Cemetery Art - Article For The Graveyard Rabbit Journal

Cemetery Art

Cemetery Art is one of my favorite types of photographs to take. I should probable say make because, once I have taken the photographs I upload them into various photo editing programs and make them look like completely different photos. This is, to me, a huge part of making photographs into great art.

The two editing programs I use the most are Photoshop's Lightroom and Picasa3. Picasa3 is a free download from Google that you can find at http://picasa.google.com/.

Here is an example of a before and after of a photograph I have taken.

This is the original photograph I took of an item left on an infants grave in the Rogers City Cemetery. Sweet trinket to leave but nothing spectacular about this photograph.

The following are a few of the pictures I created in the editing programs from the original photo.

 
So for all of those who love taking pictures get out there and play with the photographs you take and see what else you can create with them. One never knows when a photograph will turn into an “amazing” photograph.

What to do with all these photographs?

This was a question I started asking myself after I had accumulated a few thousand photos. I didn't want to just delete them since I had gone through all the work of taking them. And I knew that at some point someone somewhere would be interested in seeing at least one of them.

So I started showing off all my interesting finds on my Graveyard Rabbit Blog (www.escapetothesilentcities.blogspot.com). But that still left me with a ton of photos that were unused. So I started searching the internet for sites that where used as photo preservation sites for cemeteries. This is how I discovered the Arkansas Gravestone Project, since I live in Arkansas and the majority of my photos are from cemeteries in Arkansas this was a perfect site for my pictures.

The Arkansas Gravestone Project is a privately sponsored, non-commercial, non profit, educational site, who's success depends on the generosity of volunteers and individuals who contribute photographs to be archived. The main mission of the Arkansas Gravestones Project is to capture and archive digital images of ever gravestone in every county in Arkansas. As the years pass the inscriptions on many gravestones become difficult, if not impossible, to read. This results in a loss of so much information that may or may not exist anywhere else. Archiving theses images is a wonderful means of preserving these important records and simultaneously assisting genealogist who use this valuable information to help expand their family trees. The Arkansas Gravestone Project has just over 467,000 photos stored on the site and growing daily.

I am proud to say I have added about 8,000 photos to the site and adding more all the time. Connecting with this group has also connected me with a whole group of people who share the same interest in cemeteries that I have. So if you are interested in a group of this nature there are twenty-four states that have similar website:

Arkansas - http://www.arkansasgravestones.org/
Arizona - http://www.arizonagravestones.org/
Colorado - http://www.coloradogravestones.org/
Florida - http://www.floridagravestones.org/
Idaho - http://www.idahogravestones.org/
Illinois - http://www.illinoisgravestones.org/
Iowa – http://www.iowagravestones.org/
Louisiana – http://www.louisianagravestones.org/
Maine – http://www.gravestones.earlymaine.org/
Massachusetts – http://www.magravestones.org/
Maryland - http://www.marylandgravestones.org/
Nebraska – http://www.nebraskagravestones.org/
New Jersey – http://www.newjerseycivilwargravestones.org/
New Mexico – http://www.newmexicogravestones.org/
New York – http://www.newyorkgravestones.org/
North Dakota – http://www.northdakotagravestones.org/
Ohio – http://www.ohiogravestones.org/
Oklahoma – http://www.oklahomagravestones.org/
Oregon - http://www.oregongravestones.org/
Pennsylvania – http://www.pennsylvaniagravestones.org/
South Dakota – http://www.southdakotagravestones.org/
Texas – http://www.texastombstones.org/
Utah – http://www.utahgravestones.org/
Virginia – http://www.virginiagravestones.org/

So don't just delete the photos you have. There is a place for them that will help preserve the information on them. Just look around on the web and see what you can find. The USGenweb (www.usgenweb.org/states/index.shtml) site is a good place to start looking.

How long have they been there? - Graveyard Rabbit Carnival Submission

Here are a few of the oldest headstones I have photographed. I had a hard time deciding which ones to share so I just picked a few and shared them. Hope you enjoy them.

Located at Newberry Cemetery in Alma, AR.
Death Date 1783
This is a cenotaph.

Vinet Fine
1755 - 1783 

Born in Virginia 1755, son of Phillip

Peter Fine. Both fought along with 4

of Vinet's brothers in the American

Revolution 1776-1781. Descendants of

Dutch Settlers New York (New Netherland

at the time 1609- 1664) Vinet and

 brothers moved to Newport, Tenn. 1781

where Vinet was killed by Indians 1783.

His body was placed under ice in what

is now Fines Creek North Carolina. His

body was not recovered and he never

had a proper burial. This monument was

 erected in his memory. He is ancestor

to all Fines and all Fine relatives in this cemetery.

**************

Located at Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia, PA.

Death Date 1817

McKean Family Vault

Beneath

This Marble

Are

The Remains of

Thomas McKean

One of the Signers

Of the

Declaration of Independence

President of Congress in 1781

Chief Justice

and

Governor

of the

State of Pennsylvania

Born March 19 1734

Died June 24 1817

And the descendant of his

Family

Note: I am not sure if this is the original stone.  I know this particular cemetery is very good at keeping the stones in good repair. This gentleman was Continental Congressman 1774 - 1776, Signer of the Declaration of Independence 1776, President of the Continental Congress 1778 - 1781, Governor of Pennsylvania 1799 - 1808, Namesake for McKean County, PA.

**************

Located at Mount Holly Cemetery in Little Rock, AR.

Death Date 1825

Lieut Col William Lewis

1767 - 1825

Who at the age of 12 years

Joined the Revolutionary Army

In Virginia and is buried

on these grounds.

Erected by

Little Rock Chapter N.S.D.A.R.

1934

To honor the memory of William Lewis and

all other gallant soldiers who fought

for American Independence this marker,

which formerly stood in the old burying

ground at Fifth and Gaines streets, is

placed by the General William Lewis

Chapter, N S D A R and By the Mt. Holly

Cemetery Board in this Bicentennial year

of 1976.

*******************
Located at Leeper Cemetery in Fayetteville, AR.
Death Date 1835

Sacred

to the memory of

 Margaret Leeper

who died on the

14th of September 1835
Aged 68 years

Death Date 1842

 James Leeper
PVT Provisional Army
 Revolutionary War
Sept 1, 1761
Jan 7, 1842

Note These two are in a small cemetery all by themselves. He also has a cenotaph marker at the National Cemetery in Fayettville, AR. (Section 17 Site 122)

**************
Located at Mount Holly Little Rock, AR.
Death Date 1839

 
Sarah Caroline
Daughter of
James Owens
And Wife of
Elijah A. More
who departed this life
one the 24th day of
January 1839
in the 25th year
of her age.
*****************
Located at Mount Holly Cemetery in Little Rock, AR.
Death Date 1840

In

Memory

of

John Cooper

A Native of Scotland

Kinross Shire Who

Depart this life
August 29th, 1840
Aged 28 years
__
Er'd by his friends
Jas McVicar, Sam McMorrin,
& Robt Brownlee

Note:Originally buried at the former cemetery at 5th and Gaines in Little Rock, his body was moved to Mt. Holly Cemetery after it opened in 1843.

***********

Located at Can Hill Cemetery in Cane Hill, AR

Death Date 1845 and 1848

Elizabeth

Died Oct 27 1845

aged 6m
Daughter of JAL & Mary Dyer McColloch

Jesse
Died June 5 1848
age 12m
Son of JAL & Mary Dyer McColloch
************
Located at Goad Springs Cemetery in Lowell, AR.
Death Date 1851

Martha C. Banks

Born Sept 3, 1810

Died Dec 24, 1851

*******
Located at Academy Cemetery in Evansville, AR.
Death Date 1851

In the memory of
Mrs. Jane Latta
Wife of John Latta
Born Sept. 17, 1793
Died July 29th 1851
Age 61 years 10 months and 3 days 

Hobbies and Occupations - GYR Submission

Hobbies, Sports and Occupations are everywhere. Well, not exactly. I haven't found many in the older sections of the cemeteries but they are everywhere you turn in the newer sections. I wonder if this has anything to do with the change of priorities in peoples lives? Back hundreds of years ago the focus for most people was the church and family. And for the most part just surviving. Now its seems to be more focused on our careers and how we live. Or could it possibly be because carving is all done by machines now and doesn't require near as much skill as it did back when they had to make the markers by hand.

I will leave you to ponder this question.  But before I go here are a few examples I have found.

Famous File: Sam Walton- Founder of Walmart - A Local Celebrity In Our Mist GYR submission

The most famous local in my area would have to be Sam Walton. 

Samuel Moore "Sam" Walton (March 29, 1918 – April 5, 1992) was a businessman and entrepreneur born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma best known for founding the retailers Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. Sam Walton was born to Thomas Gibson Walton. Walton and Nancy "Nannie" Lee (Lawrence) near Kingfisher, Oklahoma on March 29, 1918.

Samuel Moore Walton

Mar 29, 1918

Apr 5, 1992

Helen Robson Walton

Dec 3, 1919

Apr 19, 2007

Located at Bentonville Memorial Cemetery in Bentonville, AR.

Sam's Obituarty

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Samuel Moore Walton's death last week ends an era for Wal-Mart during which the 74-year-old entrepreneurial merchant, one of the nation's premier executives, directly led the business he founded over three decades ago.

Wal-Mart's unique corporate culture, the business principles and methods Walton honed since he opened his first store, a Ben Franklin franchise variety store in 1945, will continue to guide the $44 billion retailer.

S. Robson Walton, Walton's oldest son and a Wal-Mart vice chairman who was named chairman to succeed his father, said that "no changes are expected in the corporate direction, control or policy." A similar assurance came from David Glass, president and chief executive officer.

Walton added that "no family sales of Wal-Mart shares will be necessitated by reason of Mr. Walton's death." The family owns about 38% of the company's stock.

Sam Walton died April 5 at approximately 8 a.m. in the University of Arkansas Medical Science Hospital in Little Rock, Ark. of multiple myeloma, a bone marrow cancer.

Walton battled two different types of cancers. He was first diagnosed in the early '80s with hairy-cell leukemia, which attacks white blood cells and weakens the immune system. Two years ago, multiple myeloma was discovered, but he remained an active participant in Wal-Mart's business until his "health significantly deteriorated over the past three to four months. He died after being hospitalized for a few days," the company told callers in a prerecorded message.

Written up in the New York Times.

Favorite Season - GYR Carnival Submission

My favorite season is the cemeteries has to be Fall.  I love the variety of colors that show up in them.  I took all these photos at Maple Park Cemetery in Springfield, MO.

My Lilac Article

My article "Grieving Lilacs" is now up on the Graveyard Rabbit site.  Go see and let me know what you think.

Graveyard Rabbit Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger hunts are always fun and this one was no different.  It gave me a reason to go back through my files and revisit some great spots. Here are the items I found.

1. Cross

Located at Mt. Washington Cemetery in Independence, Mo.

I love the Celtic knot work on this stone. 

Soaring Like An Eagle - The Interesting, The Odd, The Beautiful...For the Graveyard Rabbit Carnival

I spotted this unique marker from the entrance of Mount Comfort Cemetery in Fayetteville, AR.  Immediately,  I headed in its direction just to see what it was.  I was pleasantly surprised to find this beautiful tribute tucked in between two very average stones as if it belonged in all its glorious splender. 

I hope the family will continue to maintain this beautiful piece. I fear it will be lost to the elements in a short amount of time. I believe it to be handcarved from wood.

Cause of Death ... For the Graveyard Rabbit Carnival

Perusing a cemetery, my eyes are flooded with stones that bear the customary information. They have names, dates of births and deaths, the occasional description of a personality or character trait. The stones that draw my attention, toward which I gravitate, are the ones highlighting an unnatural death, one that came amidst unique or tragic circumstances. I have discovered stones that say "killed by lightning," "killed by black widow spider," and "died in the line of duty." But my interest is peaked by those stones with a simple epitaph declaring the deceased "assassinated," "murdered," or just "killed." Often, I find only short articles detailing the "five W's" in the whodunit: who, what, where, when and how. There may be no real details on the deaths, let alone the grizzly ones, and no accounting of suspects or eventual punishments for the convicted. But sometimes I get lucky. This is the case of Dr. A. W. Chenoweth.