In the upper right-hand corner of the Find-A-Grave website’s search form is displayed a photo and a link to a random Find-A-Grave record.
This is the one I got this evening.
Find-A-Grave is an exceptional resource for history fanatics and those who enjoy genealogical research.
Outstanding coincidences do happen.
i'd like to see one of his maps... i bet they are cool - by looking at that drawing.
i wish i had good penmanship like my dad and a couple others i knew...
i bet he was thinking he had one helluva machine there... a lot better than that compass on a stick they used to use (not that transits were 'new')...sorta kinda like my dad was bragging about his brand new Zeiss Elta 46R he bought brand new for 20k back in the early eighties
Population 2756 and shrinking
County population was nearly 9000 in the 1890's.
Thank you. I have always wondered where a certain person was buried. Now, thanks to your post and the find-a-grave site in a matter of seconds I found something I have spent hours on in the last few years, looking for.
This site is only possible because of all the volunteers who have created the information. One local cemetery with over 1000 graves is fully available thanks to one lady with very little money to live on but plenty of time to be a volunteer. This world needs more people like her.
I have found pictures of ancestors' graves from West Virginia to Idaho courtesy of this site. Many times there is enough information available to help fill in missing family information that will then lead you to further research.
photographic clues
One thing I noticed on the transit was the wear marks where the paint has been worn off by the operator's skinners arubbin' on it.
That is a very well used transit. The sunshade (which should be used at all times to protect the objective lens AND keep stray 'shine at bay) is well worn. I believe it was used daily, as it should have been.
A lot of "closet specials" I've seen over the years were infrequently used and the sunshades have ALL their black paint. A sign of a not-very-frequently-used instrument. Although these are usually in pretty good shape, my collection is full of the "mules" that were rode hard and put up wet. They tell the story.
Also where his right hand is resting on the leveling base, the paint is well worn. Although a studio pose, that may very well have been his instrument.
Love it.
photographic clues
Notice the tilt of the hat to clear the vertical circle, the pen in the left pocket and Mr. Hayden's eyes. I suspect that he may have been left handed.
Mr. Jerry Olson PLS has compiled an impressive on-line list of GLO surveyors in Washington and Oregon along with a lot of history about them. I have walked several cemeteries looking for head stones in order to put coordinates on them for his data base. One time when we couldn't find the stone for Isaac Galbraith I ventured into the cemetery office where I met a young man eager to help. We ended up with a plot number and ventured back into the "field" where we hooked with the grounds keeper. Turns out Mr. Galbraith died penniless and was granted space in another families plot, his marker being concrete was buried to protect it from the elements.
Mr. Olson's web page has links to almost all his data.
