Southern Graves

Not a great title, I know, but I couldn't resist the alliteration... I've been giving you snippets for about seven months, and I'm finally ready to share everything in one place. Photos from Fairview Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County, Georgia are now all online -- more than 110 of them. As a reminder, you can view them as a slideshow or individuals, and comments are enabled. Click on the small slideshow below to go to the Picasa Web Album. Enjoy! Surnames included are the following: Adair, Alexander, Bagby, Brown, Byrd, Carter, Casey, Craig, Crow/e, Dunlap, Gossett, Green, Gresham, Haney, Hood, Huff, Hutchins, Jackson, Kelley, Liddell, McGee, Mitchell, Moss, Noel, Pattersen, Rakestraw, Reid, Roberts, Russell, Simmons, Sparks, Steadman, Strickland, Stuart, Terrell, Thompson, Wight, Williams, and Wilson.

Beneath this Marble repose the remains of JOHN STUART who departed this life on the 1st day of February 18?3 In the 60th year of his age. The day is past and gone The evening shade appear O! may you all remember well The night of Death is near. Also MARY STUART His Wife Born April 25, 1785 Died April 13, 1879 Fairview Presbyterian Church Cemetery Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County, Georgia Photo © 2010/1 S. Lincecum The verse etched in the top of John and Mary Stuart's box tomb is from a hymn written by John Leland in 1792. It is akin to one of the most common of epitaphs: Stranger, stop and cast an eye, / As you are now, so once was I. / As I am now, so you will be, / Prepare for death and follow me. The second verse of John Leland's hymn continues: We lay our garments by, / Upon our beds to rest; / Soon death shall soon disrobe us all, / Of what is here possessed. About a hundred years after the death of Mr. Stuart, this hymn was a favorite for gospel...