Southern Graves

It's no secret. If you follow this blog (and I hope you do!), then you know I like epitaphs. I often highlight the ones I find particularly touching in some way. I started collecting the epitaphs some time ago and placing them in a database online using the blog format. I am attempting to categorize and uncover meanings. If you'd like to check it out, it's here --> Southern Epitaphs . By the way, here's my latest favorite. It was found at the Waverly Hall Cemetery in Harris County, Georgia. Seaborn K. O'Neal Born Sept 20th, 1838 Died June 3rd, 1871 Oh! could you but see my repose Where dangers no more shall annoy, Your feelings you then would compose, And think of me only in joy.

The tombstone for John T. Whitehead has a lot going on -- a glowing epitaph, quotes, Bible scripture, and symbols of the urn and hourglass. Sacred To The Memory Of John T. Whitehead In All Life's Relations He Exemplified The Virtues Of The Christian And Gentleman, And Won The Love Of All. He Was Beloved By His Family, Cheerful In Company, Conscientious In Spirit, Successful In Business, Patient In Affliction, And Victorious In Death. The Love Of This Community Claimed A Longer Stay, But Higher Attraction Prevailed, Earth Yielded, And Heaven Bore Away The Prize. The Key To His Most Triumphant Death Is Found In His Dying Request, To Be Put Upon His Tomb, "I Am A Man Of Prayer." Born March 27th, 1816 Died September 11th, 1860 "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." "Let sickness blast, let death devour, If heaven must recom

Frances E. Kilgore Wife of Henry L. Lowe Born Aug 4, 1834 Died Nov 28, 1877 A loving mother and devoted wife has gone to her rest, and the light has gone out in the happy home. Graces with those rare virtues which are peculiar only to her sex, the deceased was all the wife and mother could be. Her sorrowing husband to whom she had been a faithful and loving companion for so many happy years, now that she is gone will cherish her memory and children whom she has tenderly reared will arise up and call her blessed. This ledger marker is located at Waverly Hall Cemetery in Harris County, Georgia. Photo copyright © 2009 S. Lincecum.

This wonderful piece of art is located at Waverly Hall Cemetery in Harris County, Georgia. The inscription: In Memory Of Susan A. Consort Of Anderson G. Jones, And Daughter of Wm & Catherine Whitehead Born In Harris Co, GA Sept 5th, 1834, And Died In Harris Co, GA Feby 2nd, 1861 A constant Christian, a devoted Wife and fond Mother. The few photos I have here do not do justice to the intricate carving involved. The vining work is very pretty. I looked for a signature, but did not notice one.

Laid to rest in Waverly Hall Cemetery; Harris County, Georgia are General Henry H. and Mrs. Mariah A. Tarver Lowe. Their marble tombstone has inscriptions on all four sides: To the memory of Mrs. Mariah A. Lowe, consort of Genl Henry H. Lowe, formerly Miss M. A. Tarver, Born Sept 30th, 1807, Married Aug 26th, 1821, Died Nov 27th, 1852. In but few characters was ever so happily blended all the elements of female virtues and attractions. Modest, refined, cultivated and dignified. Kind, forbearing, benevolent, liberal and just. Father this cup of sorrow, We'll drink as did thy Son, Teach us in resignation, To say "Thy will be done." In Memory Of Genl Henry H. Lowe Who Was Born 4th Nov 1795 And Died July 8th, 1854 This stone marks the resting place of one whose influence and character were felt in his day: a man of strong will and unwavering purpose, of untiring industry and unyielding perseverance, he made for himself fortune, name and position. And

Mrs. Fannie M. Wife of S. H. Pitts And daughter of Thomas & Mary A. Whitehead Born Nov 4th, 1842 Died Aug 14th, 1873 She dwelleth in heaven, yet deep in our hearts Her image is graven, and never departs. And while we yet linger, we watch and we wait Till death who has parted, again shall unite. Ledger marker located at Waverly Hall Cemetery; Harris County, Georgia.

This tombstone for Virginia Crook (d. 1859), located at Waverly Hall Cemetery in Harris County, Georgia, contains several Christian symbols. The cross and book (likely representing the Bible) is common enough, and the symbols widely known. The dove is also often seen and represents peace and purity. I learned something else about the dove when it is depicted as "dive-bombing" from Heaven -- it represents the Holy Ghost, as written in John 1:32-34 - 32 And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 "I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 "And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." The other items I have not often seen are the grapes and wheat. Grapes alone could symbolize the blood of Christ. Wheat alone may

This monument is erected by order of the most worshipfull Grand Lodge of Georgia, to the Memory of their former Grand Chaplain, Reverend Thomas Darley, who departed this life, 18th April A.L. 5832, A.D. 1832, in the 63rd year of his age: and who was a shining light to his Masonic Brethren, to imitate in his walk, as a man, Mason, and Christian. Rev. Darley was laid to rest at Waverly Hall Cemetery in Harris County, Georgia. According to a death notice found in a local paper, he left behind a wife and 16 children. On the back side of Rev. Darley's monument is the following epitaph: "Calm, the good man meets his fate, Guards celestial around him wait! See! he bursts these mortal chains, And o'er death the victory gains." While the symbol and inscription on the gravestone clearly states Rev. Darley was a Mason, there are a couple of other clues you might not be aware of that further bolster this fact. Though I have yet to find a simple explanation as to how,

In March of 1875, at least three tornadoes touched 18 counties in the state of Georgia. In Harris county, at least six members of the Capt. John H. Kennon family were killed. They were laid to rest in the Waverly Hall cemetery. An account of the disaster in the 30 March 1875 Macon Weekly Telegraph says this: "...At Mt. Airy, the house of Capt. John Kennon was whirled around, and portions of it carried half a mile. Mrs. Kennon was killed with her two grown daughters, a son aged seventeen, a daughter of twelve, and a baby. Their bodies were scattered along the road for 50 to 150 yards, and everything else was gone. The bones of all were broken and they had received severe gashes..." Here is an additional article that describes more of the storm. I transcribed the whole article for those that might have genealogical interests. After this transcription is a link to even more articles from other newspapers detailing the destruction of the storms. Augusta Chronicle

The above signature is carved into a marble ledger marker located at Waverly Hall Cemetery in Harris County, Georgia. A little research led me to Mr. Michael Gannon. Census records suggest he was born between 1812 and 1820 in Ireland. He was naturalized in Charleston, South Carolina in the year 1847. Michael and family are found in the 1860 US Federal Census for Charleston, South Carolina. They are in Ward 3, enumerated on page 9, dwelling 58, family 54 (lines 5-12): Michael Gannon / age 40 / male / occ: Stone Cutter / b. Ireland Mary Gannon / 35 / F / b. Ireland John Gannon / 17 / M / South Carolina Michael Gannon / 15 / M / South Carolina Mary Ann Gannon / 13 / F / South Carolina William J. Gannon / 7 / M / South Carolina Thomas F. Gannon / 2 / M / South Carolina James Gannon / 28 / M / occ: Stone Cutter / b. Ireland By 1870, the craft was being passed on to his son, as both the elder and younger Michael were listed as Stone Masons. A second son, William, joined in as

Sacred to the memory of Mrs. S. C. Wife of W. A. Stansell; And daughter of N. and E. Passmore , Born 14th Novr 1833 Died 12th March 1863 Aged 29 years, 3 months and 28 days. Sleep on Dearest! sweetly beside thy infant babes, On the resurrection morn thou and they Shall rise again. Angels guard they sleeping dust. W. A. S. This ledger marker is located at Waverly Hall Cemetery in Harris County, Georgia. The stone carver was " M. Gannon, Ch n . S. C. " Nearby is Mrs. Stansell's mother - In memory of Mrs. Elizabeth Wife of Nathan Passmore and daughter of John E. & A. Lester Born Nov. 8th, 1809, Died May 20th, 1869 Aged 59 years, 6 months & 12 days Sweetly sleep Wife, Mother Thy home is in Heaven, where thou wilt taste the joys and pluck the ambrosial fruits of Paradise.

I've photographed many Woodmen of the World memorials, and I think this is the best image I've captured of their slogan, Dum Tacet Clamat . It translates to "though silent, he speaks." Woodmen of the World is the largest fraternal benefit society with open membership in the United States. It is an insurance organization founded by Joseph Cullen Root in Omaha, Nebraska on the 6th of June, 1890. The first certificate of membership was issued to William A. McCully of Independence, Kansas on the 29th of December, 1890. Six months later, Woodmen paid its first death claim on the life of teenager Willie O. Warner who drowned on the 14th of June, 1891, in Niles, Michigan. Early Woodmen of the World policies provided for a death and a monument benefit. Gravestones were originally furnished to members for free and later were offered to those who purchased a $100 rider. To learn more, visit " Woodmen of the World Memorials " on the Southern Graves website.

This beautifully carved "treestone" is located at Riverside Cemetery in Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina. I do believe it is one of the most life-like I've ever seen. This particular tree stump memorializes the STARNES family. On the back of the stone is a plaque with all the names of the family members, as well as birth and death years for each. [Front] Thomas A. Starnes 1818 - 1897 His Wife Elyzabeth 1825 - 1896 [Back] Family of Thomas Albert Starnes, 1818-1897 & Elizabeth Morgan Starnes, 1825-1896 Avaline S. Smith (Mrs. R. S.), 1843-1924 Caroline S. Ownbey (Mrs. Sims), 1844-1914 Mary Ann S. Reeves (Mrs. T. C.), 1846-1889 Martha S. Clark (Mrs. W. P.), 1848-1908 John Wesley Starnes, 1849-1898 Margaret E. Starnes, 1851-1926 Thomas Charles Starnes, 1854-1899 Jesse Russell Starnes, 1856-1913 George Haskew Starnes, 1857-1922 Dr. E. Clingman Starnes, 1859-1900 Eva Marian Starnes, 1863-1864 Gonano Starnes, 1865-1945 Ida Zone Starnes, 1867

For this week's Tombstone Tuesday , I wrote about North Carolina's "greatest man," Zebulon Baird Vance . In a newspaper article about him that I found and transcribed here , Zeb's grandfather is described. Luckily, I had also photographed a stone while at Riverside Cemetery in Asheville, not far from where Zebulon was laid to rest, that memorializes this grandfather as well as a few additional members of his family. On each of the fours sides of the stone, a different family member is remembered. David Vance Born in Frederick County, Va, of Scotch Irish parentage about 1750. Died in Buncombe Co, N.C. in 1811. He was a soldier at King's Mountain in the Patriot Army in 1780. One of the earliest settlers of Buncombe and the first clerk of the County Court. Priscilla Brank Wife of David Vance Born in Rowan Co, NC in 1756 of German parentage. Reared a family of eight children and died in 1836. Robert Brank Vance, M.D. Youngest son of David and Priscilla.

Here are the most viewed posts over the last 30 days. - Sam Reed, Mortician & Caretaker of Atlanta's Oakland Cemetery on StoryCorps - Embree Hoss Blackard, United Methodist Clergy (Tombstone Tuesday) - Abraham Lincoln's Bodyguard (Wordless Wednesday) - H. Clay Wilson was a Man of Many Virtues and Few Faults (Tombstone Tuesday) - Rocks, Rocks, and More Rocks - Col. Stephen Lee, Relative of Gen. Robert E. Lee - Southern Cross of Honor - Free Access to Colonial, Revolutionary War & DAR Databases [Note: This post contains information about some available databases, but the free access period has expired.] - Today's Epitaph: Daniel Ogden Lives in Memory Alone

Zebulon Baird Vance May 1830 April 1894 Riverside Cemetery Asheville, Buncombe County, North Carolina Zebulon Vance was a Confederate military officer during the Civil War, twice Governor of North Carolina, and U.S. Senator. He was a remarkable writer and became one of the most influential Southern leaders of the Civil War and postbellum periods. He was much beloved by his home state, as is conveyed in the following newspaper article describing his funeral. 19 April 1894 State , South Carolina ON THE SUNNY SIDE THE HILL ZEBULON VANCE SLEEPS HIS ETERNAL SLEEP Renewed and Continuous Demonstrations of their Great Love for Their Dead Senator, Made by North Carolinians Yesterday Asheville, N.C., April 18 -- At the hour of noon today the remains of the late Zebulon B. Vance are being deposited in their last resting place overlooking the beautiful French Broad river in this "Land of the Sky," a fitting spot for the last repose of a great man. The funeral train arriv