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!

 

FAMILY HISTORY: 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.

             

FAMILY HISTORY: 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!

             

             

 

FAMILY HISTORY: All From a Photo ~ Sacred to the memory of Isaac Haden

 ALL FROM A PHOTO!

In the summer of 2014 my brother and I were canvassing the Rocky Comfort, Missouri, cemetery (he was photographing the headstones and noting the necessary details, while I was recording the stones information). Running across the small headstone, we immediately wondered who “Ike” was. Was his last name “Colored” or was that describing him as a colored person?

 I set out to learn more.

 With the bit of information about him, I researched and found him through the 1880 and 1900 US Federal Censuses online at Ancestry.com. His name was Isaac Haden, born in Arkansas, in 1854 and died July 11, 1908. He was a servant in the Nancy (Farmer) Christian family, who lived there in Rocky Comfort, he was single, and he could not read nor write. Mrs. Christian must have cared for him a great deal, due to the inscription upon the little gray headstone, “Sacred to the Memory of Ike, Colored.”

 A side note: Nancy Christian’s husband, Capt. Robert “Bob” Christian was killed during the 2^nd Battle of Newtonia on October 28, 1864, in Newtonia, MO. He is buried in the Newtonia Civil War cemetery.

Christian is labeled as a “notorious member of the local militia” and a bloodthirsty guerilla who had a gang of followers who plundered the countryside. Christian served under Capt. James Ritchey, son of Matthew Ritchey, built the Ritchey Mansion in Newtonia.

To learn the rest of the story about Christian, follow the links below. Genealogy is an interesting hobby/occupation in which to partake! 

And all from a photo!

https://sites.rootsweb.com/~cappscreek/civilwar/bio/biochristian.html

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5677195/robert-h-christian

 

 

FAMILY HISTORY: Woodmen of the World: An Old Insurance Policy for Woodmen

 I’ve discovered some of my family’s membership in the Modern Woodmen of the World. Many of my ancestors are buried at the Owsley Union Cemetery, located south of Longview, Missouri, and north of Powell on 76 Highway in McDonald County. One day while there, I noticed a unique headstone for Walter E. Utter, a brother to my great-grandfather. Walter died two days before Christmas in 1908.   

 Walter’s headstone is a rectangular smooth piece of gray stone that sets on a large base.  It measures five feet tall. His date of birth and date of death is on the front of the stone. An inscription reads, “left a wife and five children.” At the top of the rectangle on both sides, are engraved upside-down lilies. Four large, engraved stone logs are stacked on top of the headstone.   Beneath the lilies and logs is a large square emblem marked with a shield, an ax, and an aul, with the letters M, W, and A. 

I had no idea what Walter’s headstone represented, but I noticed other ornate headstones in the cemetery that resembled Walter’s stone. They mark the graves of Jerry H. Clapper and Lee R. Owsley. Owsley’s stone resembles a tree trunk with the same emblem, but his states “Erected by the Woodmen of the World.”  From that, I had the information I needed to do research. 

Joseph Cullen Root started the Modern Woodmen of the World around 1883 to honor the pioneer woodsmen who cleared the land for developing our roads, and communities, and building homes. Woodmen of the World, later changed to Modern Woodmen of America, began as a fraternal benefit society that protected families and their financial futures by offering insurance protection. In the early days, certificates provided a death and a monument benefit to its members, furnishing free gravestones when they died. Eventually, the elaborate gravestones became obsolete due to the cost of materials and cemetery regulations.    

 Originally, all of the Woodmen gravestones were to be identical in size and design, but the result varied across the nation as local stonecutters used a wide variety of designs. What evolved are beautiful, elaborate, and precious works of art marking woodmen’s graves. There is the answer to the question of why all of the headstones are different, except for the Society’s emblem. 

Woodmen’s gravestones are scattered across the nation and is a fascination for many people who want to document the elaborate stones found in cemeteries. The USGenWeb Archive Project does have some photos of gravestones in our area, but not of the Owsley Union Cemetery. You can access the website at USGenWeb Project to see the photos.  

 Cynthia Ann Utter, my great, great-grandfather’s sister, married Lewis Fulweiler Houser. They lived in the Rocky Comfort area all their married lives. Lewis Houser is distinguished as being a charter member of the local Modern Woodmen of America in Rocky Comfort. I have a picture of the Rocky Comfort Citizen’s Bank building, provided by L. Bennett, of Rocky. Banking occurred on the lower level, while the Modern Woodmen met on the upper level of the building.

 After finding the wonderful Woodmen's headstones in cemeteries, now I search in other cemeteries to find more. As of this writing, I have seen many Woodmen stones dispersed throughout our Missouri counties. All are ornate and display some type of woodsy details.   

I am proud to have Modern Woodmen of America in my family. That information gives me more interesting stories to add to my family history.