Southern Graves

I've been working with Google's Picasa for some time, but haven't used the web features all that much. With the ease of my first complete cemetery upload, I think that is all about to change. Walters Cemetery is located in the Five Points District of Macon County, Georgia. It is a small family cemetery that is in not-so-great shape. I inventoried every marker I was able to find, and all the photos as well as my commentary are now available online. You may view the photos individually, or as a slideshow. Surnames include Leary, Sherrard, Wadsworth, Walters, and Westbrook. Walters Cemetery Stop by, check it out, and let me know how you like the format. Comments are enabled for each individual photo (and here, too, of course).

On thy grave the rain shall fall from the eyes of a mighty nation! ~ Thomas William Parsons Although no sculptured marble should rise to their memory, nor engraved stone bear record of their deeds, yet will their remembrance be as lasting as the land they honored. ~ Daniel Webster With the tears a Land hath shed, Their graves should ever be green. ~ Thomas Bailey Aldrich They fell, but o'er their glorious grave Floats free the banner of the cause they died to save. ~ Francis Marion Crawford Perform, then, this one act of remembrance before this Day passes - Remember there is an army of defense and advance that never dies and never surrenders, but is increasingly recruited from the eternal sources of the American spirit and from the generations of American youth. ~ W.J. Cameron

From Morrison & Fourmy's General Directory , 1881-2 for Austin, TX

Helen Daughter of Mr. & Mrs. J. W. McKenzie Born July 8, 1893 Died Apr 13, 1896 Felton Cemetery; Montezuma, Georgia All photos © 2010 S. Lincecum

W. A. Robinson Born Nov 26, 1842 Died July 24, 1875 Requiescat In Pace (Felton Cemetery; Montezuma, GA) William A. Robinson, of Macon County, Georgia, was just 18 years of age when he enlisted as a private in Company I, 4th GA Infantry Regiment on 19 April 1861. He was wounded at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia in May 1863 and was eventually discharged for wounds. His gravesite at Felton Cemetery in Montezuma, GA is adorned with a zinc marker from the Monumental Bronze Co. of Bridgeport, CT as well as an iron Southern Cross of Honor . Back of Marker William Robinson's zinc marker, government issued military stone, & iron Southern Cross of Honor.

Take a look at these two photos. Both are images of a DEVAUGHN plot at Felton Cemetery in Montezuma, Georgia. The first is a view of what I would consider the front, and the second from the back. The first wife, S. V. DeVaughn (1849-1882) is memorialized by the beautiful figure to the far right in the top photo. The husband James Elijah DeVaughn (1840-1908) is the obelisk in the center. The second wife, Mrs. Mary Porter DeVaughn (1842-1913) is the granite marker to the left. It seems odd that the gravestone for the first wife is facing one direction, while the stones for the husband and second wife are facing the opposite. Of course, the second wife would have probably had input in the placement of the later. Should that give me a chuckle, or am I over analyzing?

I'm always amazed at what a carver can do with rock. Such a hard substance can be made to look delicate and dainty. The stone memorializing S. V. DeVaughn at Felton Cemetery in Montezuma, Georgia is a fine example. She was the wife of James Elijah DeVaughn, born 11 July 1849 and died 13 November 1882. Included on her stone were the beautiful words Here Sweet Be Thy Rest, 'Till He Bid Thee Arise. From the curls in her hair to the rose in her fingertips... All photos &copy 2010 S. Lincecum.

John F. Lewis b. Feb 4, 1830 d. Dec 29, 1879 Felton Cemetery Montezuma, GA Lavinia Butts Lewis b. Feb 16, 1837 d. April 17, 1906 Felton Cemetery Montezuma, GA

1st Lieut. R. T. Coley Co I, 18 GA Inf, CSA 1839-1907 Redding T. Coley enlisted as a 1st Lieutenant in Company I of the 18th Georgia Infantry on 22 June 1861 at Dooly County. He resigned from that position on 22 August 1863. Some of the battles his unit fought in include Seven Pines, Malvern Hill, and 2nd Manassas in Virginia; Sharpsburg, Maryland; Harper's Ferry, West Virginia; and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Mr. Coley's government issued Confederate tombstone is located in Felton Cemetery at Montezuma, Georgia. Photo © 2010 S. Lincecum

Above this beautiful floral carving on a ledger marker is an inscription for Annie Maxwell Miller (1882-1912). This tribute to her is located in Felton Cemetery at Montezuma, Georgia. Photos © 2010 S. Lincecum.

During a recent visit to Felton Cemetery in Montezuma, Georgia, I paused at the graves of the Elijah Banks Lewis family. E. B. Lewis was a United States Representative from Georgia for several years. His was not the tombstone I noticed, however. I was drawn instead to the graves of his two sons. They dwarfed the surrounding tombstones and contained what I imagine are likenesses of the young men. I was somewhat surprised at what research would uncover about the lives of each of these individuals. From a youthful hero to an accidental shooting. From appendicitis to suicide. The tragedies that befell this family were chronicled in the local newspapers... Macon Weekly Telegraph March 18, 1895 " A YOUTHFUL HERO. Saved a Drowning Boy at the Risk of His Own Life. Montezuma, March 16 -- Yesterday while a crowd of boys were viewing the washout on the Beaver Creek Turnpike Frank Hague, 8 years of age, fell into the water and was carried by the mad current through a sewer pipe ...

Felton Cemetery; Montezuma, GA. Caroline's stone at far left. Caroline Holmes was laid to rest in Felton Cemetery at Montezuma, Georgia. Her tombstone inscription: Mother Caroline Card Holmes Feb 12, 1846 Oct 17, 1909 Asleep in Jesus! Blessed sleep, From which none ever wake to weep. Caroline's epitaph is from a hymn written by Margaret Mackay (1802-1887): Asleep in Jesus! Blessed Sleep Asleep, in Jesus! Blessed sleep, From which none ever wakes to weep; A calm and undisturbed repose, Unbroken by the last of foes. Asleep in Jesus! Oh, how sweet To be for such a slumber meet, With holy confidence to sing That death has lost his venomed sting! Asleep in Jesus! Peaceful rest, Whose waking is supremely blest No fear, no woe, shall dim that hour That manifests the Savior's power. Asleep In Jesus! Oh, for me May such a blissful refuge be! Securely shall my ashes lie And wait the summons from on high. Fellow Graveyard Rabbit M. Diane Rogers also...

On a grand scale: save the planet. On what might seem like a smaller scale: save a cemetery. Everything we love about a cemetery -- the stones, the flowers, the trees, the landscape, the art -- is connected to our earth. I wrote more about my thoughts on the subject in a post for Earth Day 2009 . I hope you'll join me at Earth Hour 2010 .

C. C. Grant Born May 10, 1842 Died Aug 6, 1883 Gone From Our Home, But Not From Our Hearts. C. C. Grant's tombstone was made by the Monumental Bronze Co. of Bridgeport, CT. It is located in Felton Cemetery at Montezuma, Georgia. Photo © 2010 S. Lincecum

Well, as you can see, I made a change or two to the blog. I hope it's for the better! I first took advantage of Blogger in draft and worked with their new template designer. I love it. It makes it much easier to change the background of your blog. As you can see, I decided to acknowledge St. Patrick's Day a day late. I have not decided on a steady background just yet. It may take me a few attempts before I settle. The layout will stay the same though, so any navigational links you might be used to from the sidebars will still be there. I also added a few things to the bottom of each post. The labels specific to each post can now be found there. If you are looking for similar articles, this is another way to find some. I also added a way for you to rate posts because comments and feedback are always appreciated. I am especially excited about the location feature Blogger added. At the bottom of applicable posts will be a location link. The location will usually...

Mrs. Nettie C. Hall's (1841-1908) ledger marker is located in Evergreen Cemetery at Fitzgerald, Georgia. At first glance, there might not seem to be a whole lot of information inscribed here. However, there is actually much included in these few lines. Let us start at the top. W. R. C. stands for W omen's R elief C orps. From the W. R. C. website : "The National Woman's Relief Corps, Auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, Inc., is a patriotic organization whose express purpose is to perpetuate the memory of the Grand Army of the Republic, as we are their auxiliary organized at their request on July 25 and 26, 1883 in Denver, Colorado..." The first statement of their mission reads, "To perpetuate the memory of the Grand Army of the Republic and its heroic dead; to assist in every practicable way in preserving, and making available for research, documents and records pertaining to the Grand Army of the Republic and its members..." The Grand Army...

I came across this emblem during a recent visit to Evergreen Cemetery in Fitzgerald, Georgia. It is one of the most detailed symbol of the Knights Templar I have seen. At the top is a knight's helmet. A cross in crown is on top of a Maltese cross with crossed swords behind it. Included is the motto In Hoc Signo Vinces , a Latin rendition of a Greek phrase meaning "in this you will conquer." According to Wikipedia.org , the Knights Templar were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders. The organization existed for approximately two centuries in the Middle Ages. It was officially endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church around 1129, became a favoured charity, and grew rapidly in membership and power. Templar knights, in their distinctive white mantles with a red cross, were among the most skilled fighting units of the Crusades. Today, the Knights Templar is "an international philanthropic chivalric order affiliated with Freemasonry." ...

Remember Henry Chaple ? He was one of two brothers from a New York regiment that were captured at Plymouth, NC during the Civil War. They were both sent to Andersonville Prison Camp in Georgia. Henry survived, but his brother did not. When I photographed Henry's grave at Evergreen Cemetery in Fitzgerald, Georgia, I had no idea of his story. After I returned home and learned more, I decided I wanted to also pay my respects to the brother that did not survive. His name was Alfred Chapel. We headed down I-75 yesterday morning. It was raining, and the forecast was not great. I was determined to go, however, since various things had interrupted my plans in recent weeks. I was armed with Alfred's grave site number that I had obtained online, as well as a map and my digital camera. At some point, before we reached Andersonville, I began to wonder about Alfred's arrival to the prison camp. Since he was captured in April 1864, it is very close to being exactly 146 years ago. Was i...