Echoes from Randolph
-
It Began at Whiskey Run
To examine the history of Randolph, I’m first sharing a historical account (copied verbatim) that clearly and concisely describes the place Peterson and Powers call “Randolph-the-First.” The map below shows it situated south of Cape Arago on the Pacific Coast. Randolph-the-First: A Historical Account “Gold was discovered at the mouth of Whiskey Run in the…
-
So Many Stories, So Many Questions!
Where are the black sand gold mines? Who first discovered the gold? When was Randolph there? Then, there? And, finally, there? As I began to read histories about Randolph, Coos County, Oregon, I soon realized that I was reading about more than one place. It had shifted geographically, in tandem with the economic fortunes of…
-
Coquille Tribal History
As I began my genealogical research, it quickly became apparent that I needed learn about the local history of Randolph. Since I moved away from Coos County over forty years ago, it is fortunate that the digital age arrived in the intervening years: it yields a treasure-trove of online resources to help me learn from…
-
Learning about the U.S. Census
I learn best by doing–and that is certainly true when it comes to genealogical research. This blog post examines a recent learning experience born from encountering a surprise and the ensuing quest to understand a past practice. Once upon a time I was attempting to unravel the headstone mystery of William Hirst. As described in…
-
William Hirst: Headstone Mystery #2
In the previous post, I described my research findings for one of the two headstones that Jim Proehl recently discovered near a Bandon cemetery. This post examines the other headstone with the engraving: William Hirst, Died Oct. 27, 1862, Aged 34 years. Why did the two headstones suddenly appear together? Are they from the same…
-
Here a Mary, There a Mary: Headstone Mystery #1
A couple of weeks ago Jim Proehl at the Bandon Historical Society emailed a mystery to me. He wrote, “I walk through the Averill/GAR/Catholic cemetery in Bandon almost every day and was surprised yesterday to discover two new/old headstones that popped up along the road. One of the stones made me think of you.” The…
-
Preventing Cemetery Erasure
I recently watched Sad Hill Unearthed, a documentary film about the restoration of an abandoned cemetery film set in northern Spain. No humans are buried at the site: it was created solely for the closing sequence of Sergio Leone’s 1966 film, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. The documentary shows how fans of the…
-
Grave Stories, Part 6
As I conclude this series, I’ve learned that between 1870 and 1938, at least eleven Thrush relatives are buried in the Hultin-Thrush Cemetery. Having already discussed seven interments, this final part focuses on four others: Two previously identified (in Part 3) and two discovered while writing the series. Previous posts in this series: Part 1,…
-
Grave Stories, Part 5
Besides the burials of John Thrush, his wife Elizabeth, and two of their daughters, at least seven other individuals are reportedly buried in the Hultin-Thrush Cemetery. This fifth part of the series focuses on three of them; the last part of the series (Part 6) will focus on the remaining individuals interred at the family…
-
Grave Stories, Part 4
In this fourth part of a multi-part series, I provide specific information about individuals buried in the Hultin-Thrush Cemetery (described in Grave Stories, Parts 1 and Part 3). Thrush Family in Randolph Please note that I am conducting systematic genealogical research, going back one generation at a time. I have learned enough at present to…