Friday, September 2, 2011

Fragments: Artimus Russel


While wandering among the gravestones at Shoup-Thompson Cemetery, I noticed the broken white gravestone for Artimus Russell (d. 1862). Pausing to read the inscription, I wondered: Was the top of the stone lost? Had it been carved with an urn and drapery? Maybe an open book?

ARTIMUS,
son of
E & B. RUSSEL
DIED
June 9, 1862
aged
20 Yrs 4 mo.
15 ds.

Then I spied the missing piece.

It was safe and sound, leaning back-to-back against the lower half. The date of death plus age and gender already had me wondering whether he was a Civil War casualty. The carvings convinced me: Flags swagged to reveal an eagle an shield. What handsome military-themed decoration!



Some post-cemetery research on Amazon.com reveals that 19-year-old Artimus Russel (Artemus Russell) enlisted in the Union Army on November 4, 1861. He died of disease the following June, but not before he earned a promotion to Corporal.

Even without a fancy graphics program, I managed to put the pieces back together. Not perfect by any means, but when I squint my eyes, I like what I see.


Shoup-Thompson Cemetery, Delaware County, Ohio


2 comments:

  1. I don't have a fancy graphics program -- probably wouldn't know what to do with one if I did. :-) I think you did a mighty fine job putting the two pieces back together. I haven't seen military detail such as that before -- very nice.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You did a great job of showing us what the stone used to look like!

    ReplyDelete

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