CEMETERY HEADSTONE SYMBOLS AND EPITAPHS

On Memorial Day folks will be visiting cemeteries to decorate the graves of their loved ones. If you plan to visit a cemetery or several, don’t forget that a cemetery headstone can tell you a lot of family history. 

Headstones usually have the deceased’s name, dates of birth and death, possible nicknames, and family relationship. The symbols or images on the headstones have meaning and can identify military service, religious and professional affiliations, and hobbies. All of that information gives you rich details to add to your family history. It's truly a sad thing to find a headstone with only the deceased's name and only the years they were born and died.            

One summer’s day I attended a cemetery symbol presentation at the George Washington Carver Monument near Diamond, Missouri. I learned a lot from that presentation and still wanting more knowledge, I decided to do research. Here is what I found about headstone symbols and epitaphs.

Babies’ and children’s graves are usually marked with lambs or angels. Lambs represent innocence and angels have many meanings, all of which represent love and heaven. 

A daisy on a child’s grave represents gentleness, youth, and the innocence of a child. A sleeping child signifies death during the Victorian Era and sometimes decorates a baby’s grave. 

A photo of a lamb on Left.        Photo on Right, death wings in the upper corners of Opal's headstone. 

Another lamb on a baby's headstone.      Epitaph reads "Budded on earth To bloom in Heaven."

                       

                              

     

Calla Lilies are a Victorian symbol meaning majestic beauty and they often times represent marriage. Ivy vines mean memory and fidelity, while laurel means victory. 

Flowers in general depict the frailty of life. Wheat is the time of divine harvest often used to denote old age. The willow leaves illustrate grief. Acorns and oak leaf clusters mean strength, honor, and steadfastness.

Here are random photos I've taken over the years during my cemetery excursions.

   

Sometimes the symbols you find on cemetery headstones tell you that the deceased person once belonged to a fraternal organization. Most organizations have their own special symbols, such as the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, Eastern Star, and the Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks.

           

        

One fraternal symbol that is very beautiful and ornate is the Woodmen of the World (WOW) or later known as the Modern Woodmen of the World. I happened upon the grave of my great-grandfather’s brother, Walter. His headstone is tall, sits on a base and at the top there are three carved stone logs stacked upon each other. The symbol on the front of the stone is MWA, which stands for the Modern Woodmen of America. That information gave me insight into his life as a woodsman.

           

Looking at the headstones around Walter’s, many whose stones resembled tree trunks or logs and they all had the Woodmen of the World emblem carved upon them. I later researched the organization and learned of its history. The organization is still around today, but no longer supplies the beautiful and ornate headstones when a member dies.

  

         

One of my third cousins has a unique set of symbols on her headstone. Shirley is still alive, but she bought her grave plot and had the headstone set ahead of time to make sure she got what she wanted. The four symbols on her headstone are a clown face because she is a member of Clown Alley of Kansas City, a set of schoolbooks because she was a home economics teacher, a gavel because she was an auctioneer and a comb and scissors because she once owned a beauty shop and worked as a hairdresser. Shirley’s headstone portrays the uniqueness of her occupations. I won’t post her headstone because she is still alive and will maintain privacy.

           

Here are a couple of headstones with epitaphs. 

    

The headstone below is almost covered with lichen! It needs to be removed before it ruins the stone! 

Epitaphs on headstones are used in a variety of ways. Some are a single word, “Mother,” or some are a short sentence, such as “Gone to God” or “Remember Me.” Others can be quite lengthy. For example, the epitaph on Bonnie Parker’s stone reads, “As the flowers are all made sweeter by the sunshine and the dew, so this old world is made brighter by the lives of folks like you.”

           

A potter’s field is the term used for cemetery sections set aside for the indigent and the unknown people who died in a community.

Have a safe Memorial Day 2024!

 

A History of The Ginn Basic Readers

 Teaching children to read has a long history and educators differ about effective methods to use in beginning efforts. Even today, those arguments continue. It all started when American educators and parents argued over the best way to teach children how to read in schools nationwide. William McGuffey published phonics-based primers, which approached the reading method by sounding out words by learning letter and sound associations. These primers were in the hands of schoolchildren from the middle of the 19^th century to the early 20^th century.  

During the Progressive Era, many educators and social scientists believed the McGuffey Readers were too difficult for young children. They wanted a simpler approach, one that used limited vocabulary. They also believed it would be better to use contemporary children in a more modern setting that was relevant to children’s lives. 

After the Great War (World War I), John Dewey, William S. Gray, and others wrote those primers. They chose Zerna Sharp, a popular illustrator working with the Scott-Foresman publishing company as their illustrator, and a new series of primers arrived in the publishing world. The new books featured the same set of siblings engaged in normal daily activities with whom children of the times could identify in the stories. 

In 1930, the Dick and Jane characters were introduced in Scott-Foresman’s Elson-Gray Basic Readers. The books featured a special section for teachers explaining how they could adopt the whole word, or look-say method, to teach early readers. The new method emphasized the meaning of words rather than using rote phonics drills. The books constantly repeated the few words in the stories. This method replaced phonics. Each primer had a vocabulary list at the back of the book. Teachers were impressed, and school districts quickly adopted the reading primers.

 The Ginn Basic Readers. (Photo from the free images on the internet).

The new series used pictures to help readers associate a word with its meaning. The characters in the primers were Dick, Jane, Sally, Mother, Father, Spot the dog, Puff the cat, and Tim the teddy bear. Primers were used in schools nationwide into the 1970s, when politics played a big part in their demise.

 Titles such as The Little White House, My Little Red Reader, My Little Green Reader, My Little Blue Reader, Open the Gate, We Are Neighbors, On Cherry Street, Friends Far and Near, and Trails to Treasures helped children learn to read with interesting stories and settings.

 

The Little White House book. (Author photo).

Tom Betty and Susan, along with their mother and father and their pets, Flip the Dog, Frisky the Cat, and Pony, were introduced in the late 1940s in The Little White House, published by Ginn and Company. With this new series of primers designed for elementary students, the writers included workbooks and enrichment readers to scaffold the learning system. Teachers again quickly adapted to the new materials.

 

A peek inside The Little White House. (Author photos).

Edwin Ginn of Boston, Massachusetts, founded Ginn and Company. He almost lost his eyesight during college, and his fellow classmates read to him. To work his way through college, he sold textbooks to a publisher. By 1890, Ginn and Company was the sixth-largest publisher of textbooks. The other five were subsidiaries of The American Book Company, but Ginn refused to become a part of the group. Edwin Ginn died in 1914, and in his will, he left a million dollars to establish The World Peach Foundation. Later, Xerox bought the company.

 Looking through the old children’s primers is a joy to behold. The illustrations are endearing and quite the contrast of today’s world. There are no broken families, no violence or cruelty, and especially no sexual content. Tom, Betty, Susan, and all the other book characters enjoyed daily life in a world where families normally stayed together.

 If you’re looking for stories to read to your children and grandchildren, you might consider these early-day primers. They are solid and enjoyable stories. 

A History of Children's Primers: Fact and Story Readers

 I went to elementary school in the 1960s, and kindergarten was not offered, so I went right into first grade. One of the most important things I learned in school was how to read. When I learned phonics and how to combine sounds to make words, those words fired up my mind.

We didn't have high-tech gadgets that stole our time in those days. Even watching television and listening to the radio was limited because homework came first. The rule was that we got our homework finished, and then we could play.  

I spent a significant amount of my time reading or being read to. Those beautiful stories filled with adventures near and far away jump-started my curious and creative mind. Given a choice of playing ball with my brothers or reading a book, I chose the book. 

It all began with children's primers. After my paternal great-grandmother passed away, I found a few old books among her household items. Memories flooded me like a waterfall when I opened one of the primers. They were the stories she had read to me. I was delighted to look through it. I marveled at the Victorian artwork and decided to do a little research to see what I could find. 

One of the books, Fact and Story Readers, Book Two, was first published in 1930. The authors were Henry Suzzallo, George Freeland, Katherine McLaughlin, and Ada M. Skinner, all of whom were born in the late nineteenth century.

My copy of the Fact and Story Readers Book Two:

Suzzallo was the president of the University of Washington from 1915 to 1926. After being fired from that position, he served as the director of the National Advisory Committee of Education and Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. When the book series was published, he was a visiting professor of education at Columbia University in NYC, where he received his degree. 

The lone illustrator was Ruth Mary Hallock, who died in 1945. The illustrations in the books are relief prints. The exciting illustration notes describe the book with color-printed reliefs called color chromoxylographs. 

A peek inside the book. The story of Polly and the Fairy. (Author photo).

The American Book Company was an educational book publisher formed in 1890 by consolidating four other publishing houses. After 1981, D.C. Heath and Company eventually took over the company. 

A descriptive side note to the Little Primer states that the books contain short stories about children at home, play, and work. The stories become progressively longer and more challenging to read. At the end of each story is a vocabulary list for students to review. Each story always holds a moral or a lesson to learn.

Inside the book: The story of Laddie the dog.  (Author photo).

One of the primers I own is Book 2, which includes poems by Robert Louis Stevenson. After each story, there are various comprehension questions, fill-in-the-blank sentences, or multiple-choice questions and answers. 

The primers are now part of the digitized children's historical literature collection in the University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections Division repository. Of course, you can find used copies online at eBay and Amazon, as well as at flea markets and used bookstores. 

THE HISTORY OF CEMETERIES & HEADSTONES

Do you know that cemeteries and headstones hold a key in the study of history, religion, sociology, art history, and archaeology? They are truly an art form. The history of cemeteries is a fascinating look at how society viewed death. In ancient times, funeral customs were often elaborate. From mound building, cremation, and rituals to placing simple wood markers at a burial site, it is interesting to learn about people’s beliefs concerning cemeteries.

A family plot of graves in Deepwood Cemetery, Nevada, Vernon County, Missouri:

Many mourners commemorated the dead during the Victorian era by developing a family cemetery plot on their private land. More desirable for others was graveyards that were built within the churchyard due to their belief that the closer one was buried to a church, the better the chances were of getting into heaven.

 Another family plot of graves in Deepwood Cemetery, Nevada, Vernon County, Missouri:

          

In the 19^th century, the rise of creating park-like cemeteries afforded those who dealt with death a peaceful place to visit and stay near their loved ones. The Victorians viewed cemeteries as recreational spots where they gathered and spent the day visiting one another and enjoying a picnic lunch. While visiting the cemetery where their beloved was buried, they shared their sorrows with each other.

 

I can’t cover the entire history of cemeteries in this post, so I encourage you to search websites about the subject if you’re interested. The history of cemeteries is a very interesting read!

Strolling around cemeteries is an interesting way to research the past. Besides finding the graves of family members and the information given on the headstones and footstones, other information found on the stones can help you understand who your ancestors were and what beliefs they held.

Look closely at the headstones, where there are carved symbols and epitaphs. An epitaph is a short text honoring a deceased person written on the headstone. The older the gravestones, the more elaborate the epitaphs are likely to be. Financial matters of the deceased's family was another factor when finding simple or elaborate stones. 

       

When a family was poor, they often placed a fieldstone at the head of their deceased’s grave instead of paying for a carved headstone. Over time, the fieldstone might be accidentally moved or settled into the ground, or eventually, grass covered it, and the grave may be lost forever.

           

This photo shows field stones marking the graves of unknown people.  

The history of headstones, also called tombstones and gravestones, is interesting. Originally, a tombstone was the stone lid to the coffin, and a gravestone was the stone slab that lay over a grave. Early headstone carvings were a skilled art form with elaborate decorations carved by stone carvers.

 

The carvers were tradesmen, and cutting stones was their occupation. As the tradesman’s skills grew, he might travel to the countryside, offering his work in the community. Victorian headstones were first carved from stone that attracted the growth of lichen and moss. Lichens and mosses are living growths that can damage gravestones, so they should be removed from the stone as soon as possible if you come across them.

 

Usually, the stone carvers were masons who built chimneys, foundations, and cellars. The carvers developed their lettering styles by studying their schoolbooks. Just as an artist has a distinct way of drawing or painting, the stone carvers had their own way of producing symbols and epitaphs. In years past, many people could not read. Therefore, the symbols carved on the headstones were visual reminders of who was buried in the grave and their beliefs.

           

Eventually, the process of making headstones evolved to the machine-produced ones seen in modern cemeteries. The stone choices have changed over time; today, polished marble or granite is the choice of material. Today’s gravestones can be just as elaborate as in the past.          

This little headstone marks the grave of a child. Symbols of lambs were often used.

This Memorial Day, or whenever you visit cemeteries to do research, pay attention to the design, art, symbols, and epitaphs found on headstones. In my next post, I’ll discuss headstone symbols and epitaphs, with photo examples that I’ve found during my cemetery excursions.

             

Memorial Day and Cemetery Research

 Memorial Day is coming soon, and folks will drive to local cemeteries to decorate their loved one’s graves. Why not make your trip a mini family history search if you have time? Cemetery research is essential for genealogy and is one of my favorite activities. An outing to cemeteries usually yields a lot of information on family history. But before you visit a cemetery to do research, you will need to plan ahead.

This large headstone has elaborate carvings. It's the headstone of a 4-year-old child. Notice the lamb on top, depicting a child's grave.

If you've never been to a particular cemetery that you want to visit, search online for it and read the given information. Sometimes, there may be locked gates that won’t allow access between certain times of the day and evening. Sometimes, the cemetery rules are posted at the site of the cemetery. During Memorial Day, there will probably be a group of volunteers manning an information table on the grounds and will gladly accept donations for cemetery upkeep.

Gather the necessary equipment. Your camera is the first item on the list! Include a flashlight (you never know when you may need it), a spiral notebook or other paper, a pen, a measuring tape, an old brush, clean rags, a jug of clean water, and a spray bottle of water with a bit of ammonia. I usually take gardening gloves and small pruning shears if I need to clear overgrown brush from around a headstone.

Wear appropriate clothing, as you will want to be comfortable bending over, walking, and possibly weeding around your family's gravestones. Wear sturdy walking shoes or boots; a sunhat might be handy in hot weather.

The above headstone is that of an African American man who lived with a family in SW Missouri. When he passed, they erected the small stone in his memory. My brother found it and called my attention to it. I researched and found out information about Ike. He was born in NW Arkansas. 

If bird droppings are on the headstone, use water and a soft brush to clean it. If lichens or mosses cover the gravestone, spray the ammonia water directly on them and wait a few minutes, then carefully brush the growth off. Lichen and moss damage headstones, so get rid of them immediately. After removal, spray water on the stone and wipe with rags until dry. Try not to scrape or scratch the stone.

This headstone is a modern one with an epitaph on the back. 

Using your notebook and pen, record all the information on the headstone, noting any symbols depicting fraternities or organizations and including the writing on them. Use your camera to take photos of all sides of the gravestone and wide-angle shots capturing other graves surrounding it. Note the sun and ensure the glare does not block or shadow any portion of the stone. Also, photograph the cemetery gate, signs, and other identifying markers. 

Use the measuring tape to measure the gravestone and describe it accurately. Also, write down the direction and distance of the graves and where they are located within the cemetery so you can easily find them again. 

This headstone is an obelisk or spire. 

Remember to use safety when going on a cemetery excursion. Go with a friend or family member. Always ensure you have enough gas in your vehicle. Carry your cell phone with you (there may not be reception in remote areas). And always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return. 

These two headstones are for a man and his wife. They are huge, with triple bases and lots of adornment.

If you drive to a remote cemetery in the hills and hollows, be alert to your surroundings and the terrain, and always watch for snakes or other wild animals. Keep track of your time and stay within your time constraints. Another factor to consider is the weather. Be prepared; sudden thunderstorms can be dangerous. 

Use Memorial Day weekend to do a little family history research. My next blog post will be about cemetery and headstone history. I wish you a safe Memorial Day!

             

             

 

Book Review ~ When Hope Sank by Denise Weimer

 Denise Weimer’s new novel has just been released! When Hope Sank is part of a new series from Barbour Publishing. The story is based on the true sinking of the Civil War steamship Sultana in 1865 in Arkansas on the Mississippi River. The ship carried over 1,500 men; many did not survive the explosion and the churning frigid waters of the river. The hero, Cade Palmer, is a surgeon, but his wounds may not allow him to return to his life’s calling. Cade is taken to Lily Livingston’s family inn. The area is rich with opposing loyalties and risk at every turn. Lily plays a significant role in the danger that is lurking. This is a tale of tragedy, mystery, and danger, along with faith, hope, and love. I enjoyed reading a fresh view of the American Civil War, not on land but on water. This is book No. 3 in the series A Day to Remember. Based on American disasters published by Barbour Books. Find it on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/When-Hope-Sank-April-Remember   For some reason I can't get the link to copy! 

I'm a friend of Denise Weimer and always read and review her books. I received a copy of When Hope Sank in exchange for an honest review, and she autographed it for me.