Chat
09-28-2017, 03:49 PM
We ended up spending a lot more time in this graveyard than originally planned because reading the headstones was so entertaining. While it's easy for us to take our education for granted in this day and age, I'm sure it was difficult to get formal learning in these remote areas back in the 1800's. Unfortunately, the grave carver chiseled his lack of education (and sometimes perhaps his inebriation) in stone. In case they are hard to read on your computer screen, I have added translations above each picture.
I don't know why there is a period behind every word, but it seems to be a common (though not consistent) theme with this particular headstone carver. The spacing is rather interesting as well. Didn't this guy ever think of penciling in the letters before he started carving? If he did it all freehand, I'm impressed with his skill, but not with his forethought.
"Wele. cross. the. river. of. Jordan. hapy. in. the. lord."
"gods. childorn. are. gethering. home. to.die. no. mo re."
"blesed. ar. the. ded. who di. in the lord"
This was our favorite:
"IN. MEMORY. OF
joseph M. Buch.
anan .was Born.
a prile. the. 9.18 27.
was killed BY
Confederates.
Mrach. the. 5 1864
whilst. in. the.
service of the
natianal armey
as a Recruiting
Officer."
I can forgive misspellings, but how does one make a typo while carving in stone? "Mrach"?? And if you're going to misspell in stone, why ADD letters ("aprile", "armey")? I can't help but think that this man might have had a little help from the jug down cellar while chiseling out his masterpiece. I love how the "r" in "Recruiting" was squeezed in afterwards.
My favorite part is that it is carved into a headstone with books adorning the top--a shrine to education. This headstone is indeed a masterpiece. I only hope mine will be this memorable.
This headstone was unique in that I've never seen so much age detail given on an adult's headstone.
"IN.MEMORY. OF
Margret. Farmer was
born oct the 9day18 58
an died nov the 24 1882
age 24yers 1month an
15 days Born in Newton
CO
ARK "
Lest we laugh too immoderately over the dead, I bring us back down to sobering reality with this infant's gravestone. Many youngsters were buried here. It appeared that one couple lost at least five or six babies and children. Quite a few women died in their 20's and 40's as well. I wondered if many of them died in childbirth. I'm sure doctors were scarce here back in the 1800's and their medical resources limited. It was not an easy life, and I admire the brave folks who, despite incredible hardship, carved out a place for themselves in these steep, rocky valleys.
I don't know why there is a period behind every word, but it seems to be a common (though not consistent) theme with this particular headstone carver. The spacing is rather interesting as well. Didn't this guy ever think of penciling in the letters before he started carving? If he did it all freehand, I'm impressed with his skill, but not with his forethought.
"Wele. cross. the. river. of. Jordan. hapy. in. the. lord."
"gods. childorn. are. gethering. home. to.die. no. mo re."
"blesed. ar. the. ded. who di. in the lord"
This was our favorite:
"IN. MEMORY. OF
joseph M. Buch.
anan .was Born.
a prile. the. 9.18 27.
was killed BY
Confederates.
Mrach. the. 5 1864
whilst. in. the.
service of the
natianal armey
as a Recruiting
Officer."
I can forgive misspellings, but how does one make a typo while carving in stone? "Mrach"?? And if you're going to misspell in stone, why ADD letters ("aprile", "armey")? I can't help but think that this man might have had a little help from the jug down cellar while chiseling out his masterpiece. I love how the "r" in "Recruiting" was squeezed in afterwards.
My favorite part is that it is carved into a headstone with books adorning the top--a shrine to education. This headstone is indeed a masterpiece. I only hope mine will be this memorable.
This headstone was unique in that I've never seen so much age detail given on an adult's headstone.
"IN.MEMORY. OF
Margret. Farmer was
born oct the 9day18 58
an died nov the 24 1882
age 24yers 1month an
15 days Born in Newton
CO
ARK "
Lest we laugh too immoderately over the dead, I bring us back down to sobering reality with this infant's gravestone. Many youngsters were buried here. It appeared that one couple lost at least five or six babies and children. Quite a few women died in their 20's and 40's as well. I wondered if many of them died in childbirth. I'm sure doctors were scarce here back in the 1800's and their medical resources limited. It was not an easy life, and I admire the brave folks who, despite incredible hardship, carved out a place for themselves in these steep, rocky valleys.