Southern Graves

This of course reminded me of Savannah's bird girl. Even though I cannot read these headstones, the landscaping was purposefully and beautifully done, I think. Oakland Cemetery Atlanta, Georgia Photo © 2012 S. Lincecum

I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes Unto The Hills, From Whence Cometh My Help. So says the granite ledger marker for Mr. John Pate Stetson (1874-1921), son of James Daniel Stetson and Eugenia Sophia Pate. As with many a verse included with epitaphs, this one is from the Bible - Psalm 121:1. Verses 7 and 8 would make good epitaphs, too: 7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. [King James version] John Stetson died in Asheville, NC, but was not buried there. He was brought to Macon, Georgia and interred in the family plot at Rose Hill Cemetery. You will find his obituary at the Rose Hill Cemetery blog .

I have a confession to make: I am not a good blogger of my personal genealogy. It has become increasingly clear over the last several months. My personal genealogy blog is the most neglected of them all. I do work on my personal family history, to be sure, I just rarely want to blog about. On the other hand, I LOVE spending hours and hours in a cemetery, photographing tombstones, conducting research, and bringing you the stories behind those stones. Even though there have been lapses when my personal life took a front seat to cemetery research, this blog has been pretty darn consistent. I have decided to interject a little bit of my family history into this Southern Graves blog. You will know these posts at a glance because the tag This Time It's Personal will always be included. I plan to migrate applicable posts from my personal genealogy blog to this blog, as I wrestle with the decision as to whether or not to even keep the other blog. These posts will be concentrat...

The Helen Hunt episode of Who Do You Think You Are? did not take us to any deep south locales, but I won't hold that against her. I think a mention on this blog is still well deserved. Since the episode aired, I have read some criticisms -- the show was boring, all Ms. Hunt did was mumble, and her reactions were too subdued (to name a few). Conversely, I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. I like that there were a lot of questions her father could not answer -- how many times has that happened to us "real folk?" I like that Ms. Hunt had felt connections to places in the past but didn't know why, and was now learning those connections were real and tangible. She even mentioned she felt as though little pieces inside her were "waking up." George S. Hunt (1829-1896) Augusta M. Hunt (1842-1932) Evergreen Cemetery Portland, Maine Photo by timcdfw via FindAGrave The women's history lessons learned were awesome. I like how Ms. Hunt had a certai...

Though very befitting, this tombstone was my first depicting this well-known image. The original, sculpted in plaster, was created by James Fraser. According to the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma, which holds the seventeen foot tall piece, "James Earle Fraser grew up on the plains in Mitchell, South Dakota. There he had unique encounters with pioneers, hunters and fur trappers, and he befriended many of the Plains Natives. He often heard stories about the "doomed fate" of the Native people and sympathized with their suffering as westward expansion threatened to consume their lands." (Read more here .) The End of the Trail BEN F. PERRY, JR. 1883 - 1933 Oakland Cemetery at Atlanta, Georgia Photo © 2011/2 S. Lincecum

Atlanta Constitution (Georgia) 26 January 1900, pg. 7 " DEATH OF MRS. JOHN GLENN She Was One of Atlanta's Oldest and Best Known Citizens. Mrs. John Glenn, aged eighty-four years, one of Atlanta's pioneer citizens, died yesterday at her residence, 391 Auburn avenue, after an illness of some weeks of paralysis. Mrs. Glenn was one of the best known women in Atlanta. She was one of the charter members of the First Presbyterian church and was the oldest surviving members at the time of her death. She was a woman of many fine traits of character and had many warm friends. The funeral will take place this morning at 10:30 o'clock from the residence. Dr. Bridewell will conduct the services, and the interment will be at Oakland cemetery." Eliza, born in 1815, rests beside her husband. John was born in 1809, and died in 1895. Photo &copy 2011/2 S. Lincecum

First shared on this blog several months ago, I wanted to provide some additional information about Oakland Cemetery's (Atlanta, Georgia) NEAL monument. It's claim to fame is the style of design -- neoclassical. Neoclassicism is defined at TheFreeDictionary.com (citing the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed.) as having characteristics of order, symmetry, and simplicity. Renowned cemetery photographer and author Douglas Keister states in his symbolism and iconography book Stories in Stone , "Most funerary architecture in this [Neoclassical] style is characterized by clean, elegant lines and restrained ornament." Though the monument is simple in design, there are still symbolic elements included. The cross, open book, palm frond, and wreath may all be described as Christian symbols. Most notably are the cross and open book, possibly depicting the Bible. The palm frond and wreath are Roman symbols of victory, adapted by Christians as tr...

Daniel Dougherty Died April 17, 1855 Age 45 Years R.I.P. Photo © 2011/2 S. Lincecum (Click to enlarge.) " HOMICIDE -- About noon yesterday a difficulty occurred in the vicinity of the drinking saloon adjoining the Holland House between Mr. Daniel Dougherty and James Martin, which resulted in the death of Mr. Dougherty by a stab from a knife in the hands of Mr. Martin. He survived but a few minutes after receiving the wound. Martin was at once arrested and lodged in jail. In regard to the particulars of the affair we have heard several conflicting statements, but as Martin will probably receive his trial this week, (the Superior Court being now in session in this city,) we defer any further account of the matter for the present. Mr. Dougherty was one of an old and valued citizens and his loss will be regretted by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. -- Atlanta Intelligencer, April 18 " [pg. 2, 24 April 1855 edition, Macon Weekly Telegraph (Georgia)] Unf...

Remember the stone I showed you a couple of days ago? The one for Kate Malone Sullivan ? I was able to find out a bit about the monument maker when I came across a newspaper article that profiled the business of Crouch Marble and Granite Company. The Constitution (Atlanta, Georgia) Sunday, 12 June 1904 DOINGS IN ATLANTA; OR NOTES AROUND THE HUB: MONUMENTAL WORK Of the Most Artistic Design and Workmanship -- Crouch Marble and Granite Company. The towering shaft of sculptural marble or granite which marks the spot where pomp and beauty have been leveled by the grave or the rude headboard roughly placed that tells the passerby that some poor wayfarer has gone to his long home, all remind us that life is transitory. Everything connected with the subject of caring for the last resting place of a loved relative or commemorating the deeds of those who in life inspired our reverence and respect naturally makes us diffident about haggling over the cost as in other purely business tra...

Mary Helena Lynes was born 30 June 1861. She married Elijah F. Donehoo just a few weeks before her 28th birthday in Fulton County, Georgia. The marriage was a short one, ending with the death of Mary a few years later on the 31st of December, 1892. Her colonial brick tomb is at Oakland Cemetery at Atlanta, GA. Mary Helena Lynes Wife of E. F. Donehoo Born June 30, 1861 Died Dec 31, 1892 Photo © 2011/2 S. Lincecum While poking around Ancestry.com in search of something about Mary, I came across the Atlanta Centennial Year Book . Included within was a bit of history about the Parish of the Immaculate Conception in Atlanta. Baptismal registers for the year 1861 list a Mary Helena Lynes. The church stands today as the Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception . (Photo at right courtesy of TripAdvisor .)

Kate Malone Sullivan rests at Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta, Georgia. Her tombstone is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. My breath was stolen when I first laid eyes on it. The work of art by Crouch M. & G. Co. of Atlanta includes a recessed sculpture of a cross in crown surrounded by Madonna (Easter) lilies and ivy. Each of these items carry much meaning. The cross in crown is a symbol of victory and Christianity. The lilies represent purity, and the ivy can mean immortality, fidelity, and undying affection. Kate's stone is draped and also bears a flowering laurel wreath with her epitaph. Rest in Peace Kate Malone Sullivan Dundalk, Co. Louth, Ireland June 17, 1840 Atlanta, Ga Aug 17, 1901 Our Mother All photos © 2011/2 S. Lincecum P.S. Pay no attention to the doggie behind the tombstone. :-)

More than fifty photos from Snellville Historical Cemetery are now online. This cemetery is located in Gwinnett County, Georgia. You may view the photos individually via the album online here . Surnames include the following: Barnett, Biffle, Biggers, Brownlee, Cofer, Donaldson, Greer, Gresham, Haney, Holmes, Johnson, Lanford, Magill, McQueen, Pate, Pratt, Rawlins, Rollison, Sawyer, Smith, Snell, Watkins, Wiley, Williams, and Worthy.