Monthly Archives: March 2016

There is no Death

Posted on March 30, 2016 by gravelyspeaking

ANNE SIMON “A SOUL WHOSE EYES WERE KEENER THAN THE SUN A SOUL WHOSE WINGS WERE WIDER THAN THE WORLD” “There is no Death” The souring angel in the Rock Creek Cemetery at Washington, D.C., that marks the grave of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Sculptor

Posted on March 24, 2016 by gravelyspeaking

Lorado Zadoc Taft (April 29, 1860 – October 30, 1936) one of the great American sculptors of the late 19th and early 20th Century, was born at Elmwood, Illinois. His parents, a homemaker and a professor of geology, homeschooled young … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Sculptress

Posted on March 19, 2016 by gravelyspeaking

Nellie Verne Walker (December 8, 1874 Red Oak, Iowa – July 10, 1973 Colorado Springs, Colorado) stood a whopping 4 foot 8 inches tall. The diminutive woman was not the image one thinks of when conjuring up a sculptor creating … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

The Celtic Cross

Posted on March 17, 2016 by gravelyspeaking

One of the most easily identified and plentiful crosses found in the cemetery is the Celtic cross. The Celtic cross is much like the Latin cross with a long stem and crossbeams toward the top third. But the feature that … Continue reading →

Posted in Symbolism | 2 Comments

The Rugged Cross

Posted on March 15, 2016 by gravelyspeaking

This dramatic gray granite monument erected in the Mount Carmel Cemetery at Hillsdale, Illinois, is a depiction of a line from the iconic hymn “Rock of Ages” written by Reverend Augustus Montague Toplady in 1763 and first published in 1775.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Cross of Glass

Posted on March 15, 2016 by gravelyspeaking

The stained and painted glass windows found in the back of many of the mausoleums in large urban city cemeteries are great works of art rarely seen by most people who walk by. Most do not peer into the windows … Continue reading →

Posted in Symbolism | 1 Comment

The Crucifix

Posted on March 12, 2016 by gravelyspeaking

The symbol of Jesus Christ hanging on the cross is called a crucifix. This cross demonstrates the suffering of Christ. The word crucifix is from Latin and is the combination of two words—cruci and fixus—which translates to one fixed to … Continue reading →

Posted in Symbolism | Leave a comment

The Staurogram Cross

Posted on March 10, 2016 by gravelyspeaking

HARRIET TYLER WIFE OF ROBERT STRETTLE JONES FISHER BORN WILMINGTON VERMONT OCTOBER 21 1839 DIED OCTOBER 16 1905 The cross surrounded by lilies at the top of this round-top gravestone in the Rock Creek Cemetery at Washington, D.C., is called … Continue reading →

Posted in Symbolism | Leave a comment

Three Virtues

Posted on March 6, 2016 by gravelyspeaking

The Sanger Family monument in the Graceland Cemetery at Chicago was designed by Chicago architects George R. and Arthur R. Dean. The elegant and thin bronze mourning figure on the face of the truncated polished dark gray granite pyramid was … Continue reading →

Posted in Saving Graces, Symbolism | Leave a comment

Anchor Cross

Posted on March 4, 2016 by gravelyspeaking

SALLIE M. Daughter of Wm. M. & JUDITH A. DISMUKES Born March 18, 1842 Died May 10, 1864 Aged 22 Y’rs. 2 Mo’s & Days Not dead but sleepeth. On this plain rounded-top white marble tablet in the Springhill Cemetery … Continue reading →

Posted in Symbolism | Leave a comment