Central Coast Cemetery Scavenger Hunt!

If you're like me, you probably haven't participated in a scavenger hunt since you were a kid. In this cemetery scavenger hunt, 15 items were found at various cemeteries around the Central Coast.

CROSS - Found at Santa Barbara Cemetery, Santa Barbara, California.

HEART - Found at Oak Hill Cemetery, Ballard, California.

FRATERNAL SYMBOL (Masons) - Found at Goleta Cemetery, Goleta, California.

MONUMENT - Found at Oak Hill Cemetery, Ballard, California.

FLOWER - Found at Arroyo Grande Cemetery, Arroyo Grande, California.

HAND - Found at Lompoc Cemetery, Lompoc, California.

ANGEL - Found at Santa Barbara Mission Cemetery, Santa Barbara, California.

BIRD - Found at Santa Maria Cemetery, Santa Maria, California.

TREE - Found at Santa Barbara Cemetery, Santa Barbara, California.

STAR - Found at Santa Maria Cemetery, Santa Maria, California

OBELISK - Found at Santa Barbara Cemetery, Santa Barbara, California.

FOUR-LEGGED ANIMAL (front) - Found at Oak Hill Cemetery, Ballard, California.

FOUR-LEGGED ANIMAL (back)

PHOTO - Found at Oak Hill Cemetery, Ballard, California.

MILITARY GRAVESTONE - Found at Arroyo Grande Cemetery, Arroyo Grande, California.

MAUSOLEUM - Found at Santa Barbara Mission Cemetery, Santa Barbara, California.

This post was composed for the July 2010 Edition of the Graveyard Rabbits Carnival: Scavenger Hunt.

All photos in this post by Elizabeth or Ben O'Neal, photographed on various dates..

Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal

Tuesday's Child: Tobias & Willie JAMISON

Our darlings

TOBIAS DILLAN

Died

June 16, 1883

Aged

6 y'rs, 11 mos, 16 days

WILLIE LOUISA

Died

June 4, 1883

Aged

4 y'rs, 1 mo, 8 days

Children of

T.B. & M.E. Jamison

"Suffer little children to come unto me,

and forbid them not, for of such is

the Kingdom of Heaven."

Tobias and Willie JAMISON are buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery, Ballard, Santa Barbara County, California. Their parents are also buried in this cemetery.

Headstone of Tobias and Willie Jamison photographed by Elizabeth O'Neal, April 2, 2009, Oak Hill Cemetery, Ballard, Santa Barbara County, California.

Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal

The Beautiful and Unusual Headstone of Jim STULL

The Oak Hill Cemetery in Ballard, California, is a place where a person can express his/her individuality, even in death. There are many beautiful, interesting, and downright unusual tombstones to be found here.

With the success of the movie Sideways, California's Central Coast became known for its excellent wines - particularly of the Pinot Noir variety. Northern Santa Barbara County and San Luis Obispo County are popular wine-tasting destinations for tourists from all over.

The unique headstone of Jim (and Rachel) Stull.

Detail of Jim's information.

STULL

Jim

2-21-1940

~

12-2-2004

(His wife Rachel is, presumably, still alive.)

I do not know if Mr. Stull was involved in the wine-making business, of if he just liked grapes. However, this unique tombstone is one that is not soon forgotten.

* * *

This post was composed for the June 2010 Edition of the Graveyard Rabbits Carnival: The Interesting, The Odd, The Beautiful.

Headstone of Jim Stull and detail photographed by Elizabeth O'Neal on April 2, 2009, Oak Hill Cemetery, Ballard, Santa Barbara Co., California.

Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal

Upcoming Event: Picnic in the Cemetery

The Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society, in collaboration with the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Society, is sponsoring a Picnic in the Cemetery.

Saturday, October 24, 2009
10:30 AM - 12:00 NOON
Oak Hill Cemetery
2560 Baseline Avenue, Ballard
Cost: $25 for members of SBCGS and SYVHS; $32 non-members
Reservations and payment due by October 15.

Seven cemetery residents will delight you with their stories along with a little gossip about some of the other residents. Boy, did the Los Olivos and Ballard communities have some exciting and interesting characters.

A picnic lunch will be served at the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Society Museum and Carriage House after the Cemetery visit.

Please contact the SBGCS for reservations and information.

Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal

Tuesday's Child: John Gregory Nielsen

John Gregory Nielsen was born on August 2, 1952, in Santa Barbara County, California. He died on August 14, 1957, at the age of 5 years. He is buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Ballard, Santa Barbara County, California.

John's parents are unknown; however, according to the California Birth Index, 1905-1995, his mother's maiden name is Rasmussen. I did not find John in the California Death Index, 1940-1997.

There are many Nielsens buried in the Oak Hill Cemetery.

Copyright © by Elizabeth O'Neal

____________________

SOURCES:

California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics. "California Birth Index, 1905-1995." Database. Ancestry.com, http://www.ancestry.com/ : 2009.

"John Nielsen's Headstone at Oak Hill Cemetery." Digital image. Photographed by Elizabeth O'Neal, April 2, 2009. Privately held by Elizabeth O'Neal, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Santa Barbara Co., California. 2009.