Mystery in St. Francis Cemetery in Minersville (PA)

CAROLYN’S COMPOSITIONS

MYSTERY IN ST. FRANCIS CEMETERY IN MINERSVILLE (PA)

      Genealogy research involves exploring sites that some persons might consider macabre—or peaceful and rewarding. One of the rewards: cemetery stories.

     In 1996, I stopped in Minersville, Pennsylvania, while traveling home from New England. I was seeking information on my grandfather’s family, the Borinsky clan—and the clues were in the Catholic cemetery where they would likely to be buried.

     I finally located the Catholic cemetery. To my dismay, I learned that their cemeteries in Minersville are individualized by culture. I didn’t need to locate just the Catholic cemetery, but the Lithuanian Catholic cemetery: St. Francis of Assissi Cemetery, to be specific. Getting directions, I finally drove into my destination.

     Parking the car in a safe spot near the entrance, I collected my camera, pen and paper, and began my search. Almost immediately I encountered two workmen maintaining a stone. They asked me who I was looking for, and I told them “any burial site with the name Borinsky.” They thought for a moment before telling me that they were unfamiliar with the name. I thanked them and headed to the back corner of the cemetery, planning to work my way forward.

     I located a few Borinsky stones, and photographed them. Then I ran out of film. I headed back to the car to reload. The men asked me if I’d had any luck, and I told them I’d found some Borinskys, but not the particular ones I was searching for. As we chatted, I happened to look down.

     What I saw made me smile.

     I asked the men if they would humor me by playing a game. They agreed.

     To one, I said, “Move your right foot slightly to the right.”

     To the other, I said, “Now you move your left foot about twelve inches to the left.”

     Their faces wore a puzzled look as I positioned them. Then I said, “Look down to the foot you just moved.”

     When they did, they joined me in laughter. Their feet were touching the very stone I was looking for—Martin Borinsky! (To view photos click on:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/carolyncholland/3970799386/in/photostream/  &

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/carolyncholland/3970799296/

     I continued my search through the cemetery, photographing some other Borinsky stones. However, other than the stone the workmen were maintaining, there was no other successes.

     Except for the genealogical research story I’m relating here.

 ADDITIONAL READING:

RUSS’S ASSIGNMENT: WRITE CAROLYN’S EULOGY Lent Devotion

IN NEW ENGLAND, HISTORY CONFLICTS WITH PROGRESS

WISDOM FROM A CHILD TO A GRANDPARENT

HOW BITTER ARE PERSONS IN SMALL PENNSYLVANIA COMMUNITIES?

A KUDZU COVERED VEHICLE GRAVEYARD