Family Genealogy Update

Genealogy work takes many forms, and lately, I have focused on honoring my ancestors by managing 105 (and counting) of their memorials and building 43 (and counting) virtual cemeteries. Though this project is tedious and time-consuming, it is the best way to ensure their digital records accurately match my genealogical research. However, this project has also exposed a dark chapter in our family history. I discovered that numerous Mervine ancestors were disinterred and relocated decades after their original burials. When Philadelphia cemeteries like Odd Fellows, American Mechanics, and St. George M.E. Church were dissolved in the late 1940s and 1950s, families were supposedly notified. Yet, the sheer number of Mervine relatives who were separated and buried in mass graves makes me doubt that city officials did their due diligence. Instead of receiving proper reburials, many were split up, while their headstones were used as infrastructure fill in the Delaware River to build bridges. Uncovering this history only makes me more determined. I will continue searching for our displaced ancestors to ensure they are properly remembered and memorialized.