H-57

The Easley Progress
Friday, December 29, 2007
Volume 105, No. 51


MAN TRIES TO SOLVE MYSTERY OF MISSING TOMBSTONE

By Jason Evans
Staff Writer

	When people purchase tombstones, they think they are purchasing a monument 
that will be around forever.  They think that those who wish to visit their 
final resting place will be able to always find them.  

	But, cemeteries can become abandoned, property can change hands, records 
can be lost.

	That's what probably happened to Andrew Cunningham's tombstone.

	Paul Kankula believes someone may have that tombstone in their backyard 
and not realize it.

	"It was reported in an old newspaper that Frank Hinton of Pickens County 
found an old tombstone in a ditch on his property," Kankula said, "it was the 
grave of Andrew Cunningham who died in 1791.  If the date of death is correct, 
this tombstone should really be preserved or given to the Pickens County 
Museum."

	Kankula serves as Coordinator for the Golden Corner SC GenWeb Volunteer 
Project.  Gen Web is a worldwide, nonprofit, Internet organization that focuses 
on the permanent preserving of information for on-line genealogical research via 
a Personal Computer.  The Project is non-commercial and fully committed to free 
access for everyone.  	

	It's important to preserve genealogical material on the Internet, 
according Kankula.  In a article on the Golden Corners GenWeb web site entitles 
"Remembering and Preserving Our Past Heritage, "Kankula emphasizes the 
importance of creating an electronic record for family tree materials such as 
photographs, letters, obituary notices, and information recorded in family 
Bibles.

	"Historical and genealogical societies have been publishing books on these 
kinds of records for years," Kankula said, "unfortunately books sitting on a 
library will slowly decay with the passing of time."

	The Golden Corner GenWeb designation includes Anderson, Pickens, and 
Oconee Counties.  Kankula, his partner Gary Flynn, and other volunteers seek to 
locate obscure or forgotten cemeteries in those counties and record their Global 
Positioning System satellite locations on the GenWeb web site for preservation.

	"If you have a cemetery's GPS reading, you'll be able to find it a 
thousand years from now," Kankula said.	

	There is a listing of known cemeteries and those cemeteries in Anderson, 
Pickens, and Oconee counties that Kankula and Flynn would like to locate at  
http://www.rootsweb.com/`scoconee/cemeries-ntf.html

	There's little to go on regarding the locations of Cunningham's grave.  It 
is known that Frank Hinton is now deceased but the location of his property is 
unknown, though it is believed to be in the Easley/Pickens area.  Kankula 
believes that the discovery of the tombstone was reported in the Easley Progress 
but the article has not been found.

	Kankula is also trying to find the Mansell Family cemetery in Easley.  
This may or may not be the Mansell cemetery located next to the Mauldin cemetery 
in the Simpson community.  

	Anyone with information regarding the Mansell Family cemetery, the grave 
site of Andrew Cunningham, or any Upstate cemetery is urged to contact Paul 
Kankula or Gary Flynn at the Golden Corner GenWeb web site at 
http://www.rootsweb.com/`scpicke2/ 

Reach Jason Evans at jevans@theeasleyprogress.com or 855-0355