If Cemeteries Could If Cemeteries Could TalkTalk

What we could learn What we could learn from a walk in the from a walk in the cemeterycemetery

“Within Each community, cemeteries are among the most fascinating, richest, and often the most neglected sources of historical information. The age of the community, its ethnic composition and the impact made by immigration can be determined by investigating gravestones. The style of gravestone, the symbolism of their art and their inscriptions reflect religious beliefs, social class, values, as well as cultural change over time.” - Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Burial PracticesBurial Practices Burial practices vary from culture Burial practices vary from culture

to culture and across time, for to culture and across time, for that reason we will confine our that reason we will confine our discussion to Western European discussion to Western European or Euro-American practices.or Euro-American practices.

What should I look for?What should I look for?Questions to ask…Questions to ask… Available Available cemetery recordscemetery records alone do not tell the alone do not tell the

complete story.complete story. The The inscriptioninscription can tell us something about the can tell us something about the

individual.individual. SymbolsSymbols can often tell us about something they can often tell us about something they

believed in or about an organization to which believed in or about an organization to which they belongedthey belonged

Grave placement or relative proximityGrave placement or relative proximity – why was – why was the person buried close to someone or separated the person buried close to someone or separated by some distance? Is this a reflection of their by some distance? Is this a reflection of their place in a relationship while among the living?place in a relationship while among the living?

Are the families buried around them any Are the families buried around them any relation?relation?

ObserveObserve Were the internments (burials) in a section Were the internments (burials) in a section

made at or about the same time?made at or about the same time? Judging from the birth and death dates Judging from the birth and death dates

were the people about the same age at the were the people about the same age at the time of death?time of death?

Do any of the dates coincide with known Do any of the dates coincide with known events in local history. (wars, famines, events in local history. (wars, famines, epidemics, floods or other natural disaster)epidemics, floods or other natural disaster)

Does this section of the cemetery give Does this section of the cemetery give evidence that it was set aside to receive evidence that it was set aside to receive members of the armed forces or clergy members of the armed forces or clergy etc.? etc.?

Reasons for human Reasons for human burialburial SanitationSanitation – avoid unpleasant odors from – avoid unpleasant odors from

bacterial decompositionbacterial decomposition Remove from viewRemove from view – remember appearance – remember appearance

as it was in lifeas it was in life RespectRespect – remains are not open to visible – remains are not open to visible

decay or predation by animalsdecay or predation by animals Bring closureBring closure – pain of loss can be lessened – pain of loss can be lessened

(out of sight – out of mind almost)(out of sight – out of mind almost) Step in the processStep in the process from life to an afterlife from life to an afterlife

Burial PlacesBurial Places CremationCremation while always the norm in while always the norm in

India is growing among Western India is growing among Western CulturesCultures

Places also include: in Places also include: in mounds of earth, mounds of earth, underground cavernsunderground caverns and in temples and in temples

Modern times – bury dead Modern times – bury dead below below groundground with stone markers to mark the with stone markers to mark the place - almost universal in western place - almost universal in western cultureculture

Marking the LocationMarking the Location Serves two main purposesServes two main purposes

– Grave will not accidentally be Grave will not accidentally be exhumedexhumed

– Contains information or tributes to Contains information or tributes to the deceasedthe deceasedForm of remembrance for loved Form of remembrance for loved onesones

Form of immortalityForm of immortality

Marking contd.Marking contd. Marked graveMarked grave = lasting memory, = lasting memory,

fondness & respectfondness & respect Unmarked graveUnmarked grave = consignment = consignment

to oblivion or an ignominious end, to oblivion or an ignominious end, disdain and disrespectdisdain and disrespect

Anonymous BurialAnonymous Burial

Normandy France

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Washington D.C.

Secret BurialSecret Burial Walt DisneyWalt Disney Eva Peron (Evita)Eva Peron (Evita)

Why study Why study gravestones?gravestones? History should include the lives of History should include the lives of

ordinary people and eventsordinary people and events Stones mark the graves of ordinary Stones mark the graves of ordinary

peoplepeople Gravestones provide valuable information Gravestones provide valuable information

about family genealogy, local history, about family genealogy, local history, medical history, religious history and medical history, religious history and changing fashion in art and literaturechanging fashion in art and literature

The power of the cemetery is its call The power of the cemetery is its call never to forget the loved ones who have never to forget the loved ones who have gone before us gone before us

History & Development History & Development of Cemeteriesof Cemeteries 1620 – 1820’s - Church Yard cemeteries – follow 1620 – 1820’s - Church Yard cemeteries – follow

British custom – in the church or “church yard”British custom – in the church or “church yard” 1831 - 1855 – “rural” or “garden” cemetery 1831 - 1855 – “rural” or “garden” cemetery

movementmovement– Three great gardens: Garden of Eden (place of Three great gardens: Garden of Eden (place of

creation – a beginning)creation – a beginning)– Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives (prayer, betrayal Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives (prayer, betrayal

& transition to a new life)& transition to a new life)– Garden of the Holy Sepulcher (resurection,new life Garden of the Holy Sepulcher (resurection,new life

and reward)and reward) 1855 – 1920 – “lawn” and “memorial park” 1855 – 1920 – “lawn” and “memorial park”

movementmovement 1920 – present 1920 – present

Rural Cemeteries: Mt. Rural Cemeteries: Mt. Hope Cemetery Hope Cemetery RochesterRochester

Grave of Frederick Douglas

Forest Lawn: Buffalo Forest Lawn: Buffalo NYNY

Blocher Monument

Birge Memorial

Cemetery Symbolism

AnchorAnchor

AngelAngel

Broken ColumnBroken Column

Celtic CrossCeltic Cross

DoveDove

Draped UrnDraped Urn

Freemason’sFreemason’s

HandsHands

IvyIvy

LambLamb

LilyLily

LyreLyre

MoundMound

ObeliskObelisk

OrbOrb

RoseRose

SarcophagusSarcophagus

Forest Lawn

Sarcophagus – contd.Sarcophagus – contd.

Mount Calvary Cemetery

TorchTorch

Tree TrunkTree Trunk

UrnUrn

Willow TreeWillow Tree

GARGAR

Gravestones as Material Gravestones as Material Culture tell us something Culture tell us something about the deceased. Views about the deceased. Views & Values& Values

Negative view of deathNegative view of death

Only slightly more Only slightly more positivepositive

Positive ViewPositive View

Note: Picture of home in Germany pictured on face of stone

Proud Irish Heritage??Proud Irish Heritage??

Shamrock & Image of St. Patrick

An image frozen in time. An image frozen in time. Looking out and beyond Looking out and beyond the grave. the grave.

Note the open collar and leisure suit fashion of the 1970’s and early 80’s

Signature of last name & Signature of last name & placement close together placement close together indicates probable indicates probable relationrelation..

A loving couple? A loving couple? Remembered that way Remembered that way for all time.for all time.

Father & Son / Brother Father & Son / Brother & Uncle& Uncle

Note hair style and plaid shirt.

Hair style & beard typical of 1970’s

Interest or participation in sports for a 17 year old

The loss of a child cannot be replacedregardless of the beauty of the sculpture that

marks the passing

The Lord said – “ the times when you have seen only one set of footprints my child,

I have carried you!” Love is immortal

The inscription The inscription reads: “Molly tho reads: “Molly tho pleasant in her pleasant in her day was suddenly day was suddenly seized and sent seized and sent away. How soon away. How soon she’s ripe because she’s ripe because she’s rotten, sent she’s rotten, sent to her grave and to her grave and now forgottennow forgotten

InscriptionsInscriptions

Sears Catalog Sears Catalog TombstonesTombstones

For Further Reading & For Further Reading & StudyStudy Farrell, James J. Farrell, James J. Inventing the American Inventing the American

Way of DeathWay of Death. Philadelphia: Temple . Philadelphia: Temple University of Pennsylvania Press, 1980.University of Pennsylvania Press, 1980.

French, Stanley. French, Stanley. “The Cemetery as “The Cemetery as Cultural Institution: The Establishment Cultural Institution: The Establishment of Mount Auburn and the “Rural” of Mount Auburn and the “Rural” Cemetery Movement.”Cemetery Movement.” Stannard, David Stannard, David E., Editor, E., Editor, Death In AmericaDeath In America. . Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1975.Press, 1975.

Further Reading contd.Further Reading contd. Mitford, Jessica, Mitford, Jessica, The American The American

Way of Death.Way of Death. New York: Simon New York: Simon and Schuster, 1963.and Schuster, 1963.

Websites of InterestWebsites of Interest http://www.forest-lawn.com/http://www.forest-lawn.com/

http://www.gravestonestudies.orghttp://www.gravestonestudies.org

www.sellersfuneralhome.comwww.sellersfuneralhome.com

http://ah.bfn.org/a/forestL/symbols/http://ah.bfn.org/a/forestL/symbols/index.htmlindex.html

http://members.tripod.com/~wnyroots/http://members.tripod.com/~wnyroots/