I was extremely sad to learn of the passing of Susan Hill on September 14, 2014. Anyone who has contacted the Cumberland County Genealogical Centre for help in the last 30 years has likely received assistance from Susan. I know she helped me a great deal in getting started with my research on the Ripley family. The first time I met her in person, she had just dropped in to the CCGC on her lunch hour and I think she skipped lunch to draw me maps with directions to the places she thought I'd like to visit. I've just been going through the emails we exchanged, marvelling at her sense of humour, her incredible knowledge about so many families, and her jaw-dropping "inside scoops". Like the time she dropped the bombshell that George Oxley's gravestone that says he's buried on Lot 19 was actually not located on Lot 19. Or the story about the firetruck that ran through the Old Burying Ground, knocking stones over. Or the time she relayed a message from a gentleman who had done a transcription of the gravestones in the Old Burying Ground so many years ago that he remembered bones sticking out of the ground. Susan's outstanding book, Some Cumberland County Nova Scotia Cemeteries, helped me find the graves of 4 generations of great grandparents. Susan said she hoped it had also been useful in fending off the mosquitoes. Susan was the one who introduced me to my second cousin Art Ripley and his neighbour Gardner Bud Hurley who have helped so much with Maccan research. Just this summer, she sent me the obituary of my 2nd great grandmother Rebecca Vickery which helped to establish a link to a Mayflower ancestor. I am grateful that Susan told me of her illness and that I was able to see her one last time this summer. I could never thank her enough, but I will be making a donation to the Cumberland County Genealogical Centre today in her memory and expressing my condolences to her family. Susan's obituary is posted on their front page.
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AuthorHi there! My name is Mallory Burton and I started researching the Ripley family in 2011. I'd describe myself as a careful amateur who's more interested in story than names and dates. I hope you enjoy my website and blog. I also have a public Mallory/Ripley tree on Ancestry with over 4,000 names. To contact me, please comment on any one of my blog posts. Archives
May 2024
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