Southern Graves

I don't know how I missed this article by Travis Fain on macon.com, but I did. I think it's important enough to still share, though. (From 7 April 2009) Unmarked graves from 1800s found in south Bibb By Travis Fain - tfain@macon.com A small cemetery of unmarked graves has been found in the path of the Sardis Church Road extension, and the Georgia Department of Transportation plans to unearth and move the bodies... ...The cemetery is in the Avondale Mill Road area in south Bibb County, and the graves appear to be connected to the former McArthur family plantation site there. It’s on land that was part of the plantation, and there is a marked McArthur cemetery nearby, the DOT said... ...The DOT has asked anyone who knows something about this cemetery to visit www.avondaleburialplace.org or to contact Coco at (770) 498-4155, extension 103, or jcoco@newsouthassoc.com. [ Read complete article here. ]

I was going to make this a Wordless Wednesday post, but decided some words were necessary. I’m pretty passionate about cemetery appreciation and preservation.  This goes hand in hand with Earth Day and a passion to appreciate and preserve our planet.  Let’s think about the connection for a moment. There is the obvious correlation of mortal remains being buried in the earth, or having one’s ashes spread all over it.  The tombstones we strive to conserve for the information they contain, as well as their artwork, also come from the earth: - marble :  a metamorphic rock formed from limestone or dolomite - granite :  a common, coarse-grained hard igneous rock consisting chiefly of quartz, orthoclase or microcline, and mica - limestone :  a common sedimentary rock consisting mostly of calcium carbonate - slate :  a fine-grained metamorphic rock that splits into thin smooth-surfaced layers - rock :  relatively hard, naturally formed mineral or petrifie...

The Macon Daily Telegraph , Georgia 27 March 1907 Viewable online at GenealogyBank . Caught on the Wing By JOHN T. BOIFEUILLET The remains of the daughter of a former Governor of Georgia, the dust of a president of the first bank in Macon, and the ashes of other persons once well known in this city repose in the old cemetery situated near the foot of Cherry street. This is the burial ground which Alderman Bowdre, with commendable spirit, desires to have reclaimed by the Mayor and Council from many long years of neglect. Broken tombstones, bearing inscriptions to the memories of members of families formerly prominent in Macon, lie on the ground, under leaves and dirt, the walls of the graves in a crumbled state. Some of the tombstones still stand erect, and the lettering on them is easily read, but in the majority of cases the marble memorials are badly broken and the inscriptions almost obliterated by the corroding effects of time. In numerous instances there is scarcely any sig...

A. J. Paris Son of Dr. J. R. & Dorothy A. Paris Died Nov 27, 1886 He was laid to rest in Hillcrest Cemetery; Reynolds, Taylor County, Georgia. Census records suggest A. J.'s full name was Andrew Jackson Paris. He was the son of a local dentist, Dr. Jackson Paris. An obituary states A. J. passed away after suffering through a very long illness. The back of A. J.'s urn topped, pedestal tombstone displays the following epitaph: OUR BROTHER JACK Gone before us, O our brother, To the spirit land! Vainly look we for another In thy place to stand. This epitaph is from a poem entitled " Lines on the Death of S. Oliver Torrey " by John Greenleaf Whittier. Wikisource describes Mr. Whittier as "an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States." S. Oliver Torrey was secretary of the Boston Young Men's Anti-Slavery Society. 1 While the entire poem is linked above, I will include the first and last stanzas here. Gone befo...

I just published a post at my Rose Hill Cemetery; Macon, Georgia blog I think some of you might enjoy. And the Road Goes on Forever: Duane Allman & Berry Oakley is now live.

Charles Seiler Born Aug 15, 1839 - Died Jan 9, 1912 -------------------------------------- Ernestine Beloved Wife of Charles Seiler Born Nov 9, 1839 - Died Jan 28, 1894 Bonaventure Cemetery Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia From Douglas Keister's Forever Dixie : "This statue of the virtue Charity, with her hand at her breast and offering a rose, marks the graves of Charles and Ernestine Seiler." Wikipedia states, "In Christian theology charity, or love, means an unlimited loving-kindness toward all others." Oftentimes, Charity is shown with children around her. This time, she stands alone. I Corinthians Chapter 13 1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all m...

Corinne Elliott Lawton Died January 24th, 1877 Allured to brighter worlds and led the way. Bonaventure Cemetery Savannah, Chatham County, Georgia Corinne, daughter of Gen. Alexander Robert Lawton and Sarah Hillhouse Alexander, was originally buried in Savannah's Laurel Grove Cemetery. Her remains were moved to Bonaventure in 1896. 1 The statue of Jesus and archway behind Corinne is a memorial for her parents. The final portion of Corinne's epitaph is from The Deserted Village , a poem by Oliver Goldsmith that dates back to 1770. Per Wikipedia , "It is a work of social commentary, and condemns rural depopulation and the pursuit of excessive wealth." The following quote from the poem shows how the eventual epitaph for Corinne was used (about line 167): And, as a bird each fond endearment tries To tempt its new-fledged offspring to the skies, He tried each art, reproved each dull delay, Allured to brighter worlds, and led the way. These words seeme...