What started as a rained out adventure turned into a really interesting find. The 3 headstones were pretty interesting. I found out afterwards that there used to be a church at this cemetery. But there are no remains to be found. It’s amazing to think what the cemetery grounds used to look like, before people forgot... teespring.com/stores/the-sidestep-adventures-shop www.patreon.com/SidestepAdventures

Thank you for reading their names and dates. In a time where our history is being dismantled, we need people like you to keep it alive.

Robert, Brian and Cody, I work the front line , 13 hour shifts, as an RN fighting this virus. I want you boys to know, nothing helps me chill like going on a Sidestep Adventure. To say you help me keep my sanity is understated. Thank you from the bottom of my weary heart. OMGosh, “Joe no shoulders!!” I love that! Just be careful of those critters, Please!! And Robert, you have an incredibly soothing voice. I really really enjoy your ability to calm my nerves. I won’t go on and on, suffice it to say, I love your series. You boys are doing an awesome job and I appreciate the Peace you bring. I’ll keep on keeping on and y’all (I’m from Montana) do the same. Blessings to you!

Nathaniel and Louisa Williams were my great great grandparents. Their son Benjamin was indeed 11 years old when the civil war ended. He was known as Uncle Tobe. I would be happy to share information about him with you if you provide me a way to contact you. I am sad that you are not able to go farther down the road to the Holloman Creek Cemetary. Louisa Williams' parents are buried there.

I went fishing one day and took along my dog. As I was more or less in the middle of no where I just let my dog run loose. My dog was very well trained and had always come when called. That day when I was done fishing I called her and she did not come. I went for a walk and looked for her. She didn't come. After awhile I came across an old cemetery and there was my dog. I called her she looked at me but would not come she was laying down. I thought she was hurt so I walked up to her and saw she was laying on a grave that had a tomb stone that said my name on it and the person who died there died the same day I was born . Very odd

The Bottsford family and the Bottsford town can be found at Newspapers.com also probably at Ancestry.com with articles like the Lutheran synod met there in Sumpter County in 1880’s. George W Thomas moved and died there in 1887. A history of nearby Kinchafoonie River appears in 1888. And 1977 mentions the Bottsford Baptist Church near Plains GA.

'Above lofty timbers, the walls around are bare, echoing to our laughter, as though the dead were there.'

It is sad when you think about it. Most of us will lay in forgotten graves one day.

Even though time and nature have claimed the resting places of so many people it is a reassurance and a comfort to know that God knows where each and every body is laid to rest. The centuries have forgotten secrets and I think it is awesome that you and your Sidestep team can uncover a few of those secrets a little at a time and share them with us. Thanks Robert/Bryan and Cody!

My guess for putting the person's information on the back of the tombstone is so you could stand and read it and not have to stand on top of the person to do it.

Interesting to witness the innate reverence they show for the dead. It's good to see people still have it.

My father was at Camp Wheeler in 1942 . He underwent US Army Ranger training and was assigned to the 1st Ranger Battalion. Darbys Rangers. I was at WRAFB in 1971 .

Ok Robert. great vids. The backward headstones! Think about it when the living read or honor the deceased..They wont be standing on the body. Such a smart way of burial w a headstone. Should be this way now. The old generation had it RIGHT again. God bless yall

again may I thank you for your respectful ways of bringing the history of the area to us. Please keep the videos coming.

Fletcher, Mark Harden 1st Corporal August 17, 1863. Severely wounded at Crater near Petersburg, VA, July 10, 1864. Paroled at Farmville, VA, April 11-21, 1865.

How very intresting. To think that all these people were once full of life and laugher , who lived and loved, we all will eventually end up in one of these cemetaries. The only remembrance we will have, will be our headstone. I love the respect you show for these departed souls. Cemeteries are so peaceful , I often walk through and read the headstones, and think about, the people, and the life they once lived. We have a very old Chinese cemetery, where alot of chinese are buried , who had worked on the nearby railroad, its very intresting and historical. Thank you for sharing.

Regarding the young man who died at Camp Wheeler in 1917........ The National Park Service says of Camp Wheeler during that period "Life would not have been easy in camp, particularly during the deadly measles and influenza outbreak of 1917 and 1918". It is very likely that the fellow died during the outbreak.

Here in South Louisiana many of the older head stones are dated with the months written in French. Awesome videos, im new to the channel so i have some catching up to do.

Cody always has something interesting to tell us, on those rare occasions when he speaks up.

There is a lady buried in this cemetery ( at 13:56 ) that died just 4 days short of her birthday :( I have so much heartfelt sympathy for all of these lovely people that once lived, raised children, grew their own food..etc, it just breaks my heart to see those sunken headstones and, in some cases, messed up graves. However, It's so interesting to see all these old graves, ones that if they could speak to us today....imagine the history they could tell us...all about the Civil War, WWI and WWII and in some cases, Revolutionary War, the sinking of the Titanic..etc. Thank You so much for this video!!

Advice from an Archaeologist: take a small, straw, whisk broom with you to brush debris from the stones. As long as you are soft handed, you won't damage the stones. Avoid brushing decaying, or crumbling grave stone. Enjoy.

Most Christian cemeteries are facing with their feet towards the east. So that when Christ comes back, the dead will rise to face him in the east. Also graves used to be laid out with the grave at 7ft x3ft with a 3ft pathway. The names would face the pathway. Therefore, like a few have said here already, you're not standing on their grave when you're reading the stone. On another note, most of the stones in that cemetery are made of marble. Once cleaned up, they would be a beautiful white or grey stone. Margret Lassister is a grey granite. Marble was the most common stone material prior to the 1850s. As the railroad system expanded, more granite gravestones started appearing. Marble is around 75#/cu.ft. While granite is around 190#/cu.ft. Marble was cheaper to ship by wagon and/or river boat.

Hello from Sheridan, WY. I forwarded this to my sister and her son who are really into genealogy. They are LDS and may be able to do something to help with all the cemeteries you are finding that is not in any records if you have not had any luck getting these recorded. I find these little bits of life very interesting and wonder about how they lived and died. We had one just outside of town in one of our little bitty communities that people finally got together several years ago and cleaned up and fixed the headstones. You can see it when you are driving north on I90 towards Billings, MT. It is on the right-hand side of the road just below a rocky outcropping of a hill.

Thanks for sharing this sad venue of the forgotten graves. God bless 😇 all their souls and may all their souls rest in PEACE IN GOD'S HANDS. AMEN.

Amazingly good, simple videos. You are very well spoken and very respectful. What your doing is amazing, speaking the name of those forgotten... great job!

I love what you do and am very grateful that you share your findings with us. Many of these souls may have no family living and they deserve to be remembered.

So nice these people are not forgotten because of shows like this. Who wants to die and be forgotten?

I am respectful to the people that died there. Thank you for sharing.

Thank y’all for this! It looked like 2 forms of mist returning to their graves. The lives of so many✌️

I loved this video. I just discovered you and will continue watching them all. I grew up in Waycross (ware Co.), GA - Your videos feel like home!! Thank yous o much!!!

Robert I really enjoy your sidestep adventures.I never realized that there are so many abandoned and uncared for cemeteries.A friend of mine and myself like to go to cemeteries to read the headstones.It is very interesting.I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your sidestep adventures.Thank you Robert.

Love watching your cemetery videos. It’s nice to at least mention those names that have past. It’s like bringing them back to life. Have gone but not forgotten. Thanks from Australia 🇦🇺

Really enjoying these videos! I'd love to show you guys some old slave cemeteries down here in FL.

Very respectful, thank you for caring. Really enjoy your travels.

The lone cloud or fog over the cemetery at 4:20 was kinda spooky!!!

so good to see how respectfull, carefull and loveable you treat those graves and call out all the names 🇳🇱👍❤😉

Thank you for recording these lost graves and places before they are gone forever still wish we could talk to them just think what we could learn same with old buildings to know their stories.

I'm a new subscriber, and now I'm going to binge watch!!

Are you guys having an unusually wet Spring? We sure are! This is the coolest, wettest May we've had in the 35 years I've been in Arizona. Great video! I love seeing the old graves. I wonder what those people would think of the world we live in?

It’s been fascinating to watch you go through old cemeteries. My family has been here since Jamestown and Plymouth, traveling south every few generations. I’ve seen some pretty familiar names, including Lassiter(my cousins paternal family). Keep it up!

4:23 That is not just mist in my opinion that looks alive. I really enjoy your videos.

Life has no guarantee,nor does death. Thank You for your efforts!

Dogs know every single detail of our lives! Past, present and future. They smell where we have been, saw and did. That's why they are man's best friend. They are here to watch and protect us💜

I don't know if you will see this but I will like to say thank you so much I have enjoyed watching this God bless you 🙏❤️

I like that you read the stones, there is so much to learn from them!

I thank you all for doing a great service in locating and bringing to light our forgotten family’s of the past had family that fought on both sides during the Civil War more on the Southern side keep up the good work and stay healthy and safe you and your family

I love your videos on finding these old forgotten cemeteries. Please keep it up. It's very important to do.

Earl W. Witt, died 1917 at Camp Wheeler. In 1917-1918 was Spanish Flu epidemic and it was unusual because it killed many young adults, not just very young and very old. Many soldiers enlisted in WWI died of the flu. I don't know if that is what happened to this young man, but possible.

Acid rain has likely turned originally marked graves into "unmarked," as it continues to do. The headstones are soft limestone, which reacts strongly and dissolves relatively quickly.

New subscriber. This is the first video that I've watched. I've used the Find a Grave website for family research before. I was curious about this cemetery, so I looked it up and found it on their site. Someone had recorded the graves and posted pictures in 2012. Great video. It was nice walking and exploring with you.

Very interesting, thank you. The carved headstones are beautiful. The children's graves are so sad.

Hi, new sub here, love your videos 😊🙏

I wonder if the stones were set that way so you would not stand on the actual grave to read the stone . great video loved seeing the old farms

This cemetery looks better than the other one, thank you very much four be very respectful to the graves.

I'm so glad you had a pair of young eyes with you. Cody catches a lot you miss. Go Cody! And, since you admitted you can't see the writing on the lower part of the grave and therefore do not read it, please let Cody read it for those of us who love the personalized tributes to the deceased.

Wish someone in MO would do the same - always interesting to learn who was here before us. Thank you for sharing your adventures!

Fue como una película de fantasmas, la niebla desapareció rápidamente, lo normal hubiera sido que se dispersara lentamente. Esto prueba que a los muertos les agrada Robert. Precioso lugar gracias por compartir con los que no podemos visitarlo.

Just a thought, a lot of popele that have lost their familys just go off and leave the graves to fade into the earth, however my mother and her sisters replaced all of the old limestone grave markers and replaced them with ones of granite withe the same inscriptions on them so they will be preserved. I would like to thank you for making this and your other videos

Anchor: Steadfast hope Angel of grief: Sorrow Arch: Rejoined with partner in Heaven Birds: The soul Book: Faith, wisdom Cherub: Divine wisdom or justice Column: Noble life Broken column: Early death Conch shell: Wisdom Cross, anchor and Bible: Trials, victory and reward Crown: Reward and glory Dolphin: Salvation, bearer of souls to Heaven Dove: Purity, love and Holy Spirit Evergreen: Eternal life Garland: Victory over death Gourds: Deliverance from grief Hands: A relation or partnership (see Reference 3) Heart: Devotion Horseshoe: Protection against evil Hourglass: Time and its swift flight IHS: Stylized version of iota-eta-sigma, a Greek abbreviation of "Iesus Hominum Salvator" ("Jesus, savior of mankind"); alternatively treated as an initialism for "in Hoc Signo (Vinces)": "In this sign you shall conquer." Commonly indicates Roman Catholic faith, the latter especially Society of Jesus. Ivy: Faithfulness, memory, and undying friendship Lamb: Innocence, young age Lamp: Immortality Laurel: Victory, fame Lily: Purity and resurrection Lion: Strength, resurrection Mermaid: Dualism of Christ-fully God, fully man Oak: Strength Olive branch: Forgiveness, and peace Palms: Martyrdom, or victory over death Peacock: Eternal life Pillow: a deathbed, eternal sleep Poppy: Eternal sleep Rooster: Awakening, courage and vigilance Shell: Birth and resurrection Skeleton: Life's brevity Snake in a circle: Everlasting life in Heaven Square and Compasses: Freemasonry Star of David: Judaism Swallow: Motherhood Broken sword: Life cut short Crossed swords: Life lost in battle Torch: Eternal life if upturned, death if extinguished Tree trunk: The beauty of life Triangle: Truth, equality and the trinity Tzedakah box (pushke): Righteousness, for it is written "...to do righteousness and justice" (Gen 18:19) and "the doing of righteousness and justice is preferable to the Lord than sacrificial offering" (Proverbs 21:3). Shattered urn: Old age, mourning if draped Weeping willow: Mourning, grief

Great find...you need a little broom, the respect you give the residence of the cemeteries is greatly appreciated . .. you have to wonder where the next generations have gone to.

Welcome back Sidestep Adventure . Becareful at all times and keep safe. God bless 😇 you.

I love seeing these places that are what is left from days gone by❤

Many old, many older, but that cemetery looks to be taken care of. Thanks Guys. Again, saying their names means not forgotten!

As always very interesting, I love your respect for the departed and their history.Thank you for your compassionate visit to their resting place.

Thank-you for being so respectful and kind!

Thank you for sharing your video, how you and your friends are showing some people where there missing family members graveyard is please be safe out there and God bless you and your family and friends

Very Interesting. Thank You for being respectful of the departed.

I love your cemetery videos. I like the way you say their names so their names are said again. My mom used to take us as children to cemeteries so always interesting to us. My grandmother was raised Quaker and there is an old cemetery near Flushing Ohio with our family graves. They were part of the underground railroad

Thank you for another fantastic find x

Hello, New Subscriber here. I enjoyed your video very much. It was nice that you took your time and made the effort to record the headstones. All of your crew seemed very respectful which is nice to see. I will keep watching!!!

Very interesting love doing this as well my mother's family has private cemetery around the lake of Ozark in Missouri it goes way back in time. Back then people had there own family cemetery it's really cool .

Very good video,lots of history here. Kirk in Tennessee saying hello and thanks for sharing.

I love the country. Beautiful land scape. Another great video thank you.

Just think, most of those people would of never ridden in an automobile only horse drawn carriages. The first ones were built in the 1890's but you had to be wealthy to own one.

I admire your respect for the graves in cemeteries you visit. That's how graves must be treated. Thank you for your amazing video

I really appreciate the work that y p u guys do it really means alot to me growimg up im Lake city Florida on the Florida Georgia line those could be sme of my relatives out there you dont just know how much it means to me thats a part of America history that nobody knew about i really wish you guys would go to the local media and let the people know what you guys found out there i lpve you guys you do a great service for all of us afro americans .

You guys do what I'd love to do and you're always very respectful to the past.

5:19 this person died on my birthday, they would be 125 years old now

So interesting and such a forgotten vibe here bless your heart for finding these cemeteries thank you 😊

You do such a great job! I grew up in Ink Arkansas! Just love what you do.

I really like your videos! Greetings from Brazil! 👍

I love your cemetery videos! You are so kind and respectful! The way you touch the stones is so respectful. I also like how you read the whole stone and comment so thoughtfully. You've raised Cody right by taking him with you and teaching him to love and respect everything.

That was many depressions unmarked Graves. That one died at Camp Wheeler he died of the Spanish Flu. Great video and thank you for you do. God's blessing to you all.

I notice youve got a new HD camera. So much better. Love high definition. 👍👍👍

I love your videos, just recently found you on utube, l am a fan, l love country, am a hillbilly myself who came from coal mining ancestors in Appalachia

It looks like someone has been mowing, but so many forgotten. It sure is beautiful with all the trees

Great adventure. You always bring the human story to light. BTW, I saw someone else use plain flour to bring out the writing better. As for the writing on the back of the headstone, is it possible they didn't want anyone walking on their grave?

There is a cemetary in willow river minnesota that has alot of old graves.Thank you for showing us all these Wounderful graves.🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Just stumbled on this video. I will have to check out your channel a bit. I have relatives in area of Macon. Interesting history found in graveyards. I love to hunt and find and help others with finds locally.

Thanks Robert I don't see well so it helps that you read the tombstones out loud to us so sad to see the babies and little children's graves 🙏😇♥️🇺🇸😢💔

There was a US post office established in Bottsford, Sumter County, Georgia that opperated intermittently from 1852 - 1895. The records of the Post Office Department generally contain "site reports," which have fairly detailed locations of the offices. There is also usually a map provided by the postmaster. These records are available through the national archives on microfilm. Many historical societies, history departments, etc. have them in house.

It's wonderful that you bring these videos, for I shall never get a chance to travel to it thanks

This is a beautiful cemetery, Cody actually speaks. Great ❤️

Hi Robert, Thanks yet again. Most interesting. What you are doing recording this stuff for posterity is wonderful.

Love what you do. I'm a Yankee with a lot of good old friends.

I love your videos. I also like going through old cemeteries, but am not able to walk much now. So I do so much like viewing them in your videos. You do such a good and thorough job of it. Thank you for sharing. God bless.

Thanks for all you do. Sad how alot of cemetery are not taken care of. Elders researching always take a bag of flour and rub on the stone to be able to get a reading of the stones. New subscriber here. Thank you for all the content.

What I do when going to old cemeteries is take a broom, a large container of water and an old towel, and some gardening hand tools and try and clean up some of the overgrown and dirty graves and headstones. Next time I will get some before and after pics.

You might want to do what I do when I explore graveyards, i always carry a stiff brush (preferably natural bristle)a knife and extra bottles of water, so I can clean areas and headstones I also carry small flags (you can buy packs of 5 -10 at dollar stores) to place by soldier's graves

Nice video my brother!