cemetery – Promote Michigan

Dianna Stampfler October 24, 2022October 4, 2022 blackstone, cemetery, colon, history, illusion, illusionist, magic

Michigan’s Magic Cemetery

The small town of Colon, Michigan in St. Joseph County (population 1,128 according to the 2020 census) is commonly referred to as the “Magic Capital of the World”. It was here in Colon that magicians of the early twentieth century would flock to buy their supplies, tricks and costumes and where they would gather each summer for a festival like no other (an event which is held annually in August). And, it is where many remain today — interred in the Lakeside Cemetery.

Promote Michigan Blog

Dianna Stampfler January 3, 2022January 4, 2022 ancestry, archives, author, cemetery, census, college library, family tree, findagrave, genealogy, henry ford, history, library, museum, national archives, national parks, newspapers, online research, writer

Digital Treasure Hunting

As a freelance writer and author, I spend a great deal of my time doing historical online research. To be honest, it is this part of the process that I think I enjoy the most. It’s like a treasure hunt for information – to prove or refute details that tell one story, or another.

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Dianna Stampfler May 5, 2021May 10, 2022 abe lincoln, abraham lincoln, cemetery, family tree, hannan sammis, michigan, montague

The Mysterious Family Tree of Hannah Lincoln Sammis of Montague, Michigan

Earlier this summer, while speaking at the Montague Library in Muskegon County, I learned about one of the community’s most noted former residents – Hannah Lincoln Sammis – who was said to be a cousin of President Abraham Lincoln. The sign at the Sammis Cemetery in Montague Township, erected in 1977, even notes this designation while the City of Montague website states “President Abraham Lincoln’s first cousin, Hanna (sic) Lincoln Sammis, is buried in a little cemetery on the north side of Eilers Road, between Besser Court and Cook Street (in Montague Township).”

Promote Michigan Blog

Dianna Stampfler July 23, 2019July 23, 2019 asylum, cemetery, grave, headstone, poor farm, poor house, potters field, pure michigan, tombstone

Uncovering Michigan’s Rich and often Forgotten History, One Cemetery at a Time…

Inspired during cemetery visits while researching “Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses” comes our latest project…tracking down some of the state’s most noted, historic and forgotten cemeteries. Join our quest by following Michigan Tombstone Tourist on FB.