AFRO-AMERICAN FOLK GRAVE MARKERS

On a slightly inclined hill, spotted with mature cedars there is an Afro-American cemetery that has existed since shortly after the Civil War.


Claiming several acres near the historic town of Lancaster, Kentucky, it is a cemetery that holds past citizens of the local black community. There is not an official name posted at the cemetery entrance. 

Cabal Marritt Junior

Cabal Marritt Junior is one of the persons that looks after the care of the cemetery. His parents and past friends and relatives are buried there. I had some questions about the cemetery and called Cabal to arrange a meeting at the cemetery. 

We met on a beautiful sunny day last fall.  My main questions were about several of the grave markers that appeared to be handmade. Cabal said that he thought they were, probably made by Bobby Warren who used to run the pool hall in Lancaster. Unfortunely, Bobby died some time ago.

This spring I revisited the cemetery. When I was leaving I met a man named Jamie that told me that it was Bobby Warren that made the handmade grave markers. He said," I know because when I was young I used to help Bobby make them. We would have different molds for the shaping and then would pour cement in them." 

What I also observed about these handmade grave markers was that they had a square indentation on their face that held a hand written inscription of the name, birth and death of the individual. Over this was placed a glass pane for protection. There was some variations to this identification technique such as a tin square being used. 

The handmade grave markers are simple folk types that are part of the culture of the cemetery.

Jamie added a few more words about Bobby Warren. "Bobby didn't charge a lot for his grave markers, that way most folks could afford one. For those that couldn't pay he often just gave them one for nothing."


I thought about what Jamie had just told me. I realized that not only was there a reaching out of local community in life but also in death. 

CHARMING COUNTRY PICKET FENCE

Fences come in all sizes and shapes. Some are store-bought, some designed by general fencing contractors, and of course some by the home handy-person. 

My daughter designed and laid-out a lovely fence years ago. Together with her husband and boys they  installed the fence and had many stories to tell about its construction. Her family working together not only created stories to tell but provided lasting warm family memories. 

A few weeks ago I stumbled across a  homemade picket fence in Madison County. Although it was different than my daughters it had the hand of the maker's "signature" on it. Its  personal touch could be seen on the pickets and the picket gate. It was charming in its country setting.

I surmised that the fence had been in place a couple of  years at least. Its precut pickets appeared to be from a lumber store and stood about four feet high. Unpainted, they looked weathered and aged.   The gate had some blue paint applied on its upright gate posts which blended with the graying of the pickets.

One could say this is just another fence but I feel homemade anything brings life into the equation. Surely, you must have several homemade items that when viewed are more than just objects -- you may see, hear, and feel the objects almost as if they were living. 

WHERE HAVE ALL THE SCARECROWS GONE -- LONG TIME PASSING

HUMOROUS SCARECROW THAT HAS LOST HIS PANTS
CORN PATCH, ROCKCASTLE, COUNTY, KENTUCKY

Last year, in conjunction with gardens, I posted about homemade scarecrows. I have a thing about scarecrows -- they are so traditional for our gardens and best of all I have sweet memories of my my dad making homemade scarecrows.


In the last two years I have only found two homemade scarecrows. Yesterday made number three.


I noticed number three standing in a corn patch a couple miles from my home. He was quite humorous and I believe embarrassed as he stood there with no pants. This morning I woke up and went to the corn patch and snapped the above photo. It was taken from a distance so it is not as sharp as I like my photos to be. But, it's a scarecrow, a rare commodity around these parts. 


My question is -- have folks given up this wonderful artful tradition? 


Below are the two scarecrows that I have found in this area in the last couple years. I search personally for them when I am out and about. I also ask locals if they know of any and usually get a friendly smile saying -- nope haven't seen any lately. 

HOMEMADE FARMER SCARECROW
MADISON COUNTY, KENTUCKY

ARTISTIC RENDITION OF A WOMAN GARDENER SCARECROW
BEREA, KENTUCKY -- COMMUNITY GARDEN

I hope that this scarecrow tradition is not disappearing from our landscape. I don't want to sing my take-off of Pete Seeger's song -- "Where have all the scarecrows gone, Long time ago."