Day Fifty-Five

Wow what a day. We began by walking the Mall including the Jefferson Memorial - all on foot mind you, but it was an incredibly lovely day, probably around 82 degrees and clear. I had never seen the WWII Memorial and was deeply moved. I got a picture of the Oklahoma wreath as this was the State my father came from when he was drafted and served in the Pacific Theatre (Nagoya - Occupied Japan). It meant a lot to me but I don't think Dad would have really cared as he always said, "I'm a lover not a fighter," and was ready to come home immediately upon the birth of his third child (his first with Blanche Marie Burges). He served as a corporal. Then we went on to the Congressional Cemetery to find the burial place of Gustavus Howell, my maternal great,great,great grandfather who died in 1836. When we parked in front of the cemetery office a gentleman was leaving and asked us if we were looking for a relative. I was kind of taken aback as I had just stepped out of the car and didn't really see where he came from. It so happened that he is the Board Chairman of the Congressional Cemetery Executive Board and there was also a docent who was wrapping up his day as well. They both ushered us back into the locked office and started pulling out records! They found the plot on the map (which we would never have found without assistance) and the docent walked us to the site. Unfortunately, there is no headstone but in the picture, I am probably standing on GGGGrandfather Howell! Curiously, the internment records show that there were two burials at the site (the same site probably one on top of the other). The first burial reads, "Gustavus Howell, 9/16/1836" and the second reads, "Gustavus Howell, 12/12/1869." The only thing I can think of is that Gustavus died in 1836, and Augustus Howell died in 1869 and was buried on top of his father. I'm so sorry there is no headstone. Another mystery to be solved!