Gravely Speaking

The first private mausoleum built in the Crown hill Cemetery at Indianapolis, Indiana, is an example of the Egyptian Revival architecture found in many large urban cemeteries.

The large sandstone mausoleum has many features of Egyptian temples–the cavetto cornice that curves into a half circle at the top of the tomb and above the doorway, the torus molding at the bottom of the cornice, around the door, and the corners of the mausoleum that are designed to emulate long bundled plants, and the heavy columns with the palm leaves at the top that flank the entrance to the tomb.

Funerary art and architecture was designed to illicit emotions, such as the finality of death and the Christian ideal of eternity. The tomb also features a winged globes with uroei.  The globe represents the Egyptian god, Horus.  The uroei, snakes, are waiting to strike.  They symbolize the king’s ability to ward off evil spirits.

Carved on the top of the tomb is the Ouroboros ophis, an ancient symbol depicting a snake eating its tail. The word, Ouroboros, is Greek—oura meaning tail; vora meaning eating, and ophis meaning serpent or snake. In ancient Egypt, the Ouroboros represented the daily passage of the sun.  The snake eating its tail in cemetery symbolism represents the cycle of life—birth and death—and eternity.

The massive tomb gives one the sense of solemnity and a sense of eternity, just as did the temples of the pharaohs. It was built to hold the remains of Caleb Blood Smith (April 16, 1808 – January 7, 1864), a towering political figure in 19^th Century politics. Smith was admitted to the Indiana bar and hung out his shingle to work as an attorney. He was elected to several terms in the Indiana state legislature. In 1843 Smith was elected to Congress as a Whig representing the 4^th Indiana District and served until 1849. Smith campaigned for Abraham Lincoln and as a reward Lincoln appointed Smith Secretary of the Interior—a post he only held for less than two years. Smith was appointed as District Court Judge for the District of Indiana, which he held until his death on January 7, 1864.

According to Memories of the Past: A Tour of Historic Crown Hill Cemetery by Wayne L. Sanford (page 11), “Smith’s wife, the former Elizabeth B. Watson, buried him temporarily at City Cemetery and was on hand during the first public sale of Crown Hill property held June 8, 1864. On that occasion she selected this property on which she immediately constructed this mausoleum. The structure was completed that year, but for unknown reason she never entombed her husband inside. For that matter, there is still some mystery as to what Elizabeth actually did with Caleb’s remains.”

Caleb Smith’s wife, daughter and son are buried in the tomb—but not Caleb Smith. His body is still missing.

CARL A. NORGREN

1890 – 1968

JULIET E. NORGREN

1896 – 1987

On a bronze plaque on the side of the marker:

“I CANNOT HELP BUT WONDER

HOW I CAN CARELESS BE

OF THE SWIFTLY PASSING MOMENTS

THAT SEEK OBLIVION’S SEA;

METHINK THEN – HOW MUCH BETTER

TO IMPROVE THEM AS THEY FLEE.

THOUGH I LIVE BUT A MOMENT,

MY DEEDS – ETERNITY…”

C. A. N.

The two gravestones in today’s blogpost are topped with sculptures with the same theme—thinking.

The first gravestone from the Fairmont Cemetery at Denver, Colorado marks the grave of Carl and Juliet Norgren. Carl Norgren was a mechanical engineer who founded a successful manufacturing company, still in existence today.

The bronze statue on top of the Norgren’s marker is a replica of the great Rodin statue of the “Thinker”, originally called “Le Pensuer”, in Rodin’s native French. The “Thinker” is most likely one of the most well known and most parodied statues ever created.

The second monument in the Lakeview Cemetery at Seattle, Washington, for Everett George DuPen and his wife of 65 years, Charlotte Nicks, is a shaft of black polished granite with a bronze of a statue he sculpted himself, titled, “Pensive.” DuPen was a famed artist and acclaimed teacher of sculpture with a long and distinguished career that spanned eight decades.

What is not clear from either monument is the meaning of the sculptures chosen for their markers. It could be that the Norgren family chose the “Thinker” because it was their favorite sculpture. It could also be that “Pensive” was chosen because it was of Everett DuPen’s favorites. Or it they could both be a call to action—to think about death or maybe more importantly—life.

Both statues could both be an ode to René Descartes’ statement, “Cogito ergo sum“, Latin translated in his native French as, “Je pense, donc je suis” (1637). The statement, in English, means, “I think, therefore I am”.

DuPen

Everett George

1912 – 2005

Father

Sculptor

Professor of Art

Charlotte Nicks

1914 – 2012

Mother

Muse

ERWIN J. GNAU

Son of

J. & E. M. GNAU

BORN

April 2, 1889

Died

Sep 1, 1891

NORMA C. GNAU

Dau of

J. & E. M. GNAU

Born

Oct. 12, 1884

Died

Sept. 1, 1891

The sweet carving of a little girl hugging a lamb atop the highly-ornamented white marble gravestone in the Greenwood Cemetery at Tell City, Perry County, Indiana, marks the grave of Erwin and Norma Gnau. The sweetness and serenity of the sculpture does not hint at the tragedy of their painful and untimely deaths.

The September 2, 1891, Wednesday Edition of the Evansville Courier, screams the headline, SEVEN ARE DEAD that tells the sad story:

“A Traveling Man Tells of the Scenes and Incidents That Followed the Disaster.

The death list of disaster Monday on the Cannelton branch of the Air Line road has been increased to seven. The correct list of fatalities are as follows:

Miss Emma Nermer, Fulda, Ind.

Miss Emma Schuh, Tell City.

Mrs. John Gnau, Troy

Little Norma Gnau, Troy.

Little Irwin Gnau, Troy.

Mural Durbin, boy, Hawesville, Ky.

Peter Gaesser, Tell City

The home of John Gnau , in Troy, is one of mourning. The wife was terribly scalded by escaping steam. She suffered intense agony and the physicians pronounced her case hopeless. She lingered in intense suffering until yesterday morning, when death came to her relief. Little Irwin Gnau died shortly after being taken home and little Norma Gnau, a bright little girl, was also so badly burned that she died yesterday. Three bodies now lie in the house made desolate by death….

Engineer App arrived in this city yesterday by boat. He went at once to his home and is not badly injured, beyond a number of burns and bruises.

A force of men are at work at the scene of the wreck and at last account it was nearly cleared. The engine is badly damaged.

WAS AT THE WRECK

A Description of the Scene Following the Disaster.

Mr. Schroeder, a travelling salesman, arrived in the city yesterday from the scene of the disaster. To a COURIER representative Mr. Schroder, while at the Lottie, told what he saw of the wreck. He said that he was near Troy when he heard the engine whistle for brakes. He did not hear the crash, but soon learned that the wreck had occurred. He hastened to the scene and arrive a half hour later it had occurred. All had been removed from the fated coach, which was then a smoldering wreck. The wreck occurred on one of the worst curves of the road. Mr. Schroder made an examination of the rails and found that for some distance pieces were cut out at regular intervals. This went to show conclusively that a flange had broken. The notches in the rails were so large that a finger could be placed in the depression. The point where the engine trucks climbed the rails was plainly discernable.

            Mr. Schroder said that when the passenger coach followed the engine into the ditch the front end was shoved in. The smoking apartment, occupying about one-third of the car, was in front. In this were a number of gentlemen. When the coach landed on top of the aperture made in the front of the car. One was Editor Bott of the Tell City Anzeiger. Another was Mr. Kasser, at traveling man, who is large and fleshy and has but one arm. The third was a man whose name is unknown. All three found themselves in the ditch among the wreckage….

The death chamber was near the partition in the car. Here Miss Nemer last her life. She was sitting near the partition and was caught in the wreckage. The engine was immediately beneath. The steam pipe leading to the whistle broke and the unfortunate young lady was roasted to death. Mrs. Gnau and her children was sitting near Miss Nemer and they also received the full steam from the engine….”

According to the article on the Find-A-Grave site for Emma Gnau, mother of Edwin and Norma, as she was being carried out of the train car in terrible pain blinded by the steam injuries she pleaded with those around her to save her children. She, nor her children survived the accident. Emma, a 38-year mother was laid to rest next to two of her children after a requiem in the St. Pius Church of Troy. She was survived by her husband, John, and her son, Oscar.

Nearly three weeks later, after investigating the accident, the county coroner came forward with his assessment of the accident which was reported in the September 20, 1891, Sunday Edition of the Evansville Courier. The paper ran the headline, “THE AIR LINE WRECK” and sub headline, “Coroner Cluthe’s Verdict Censures the Railroad Company”.

CANNELTON, IND., Sept 19—[Special]—Coronoer Cluthe’s verdict in the late disaster, wherein eight people were killed on the Air Line five miles west of this place, reads about as follows:

“I, William Cluthe, coroner of Perry county, Indiana, find that Emma Schuh, Carrie Nemer, Mrs. Gnau, Norma Gnau, Edwin Gnau, Arthur Keck and Mrs. Chamier came to their death by scalds, burns, bruises, inhalation of steam, in a railroad accident on the L.E. & St. L. Railroad.

“I further find the point where the accident occurred was on a high curve without sufficient grade on the road-bed. I will also censure the company on the high rate of speed called for in the schedule time.

“I also found rotten and broken ties near the place of the wreck.”

According to the coroner, the railroad itself had been at fault for the accident that shattered the Gnau family forever. The little girl and the lamb are reminder of the innocent lives lost that day leaving no hint of the tragedy that caused their deaths. The lamb is the symbol of the Lord, the Good Shepherd. It also represents innocence, likely the reason why this motif almost always adorns the tombstones of infants and young children.

Melvin Brothers Memorial, Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord, Massachusetts

ASA HEALD MELVIN

BORN SEPTEMBER 26, 1834

KILLED IN BATTLE BEFORE PETERSBURG VA

JUNE 16, 1864

JOHN HEALD MELVIN

BORN JULY 27, 1841

DIED IN A MILITARY HOSPITAL AT

FORT ALBANY VIRGINIA

OCTOBER 13, 1863

SAMUEL MELVIN

BORN APRIL 9, 1844

TAKEN PRISONER AT HARRISS FARM VA

MAY 19, 1864

DIED AT ANDERSONVILLE GA.

IN MEMORY OF THREE BROTHERS BORN IN CONCORD

WHO AS PRIVATE SOLDIERS GAVE THEIR LIVES

IN THE WAT TO SAVE THE COUNTRY

THIS MEMORIAL IS PLACED HERE BY THEIR SURVIVING

BROTHER HIMSELF A PRIVATE SOLDIER IN THE SAME WAR

“I WITH UNCOVERED HEAD

SALUTE THE SCRED DEAD

WHO WENT AND WHO RETURN NOT”

When James Melvin came back from the Civil War after serving in the 6^th Massachusetts Infantry, he was not joined by his brothers, Asa, John, and Samuel. They had all served in the 1^st Massachusetts Heavy Artillery unit which took heavy losses throughout the war. John was the first to perish—he at a military hospital in Fort Albany, Virginia. Asa died on the battlefield during an assault on Petersburg, and Samuel, who had been captured, died at the infamous and reviled Andersonville prison.

James, the fourth and youngest brother, later became a successful businessman and commissioned Daniel Chester French to design a memorial to his three fallen brothers. Daniel Chester French was arguably the most noted sculptor of his day, creating such monumental works as Minute Man at Concord, Massachusetts, the Marshall Field Memorial in Graceland Cemetery at Chicago, and his most famous work—the Seated Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial at Washington, D.C.

To create what he titled, Mourning Victory, French hired Audrey Munson to model for the sculpture. Though, Munson, is not a household name like Cindy Crawford, Gisele Bundchen, or Christy Brinkley, some say, Munson was America’s first supermodel. Her likeness can be found today in statues in New York, Wisconsin, California, and as far away as the Netherlands. Audrey became the model of choice for acclaimed artists, such as, Alexander Stirling Calder, Karl Bitter, Sherry Edmundson Fry, Adolph Alexander Weinman, and of course, Daniel Chester French.

Audrey Munson in the silent film, Heedless Moths, 1921

Not only was she a model to be found on statues from coast to coast, but she posed for the Walking Liberty dollar designed by Adolph Alexander Weinman. It is believed, she is the model for the Liberty Dime, too, which he also designed.

Walking Liberty Dollar designed by Alexander Weinman

Her likeness can be found on magazine covers of the time and she also worked in the fledgling movie industry appearing in four silent movies—Inspiration in 1915, Purity in 1916, The Girl o’ Dreams in 1916, and Heedless Moths in 1921. Audrey Munson was the first actress to appear fully nude in a film—Inspiration.

Sunset magazine, (October 1915) her image in a sculpture by Alexander Weinman

The sculpture by French for the Melvin Brothers Memorial is titled Mourning Victory. It features a woman as the allegorical figure of victory. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, which has a replica of the statue in marble in their collection, describes the statue, “The massive figure of Mourning victory emerges from the block of stone projecting two moods: melancholy, in her downcast eyes and somber expression, and triumph, in the American flag and laurel she holds high. French captured the sense of calm after the storm of battle, which must have referred to the pride, after the sorrow of grieving, felt by the surviving brother.”

The monument is a tribute not only to the Melvin Brothers and to the soaring talent of French, but to Audrey Munson, who was the muse for so many artists of her day.

In 1922, Munson attempted suicide. Nearly ten years later, her Mother petitioned to have Munson committed to an insane asylum, which is where she spent the last 65 years of her life—dying at the St. Lawrence State Hospital in Ogdensburg at the age of 104 years old. Munson is buried in the New Haven Cemetery at new Haven, New York, in an unmarked grave. Her image, however, lives on.

Killed at New Albany

North Y. while on duty for the

Monon R. W. Co.

EMORY L.

SON OF J. N. & E. A.

TITZEL

BORN

SEP. 15. 1880

DIED

DEC. 20. 1902

HIS LAST TRIP

C. R. Salyards of Orleans, Indiana, carved the train on top of the gravestone for Emory Titzel in the Mount Carmel Cemetery at Stinesville, Bean Blossom Township, Monroe County, Indiana.

Emory Titzel was a brakeman on the Monon Rail Way Company when he was killed in a accident.

In addition to the intricate carving of the train engine, there is a glassed compartment in the center of the gravestone that housed the flowers from the funerals. The flowers have long since decomposed.

Even though the train marked the untimely death of Emory Titzel and his “last trip” on the Monon, other children of Joseph Newcomer and Edwina Ann (Williams) Titzel are memorialized on the stone:

MARY

FAY

MATTHEW

BORN APR. 22

1898

DIED AUG. 23

1909

IN

DENVER

COLO.

SALLIE E.

DAU OFN. & E. A.

TITZEL

BORN

FEB. 1. 1875.

DIED

SEP. 5. 1875