Steve’s Genealogy Blog

When I visited the grave of the Hanley Family in 2005, I obtained a copy of the cemetery record for the lot.

The Cemetery Record of the Hanley Family - Page 1

The Cemetery Record of the Hanley Family - Page 2

SOURCE: The Cemetery Record of the Hanley Family. St. John’s Cemetery, Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Record printed on 09 Sep 2005.

The cemetery record shows that:

John E. Hanley was buried on 23 May 1939 in Row 3 Lot 15 Grv-PTHWY/RD
Clara E. Hanley was buried on 27 Nov 1966 in Row 3 Lot 15 Grv-PTHWY/RE
Jennie M. Hanley was buried on 30 Nov 1912 in Row 3 Lot 15 1N/RD
Bridget Hanley was buried on 19 Nov 1888 in Row 3 Lot 15 1N/RE
Sarah Hanley was buried on 03 Oct 1952 in Row 3 Lot 15 1N/R
Joseph Hanley was buried on 12 Apr 1914 in Row 3 Lot 15 2N/RD
James A. Hanley was buried on 27 Dec 1917 in Row 3 Lot 15 2N/RE
Catherine F. Hanley was buried on 13 Mar 1957 in Row 3 Lot 15 2N/R
Elenor Hanley was buried on 27 Jul 1897 in Row 3 Lot 15 3N/RD
George A. Hanley was buried on 02 Jul 1938 in Row 3 Lot 15 3N/RE
Ida M. Hanley was buried on 14 Mar 1961 in Row 3 Lot 15 3N/R
James F. Hanley was buried on 07 Apr 1947 in Row 3 Lot 15 4N/RD
George A. Hanley was buried on 28 Feb 2000 in Row 3 Lot 15 4N/OT
Ann Hanley was buried on 04 Sep 1996 in Row 3 Lot 15 4N/EX
Joseph Hanley was buried on 12 Apr 1914 in Row 3 Lot 15 5N/RD
Lot 15 5N/OT is reserved
Christine Malone was buried on 04 Mar 2002 in Row 3 Lot 15 5N/EX
Mary J. Hanley was buried on 12 Apr 1941 in Row 3 Lot 15 6N/RD
Lot 15 6N/OT is reserved
Lot 15 6N/EX is reserved

All plots are in the Justice section of St. John’s Cemetery.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Cemetery Record of the Hanley family.

The record indicates that the lots were purchased by James A. and Ida M. Hanley, residing at 54 Fairfield Steet, Worcester, MA. They purchased the property on 17 Nov 1888, apparently on the occasion of the death of Bridget, who was buried two days later. The property included 20 spaces and 7 burial spaces in a 10 x 20 area, suggesting that the burials were made as much as three deep.

The foundation for the monument was poured in 1996 by Rex.

While this record is full of information, the relationships among those interred are not provided although, according to the monument itself, many of them are probably brothers and sisters

Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko

While visiting family graves in St. John’s Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts, I came upon the grave of George A. Hanley and his wife Anne Rembiszewski. Anne Remiszewski was the sister of Charlotte Rembiszewski who, in turn, was the wife of Henry Slowatycki. Henry was the brother of Walter Slowatycki and (bear with me here) Walter was the father of my cousin’s wife.

The Grave Marker of George A. Hanley and Anne Remibiszewski - Front

SOURCE: The Grave Marker of George A. Hanley and Anne Remibiszewski - Front, St. John’s Cemetery, Justice Section, Row 3, Lot 15 (Worcester, Worcester Co.), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

The front of the monument reads:

HANLEY

1918 GEORGE A. HANLEY 2000
HIS WIFE
1925 ANN REMISZEWSKI 1996

The front of the monument, however, is by no means as interesting as the back of the monument.

The Grave Marker of George A. Hanley and Anne Remibiszewski - Back

SOURCE: The Grave Marker of George A. Hanley and Anne Remibiszewski - Back, St. John’s Cemetery, Justice Section, Row 3, Lot 15 (Worcester, Worcester Co.), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

The back of the monument reads:

JAMES A. HANLEY +1917
HIS WIFE
JENNIE M. HANLEY +1912
THEIR CHILDREN
BRIDGET +1888     JAMES F. +1947
ELENOR +1897     SARAH +1952
JOSEPH +1914     CATHERINE +1957
GEORGE A. +1938     IDA M. +1961
JOHN E. +1939     CLARA E. +1966
MARY J. +1941     CHRISTINE E. +2002

The back of the monument shows the name and year of death of George A. Hanley’s father (George A. +1938), the names and years of death of what at first glace appear to be eleven aunts and uncles, and the names and years of death of his grandparents.

Christine E. who died in 2002 is, in fact, the daughter of George A. Hanley and Anne Remiszewski, not his aunt. I have not yet confirmed the relationships of any of the other people named on this monument.

Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko

When I visited the grave of John and Anna Hoey in 2005, I obtained a copy of the cemetery record for the lot.

The Cemetery Record of John and Anna Hoey - Page 1

The Cemetery Record of John and Anna Hoey - Page 2

SOURCE: The Cemetery Record of John and Anna Hoey. St. John’s Cemetery, Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Record printed on 09 Sep 2005.

The cemetery record shows that:

John W. Hoey, Sr. was buried on 16 Jul 2003 in Lot 683 1N/RD
Anna M. Hoey was buried on 07 Dec 1993 in Lot 683 1S/RD

All plots are in the Shrine Holy Family section of St. John’s Cemetery.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Cemetery Record of John and Anna Hoey.

The record indicates that the lots were purchased by John W. and Anna M. Hoey, residing at 18 Christine Street, Worcester, MA. They purchased the property on 08 Jan 1962, apparently on the occasion of the death of their son James, who was buried two days later in the adjacent lot. They paid $350 on 16 Mar 1963. The property included 2 spaces and 2 burial spaces in a 6 x 8 area, suggesting that the burials were made one deep.

John and Anna Hoey also purchased the next lot, number 682, at the same time.

A flat marker was installed in May 1994 by Rex Monuments.

Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko

The parents of James R. And William J. Hoey were buried in St. John’s Cemetery in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Their grave is adjacent to that of their sons’.

The Graves of John W. Hoey, Sr. and Anna M. Mattrick

SOURCE: Grave Marker of John W. Hoey, Sr. and Anna M. Mattrick, St. John’s Cemetery, Shrine Holy Family Shrine, Lot 683 (Worcester, Worcester Co.), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

The marker readers:

HOEY

1904 JOHN WILLIAM HOEY 2003
HIS WIFE
1905 ANNA M. MATTRICK 1993

Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko

When I visited the grave of James and William Hoey in 2005, I obtained a copy of the cemetery record for the lot.

The Cemetery Record of James and William Hoey - Page 1

The Cemetery Record of James and William Hoey - Page 2

SOURCE: The Cemetery Record of James and William Hoey. St. John’s Cemetery, Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Record printed on 09 Sep 2005.

The cemetery record shows that:

James R. Hoey was buried on 10 Jan 1962 in Lot 682 1N/RD
Lot 682 1S/OT is reserved
William J. Hoey was buried on 14 Sep 2004 in Lot 682 1S/EX

All plots are in the Shrine Holy Family section of St. John’s Cemetery.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Cemetery Record of James and William Hoey.

The record indicates that the lots were purchased by John W. and Anna M. Hoey, residing at 18 Christine Street, Worcester, MA. They purchased the property on 08 Jan 1962, apparently on the occasion of the death of their son James, who was buried two days later. They paid $350 on 03 Feb 1962. The property included 3 spaces and 2 burial spaces in a 6 x 8 area, suggesting that the burials were made one deep in one place and two deep in the other.

John and Anna Hoey also purchased the next lot, number 683, at the same time.

Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko

My cousin Geraldine was widowed in January 1962 after being married only a short time. Her husband, James R. Hoey, is buried in St. John’s Cemetery in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts. William J. Hoey, the brother of James, was buried in the same lot in 2004.

The Graves of James R. Hoey and William J. Hoey

SOURCE: Grave Marker of James R. Hoey and William J. Hoey, St. John’s Cemetery, Shrine Holy Family Shrine, Lot 682 (Worcester, Worcester Co.), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

The marker readers:

HOEY

1937 JAMES R. 1962
1932 WILLIAM J. 2004
HIS WIFE
1945 KATHLEEN KENNEY    

Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko

When I visited the grave of Allister Daniel Rawding and Family in 2005, I obtained a copy of the cemetery record for the lot. The employees at St. John’s Cemetery in Worcester, Massachusetts were very gracious and provided me with all the help I needed to find the gravesite.

The Cemetery Record of Allister Daniel Rawding and Family - Page 1

The Cemetery Record of Allister Daniel Rawding and Family - Page 2

SOURCE: The Cemetery Record of Allister Daniel Rawding and Family. St. John’s Cemetery, Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts. Record printed on 09 Sep 2005.

The cemetery record shows that:

Phyllis A. Crowley was buried on 17 Jun 2005 in Lot 16 1N/OT
Allister D. Rawding was buried on 09 Dec 1964 in Lot 16 1N/EX
John W. Rawding was buried on 19 May 1975 in Lot 16 Grv-CEN/AH
Hannah C. Rawding was buried on 28 Feb 1956 in Lot 16 Grv-CEN/RD
Lot 16 1S/OT is reserved
Allister D. Rawding was buried on 18 Jan 2000 in Lot 16 1S/EX

All plots are in the St. Jude section of St. John’s Cemetery.

Phyllis A. Crowley, John W. Rawding, and Allister D. Rawding (in Lot 16 1S/EX) are three of the children of Allister D. Rawding (in Lot 16 1N/EX) and Hannah C. Rawding.

Click on the link for a PDF copy of the Cemetery Record of Allister Daniel Rawding and Family.

The record indicates that the lots were purchased by Allister D. Rawding Jr., residing at 8 Cardinal Road, Worcester, MA. He purchased the property on 27 Feb 1956, apparently on the occasion of the death of his mother, Hannah C. Rawding, who was buried on the next day. He paid $300 on 03 Jan 1957. The property included 6 spaces and 3 burial spaces in a 10 x 10 area, suggesting that the burials were made two deep.

When recording the source of cemetery records, it is important to record the date on which the record was printed. The record itself will not always include that information, and so the researcher may need to add that information by hand.

Burial information may change with time if additional burials take place in the same lot or if a casket is removed and reinterred elsewhere. The date the record was printed helps the researcher to know the state of the grave at a given point in time.

Realizing that the state of a grave may change with time, the researcher may find it necessary to obtain a new copy of the cemetery record at a later date.

Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko

Allister Daniel Rawding was the grandfather of several of my maternal first cousins. He immigrated to the United States from Nova Scotia, Canada and died in Worcester, Worcester County, Massachusetts. He is buried in St. John’s Cemetery in Worcester with his wife and three of his children.

The Gravestone of the Allister Daniel Rawding Family - Front

The Gravestone of the Allister Daniel Rawding Family - Back

SOURCE: Grave Marker of Allister Daniel Rawding and Family, St. John’s Cemetery, St. Jude Section, Lot 16 (Worcester, Worcester Co.), Massachusetts, photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 09 Sep 2005.

The inscription on the grave states:

FRONT:

RAWDING

OUR LADY - PRAY FOR US

BACK:

ALLISTER D. RAWDING SR.
MAY 19 1893 - DEC 5 1964
HIS WIFE
HANNAH CURRAN RAWDING
JUNE 8 1889 - FEB 25 1956

JOHN W. RAWDING
OCT 5 1916 - MAY 8 1975

ALLISTER D. RAWDING JR.
JAN 14 1925 - JAN 15 2000

John W. Rawding and Allister D. Rawding Jr. are sons of Allister D. Rawding Sr. and Hannah Curran Rawding. Although not listed on the monument at the time this photograph was taken in 2005, a daughter, Phyllis A. Rawding Crowley is also buried here.

Copyright © 2008 by Stephen J. Danko

While in Vilnius, I visited the Rasos Cemetery where many famous Lithuanian, Polish, and Byelorussian writers and artists are buried. On the day I was there, various groups of students were there, having been given the day off from school to tend to the graves in the cemetery in anticipation of the Day of the Dead.

Entrance to Rasos Cemetery

SOURCE: Entrance to Rasos Cemetery. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 25 October 2007.

Rasos Cemetery was founded in 1769 by Bazyli Miller, the mayor of Vilnius. In 1801, a chapel and belltower were built.

Grave of Józef Piłsudski

SOURCE: Grave of Józef Piłsudski. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 25 October 2007.

Józef Piłsudski’s grave in Rasos cemetery is somewhat controversial, since Polish Marshal Piłsudski was not only a hero in the fight for Polish Independence, but was also the key figure in the Polish annexation of the Lithuanian city of Vilnius. Piłsudski’s body is buried in Wawel Castle in Kraków, but at his request, his heart was cut out and buried in Vilnius with the body of his mother.

Grave of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis

SOURCE: Grave of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 25 October 2007.

Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis was a renowned Lithuanian painter and composer. He died in 1911 at the age of 35, leaving a legacy of about 250 painting and 300 works of music. Some of his works can be seen and heard online.

Graves of Polish Home Army Soldiers

SOURCE: Graves of Polish Home Army Soldiers. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko, 25 October 2007.

Buried near the front of the cemetery are the bodies of members of the Polish Home Army who died during World War II. Their graves were destroyed during the years the Soviets were in power, but were rebuilt by the Republic of Poland in 1993. Until 18 September 1939 when Soviet forces invaded the city of Vilnius, three soldiers always stood guard at the entrance to the cemetery. They refused to give up their arms to the Soviets and were shot. They are buried next to Piłsudski’s heart.

Copyright © 2007 by Stephen J. Danko

My mother, Jane A. Niedzialkowski Danko, was buried on 19 April 1980 in St. Francis Shrine - A, Row D, Grave 8 at Our Lady of Angels Cemetery in Albany, New York.

Jane A. Danko Interment at Our Lady of Angels Cemetery

SOURCE: Jane A. Danko Interment at Our Lady of Angels Cemetery. Photographer Unknown. Photographed 19 April 1980.

Grave of Jane A. Danko, Our Lady of Angels Cemetery

SOURCE: Grave of Jane A. Danko. Photographed by Stephen J. Danko. Date of photograph unknown.

The stone reads:

DANKO

SORROW IS NOT FOREVER.
LOVE IS.

FRANCIS J.                    JANE A.
1924-                           1922-1980

Copyright © 2007 by Stephen J. Danko