Tombstone Tuesday - Headmistress Doris Richardson, Tipton St. John, England

DORIS

RICHARDSON

M.B.E., B.Sc.

1899 - 2000

Headmistress of

Tipton

St. John Primary

School 1940 - 1961

Doris Richardson is not a family member.  But I was attracted to her headstone on a walk through the churchyard of St. John the Evangelist, Tipton St. John, England.  She was not only headmistress of the school in this small village, she lived to the great age of 101 or thereabouts! 

Earlier this year, on a road trip throughout Great Britian, we visited this churchyard for a specific purpose.  Hubby's research tells him that his great-grandfather was born in the area and most likely attended this church.  Today, the village has a pub (what village doesn't???) and a primary school, which is associated with the church.  But the Post Office was closed a few years ago, presumable due to lack of use.  There are about 350 residents. 

Hubby didn't want to call in advance and just wanted a look around the churchyard.  But he was so lucky, several parish members were present the afternoon we showed up.  We got some good history on the church and the area.  Although no one knew the family, he made a contact to connect with in the future.  And it's just really nice to stand in the area and know that your ancestors looked at the same view over the valley.

And here's the church and those views:

(Pre) Tombstone Tuesday - Welsh Tradition

I am just starting to really sort through the almost 900 photos from our trips to Wales, the UK and Ireland in March and earlier this month.  And this does not include the 500 or so generations-old family photos that hubby brought home to scan, which we returned a few weeks ago. 

I have spoken here in the past about hubby's Welsh heritage, and the Welsh tradition of wearing leeks (for the men) and daffodils (for the ladies) on March 1, the feast of Wales' patron saint, St. David's Day.

This tradition continues in many forms throughout life, including the final farewell.  We visited the family plots in Aberduar Chapel burial grounds in the village of Llanybydder, Wales, where my father-in-law lived as a child.  His mother's family is from the area and generations are buried in the chapel's churchyard. 

While walking through the grounds, I came across these relatively fresh graves. For me, this was a different treatment of a fresh grave, something I had not seen previously, and I was touched to see the leek and daffodil taking pride of place on this (I can only presume) native Welsh person's site.

Another fresh grave in the churchyard, more modestly decorated.

Tombstone Tuesday - Thomas

St. Dogmael's Cemetery

Dyfed (Pembroke), Wales 

SACRED

The memory of

Timothy Thomas

Late of the Bridge-end Foundry Cardigan

Who Died February 20, 1898

Aged 69 Years

Also, of the children of the said

Timothy Thomas and Anna his wife

Thomas,

Who Died Sept. 9, 1869, Aged 9 Months

Edith,

Who Died August 27, 1877, Aged 1 Day

Albert,

Who Died February 25, 1881, Aged 1 Day

Lizzie,

Who Died Sept. 19, 1893, Aged 26 Years

Henry,

Who was lost at sea off Madeira Island

November 30, 1896, Aged 21 Years

Also, of

David Thomas,

Brother of the said Timothy Thomas

Who died December 1885, Aged 64 years

Also of Anna Thomas,

Wife of the _____ (said?) Timothy Thomas,

She passed...Newport Mon

...

This photo was among the many that my in-laws have collected over the years.  We don't know who it is, and there are no family members that we know of with the surname Thomas.  

Neither of my in-laws know of anyone in St. Dogmael's Cemetery in the county of Dyfed, formerly known as Pembrokeshire.  They also cannot remember taking the photo or seeing this headstone.  So, this interesting stone remains a mystery to us.  The last two lines, which might provide some clues, are unclear; I've included what we can decipher above. 

Tombstone Tuesday - "RC" Reeves

REEVES

Robert Claude

"RC"

March 21, 1932

Nov. 21, 1987

Jean Marie

Mays

March 21, 1938

Married

Sept. 21, 1957

This headstone is located in Darlington Cemetery, MD.  They are not my family members. 

The scene depicted on this headstone leads me to believe that "RC" was a farmer, perhaps even an apple farmer.  The town is well known in the area for its annual event, the Darlington Apple Festival. 

The 21st was a big day for this couple:  RC and his wife Jean Marie shared the same birthday, March 21.  He was six years older than she.  I'm sure having that shared event to celebrate annually was a source of great fun throughout the years.  Their other "21" was their anniversary; they were married on the 21st of September, 1957. 

This headstone is engraved with the maiden name of RC's wife.  My walk through this cemetery revealed quite a few stones that include this information, along with marriage date, which is also here.  That's important information for ancestors, so it's great to see it shared here. 

I have to be sure to include that detail in my wishes.  I guess you can never be too early in planning those details, but you can sometimes be too late.  

Tombstone Tuesday - Mozart Family, Salzburg

Saint Sebastian's Cemetery

Salzburg, Austria

Leopold Mozart

b. 14 Nov. 1719

d. 28 May 1787

Father of Composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Composer, Conductor and Musician.

Others buried on the site [L-R]

(as related to Leopold):

Jeannette Berchtold von Sonnenburg (granddaughter)

Genovesa Weber (daughter-in-law's aunt)

Constanze Mozart Nissen (daughter-in-law)

Euphrosina Pertl (mother-in-law).

(My photo, Dec. 28, 2008)

Tombstone Tuesday - Old Bennington Cemetery, Vermont

About five years ago, hubby and I traveled throughout New England for a few weeks.  I love it there, there is so much wonderful history!  Treasure-filled antique shops!  Fascinating cemeteries!  One cemetery we visited was Old Bennington Cemetery in Vermont. 

This graveyard, located directly behind the Old First Church, contains the graves of about 75 revolutionary war patriots as well as other foreign soldiers killed in the Battle of Bennington.  There are many early politicians buried there as well.

The grave of American poet Robert Frost is also in the cemetery.  At the time we visited, I was of the belief that I should not photograph his grave, or much of the cemetery at all, out of respect. 

There are many graves of famous people that I have seen but did not photograph.  My feelings about photographing cemeteries is very different now.  Oh well, live and learn!

Tombstone Tuesday - Larger than Life

DiCasagrande

"Larger than Life"

This is another eye-catching stone from Darlington Cemetery in Maryland.  They are not my family members.

Nicolo A.

Born

Genova, Italy

April 24, 1912

Oct. 8, 2008

Emanuele

(Capt. "Lorenzo")

Born

Genova, Italy

Nov. 16, 1940

May 21, 2010

Mirella L.

(Nee Pasini)

Born

Cartosio, Italy

July 4, 1942

Appropriately oversized, to go with the name, this stone marks the final resting place for several members of the DiCasagrande family: Nicolo, Emanuele and Mirella.  On the stone there even seems to be space for another member, if need be. 

Under Emanuele's name is (Capt. "Lorenzo").  Whether he was a sea captain by profession or "Captain" was a nickname, I do not know.  But with a lighthouse and an anchor etched into the marble, it seems clear that the sea played an important part in his and indeed all their lives.

This stone kind of took my breath away, for a number of reasons.  First, it's just so big.  It also has the little photos of the two men; these always catch my eye.  There are beautiful shapely urns on each side.  When I was there, they were filled with bright, fresh silk flowers.  It's interesting the way the stone is elevated on a pedestal, you don't always see that.

What really attracted me to this stone, besides its size, is the highly polished surface.  It's almost like a mirror.  In the first photo above, you can see the cemetery grounds and several other stones reflected in it.  It was not until I got home and double-checked my photos that I noticed the my own reflection in the three individual shots of each name.

Darlington Cemetery is old; it was founded in the late 1800s.  Like any cemetery from this era, there is a very old section.  There is also a new section.  This stone is in the new section.  But Darlington itself is a small town, much of it a farming community.  So I found it interesting to find such a modern, beautiful headstone here, where I would usually expect a much more traditional stone.  But I'm so glad that I did.  As Ivy of Tracing the Ivy said in her genea-fun creation, "You can't judge a cemetery until you walk it."

Tombstone Tuesday - Meiringen, Part Four

Meiringen Cemetery

Switzerland

August 2007

This is the final installment of my photos from the small, but extremely beautiful, Meiringen Cemetery, near Interlaken, Switzerland.
 

Alexander
Brog-Dettling
1905-1991



Emma Weltsche
191 ?  -  1988



 

Arnold
Andwegg-Wehren
1904-1994



Alexander
Mann



Frieda
Wyss-Gsteiger
1900-1988



Katharina
Thoni-Blattner

Tombstone Tuesday - Meiringen, Part Three

Meiringen Cemetery

Switzerland

August 2007

Another installment of photos from my afternoon in Meiringen.  Several of the markers are like this one:  wooden, house-shaped, with a sloped roof-like attachment.  The roof is covered with tin or copper, to protect from the elements. 

I love the look of these cemetery "gardens."  They are colorful, each with an individual, somewhat overgrown look.  On closer inspection, though, you can tell each is frequently and lovingly tended. 

Many have a little statue or ornament, for example of a cat or dog, that must have been a favorite of the deceased.  Perhaps the statue is of something they liked to collect during their lifetime.  

Notice the little gnome down in from of the garden in the second photo.  

Tombstone Tuesday - Meiringen, Part Two

Meiringen Cemetery

Switzerland

August 2007 

More from our trip to Switzerland. 

An overview of the entire cemetery.

Stones are close together, but well tended with beautiful landscaping.







Another view of the cemetery.
I really like the stone at far right, second row;
it's engraved with a musical G-clef.







Tombstone Tuesday - Meiringen, Switzerland

Werner

Zumftein

1905 - 1991

 Meiringen Cemetery 
Another cemetery from our August 2007 trip to Switzerland.

Quite possibly the most beautiful cemetery I have ever seen. 

I could (and should) have photographed each and every stone. 

Each was as unique as the individuals whose lives they represented. 

The graves are so carefully tended, with family replacing fresh flowers regularly. 

The stones are all different,

engraved with symbols that represent the person's occupation or hobby.

Tombstone Tuesday - Darlington Cemetery

In Memory

This most unusual marker is in Darlington Cemetery, in northern Maryland.  The plaque reads:

In Memory

Maude W. Bedford

Killed

In Performance of Her

duties at

Edgewood Arsenal, Md.

May 25, 1945

Presented by

Her Fellow Workers

Mrs. Bedford and 11 co-workers where killed when two of the military base's grenade assembly buildings exploded.   Edgewood Arsenal is part of a government facility now known as Aberdeen Proving Ground.  More information is available about Mrs. Bedford here. 

They are war heroes of a different type, but as just as important to our freedom.

Tombstone Tuesday - Brienz-West, Switzerland

In 2007, hubby and I visited Switzerland as part of a multi-generational family vacation.  We were based in the town of Interlaken.

From Interlaken, we had day trips to nearby towns, enjoying the surrounding snow-capped mountains, fresh air and green valleys, along with Switzerland's interesting combination of German, Italian and French cuisine and culture.   

One of our day trips took us through the village of Brienz-West.  It is well-known for its talented wood carvers; the main street it filled with shops that feature their intricate works.  

As we walked through the town, and back to Interlaken, we came upon this small cemetery, filled with typical headstones and also a different type of grave marker. 

For a town of wood-workers, these fine, wooden crosses seemed appropriate.

 



Overlooking Lake Brienz.



View of Lake Brienz and mountains.

 









   



 



Rustic Swiss home next to the cemetery.



Tombstone Tuesday - JFK

Tuesday is the 48th anniversary of the untimely death of John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States of America.

Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917.  He was shot and died in Dallas, TX on November 22, 1963. 

People of a certain age can remember the exact moment they heard the horrible news.  Just over five years old at the time of his assassination, I cannot remember that event.  However, I do remember going to Mass with my mother, and wondering why all the women were openly crying, not quietly sobbing, but outright crying.  I had never seen such behavior in church.  And even today, watching the news clip of Walter Cronkite, on the verge of tears as he announces the tragedy on the evening news, makes me swallow hard.  

Kennedy's tombstone is not a typical marker, but rather an Eternal Flame, which burns round the clock in Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, VA.  Visiting the gravesite is a moving experience. 
 



In the three-year period following the 1963 burial, an estimated 16 million people paid their respects at the grave.  Thus, in 1967, Kennedy's body was moved and a permanent plot and marker were created at Arlington.



His wife, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (later Onassis) is buried by his side.  His equally political and well-known brothers, Robert and Edward, are buried nearby. 

As you remember this day in history, say a prayer.

  

Four markers of Kennedy family members:
John F. Kennedy,
his wife and two brothers,
with Eternal Flame at top.

These images are courtesy of Wikipedia, as they are much better than my own. 

Tombstone Tuesday - Penning

This stone is in Loudon Park Cemetery in Baltimore.

PENNING

George M[artin]

b.  January 3, 1885

d.  February 20, 1967

Ada [Forrest]

b.  July 1884

d. 1967

Ada Forrest Penning is my great-aunt, though I never knew her.  The sister of my maternal grandfather, my mother remembers her as a kind and generous person.  Mom remembers that as a child, she thought Aunt Ada must must have been rich, because she had a beautiful home in Charles Village.  The Village, as it's known by today's residents, is a neighborhood of large brick row houses with wide front porches.  The neighborhood surrounds the beautiful Homewood campus of Johns Hopkins University. 

  

Aunt Ada was the oldest child, only daughter, and the glue that kept her three brothers close as their parents aged and eventually passed.  She was the last sibling to die, as well, at least as far as I can tell in my research to date.  Each of her brothers named a daughter in her honor.  

Unfortunately, Aunt Ada's stone has toppled from its base.  Can anyone tell me, what is the procedure for resetting?  Is it the responsibility of the family or of the cemetery to repair it?  Or is a new stone necessary?  Can the family fix the original, or does the cemetery not allow this?

Tombstone Tuesday - Oliver Perry Jordan

Oliver Perry Jordan

Born 1 March 1846

Died 7 July 1925

Aged 79 years, 4 months, 6 days

Unusual looking tombstone, wouldn't you say?

This tree kind of marks the otherwise unmarked grave of my great-great-grandfather, Oliver Perry Jordan, in Parkwood Cemetery, Baltimore.  The tree just happens to be there, it wasn't specially planted to mark his grave, at least not that I have been able to ascertain.  It would be a nice gesture, though.

In April 2011, with the help of a Parkwood Cemetery employee, I was able to find this tiny Jordan plot, where two others are also buried.  I'm still working on information for them.

This same employee taught me to how to read a cemetery map, and directed me to the marker for Anne C. Magill, Oliver's nearest neighbor with a grave marker.  It was the three-digit number in the lower left corner on her grave marker that enabled us to determine that the large, unmarked area directly in front of the tall tree must be the three Jordan family members. 

Anne C. Magill

Born 30 October 1903

Died 6 June 1985

I'm 99% certain that the Jordans and the Magills did not know one another during their lifetimes.  Yet, as is said, you cannot replace the helping hand of a good neighbor.  Thank you, Anne, for being a good neighbor to Oliver and guiding me to him.