I have resided in the Washington, DC metropolitan area my entire life and I have a background in historic preservation and architecture. I have enjoyed spending time wandering in cemeteries since I was 5 or 6. I did gravestone rubbings in elementary school and junior high but now I just photograph them. I always have been and still am fascinated by the artistry and symbolism of tombstones and the peaceful serenity of the graveyard.

I am the seventh great granddaughter of Reverend Pardon Tillinghast (ca. 1622-1/29/1718) of Providence, RI. My mother Ruth, was the daughter of Willis Alva, of Killingly/Brooklyn, CT, granddaughter of Thomas Avery Tillighast and Jennie Sophia Tillinghast, g granddaughter of Thomas Sweet and Charles Allen Tillinghast, gg granddaughter of Deacon Pardon and Elder Joseph Tillinghast, the ggg granddaughter of Charles Tillinghast on both sides, the gggg granddaughter of John Tillinghast, the ggggg granddaughter of Pardon Tillighast, Jr. and the gggggg granddaughter of Elder Pardon Tillinghast.

My maternal mother's side of the family are Swearingens descended from Garrett Vansweringen of Reensterdwan, Holland who settled in St. Mary's County, MD in the 1650's before migrating south through West Virginia, North Carolina and finally ending up in Edgefield, South Carolina. I am the 11th generation.

My dad's side of the family are Italian. My grandfather, Guiseppe (Joseph) Jacaruso came to Ellis Island in 1903 from a small town called Celenza Valfortore located in the province of Foggia and in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. He married a woman born in Bridgeport, CT of Italian heritage named Lena Roberti and they settled in Stratford, Connecticut raising ten children.

If anyone has any information that would be helpful on any of these lines I would appreciate your contacting me as I am still actively researching and trying to fill in lots of remaining holes.

I have resided in the Washington, DC metropolitan area my entire life and I have a background in historic preservation and architecture. I have enjoyed spending time wandering in cemeteries since I was 5 or 6. I did gravestone rubbings in elementary school and junior high but now I just photograph them. I always have been and still am fascinated by the artistry and symbolism of tombstones and the peaceful serenity of the graveyard.

I am the seventh great granddaughter of Reverend Pardon Tillinghast (ca. 1622-1/29/1718) of Providence, RI. My mother Ruth, was the daughter of Willis Alva, of Killingly/Brooklyn, CT, granddaughter of Thomas Avery Tillighast and Jennie Sophia Tillinghast, g granddaughter of Thomas Sweet and Charles Allen Tillinghast, gg granddaughter of Deacon Pardon and Elder Joseph Tillinghast, the ggg granddaughter of Charles Tillinghast on both sides, the gggg granddaughter of John Tillinghast, the ggggg granddaughter of Pardon Tillighast, Jr. and the gggggg granddaughter of Elder Pardon Tillinghast.

My maternal mother's side of the family are Swearingens descended from Garrett Vansweringen of Reensterdwan, Holland who settled in St. Mary's County, MD in the 1650's before migrating south through West Virginia, North Carolina and finally ending up in Edgefield, South Carolina. I am the 11th generation.

My dad's side of the family are Italian. My grandfather, Guiseppe (Joseph) Jacaruso came to Ellis Island in 1903 from a small town called Celenza Valfortore located in the province of Foggia and in the Apulia region of southeast Italy. He married a woman born in Bridgeport, CT of Italian heritage named Lena Roberti and they settled in Stratford, Connecticut raising ten children.

If anyone has any information that would be helpful on any of these lines I would appreciate your contacting me as I am still actively researching and trying to fill in lots of remaining holes.