December 2001
Finally got to the St. Thomas, Ontario, cemetery where much of my kin is buried. My father was born in St. Thomas and just about everyone in the preceding generations is buried there or in Hamilton.
John A. Billings was my great grandfather–my grandfather William’s father. He is buried here with his wife, Emily, and 2 of their infant children. Amelia Dyker is Emily’s sister.
Lesley Cairns, the caretaker of the St. Thomas West Cemetery, is a wonderful, friendly woman. She spent 3 hours with me going over records and puzzling over names and plots. She pulled out receipts from 1919 to help understand who purchased a plot and went through numerous books to find missing pieces of the puzzle. I had a great time and appreciate the time she took and the colorful stories she entertained me with. Lesley is a true genealogist and detective at heart.
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