousins— a fact that adds an intriguing layer to their story. Giles and Grace were married on October 26,1910, in St. Joseph, Indiana. Though they did not have any children together, their union became a notable footnote in local and family history due to Grace’s distinctive place in sideshow and exhibition culture of the era.

After Grace’s passing, Giles lived another eleven years. He died on December 18, 1936, in Leetsville, Kalkaska, Michigan. Two days later, on December 20, he was laid to rest at Maple Grove Cemetery. There, he was buried beside Grace, as well as her parents—who were also his aunt and unclebringing the intertwined threads of family and marriage full circle in their final resting place.

Today, Giles Edward Calvin’s story endures not only through dates and records, but through the remarkable connections that shaped his life: family ties, an unconventional marriage, and a shared grave that quietly tells a story generations later.

02/05/2026

Leon Enos Morse was born on May 17, 1885, in Vassar, Tuscola County, Michigan, to Charles Eugene Morse and Elise Anna Shook. He grew up in a large, close-knit family as the second youngest among his siblings: Harmon Divillow, Clarence Junia, Perry Elmer, Willis Periel, Pearl, Charles Henry, and Lorena M. Morse. Raised in the farming community of Vassar, Leon's early life was shaped by hard work, family bonds, and the steady rhythm of rural Michigan at the turn of the twentieth century.

Bertha Mae Allen was born just two years later, on August 14, 1887, also in Vassar, to Murray Osgood Allen and Mahala Aymer. As the oldest of a notably large family, Bertha helped set the example for her many younger siblings:
Blanche P., Minnie L., Hazel, Basil Osgood, Mark Ellsworth, Albert Elgworth, Mina B.,
Palmer B., Theodore Enos, Franklin E., Fern, and Lawrence Allen. From a young age, she likely carried responsibilities that shaped her into a capable, nurturing, and resilient woman.

Leon and Bertha’s lives, rooted in the same small Michigan town, came together in marriage on February 5, 1906, in Lapeer, Lapeer County, Michigan. Their union began a partnership that would span decades and bring five children into the world. Together, they built a life grounded in family, faith, and community, reflecting the values common to many Midwestern families of their era.

Leon passed away on November 2, 1943, in Bay City, Bay County, Michigan. Bertha lived more than twenty years beyond him, passing on April 23, 1965, in Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan. Though their lives ended in different places, they rest side by side today at Riverside Cemetery in Vassar, Tuscola County, Michigan—returned to the town where both were born, where their story began, and where their legacy remains.

02/04/2026

02/04/2026

This is the grave of Giles Edwin Gilbert. He was born on August 15, 1837, in Palmyra, Portage County, Ohio, to Champion Marion Gilbert and Eliza Ann Mercer. Giles was the middle child among many siblings, which included Charles Marciare, Lerano, Reily, Nathan, Him, Hannah, Austin, Charles Lester, Aloazo, and Rosetta Gilbert.

On October 12, 1861, he married Arosina Hallock in Williams County, Ohio. Together they had four children: Orrin Champion, Austin, John, and Grace Gilbert-who later became well known as one of the first famous Bearded Ladies.

Giles passed away on October 17, 1907, in Rapid River, Kalkaska County, Michigan. He Is buried here in Maple Grove Cemetery, resting beside his wife and daughter.

02/02/2026

New book I got today!! So a little background. So I found a crazy relative that I didn’t know was related to me.

This book will be about John Ezra Whipple. He was murdered in 1827 by his wife’s “boyfriend” at their home in Albany, New York called Cherry Hill (now called Historic Cherry Hill).

The crazy thing about this situation is I had a dream back in 2023 about a Cherry Hill haunting. Yes I believe in the paranormal and this was just absolutely nuts. So I went to google this morning and typed in Cherry Hill and the murder was the first thing that popped up!

Then spring forward to 2025 a friend of mine (With Grave Care) went out to Cherry Hill and was able to get more pictures of the place! Yes it’s still standing! She also surprised me with this book she found as well! Can’t wait to read more about his murder! Thank you again for this awesome gift!

01/31/2026

In honor of Catherine O’Hara. I wrote this poem for her and her amazing work

For Catherine O’Hara
By me

We laughed because she taught us how,
With raised brow, tilted head, dramatic vow.
A queen of timing, wit, and grace,
Who lit the screen in every place.

From frantic calls of “Kevin!” cried,
To Beetlejuice’s strange, eccentric side,
She turned the odd into pure gold,
With fearless charm and humor bold.

In small-town motels, wigs askew,
She showed what tender love can do.
With Moira’s voice and sweeping flair,
She made absurdity feel rare.

Her characters danced between the lines,
Of satire, warmth, and grand designs.
She made us see, through laughs and tears,
The fragile hope inside our fears.

She wasn’t just the roles she played,
But comfort that her art conveyed.
A presence like a favorite song,
That felt like home our whole lives long.

And though the curtain may have closed,
On stages where her genius glosed,
Her echo lingers, bright and clear,
In every laugh we hold so dear.

We weren’t prepared to say goodbye,
To someone who could make us cry
From joy, from love, from sweet surprise—
With one sly look behind her eyes.

So here’s to Catherine, bold and bright,
Who filled our dark with comic light.
You left the world far more aware
Of beauty found in laughter shared.r

01/23/2026

Here’s a great example of what D/2 Biological Solution can do for a headstone. This is the grave of Theodore “Teddy” Samples in West Virginia, which I had the opportunity to clean during my recent visit last summer.

Photos shown:
• Before the cemetery was cleared
• After the cemetery was cleared
• Immediately after cleaning
• Photo taken Saturday the 17th

If you’re looking to achieve results like this, I highly recommend D/2, available through gravestonecleaner.com
It’s a safe, effective solution that delivers impressive, long-lasting results.
Use code ROOTS10 at checkout to save 10% off your entire order.

01/21/2026

This is the grave of Thomas Alvaro Harvey. He was born on October 6, 1848, in Massillon, Stark County, Ohio, to parents Thomas W.
Harvey and Louisa Beebe. Thomas passed away on August 25, 1910, in Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan.
On February 6, 1879, he married Mary Elizabeth Chadwick in Saginaw, Michigan. Together, they had one son, Albert Sargent Harvey Sr. Thomas is laid to rest here in Forest Lawn Cemetery, buried beside his wife and other members of his family.

01/21/2026

I entered a photo off for this winter and I’d really appreciate a vote!! Winner gets some new brushes for this upcoming season! Here are my two entries!
Id really appreciate it!! Thank you everyone!!

Link to vote and it’s free to do so!
https://www.gravegeeks.org/gallerye

01/17/2026

Here is the grave of Elizabeth Harvey born 19 May 1892 and passed away 03 Jan 1976. She married her husband Albert Sargent Harvey Sr on 24 Jan 1914 and had three children together. She is buried here at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Saginaw, Saginaw County, Michigan next to her husband and his mother and father.

01/15/2026

Here is another clean featuring my dad doing the cleaning! This is the grave of David Runnells the husband of Adaliza Runnells who I cleaned a few videos back