There’s no question that grave markers are an invaluable
resource for birth and death dates, full names, and family connections. However,
when we try to tell a person’s story, we often only pay passing attention to
grave markers. We look for something more dynamic than a cold stone to
illustrate someone’s personal history.
But grave markers are more than a resource. They’re a memorial
to a life that has passed. And many times, if you listen and observe closely,
they also tell a story.
These are the monuments of people who have lived and died;
some a century or two before you; others so recent that the patch of sod hasn’t
yet taken root. Entire lifespans reduced to a nameplate and maybe even a phrase
or two. Some of the names you might recognize from having read about.
Celebrities. Victims. Men and women who, in their lives, did extraordinary
things or committed atrocious acts. Others…most, let’s say…have slipped into
and out of life like a breeze through a house.
Relationships
Ever go to a cemetery and notice several graves of
individuals who were contemporaries in close proximity to each other? It makes
you wonder. Are there stories there? Where they women who attended the same
church, raised children together, quilted together, and reminisced together in
their sunset years? Did the men go off to war together? Time to start asking
questions!
Grave markers and wealth
Walking through an old cemetery, it’s easy to spot the
graves of prominent community members. Rather than a simple headstone, there’s
a statue or memorial. Some families may even have their own mausoleum or an
area of the cemetery. That too, is the beginning of a story. Was that wealth
passed down over generations or was there an identifiable period when
prosperity hit? Were they some of the original settlers of the community?
Carvings and Carvers
As public cemeteries emerged in the 19th century,
grave markers became a popular way to memorialize deceased family members.[1]
Grievers left their marks—sometimes with a simple epitaph; other times with
elaborate carvings. They’re worth paying attention to. The choices they made
are the murmurings of stories.
Symbols
Here the interests of the genealogist and the family storyteller
intersect. The symbols on gravestones often reveal a person’s religious,
fraternal, and professional affiliations. For instance, a dog can represent
fidelity. Graveaddiction.com
has great photos and explanations.
Understanding the historical context of these symbols can
help you understand the lives of ancestors. For instance, I once saw a hand
pointing down on a grave. I was relieved to read that this is thought to be the
hand of God reaching down from Heaven—not an indication of which way the
deceased was headed for his afterlife.
There’s another
reason that gravestones can tell stories that other records might leave out.
Especially in the immediate aftermath of a tragedy or sudden death, families
make decisions on the fly. Carving, however, takes more time, making it easier
for families to put more thought into the grave markers.
I know when my sister and I ordered our parents’ headstone,
we put a lot of thought into symbolism of the places they loved. Because Alaska
and South Carolina reaches from the foothills to the sea, we had the artist
incorporate both mountains and waves in the stone.
Incorporating Grave Markers into Family Stories
Even if you’re not interested in genealogy yourself,
preserving and passing down grave marker information and photographs is a great
service to future family researchers. Pay it forward!
[1]
“Gravestones FAQ,” International Southern Cemetery Gravestones Association,
accessed September 9, 2014, http://www.iscga.org/history-of-gravestones.html.
No comments:
Post a Comment