I've been doing genealogical research on my family tree since my father died in 1980, but have hit snag after snag in my search due to family members not passing information down to the next generation, fires that destroyed important written information, etc. I recently, however, was able to locate the burial site of my great grandmother in East Vassalboro, Maine.

It seems that my great grandmother, who was Susan Lovina Belden before marrying my great grandfather, James Parker Dow in April 1870, was unable to afford a stone for James's grave when he died in February 1876. She remarried in apx. 1886, so she is buried beneath a stone reading "Susan L. Jones".

Having found out this much and armed with the rumor that James was buried next to Susan, I've taken the drive to Vassalboro a couple of times now - and get a weird breathless, panic-stricken sensation whenever I go near the sawmill in Vassalboro. (Family rumor has it that he died in the mill pond at the local saw mill while he and Susan were living in Vassalboro, but the person in charge of recording such for the town office neglected to do so, therefore it hasn't been proven. However, there IS only one sawmill ever recorded as being in Vasslaboro... )

To follow up this sensation, I get a very strong feeling from a space where a gravesite might be next to Susan, almost as if someone in my head is whispering "You found me!" Just a couple of weeks ago, I was able to find the minister who currently heads up the church in charge of the cemetery, who is looking into records to see if they can identify where James was buried so that I can gain permission to have his grave marked - and a visit to the unmarked location where I suspect his grave is directly after that conversation left me feeling as if he is confident that I'm going to see his grave marked before I die.

I've tried to express to my husband why I'm in such a fever to get this done before I go on to the next world, but he doesn't believe that I've felt the presence of my ancestor and is trying to prevent me from getting disappointed when the church tells me "no".

Am I right or am I wrong?

Your grandfathers energy is there, but only as a personal message to you to let you know your search has ended, you found what you've been searching for. The place where his physical body returned to the earth. His soul has crossed over and could not care less about a grave marker! In the glory of God and eternity, earthly things are of no more importance than which way a leaf falls from a tree. Please put your mind at ease, all is well and right with God and the universe. God bless!

I appreciate the response to my question. Since I have one other question about James, is it possible for you to ask him who his parents were? As with the information about his death and where he was buried, all information about his parentage was destroyed by fires. I've tried speaking to other family members about this, but communication seems to have been lacking in the generations between James and myself, so all I have is unsubstatiated rumor.

Of course, if you can't help me any further, I understand. It helps to know that my daughter and I weren't imagining what we felt in the cemetery - but we still intend to give him a stone so future generations won't get as frustrated as I've been in my search for my roots.

Thank you again for your assistance. Blessed be,

No, I am not a strong medium. I can only pick up on general state of being. Like in your case, a sense of, "It's okay, don't worry, it's not important". I will print your post and speak with my grandmother, she is much stronger than I am. On a completely "earthbound" level, I think it is great idea to mark his gravesite. Not only to make it a little easier on those who may follow you, as a sign of respct for the life he lived on earth.

I will let you know if my grandmother is able to find out anything! :)