Author Archives: gravelyspeaking

Isaiah Sellers 1802 – 1864 It seems that in many social gatherings, one of the first questions people ask one another is, “What do you do?”  It is as if a person’s occupation is who they are.  And, in fact, … Continue reading →

Mystery solved thanks to three readers who have great detective skills.  Chris, Mary, and a reader only known by the alpha—letter combination “gsbo3632” jumped in and found pins on eBay for sale that gave the clue to the society known … Continue reading →

GEO. F. VAN DEUSEN 1887 – 1910 The metal marker next to the George Van Deusen gravestone in the Woodland Cemetery in Jackson, Michigan, is a mystery.  The handshake appears to signify membership in a brotherhood, but I can’t unravel … Continue reading →

IDA L. BROWN WIFE OF J. D. BROWN BORN DEC. 10, 1858 DIED APR. 11, 1888 BLEST WITH A TEMPER WHOSE UNCLODED RAY, MADE TOMORROW AS PLEASANT AS TODAY The Riverside Cemetery, on a hillside just outside the city of … Continue reading →

For me, the most poignant and tender gravestones are those for children.  The loss of a child is devastating, a loss that even time cannot heal.  And, many cemeteries have special sections specifically for child or infant burials—sometimes labeled “Babyland” or … Continue reading →

There has always been a debate between dog and cat lovers about which furry little friend makes the best companion. I have many friends who have cats galore and swear by them, while others like myself, have dogs and always … Continue reading →

The zinc marker in the City Cemetery in Warsaw, Missouri, manufactured by the White Monument Company in the same city, has a trap door, unique to the design, that reveals an obituary for two—Martha Elmy Shrum and her daughter, Jennie … Continue reading →

Many Victorian cemetery monuments are imbued with a multitude of symbolism.  In David Robinson’s book, Saving Graces, mourning figures from some of the most beautiful and famous cemeteries in Europe show sculpted beautiful, young, and voluptuous women often wearing revealing clothing mourning the … Continue reading →

IN memory of Benjamin Buckman A revolutionary Soldier; Who was born in Hadley, Mass. April the 16th 1759; Died Oct. the 1st 1842. About 2,400 soldiers, commanded by General George Washington, gathered at the water’s edge of the Delaware River … Continue reading →

Much has been written and documented about the zinc markers produced by the Monumental Bronze Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut.  Though the company billed their markers as “white bronze” they were actually cast zinc.  The markers are distinguishable by their bluish-gray … Continue reading →