Humpty Dumpty

Ernest F. Foreman was the 2nd cousin of my great grandmother, Sallie Adams Fulford but I doubt she ever knew him. He only lived 8 days.

Ernest was born on May 3rd and died on May 11, 1907. The only reason I knew about him is because I found his broken tombstone laying on the ground in the Palma Sola Cemetery in Manatee County Florida.

This is just a story about it, since I know nothing about Ernest. I first saw his tombstone in 2001, took a picture of it and was able to figure out who his parents were and his relationship to Sallie. The next time I was there in July 2005 the tombstone was missing.

I happened to mention this to one of my new found cousins, Paul Foreman who lived in Sarasota and he admitted he had taken the marker to try and repair it. It had been in his garage for several years after he found out repairing a marker that has been broken in multiple pieces is very hard.

In July of 2008 I was visiting the cemetery and noticed the marker was back, standing upright and in one piece. I asked Paul if he had fixed it and he said he tried but his repair job

didn't look nearly as good as the marker looks today. Apparently someone else decided to take it and work on it.

I don't know who did it or paid for the repair but it is appreciated. A young baby who only lived a little more than a week in 1907 has had several benefactors come forward over 100 years later.