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A Somewhat Familiar Epitaph for Thomas Mitchell

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The remains of Thomas Hanby Mitchell rest in Fairview Presbyterian Church Cemetery at Lawrencevile, Gwinnett County, Georgia. His gravestone inscription begins with the following:

Sacred To the memory of Thomas Hanby Mitchell, Son of Madison Redd Mitchell and Mary Ann Key Mitchell, Born June 7, 1830, Departed this life September 19, 1876. "It is not death to go to heaven, our Father's home."

Farther down young Mitchell's stone is an epitaph partially seen before on this Southern Graves blog. It was on the tombstone for R. W. Clements down in Irwinville, Georgia. Both epitaphs begin with -
What to us is life without thee?
Darkness and despair alone.

While Mr. Clements' epitaph continues with a sorrowful tone of
When with sighs we seek to find thee,
This tomb proclaims thou art gone.

Thomas Mitchell's ends on a hopeful note:
But we hope ere long to meet thee,
In our Father's home above.

There are two more MITCHELLs buried nearby Thomas. One is Mrs. Caroline A. Mitchell, daughter of James Orr and Ann Anderson Orr (1814-1884). The other is Madison R. Mitchell (1799-1858). Caroline is approximately sixteen years Thomas' senior and approximately fifteen years Madison's junior, so I wasn't sure to whom she was married. A little digging shows Caroline was married to Madison in 1841. Mary Ann Key was Madison's first wife (and Thomas Hanby Mitchell's mother).
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Jenny said…
Beautiful find, Stephanie.
June 7, 2011 at 4:48 PM
Karie Mitchell Photography said…
Madison Redd Mitchell was a son of Thomas Mitchell and Nancy Hanby Mitchell of Athens, Georgia. He was their 2nd son. Quite a fascinating family with a rich history. Many family members graves can be found in the beautiful historical cemetery in Athens, Georgia near UGA.
August 20, 2021 at 1:51 PM
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The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry. And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

So I answered, "O Lord God, You know."

Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!' Thus says the Lord God to these bones: 'Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live...'" (Ezekiel 37:1-5, NKJV)