Hidden Petty Graves

Petty Bus Driver that I am forever thankful for

About 20 years ago I was active on-line searching for my genealogical links.   It was worth the time.  I found out plenty of gene-related kin-folks and met some interesting folks.

On my Petty line,  a lady with the maiden name Petty that lived on the west coast told me her father lived in Fannin County, Georgia.  Fannin County, back in the mid 1800s, was a hotbed of Petty kin.  After communicating with the Petty lady more I learned that we were probably not related, her father is from the northern part of the United States and retired from the service and retired  in Fannin County.

Also, on on-line I mentioned one time that I read of a Petty cemetery in Fannin County, which my g-g-g grandfather and his off-spring were buried and looked for it on the back roads but could not find it.  I even found the road it was supposedly on, but it was all woods on both sides of the road.  I still couldn't find it.

The father of the west coast Petty lady emailed me and told me he found the cemetery I was looking for.

We agreed to meet at a closed service station in Morganton, Georgia, after my visit the same day to the Hunter Reunion, in nearby Union County.

We  met at the closed service station.  He was a middle aged tall man.  He pulled up, rolled down his window, and said, "Hop in and I will show you the cemetery!"

Suddenly, my self-surviving alarm went off.  I always heard not to get into a car with a stranger.

I said, "I will follow you, OK?"

He said, "Is there some reason you don't want to get in the car with me?"

Whoops!  I offended him.

I said to the effect, "Of course not!"  and got out of my car and got into his.

On the way to the hidden family cemetery he told me he was retired from the Air Force and retired in Fannin County, scenery beautiful and land cheap.  For the past few years he has been a school bus driver.l

Being a school bus driver he had taken up a new past time of looking at old cemeteries.  That is how he found the Petty Cemetery.

We went to the cemetery.  It is about 30 feet off the road, but, with all the trees and foliage hard to see from the road.

And I got to take pictures of my ancestor and some of his off-springs graves.

I have been very lucky having stuff like this forced on me when I have been reluctant, like it was meant to be.

Elijah Petty (ancestor)

Sarah Parker Petty (Elijah's 2nd wife)