Author Archives: dwsuddarth

Whenever we are searching for a specific grave marker, we become excited when we finally find it.  Here is a photo of the marker for James Suddarth.

From this marker, I learn that James was born in 1795 and died 1865.  He was also a Corporal in Captain Coffee’s Company of the Kentucky Volunteer Militia during the War of 1812.  This is all great information to have if I am researching this line in my genealogy.  However, if I had just stopped there, I would have missed some important information.

To the left and a little further back in the cemetery is another grave marker for James Suddarth.  This is the original grave marker.

Although worn, it is possible to read (my apologies for the bad photo – it is easier to read in person).

OUR
FATHER
AND
MOTHER

JAMES                   MALINDA
SUDDARTH              SUDDARTH
BORN                       BORN
MAR 22, 1795           SEP 13, 1797
DIED                        DIED
OCT 21, 1865              NOV 2, 1865

Here, we see that there is more information on the old stone than what was put onto the new stone.  The biggest item is the fact that the old stone was not just for James, but also for Malinda Suddarth, his wife.  In addition, instead of just the year of birth and death, the old stone has the actual month and day for each.

There is also an inscription below the birth and death information.  This inscription is extremely hard to read (and cannot be read in the photo).  It tells us that James was a volunteer in Jesse Coffee’s company during the War of 1812, information which has been put on the new marker.