Southern Graves

From Evergreen Cemetery at Perry, Houston County, Georgia - John Mason Giles Son of Andrew & Sarah Cowan Giles Born in Abbeville Dist, S.C. Feb 22, 1818 Graduated at the University of Georgia, 1838 Admitted to the Bar 1839 Member of the Georgia State Constitutional Conventions, 1861-1865 Died in Perry, Ga May 25, 1866 He steadfastly declined mere political offices, But a virtuous and intelligent people honored his life with many important trusts, And mourned his death as a public calamity.

Obituary from Houston Home Journal (Perry, Georgia) 31 August 1911 – pg. 3 [Viewable online at Georgia Historic Newspapers] Mrs. Harriett Giles Dead. A short while after midnight of last Thursday, August 24th, Mrs. Harriett Jenkins Giles departed this life at the home of her daughter, Mrs. C. F. Hemingway, in Perry. The burial was in Evergreen cemetary [sic] Friday afternoon, attended by loving relatives and a large number of friends.  She was buried beside the grave of her husband, who died 45 years ago. The years of her life were 86, she having been born in Roberson county, North Carolina, July 8th, 1825. She was the daughter of Rev. Sam Jenkins and Mrs. Ann Drake Jenkins, the 5th of the family of 11 children. With her parents she came to Houston county in 1830.  On October 2nd, 1839, she was married to Mr. John Mason Giles, and of that union there were 11 offspring.  There have been 29 grand-children and 6 great grand-children. In 1907 she wrote concerning her ancest...

Claude Verner Giles (1949 - 1970) Photo © 2011 S. Lincecum Claude Verner Giles was killed in Vietnam. A little over a month before his 21st birthday, this Clayton, Rabun County, Georgia boy was struck down likely by small arms fire. According to the Vietnam War Military Casualties database, Claude was a member of the Church of God, and he left behind a young widow. Claude's military grave marker at Taylor's Chapel Cemetery on Black Rock Mountain contains quite a few acronyms. With the help of a list created by the Nebraska Veterans Cemetery at Alliance, I was able to decipher them. Claude received (posthumously, I presume) a Bronze Star Medal & Oak Leaf Cluster, an Air Medal & 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, an Army Commendation Medal, and a Purple Heart. Thank-you, Sgt Giles, for your service.

Nestled in the mountains of north Georgia is where Gisele Giles chose as her final resting place. She came to the United States from France about the age of 20 years. She married J. Edward Giles, a sergeant in the US Army Air Forces, and they rest together forever at Taylors Chapel Cemetery on Black Rock Mountain in Rabun County. J. Edward (1920-2009) and Gisele G. (1927-1993) Photo © 2011 S. Lincecum Photo © 2011 S. Lincecum A nice addition to the gravestone for Gisele was a pretty blue-green marker with the words, A notre Soeur: Dans notre coeur a jamais tu demeures . This translates to, To our Sister: Ever in our hearts you live .

Make no mistake, I'm all for living with Jesus. I plan to spend eternity at His side. However, I can't help but feel this epitaph is a wee bit, um, creepy. Lola Sue Giles June 28, 1935 Aug 7, 1937 I Left Here To Live With Jesus How Happy I Am -- Come See Me Taylors Chapel Cemetery Black Rock Mountain Rabun County, Georgia Photo © 2012 S. Lincecum It's the "Come See Me" part that gives me the willies.

Edward Giles II Oct 8, 1945 Dec 19, 1947 As You Pass By Look At Me The Way I Am You Soon Will Be Taylors Chapel Cemetery Black Rock Mountain Rabun County, Georgia Photo © 2012 S. Lincecum