All The Latest

 For those of you who have been following either my personal Facebook page, my Albany Rural Cemetery - Beyond The Graves Facebook page, or my recent GoFundMe campaign, you know that, James, my boyfriend of nine years (and the best cemetery exploring partner) had been fighting cancer since last fall and passed away suddenly on April 2.

Despite this, I've been keeping up with my Cemetery research, both on Facebook and on my personal web site.  Here's a quick rundown of some recent highlights:

Rediscovering Sibbie - The Last Documented Slave At The Schuyler Flatts

From the Single Grave Books - Civil War Bounty Jumpers

The English Graveyard

Carlyle Harris and The Epitaph That Never Was

The Lost Ravine Bridge

Celtic Crosses

The Burying Places - Albany's old Dutch graveyards

And, most recently, the grim tale behind the Van Rensselaer tomb.

Also, the latest issue of the Friends of The Albany Rural Cemetery newsletter is out this week.  If you'd like to read it, pick up a copy at the Cemetery's main Office (Route 32 entrance) or join (you can print a form here)

Last, but definitely not least, consider following The Friends of Albany History on Facebook.  You won't regret it!

The Presidential Ceremony 2015

 Below is some of the coverage of this morning's wreath-laying ceremony in honor of President Chester A. Arthur's birthday.  Any additional stories will be added here.

news10.com - Former US President being honored in Menands (video)

cbs6albany.com - Wreath laying ceremony for 21st President (video)

timesunion.com - Graveside service in Menands will mark birth of President Chester A. Arthur (photoset)

The Chester A. Arthur Museum and Library on Facebook

Vandalism Incident

Two monuments - a vault and a headstone - were vandalized recently.  News10.com has details and video in the link below.  If you have any information on the incident, please contact the Colonie Police Department at (518) 783-2744.

News10.com - Albany Rural Cemetery vandalized

Paul Grondahl, of the Times Union, has an excellent article on the incident.

Vandals desecrate mausoleum, grave marker at Albany Rural Cemetery

On Twitter

Albany Rural Cemetery is now on Twitter.  There's only one post and just one follower at the moment so...go follow them!

@AlbanyRuralCem

(I'm also on Twitter at @PaulaLemire).