Wordless Wednesday
Madi and I take a day trip… to a cemetery.
This inscription reads:
“SACRED To the memory of the widdow Jane Brown who departed this life the 4th day of June 1831. Aged near 91 years as she was born 22nd June 1740. She was 71 years a member of the Presbyterean church and died in triumph of a living faith. Her husband, James Brown, Esqr. was murdered by the Cherokee indians on the Tenassee River the 9th of May 1788 with two of his sons and 5 other young men and his wife and five children were taken prisoner. Some of them got back to the white settlement in one year, others longer, and one was five years.
O reader, these people lost their lives and liberty in obtaining this good land that you enjoy.
O my reader, leave and go to the Good World. “
Restored by Tenassee Chatper N.S.D.A.R. 1956
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Wow! Sounds to me like the widow Jane Brown’s life would make a good movie! And isn’t it astounding that after all the tragedy and drama in her life, it was said of her she “died in triumph of a living faith”?
So……Tori, do you just say to Madi, “Let’s do something fun today! Let’s take a day trip to a cemetary!!” And she says YES???
Have you spoken to a professional about your attraction to cemetaries? Just asking….
Linda B– Actually it started out to be an antiquing trip, but we got a late start and then got sidetracked exploring various country roads… We drove past this historic cemetery on our way to the town square in Columbia, TN and when I pointed it out Madi said, “Can we stop?!” Annnnd that’s where we spent the next hour or so! I just showed these photos to my mom and she told me that HER mom just loved wandering around old cemeteries, so maybe it’s genetic. And guess where Madi’s dream wedding location is– Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah!
My hubby thinks I am deranged when I say, lets stop and walk that cemetery, to which I say, “yep, deranged is probably right, I married you didn’t I”, at that point he usually pulls into the parking lot.
Thanks for including the epitaph, that truly said it all.
But you know you can find some to laugh at and my favorite one is:
May He Rest In Peace
We Hope
I, too, am a “cemetery person”. The older, the better. Such history you can learn in them. On my charm bracelet, I have a charm of “Bird Girl,” the statue at Bonaventure in Savannah. I was just in Charlottesville, Virginia, at Thomas Jefferson’s house – Monticello – and loved the cemetery there. They still bury his descendants there; the most recent grave is September 2009. Tom’s grave monument is the largest, of course, but it wasn’t originally. He just wanted something small and simple that didn’t say much about him on it. The Monticello Foundation changed that!
I love driving along the road and spotting a cemetery on a hill; I always imagine people standing there shrouded in black year after year.
We have a new national cemetery just about a mile from me – The National Cemetery of the Alleghenies. It’s very solemn to drive thru there; such a place of remembrance. And I was intrigued by the national cemetery in Honolulu, Hawaii – the “Punchbowl.” The Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor is a cemetery. And Gettysburg. Arlington. And our little Indian cemetery in California were my family is buried; so old and simple.
If you’re ever out west, especially in the gold country of California, those cemeteries are interesting to wander thru. They are not “maintained” much, just scruffy, scraggly humps of dirt. In Virginia City, Nevada, the wind whistles thru; it’s very haunting.
We cemetery people could go on and on!
But the one cemetery I would truly love to go to is the one with no body in it…just outside Jerusalem…the tomb…”He is not here. He is risen!”
Maybe that’s why I love cemeteries. Because one day these graves on earth are going to open up, the sea will give up the dead, the scattered ashes will be gathered…”The dead in Christ will rise first…”
I love the history lesson on that slab of concrete. I’m gonna start working on an admonition to those who come after me and might read my tombstone…something pithy and witty that could be words to live by. Maybe more of a cautionary tale?…
I would so love to go to Madi’s wedding in Bonaventure–it’s one of my favorite places. Maybe a setting close to the river near those big columns where the statue of Jesus is?
We love cemeteries around here and have found some really good ones. Some of our family cemeteries are pretty interesting,too. One time Meredith and I were at the graves of my father’s family and I was explaining to her the identity of everyone buried there. I made the statement that my great-aunt Lulla Bell was buried there and that she was’ crazy for her whole life’. The door of my SUV that I had just climbed out of suddenly slammed shut…on a perfectly clear cloudless,windless day. We got in the car and left, but not before I muttered apologies to Great Aunt Lulla Bell. (But she really was mad as a hatter.)
Did I ever mention that my in-laws gave us cemetery plots as a wedding gift?
Love some of these comments! Hysterical!
I think I’m intrigued with cemeteries because of the history! After burying Joseph’s mamma’s ashes in Donaldson, AR., we looked at all the other famiy’s tombstones and were facinated with all the familiar names….;-) That made us want to visit Joseph’s dad’s side, so we went to Hot Springs, AR., and that’s when he discovered his Uncle Gene had just pasted away & was buried days earlier…..
I have a favorite saying,…and it would work on my tombstone too!!!
“I never finish anything,….I just run out of time!!!”
We have spent many a happy hour in cemeteries mainly when working on our family tree but also just reading the grave stones. In fact we were on our way to a cemetery when Rachel went into labour with her first child!
I’ve been to Bonaventure in Savannah, Tori, and it’s a lovely old place……full of history and fascinating and sometimes scandalous stories! I’d think twice about a wedding there though—–no air conditioning. And there could be one very uneasy moment when the minister asks “Is there anyone here who objects to this marriage…” and then perfect silence……in a graveyard……..spooky!
When I leave this world, I want my stone to read: “I TOLD YOU PEOPLE I WAS SICK!”
I’ve been on vacation for a week and just got home yesterday. I spent most of my time exploring Civil War battlefields in Virginia (Petersburg, Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Wilderness & Chancellorsville) so I was visiting graveyards as well of the men that served in that war. Poplar Grove is one that I’ve walked through several times as well as the National Cemetary at Fredericksburg. So I’m a cemetary wanderer too.
As a child I used to play in a small graveyard in the woods near our farm so I guess I’m a little deranged too LOL.
About 100yrs ago in Leiper’s Creek, just past Leiper’s Fork…my family started gathering on the first Sat in Aug. for decoration day to clean & decorate the graves, have dinner on the ground & maybe a little singin’ !!
It cont. today, mainly to decorate & have a picnic at the little place called Cave Springs Cemetary. This year it’s Aug 7th.
I always drive down from OH for a week.
The funny thing is children’s perception of what we’re doing there.When my son was 3-4…EVERY time we passed a cemetary…he said “Hey…can we stop & have a picnic” ? He thought that was their purpose !!
Blessings dearones,
Nelda
PhyllisS– I LOVE that epitaph! Sounds like those near and dear to him weren’t too sure about his eternal future…
MostlySunny– OK, you’re a hardcore cemetery girl! LOVE Bonaventure, our personal favorite. And when I went to Israel for the first time, I remember asking our guide why they had a graveyard right smack in front of the Jerusalem wall and he said because so many people wanted to be first in line to rise and meet Him when the Messiah returned.
auburn60– Yeah, do NOT mess with the ghost of crazy aunt Lulla Belle! And if I had a dime for every time I have related the story of your cemetery plot/wedding gift… You totally win Best In-law Story!
phwd737– Which cemetery in Hot Springs..?
Gramma Jac– I hear ya, honey!
bettyrwoodward– LOVE that! Would have been a great story if she had actually given birth there!
LindaB– Yeah, I told Madi that ‘destination weddings’ usually include a beach, not graves…
gracelynn– Hope you had a great vacation! I would love to do a Civil War battlefield/cemetery tour.
MEblestME– We go to Leiper’s Fork all the time, Madi has a good friend that lives there– I’ll have to keep an eye open for that cemetery. (Russ and I used to picnic in a little country cemetery all the time when we were dating!)