Dan...
I enjoyed reading that! I like to roam through the cemeteries too. I find them peaceful.
I like American History. The Jed Hotchkiss story was very informational. Did you realize when you found that headstone that it really was his or did you have to do some research first?
Looking forward to Part 3's story and pics. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Dan...
> ... The Jed Hotchkiss story was very informational. Did you realize when you found that headstone that it really was his or did you have to do some research first?
I had heard of Jed Hotchkiss before. In fact I have the book Mapping for Stonewall and another book on Civil War maps that highlights some of his work.
When we passed the stone, the name caught my eye. We were lucky it was big and close enough to the road or I would not have even noticed. I said to Mary, "Jed Hotchkiss, there was a Civil War map maker named Jed Hotchkiss."
She asked, "Was he buried in Staunton?"
I couldn't remember where he was from exactly, but remembered he was originally from New York. Also, the birthdate made him old enough to be in the Civil War. So we took the picture from the car and continued on. When we got home later I checked my book and realized that yes, it was him. I googled "Jed Hotchkiss Staunton headstone" to see what would come up and Evan Castle's Confederate Engineers site came up. There are more pictures of the stone on there (scroll down in the link). I now wished I had gotten out for a closer look - there are more inscriptions around the side and back of the stone.
It was kind of neat coming across that without trying to find it or even having a clue that it was in this cemetery we just happened to drive through.
Cemeteries are great. Here in our local cemetery in Stuart I was out one day hunting for Civil War veteran's headstones - part of a project I am working on to find, document, photograph graves of CW veterans. Anyway, I came upon a headstone that looked interesting and started doing a little research on the guy and WOW this guy was really cool. A pioneer aviator (flew an airplane solo before 1917) that grew up and was buried right here in Stuart (pop. 1700). See my blog post Stuart's Early Bird.
It's just amazing what you can find sometimes.
Dan...
Here's a line from the Surveyors Historical Society Rendezvous 2010 program:
Jed Hotchkiss: Stonewall Jackson's Topographical Engineer and Maker of the "Map of the Valley."
Presented by Evan Castle, LS, Co. B, 3rd Regt, CSA Engineers.
Rendezvous 2010 will be held aboard the Delta Queen in Chattanooga, Tennessee on September 16-17. There's still time to register. I know you want to be there.
Dan...
> Jed Hotchkiss: Stonewall Jackson's Topographical Engineer and Maker of the "Map of the Valley."
> Presented by Evan Castle, LS, Co. B, 3rd Regt, CSA Engineers.
>
> ... I know you want to be there.
I would love to be there. Problem is finances. We spent a little more on this past vacation than we planned with Mary's car problems. And on top of that, she lost her full-time teaching job (budget cuts & low enrollment) and so far just has a part-time gig lined up at DMACC. So we need to slow down on spending for a while.
If you talk to Evan, tell him I said, "Hi." I met Evan when I went to Colorado in 2007 and did the Topographical Engineers Camp of Instruction with Don Erickson and his group. Evan and his wife were there. We (Evan & I) shared a tent in the cottonwood trees outside Bent's Old Fort. His wife learned to be a day laborer in the fort and got to sleep there.
Is Don Erickson going to be at the Rendezvous also? If so, tell him I said, "Hi."
I will see you in New Albin on September 11th.
Dan...
Expeditionary Mapping 1838-1860
Presenter: Don Erickson, U.S. Corps of Topographical Engineers
Sorry to hear about Mary's situation. I'll say "Hi" for you.
See you at New Albin.
Dan...
> It's just amazing what you can find sometimes.
Indeed.
I like the send off they gave Carl!! Classy.:drink:
>On the day of his burial in North Oak Grove cemetery, a squadron of National Guard Jet Fighter planes, at the speed of 700 miles an hour, streaked across the sky over Carl's last resting place, dipping their wings in final salute to this great pioneer of the air. And following them, an ancient two-seated biplane, paying farewell tribute to Stuart's one and only "Early Bird".
