Southern Graves

Anna V. Wife of J. E. Lowe Feb 27, 1866 Dec 11, 1891 We miss thee from our home, darling Anna, we miss thee from thy place. A shadow o'er our life is cast; we miss the sunshine of thy face. Yet again we hope to meet thee, When the day of life is fled, And in heaven with joy to greet thee, Where no farewell tear is shed. Duluth Church Cemetery Duluth, Gwinnett County, Georgia Photo © 2010 S. Lincecum

Pete left us 60 years ago today. Duluth Church Cemetery Duluth, Gwinnett County, Georgia Photo © 2010 S. Lincecum

Evan Howell came to the area now known as Duluth, Georgia in 1821 from North Carolina. At that time, there was only one road opened in the section. This was the Peachtree Road, an offshoot of an old Indian trail that ran along the bridge south of the Chattahoochee River. Mr. Howell realized that more roads were needed in order for the area to develop, so he obtained permission in February 1833 to construct a road from the Chattahoochee River across his land to intersect Peachtree Road. This intersection became known as Howell's Cross Roads and was know by this name for 40 years. It evolved into a major artery for the railroad. In 1873, Evan Howell's grandson, Evan P. Howell, saw an opportunity to build and link a U.S. railway system from North to South. After Rep. J. Proctor Knott made a pitch to Congress, a bill was passed to finance a railroad from Howell's Cross Roads in Georgia to Duluth, Minnesota. Evan P. Howell decided it was appropriate to change the name o...

Victoria Wife of Dr. R. S. Adams Born Oct 21, 1848 Died June 25, 1903 Mother, thou hast from us flown To regions far above, We to thee erect this stone Consecrated by our love. The oak leaf is a powerful symbol. As Douglas Keister puts it in Stories in Stone , "Just as the lion is the King of Beasts, the oak is the King of Trees." Oak leaves symbolize strength, endurance, eternity, honor, liberty, hospitality, faith, and virtue -- all combined show the force of the Christian faith. Oak leaf tombstone located at Duluth Baptist Church Cemetery in Duluth, Gwinnett County, Georgia. Photo © 2010 S. Lincecum.

Baby Knox Hands from Heaven Dove of Purity Clyde E. Son of Mr. & Mrs. R. E. Knox Born May 30, 1903 Died July 6, 1904 A little time on earth he spent, Till God for him His angel sent. Duluth Baptist Church Cemetery Duluth, Gwinnett County, Georgia All photos © 2010 S. Lincecum

In memory Little John Reuben Infant son of Reuben A. and Josephine Gant Born Aug 29, 1910 Died Dec 3, 1910 Sweet babe, thy spirit now hath rest. Duluth Baptist Church Cemetery (est. 1886) Duluth, Gwinnett County, Georgia Photos © 2010 S. Lincecum

This fairly typical tombstone was found at Duluth Baptist Church Cemetery in Duluth, Gwinnett County, Georgia. It is inscribed with the following: Maud Hambrick Born Oct 13, 1882 Died May 26, 1907 A precious one from us has gone, The voice we loved is stilled. A place made vacant in our home, which can never more be filled. Pretty straightforward, right? Well, Maud had a couple of surprises for me. First of all, I initially assumed "Maud" was female. After noticing the engraving above the epitaph, I was a little perplexed. In the cemetery it was a little difficult to see, but the image at the top of the stone appeared to be a big truck or something to that effect. When I got home, I tried to enhance the image. This is what I came up with: (click to enlarge) You might have to enlarge the image to see what I'm about to describe. It looks to be a train engine. To the extreme left is the front, with 623 on it. Moving to the right, you can see the ...

About a month ago, I wrote a A Short Essay on Victorian Children's Gravemarkers for the Graveyard Rabbit Online Journal. While the most common recurring Victorian theme on an infant's grave is that of a sleeping child, there are other symbols frequently found. One is a pair of infant shoes, clearly representing a child now gone. At the time I was writing the article, I did not have any photos of sculpted infant shoes on a tombstone in my personal archive. Then a funny thing happened. Just a few short days after the article was published, I attended the Atlanta Family History Expo in Duluth, Georgia. I made sure to make a side visit to the Duluth Cemetery and there found two examples of this very symbol! So here they are.

Duluth Cemetery Gwinnett County, Georgia Photos © 2010 S. Lincecum

Cora Lilian and Little Phoebe died in the early 1870's. Over their graves were placed these cast iron markers / covers. They are topped with a sculpted bouquet of flowers and sleeping baby. The sun was not cooperating with me and my camera, but I hope you can see the tremendous detail on these markers. At the head of each marker (Cora's is broken) is a circle where is inscribed their names and death dates. Atop this is a crown. I am not sure of the surnames for Cora and Little Phoebe, but they were laid to rest next to Asbury J. (1847-1924) and Fannie E. Mewborn (1851-1895). Located in Duluth Baptist Church Cemetery at Duluth, Gwinnett County, Georgia. Photos © 2010 S. Lincecum. Update! According to some great reporting by Traci Rylands at Adventures in Cemetery Hopping , these cast iron tombstones were likely invented by Joseph R. Abrams .

I really like this simple tombstone for James Henry Shaw. The engraving at the top is of a laurel wreath. This represents victory, eternity, and immortality. The association with eternity and immortality comes from its leaves, which do not wilt or fade. James Henry Shaw (1856-1925) Saved by Grace Under the death date for Mr. Shaw is a simple, yet powerful phrase: Saved by Grace . This tombstone is located in the Duluth Cemetery at Gwinnett County, Georgia. Photo © 2010 S. Lincecum.