Day Fifty-One

What beautiful weather here in DC and such moisture in the air! We took the morning and walked from our hotel to Arlington Cemetery to look for the memorial headstone of Jeremiah McKnew, an maternal ancestor (Rezin Harbin's wife's father) who fought in the American Revolutionary War. Unfortunately I couldn't locate it and I do believe it was operator error as I had directions to the stone from one of the docents in the headstone locating office. We walked all over the cemetery as it is quite moving and poignant in many areas. One of my favorite places is the Lee House - especially with its history and the constant reminder of the fact that if Lee hadn't come in on the side of the South, there probably wouldn't have been over 320,000 headstones on the grounds of his estate. Lee was not a lover of secession and believed the act of secession would ruin the Country. But his "honor" dictated that he not move against his relatives and fellow Virginians and so his fatal course was set. Arlington is a masterpiece of remembrance.

On a tip from a cousin's wife and fellow researcher, Kathy Naumann, Bob and I headed for Oxon Hill where my maternal grandmother, Blanche Howell, was born and raised. Her parents, Joseph and Josephine Howell, were buried at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Oxon Hill. We were successful in finding the headstones. Joseph passed away in 1912. Bertha (Blanche Howell's younger sister, passed away in 1914, and Josephine passed away in 1922. It was within a few years of Josephine's passing that William and Blanche Burges headed out West with their two children, Margaret and George. What a beautiful church and church yard cemetery.

It was at dusk and the sunset passed through the trees just

behind me casting a wonderful glow which, to me, meant a lot in the scheme of things and the cycle of lives that come and go throughout time. It was peaceful and reassuring to not only find their final resting place, but also to know that I had found the area where they had lived, loved and ultimately ended life.

Back to our hotel to get some rest and reflect on a very fruitful day.