Ever been in a cemetary? ;)

Am I insane? I don't think so but some days I wonder. Friends and family who know me well, will know I'm an avid history fanatic and I'm all the regulars on here are aware of that but only a few on YWS are aware of my "other" hobby.

I tromp, well not tromp, but walk from stone to stone, and snap pictures of the ones I like. This year, I'm going to try my hand at grave rubbing...

Often people ask me, famly too, how long have I been doing this sort of thing. Well, there's two answers to this. One, technically, since I was nine or younger for all I know, I've been in cemetaries and observing them with my mom and dad but... Two, my interest in the past has basically engulfed me (scary thought, yes, but it's true.) and two or three years ago I developed an intense interest with observing them. Afterall, a cemetary is a museum outdoors, and it's free admission! The only thing is, when you enter, you exit just as how it looked before.

So, without further ado, the stones! I only ask ONE THING. By showing these, I assume the majority are mature members and I respectively ask that ALL members not to use the writing you see in personal stories. Afterall, even the dead have feelings. It would, to me, be immoral and a bit disrespectful.

So, anyway, here they are!

First up is a spectacle is hardly seen, which makes these "stones" rare indeed. They're cast-iron!

MINERVA P.
DAUGHTER OF
JOSEPH & DEBORAH
DAVIS
DIED MAY 29TH
1853
AGED 26 YEARS

EMELINE S.
DAUGHTER OF
JOSEPH & DEBORAH
DAVIS
DIED
APRIL 2, 1865
AGED 11 YEARS
& 2 MONTHS.

Under -

Blessed are the dead which
die in the Lord from
henceforth you saith the Spirit
that they may rest from their
labours, and their ____ do
_____ I am.

This next one is a bit creepy but oh so interesting too! It's rare to find on a stone the actual cause of death but you do encounter them. These types of stones are the most intriguing!

MEHITABLE,
WIFE OF
JONA STEARNS (I THINK. I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE SURNAME)
WAS BURNED TO DEATH BY
THE BURNING OF THEIR DWELLING

JAN 13, 1846
aged 70 years.

The same pic of Mehitable and Jona but now you know the inscription.



The Battle of Cold Harbor in VA. - a very bloody and brutal battle. I actually didn't know or heard of Cold Harbor, let alone a battle! This young man is a Civil War Vet named Noble. He was brought back from VA - wounded - to Burlington, Vermont, which is where I currently reside, near Burlington. Appearently there was a very famous hospital know as Baxter Hospital near the waterfront, and a little stone told me all this!

Here he is -

NOBLE B. TURRILL,
wounded
at the Battle of Cold Harbour Va.
June 1. 1864
Died at Baxtor Hospital
Burlington, Vt
Dec. 23. 1864

Upon further research, I present his papers taken from a Vermont Civil War archive that holds thousands of soldiers.

Legend: (Read: Name, town credited to, age, service)

Turrell, Noble B., cred. Hinesburgh, VT, age 18, enl 12/9/63, m/i 12/16/63, Pvt, Co. E, mwia, Cold Harbor, 6/1/64, d/wds 12/22/64

Site: http://vermontcivilwar.org/index.php

Hehe... my ancestor is recorded in here as well. But who would have thought a "silly" little stone would teach you so much? There are many articles of the Battle at Cold Harbor, and believe it was a HUGE loss to the Union side; lots of deaths, I think, estimated over 2000, give it or take! Yikes!!

Well, I have many, many photos and some I have in my possession are some of the most wild, creepy or decorative art you could ever find or hope to see in your wildest dreams! I promise you that, for sure.

Mentioning that, if I anyone is interested, I will post more of the "better" photos I have in my collection. Haha! *laughs mechanically* Either send me a PM or just leave a message here, and I will send or post them here - whichever.

I just thought since I mention it enough, I might as well proudly show my hobby. Enjoy!

This reminds me...

When I was nine or ten years old, unexpectedly, my mom kept me home from school one day. I believe it was early fall.

She dressed me up in all black, (yes, she still picked out all my outfits, even at that age) and handed me a sketchbook and charcoal pencils. Then we jumped in the Mercury, and drove off to the cemetery. We spent the day drawing tombstones. She even had me draw her next to a rather large tombstone.

I knew she was sick and she was dying, but I never connected the event. I was naive enough to ignore the odd day we spent together until years after her death. Now I can see that she was trying to help her nine year old daughter cope with death.

Unfortunatly, I don't know what happened to those drawings.


As always,

Miss POKE

I love old cemetaries! When we go visit graves on holidays and such I spend a lot of time walking around looking for the oldest stone I can find. I think they are so awesome.

In New York, on 9/11 when the towers fell there was this church right next to them that wasn't even touched [it was amazing] that has headstones from the 1700's in it's front. I have the pictures we took somewhere...I'll have to see if I can find them again.

Rosethorn - I would never have thought of that. That's pretty interesting.

-Meg

Fishr-- that's fascinating! We have a cemetary right next to our school, but it's newer. No older gravestones.

rosethorn-- That's a beautiful story. I would love it if you wrote it out into a short story.

I agree with Trident. That would be amazing, Rosethorn.

Thanks guys! I thought some of you might find it interesting. I have to admit though, I do get the "jitters" after exiting any cemetary, but it's a good feeling actually. They are very thought-provactive; they really do stir your mind...

In fact, I learned of a new latin word: Memento Mori. This particular saying was scattered on most of the headstones from the 1700's in the Rockingham Cemetary. There, there is Vermont's oldest and most preserved "churches" only this was a meetinghouse - the Rockingham Meetinghouse.

In this cemetary, there is supposed to be a hearse near the property, and on the wagon you will find a metal spike. When caskets were placed on it, the spike would go through the casket and hold it place since the cemetary is situated on top of a steep hill. You wouldn't want to go for a ride, now would you? Beyond that, there is a hill, and in it, there's a carved out hole, filled with cement on the roof to keep the tomb intact. These types were holdings for caskets in the winter I was told until spring. Let's face it, who is going to dig through ice?! Our colonial brothers and sisters were a bit slow to the times, but they certainly weren't stupid!

The pictures of the Rockingham Meetinghouse are still on my camera, which I will download them off at some point, probably tonight for all I know, LOL! As soon as I do, I'll post them here. This was the oldest cemetary I've been in in Vermont and it has some very fine colonial art; the best I've seen thus far!! That's saying a lot for someone who's seen stones in Massachusetts!

To further whet you interest, here's a few more.

This one is a bit disturbing, LOL! But most of the old time stone from the 18th and very early 19th century will have these inspriptions. They are warnings for the looker, hence Memento Mori.



This is from the same picture, and it's very clear, it might be hard to desipher, being that this one is in colonial dialect. In the 1700's S's looked like F's and if you look closely, you will this is the case. Also, and this is quite amusing, the person responsible for carving, messed up and so you will noticed that "die" was etched up in the right-hand corner. I see this a lot and it makes me wonder if whoever was carving these stones; were they professionals? Because I'm a geek, the translation is below.

All you who read with little care
And go away & leave me here
Should ___ forget that you must die
And be intombd as well as I

This next one, the stone was erected probably by a decendant because it serves really as a memorial as you will notice.

We write his name here mid our own green hills,
Though far away he fills an unknown grave
What matter where the brave young soldier sleeps
In the land he gave his life to save.

Revolutionary War Vet. Which side were you on? Tory or Patriot?



Look at the artwork on this! And look at the picture above. I've never seen this type of picture and I haven't a clue what's it's supposed to depict except the finger pointing up suggests, "I've gone to Heaven." This stone is a fine example of preservation and its held up extreamly well.



I said I had some unusual photos... What? Did you think I was joking? I assure you, I was not, lol. Check this one out!







*

To Rosethorn-

I think the principles your Mother was trying to protray was an honorable, worthy, notable and wonderful cause of friendship and love. Best wishes!

*
EDIT - Duh! *hits head*

Memento Mori - "Remember that you are mortal," "Remember you will die," or "Remember your death". Stirring, huh?

To the rest -

Is anyone else interested in seeing more?

All you who read with little care
And go away & leave me here
Should ___ forget that you must die
And be intombd as well as I

I think that is "Should not"

Ohh...

It could very well could be, but I'm still not certain. Even when I blow up the picture to 80%, it's still not clear because of the crack.

But right on, good guess!

Gosh, Jess! I'm overwhelmed by all this research. I've always been afraid of going into cemetries and the one nearest to my house has a lot of historical figures buried there. I just have to find the courage to go there and maybe I'll tell YOU of my research into my town history.

You HAVE to post more, if not here, then in your blog. And if you ever write an autobiography then I'll be sure to check it out

Rosethorn -- I agree with both Trident and write me.

Gosh, Jess! I'm overwhelmed by all this research. I've always been afraid of going into cemetries and the one nearest to my house has a lot of historical figures buried there. I just have to find the courage to go there and maybe I'll tell YOU of my research into my town history.

You HAVE to post more, if not here, then in your blog. And if you ever write an autobiography then I'll be sure to check it out

Sorry to have overwhelmed you. I'm not sure if I would label cemetary hopping in the matter of research though. I'm more inclined to see it as only a hobby - I do it for fun. It interests me and at the same time, I learn quite a bit. Who needs a text book? LOL!

Ahh, don't be ashamed. I'm fully aware that not everyone has the stomach for it. Afterall, you're walking on top of the remains of people, or whatever is actually left... I personally would LOVE to tromp through any cemetary in Europe, epsecially England and Ireland. I might be to be dragged out before I camp and spend the night!! Hehe!! If you do muster up the courage, do take pictures! I would be VERY interested in whatever you see or witness.

I will definately post more pictures them, probably tomorrow, if I remember. And I'll try and remember to yank off the pictures took from the Rockingham Meetinghouse. (Yikes, those stones are rather creepy, lol! Almost everyone has the motto, "Memento Mori" on the very top. But this cemetary has some of the most esquisite art you'll find in the 18th Century in the US, especially Vermont, since we joined the union in 1792 - I think?)

Tata... Until tomorrow...

I went to the cemetary in my Papou's village in Greece this summer. All the graves had little fences around them and a box where you could put a photo of the person and other stuff. Well, in one of the graves, there was a Coke bottle, and another one had an orange Fanta bottle! They were probably just holding holy water, but it was still really cool. I don't have a picture, unfortunately (we kind of rushed through the cemetary). I have a picture of my great-aunts grave though.

More cemetary stories: when I was eight, we went to a historical cemetary in my town on a field trip, and there were a couple newer graves. One was for a guy who died, and the other one was for his wife, who was apparently still alive, as it had the year of birth and then "19" enscribed on it. This was in 1998. Personally, I think it's a little creepy to have your grave ready to go and expecting you to die in the next two years. I wonder if she made it to 2000...(I read in an article that the last burial was in 2000.)

Three years ago, I went to South Manitou Island and checked out that cemetary with my summer camp. One of the girls noted a boy and a girl who died at the age of 16 and created a Romeo-and-Juliet type story about them. She got separated from the group the next day, and she said she was thinking about how all the people in the cemetary might have died, which has to be really weird all alone in the woods...

Niteowl -

Tis fun, ain't it? The cemetary in Greece sounds to have quite the adventure. It's funny how one city, state or another country have different customes. The cemetaries I saw in Hawaii were very, very decorative. Lots of flowers, wreaths and just a great amount of colours supporting the deceased. However, there were a lot of wooden stakes, old school for sure, but the dates weren't very old at all. Modern time for sure.

As for the field trip story, it's funny you bring this up because I encounter it ever so often. Usually it was the men that didn't survive long enough in between the 16-1900's (Yes, I've seen one stone that dates back to someone's birth in the late 1600's.) because their jobs were more ardious. I once saw a headstone that had the husbands DOB and DOD and right next to it, his wife's DOB but there was an empty place for the rest. I see it a lot on family plagues actually. The entire family and all who they were married to plus their children's marriages, and there is sometimes a big, open spot for more writing but there's nothing written. It's as if the next of kin simply forgot about their ancestors. Very strange indeed. That type of thing always stirs my mind, and makes me want to track down the family, and in fact I have on some accounts, LOL! Mister Noble Turrell is one example.

My other story: I've come close to tripping over headstones, and joining them! If I fell, there's a chance my head would connect to one. I guess I'm not very cordinated when I'm focused what's strainght in front of me rather that what's under....

Thank for sharing, Niteowl! I'm in the midst of uploading more pictures.

I thought this would be easier by making a new reply and wouldn't clutter, nor hurt your eyes. I took these less than a week ago but the sun was starting to set, lucky me! So, most of these shots will be sloppy and possible hard to decipher but I'll try my best and make them clear as possible. Without further ado, my newest pictures.

Rockingham Meetinghouse located in Rockingham, Vermont (Though, that might be obvious - oh well! )

About the Rockingham Meetinghouse



That person, that's my dad. Look at that beaut! (No, not my dad, th house! LOL) That's fine artictecture there! It's held up well, despite its age and only going through one known "touch up."



I had warned the artwork hear was probably unlike anything you've seen. Superb in my opinion, and not too shabby for the 18th Century, on slate no less! That's craftsmanship, lol!



Look closely towards the top. What do you see? Yes, none other that Memento Mori. This cemetary taught me the defination.



This one may be hard to read, despite the high resolution. As I said, I took these pretty quickly before the sun set on me, and at the given time, there wasn't much light.

Memory of
Mr Jeffe Evans
Who was Drowned
April y (small) e (above the "y") 5h 1777
m y (small) e (above the "y") 30th Year
of his Age

Reader Behold & Shed a Tear
Thank on the Dust this Sham hers here
(And the rest is so rubbed away, I can't read it. As it is, it took me ten minutes to desipher the following.)

This is another one that's hard to read. Blast those colonials! LOL!

In Memory of
Mrs. Susannah Leach.
wife, of Mr. John
Leach. who Died
Augst 24th 1803 in the
34th year of
her age

DISEASES LAID HER DOWN,
upon a Dying bed,

No help ___ for her sound.

The artwork, given the period, astounds me. It's far more unique compared to the ones I witnessed in Dennis and Chatham, Mass.



A Vet of the Revolution. There actually were many Vets from the Revolution, and I have to pause and reflect; which side were you on?



I hav never before seen this type of star next to one that served in the late 1700's but it's very decorative, isn't it?





*prances* I wasn't sure if I could get the verse but because of the high resolution, I did!

Diseases laid him down upon a dying bed
He ___ as for...

He's laid in...

Damn it, lol! I can't read the rest but from what little I can sort of see, it's a whole story about the boy's death...





Here are two more because I have to head out, but trust me, I have a decent amount left from the Rockingham Meetinghouse. There's one, where a man was killed by his own michinary, and of course, I took a picture of that!

A tomb? Nope! It's a storage unit before there were freezers so to speak in hospitals to store the dead. As I mentioned, our colonial ancestors were a little so on some measures, but they certaintly weren't stupid. Who in their right mind would actually want to dig in the frozen ground? You'd have to pay me - a lot!



And because I just had too... I creeped inside, LOL!



The inside may look blurry, and that is because the inside was pitch black. I'm not joking. I'm being completely literal. Thank God for a good camera and a mighty flash! There was a cement roof and a black, wooden door to the entrance. Inside, the floor was engulfed with leaves but, but, what on earth was the shelf for? My dad seems to think it was for smaller caskets for young children. I disagree because even though the length would support one, the slate is not wide enough. I should know, I was the one that crept inside!

Man, was that eerie as all heck! LOL! But I couldn't resist. It was like a driving force was edging me on inside. I was half tempted to rifle through the leaves and see what I'd find, even if it were bones... BRRrrr.... I was more inclined in spotting old artifacts from the colonial days but if remains were present, off to the Museum I suppose!

More picture later of the Rockingham "living" (sort of - ) Museum! I hope you enjoy!

Don't mean to be mean here love.

But whats the point in taking pictures of people's stones? Give them some peace. They're dead for christs sake. If some random took pictures of my gravestone and posted it on the net I'd be disturbed.

AND its not like no one's ever seen a graveyard. I have one up my street. Yes there is thousands of history through each one, but so what? It's THEIRS. Not ours. Thats what I hate about History. Meh, Im crabit, ignore me.

Grave Yards ( As they are called more popularly in England) are an abundance of information and interesting historical figures, I could spend all day in one finding my ancestors graves etc...