Friday Night Foot-Tappin’…..

Tonight’s foot-tappin’ selections showcase a few artists that are keeping the roots of Bluegrass & early string music alive today. Enjoy…

Out-of-Towners Close Call….

While scanning old newspapers I came cross this article some time back. Although it holds no family research value, Naked Creek is the stream that flows through my family “stomping grounds”. Enjoy…

Yet Another…lost cemetery

Every once in a while we come across a cemetery with no known name or who was even laid to rest there. These cemeteries are the result of some of our earliest settlements and lack of materials to provide marked stones for the graves. I’ve known about this small cemetery for years. I was first shown the location by my Uncle and Grandfather during an early spring turkey hunt before the vegetation became too thick to find it. Once again, the location would be easier to point out on GPS rather than give step by step directions. It’s located in the National Forest in Augusta County about 75 feet off the side of the road. The North River runs on the opposite side of the road a few hundred yards away. As I said earlier, none of the stones are marked and there are no markers around the cemetery that I know of. The pictures tell the story much better than I can. Enjoy!

Looking from the road towards the cemetery

One of the unmarked stones that dot the area

Another angle

A Visit To Puffenbarger Cemetery

Although this cemetery has no family ties to me that I know of, I still figured I would share a few photos from this trip. The location would be much easier to share via GPS coordinates rather than directons so I’ll keep it simple. The cemetery rests on a ridge that serves as the Virginia/West Virginia state lines in Augusta County overlooking Puffenbarger Pond. Unfortunately I don’t know the story behind the settlement so if one of my readers knows the background I’d love to hear about it.

There are numerous marked stones and a couple unmarked stones along with a number of graves with missing stones. Is this the result of vandalism or just a lack of materials or labor at the time of their death? I’m not sure but it leads a mind to wonder! Enjoy…

Looking southwest from the corner of the cemetery

Marked stone

Marked stone

Religion In The Mountains….Part 3

The third installment of my running series on religion in the Blue Ridge will simply be a photo. The photo shows how tight-knit these mountain communities were. Can you imagine this many folks gathering together in this day & age for a Sunday get-together? Enjoy..

Sunday after Church at Zeb & Rainey’s

Valentine’s Day Sweethearts…

Today got me thinking about all of the “couples” photos we see while thumbing through old memories. Here’s a few for your viewing pleasure…

My Great-Grandparents Johnnie and Cora Wyant celebrating 37 years of marriage

My Great-Grandparents Johnnie & Cora Wyant

Bela & Rose Lam

“Zeb” & “Rainey” Lam on their wedding day

“Zeb” & “Rainey” Lam

Emanuel Hezekiah & Lucy Gertrude Lam

Beginning The Project…

For quite some time I’ve wanted to begin a project that would tell the true story of the mountain residents from the areas in and around Rockingham & Page County VA. If you, or anyone you know would like to contribute to this undertaking by participating in an informal interview please contact me. I’m hoping to find folks who are direct descendents of the mountain residents and have stories to share, or folks who remembering living in the mountains in earlier years. Please pass the word and contact me to set something up.

Anyone can contact me at Rescue801engine@aol.com

Lewis Lam with grandson, Billy