"If I want my children and grandchildren to know those who still live in my memory, then I must build the bridge between them. I alone am the link to the generations that stand on either side of me. It is my responsibility to knit their hearts together through love and respect, even though they may never have known each other personally. My grandchildren will have no knowledge of their family’s history if I do nothing to preserve it for them. That which I do not in some way record will be lost at my death, and that which I do not pass on to my posterity, they will never have." ~ Elder Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Ensign, May 1999, pages 83-84~

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Wordless Wednesday - From Grandma's Stash of Unknown Subjects


Tombstone Tuesday - Owen William Brock

Better late than never, I say, and it is still Tuesday if only barely.

My great grandfather, Owen William Brock, was born in Washington County, Florida on May 27, 1869. He died in Bartow, Polk, Florida in 1924. The 1920 census shows he and his wife, Fanny Newsom Brock, living in Blountstown, Calhoun, Florida.  I do not know when they moved to Bartow but during that time period their only son, Marlin Guy Brock, was working in Bartow as a court reporter so I presume they relocated to be near him.  

I found out that he was buried in Elim Cemetary in Polk County.  This was in 1992 and I was still living in Florida so we went on a day trip to located Grandpa Brock's grave.  What a trip it was!  We got directions to the cemetery - this was before the days of GPS - and went on a hunt. We drove through what seemed like endless miles of country road and phosphate fields and finally, in the middle of absolutely nowhere, we saw this little church and the sign "Elim Primitive Baptist Church.

Elim Primitive Baptist Church


In the small cemetery attached to the church we found this small marker.

Grave Marker of O. W. Brock

I do not know why Grandpa Brock was buried in such an out of the way place or why there was no information on the tombstone but I am glad that we located his final resting place.