Saturday, February 15, 2014

CEMENT HANDMADE GRAVESTONE


Hand printed on this gravestone is the name James Harris. Wrote by maybe a family member that felt a handmade gravestone was more personal in the time of grief or maybe because money was short that year. I find these types of handmade gravestones touching.



16 comments:

  1. You know, Barbara, I've never seen one that was handwritten...I've maybe seen some with no writing at all...This man was born in the 19th century...I wonder what his life had been like. I'm sure he saw a lot of changes..I wish there could be little biographies on grave stones...Thanks for showing it. Have a lovely day, Barbara. ~Rita

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    1. Rita -- In Ky many homesteads have small graveyards on their land. I always found such small places of interest as one can sometimes piece stories together just by the few words put on the gravestone along with the surrounding stones and even some that have extraneous materiel. Once in a while I would run into these touching gravestones in these small cemeteries. -- thanks -- barbara

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  2. I wish people were allowed to make their own stones. Not only are they more personal but they don't cost thousands.

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    1. Birdie -- Check your state or local regs on this -- it still might be possible? I find the small old cemeteries of interest as they are the history of our past. -- barbara

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  3. I have never seen one of these hand written, handmade memorials before. There is something hauntingly beautiful about it.

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    1. Raining Iguanas -- I agree -- sometimes when I find one I can almost feel the grief in the letters themselves -- thanks -- barbara

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  4. Whichever story, or some other, this tells a more touching story than any professionally cut lettering would. yes, it is moving.

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    1. June -- Cemeteries are studies of our culture. Originally they began as parks for outings.
      Today they validate our our past. thanks -- barbara

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  5. I'm sure money was short. How nice the marker was made. I've seen so many in the Tennessee mountains that were only cinder blocks, or bricks. With flowers left or planted, not forgotten.

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    1. Joanne -- It does seem a southern trait to have the hand lettered gravestones. Not that they are found in abundance but they they can be found once in a while -- especially in small cemeteries. Especially interesting that you mention that gravestones were sometimes also cinder blocks or bricks with flowers left by it. One can be poor but they don't forget loved ones. -- barbara

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  6. I haven't run across a hand printed one yet, here in my area of KY.

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    1. Michelle -- there are two places where I usually find these handmade gravestones. First is the family cemeteries that are abundant in central Kentucky. I don't know about your part of KY but I feel there would be a plethora of them in your area. Here is my post link to a handmade stone that I found in Rockcastle County.

      http://folkwaysnotebook.blogspot.com/2011/01/20th-century-folk-grave-marker.html

      I love this little stone. Secondly, if you are ever in Lancaster there is a black cemetery in the Duncantown area of Lancaster. You would need to ask a local as to its location as it is not marked. In this cemetery there are several handmade ones that are very folksy.

      good luck. thanks for the comment.

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  7. We have several like this in the graveyard bordering one of our pastures. I suspect it was a matter of the best they could do. Some of the graves are just marked with rocks.

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    1. Vicki -- Do you have the family name that is buried in your nearby cemetery? I have seen rocks used at graveyards in KY -- the family probably had good intentions of replacing the rock with a nice inscribed stone but it just never happened? thanks for the comment -- barbara

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  8. The Big Island has family graveyards. There is quite an enchanting one near us. But hands-down the most interesting graveyard I've ever seen was in a village in Peru near Lake Titicaca. I must get the photos out and look at them again.

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    1. Hattie -- Would love to see your Peruvian graveyard published on your post! I understand that that Peru as well as Mexico (and others) celebrate the Day of the Dead at graveyards with music, food and ghostly figures -- maybe some were left at the graveyard you visited. thanks for the comment -- barbara

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