Daughter of Arthur L. Blakeslee (1917-1993) and Dorothy M. Sturdivant (1918-2010). I am a descendant of Capt. David Blakeslee and his son Reuben. I am also looking for any information on my paternal Grandmothers family; Merilla Hatch from Crawford Co., PA. Also my Maternal Grandfathers family; Charles Bonner Davis of Greene Twp, Erie Co., PA. I was born and raised in Erie, PA. Many of my siblings have moved to the gulf coast of Florida.
I enjoy genealogy and photography. i Collect Dolls, doll related items and postcards of Dolls or Historical Sites. Will add photos of memorials in the Erie area if requested and time permits. I work full time as an Accounting Manager and take care of a few Senior Citizens.
If I have listed a memorial of your loved one and it includes an error or incomplete information (i.e. date or place of birth, death, spelling), feel free to let me know and I will make the correction

FAMILY NAMES: These are the names I am researching. If you know of any connections to these names please drop me a note.
Blakeslee /aka Blakesley, Blakesly
Sturdivant / aka Sturdevant
Hatch
Davis
Bogue
Peck
Buffin / aka Buffum, Buffun
Robison, /aka Robinson
McCray
Black
Birkner
Shadduck/Shattuck
and many others in my extended family.

I am the 7th Generation American on my Paternal side and 5th Generation American on my Maternal side. Irish-Scotch & English Decendent & Cherokee Indian.
My Maternal Side of the family were founders of Wesleyville, Erie Co., Pa. My Paternal Side were involved in the Founding of Spartansburg, Crawford Co., PA.

I live in Erie County, PA and have been doing extensive genealogy research in Erie County since 1964. I have researched extensively Wales Cemetery, Greene Township, Erie Co., PA and I am currently working with the "Wales Cemetery Association" in documenting the burials in this Cemetery.

As long as they are not relatives of mine, I am willing to transfer any memorials to anyone who is related to the deceased, regardless of number of generations, or direct descendancy. I would rather see the memorials be in the hands of those that have known and loved them.

Any photos that I take for this website may be used for any genealogical, or historical reason, but PLEASE remember to give me the credit for the photos.

FYI: Coins Placed On Veterans Graves

While visiting some cemeteries you may notice that headstones marking certain graves have coins on them, left by previous visitors to the grave.

These coins have distinct meanings when left on the headstones of those who gave their life while serving in America's military, and these meanings vary depending on the denomination of coin.

A coin left on a tombstone or at the grave site is meant as a message to the deceased soldier's family that someone else has visited the grave to pay respect.

Leaving a penny at the grave means simply that you visited.

A nickel indicates that you and the deceased trained at boot camp together.

A dime means you served with him in some capacity.

By leaving a quarter at the grave, you are telling the family that you were with the solider when he was killed.

According to tradition, the money left at graves in national cemeteries and state veterans cemeteries is eventually collected, and the funds are put toward maintaining the cemetery or paying burial costs for indigent veterans.

In the United States, this practice became common during the Vietnam war, due to the political divide in the country over the war; leaving a coin was seen as a more practical way to communicate that you had visited the grave than contacting the soldier's family, which could devolve into an uncomfortable argument over politics relating to the war.

Some Vietnam veterans would leave coins as a down payment to buy their fallen comrades a beer or play a hand of cards when they would finally be reunited.

The tradition of leaving coins on the headstones of military men and women can be traced to as far back as the Roman Empire.

Daughter of Arthur L. Blakeslee (1917-1993) and Dorothy M. Sturdivant (1918-2010). I am a descendant of Capt. David Blakeslee and his son Reuben. I am also looking for any information on my paternal Grandmothers family; Merilla Hatch from Crawford Co., PA. Also my Maternal Grandfathers family; Charles Bonner Davis of Greene Twp, Erie Co., PA. I was born and raised in Erie, PA. Many of my siblings have moved to the gulf coast of Florida.
I enjoy genealogy and photography. i Collect Dolls, doll related items and postcards of Dolls or Historical Sites. Will add photos of memorials in the Erie area if requested and time permits. I work full time as an Accounting Manager and take care of a few Senior Citizens.
If I have listed a memorial of your loved one and it includes an error or incomplete information (i.e. date or place of birth, death, spelling), feel free to let me know and I will make the correction

FAMILY NAMES: These are the names I am researching. If you know of any connections to these names please drop me a note.
Blakeslee /aka Blakesley, Blakesly
Sturdivant / aka Sturdevant
Hatch
Davis
Bogue
Peck
Buffin / aka Buffum, Buffun
Robison, /aka Robinson
McCray
Black
Birkner
Shadduck/Shattuck
and many others in my extended family.

I am the 7th Generation American on my Paternal side and 5th Generation American on my Maternal side. Irish-Scotch & English Decendent & Cherokee Indian.
My Maternal Side of the family were founders of Wesleyville, Erie Co., Pa. My Paternal Side were involved in the Founding of Spartansburg, Crawford Co., PA.

I live in Erie County, PA and have been doing extensive genealogy research in Erie County since 1964. I have researched extensively Wales Cemetery, Greene Township, Erie Co., PA and I am currently working with the "Wales Cemetery Association" in documenting the burials in this Cemetery.

As long as they are not relatives of mine, I am willing to transfer any memorials to anyone who is related to the deceased, regardless of number of generations, or direct descendancy. I would rather see the memorials be in the hands of those that have known and loved them.

Any photos that I take for this website may be used for any genealogical, or historical reason, but PLEASE remember to give me the credit for the photos.

FYI: Coins Placed On Veterans Graves

While visiting some cemeteries you may notice that headstones marking certain graves have coins on them, left by previous visitors to the grave.

These coins have distinct meanings when left on the headstones of those who gave their life while serving in America's military, and these meanings vary depending on the denomination of coin.

A coin left on a tombstone or at the grave site is meant as a message to the deceased soldier's family that someone else has visited the grave to pay respect.

Leaving a penny at the grave means simply that you visited.

A nickel indicates that you and the deceased trained at boot camp together.

A dime means you served with him in some capacity.

By leaving a quarter at the grave, you are telling the family that you were with the solider when he was killed.

According to tradition, the money left at graves in national cemeteries and state veterans cemeteries is eventually collected, and the funds are put toward maintaining the cemetery or paying burial costs for indigent veterans.

In the United States, this practice became common during the Vietnam war, due to the political divide in the country over the war; leaving a coin was seen as a more practical way to communicate that you had visited the grave than contacting the soldier's family, which could devolve into an uncomfortable argument over politics relating to the war.

Some Vietnam veterans would leave coins as a down payment to buy their fallen comrades a beer or play a hand of cards when they would finally be reunited.

The tradition of leaving coins on the headstones of military men and women can be traced to as far back as the Roman Empire.