Fun

The Sunny Side of Genealogy

In 1986, a little volume called, "The Sunny Side of Genealogy" was compiled by Fonda D. Baselt and published by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. of Baltimore, MD.  "A Humorous Collection of Anecdotes, Poems, Wills, Epitaphs and Other Miscellany From Genealogy," It contains 100 pages of delightful reading.  May I share with you some of my favorites? 
Quotable Quotes:
"Being of sound mind, I spent every cent when I was alive."  (from an old will; p. 25)
Fame is chiefly a matter of dying at the right moment.  (p. 17)
"My folks didn't come over on the Mayflower, but they were there to meet the boat." 
(Will Rogers, p. 61)
The cheapest way to have your family traced is to run for public office. (Reader's Digest; p. 22)
The rich never have to seek out their relatives. (p. 44)
Life is the childhood of our immortality.  (p. 72)
Many a tombstone is a grave error.  (p. 78)
Epitaph Laughs
"Here lies an atheist:  All dressed up and no place to go." (gravestone in Thurmont, WA; p. 27)
"Gone to see for myself."  (gravestone, p. 47)
"I expected this, but not so soon."  (gravestone, p. 47)
"Here lies a father of 29; There would have been more but …
     he didn't have time." (gravestone, p. 52)
"Transplanted" (On a gardener's grave, p. 90)
"Gone underground for good." (On a coalminer's grave, p. 90)
The Last Word
"Here lies as silent clay, Miss Arabella Young
Who on the 21st of May, 1771, began to hold her tongue." 
(gravestone in Plymouth, England; p. 53)
The Body of Benjamin Franklin, Printer
(Like the cover of an old book,
    Its contents torn out,
And stript of its lettering and gilding)
   Lies food for worms.
Yet the work itself shall not be lost,
For it will (as he believed) appear once more
   In a new
And more beautiful edition,
  Corrected and amended
             by
   The Author."
Benjamin Franklin (p. 62)
 

 

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