Signed by T. Griffith

Yesterday’s post featured a gravestone with an urn festooned with a tulip chain. Today’s gravestone takes the same motif and dials it up a notch.

The marker at the grave of John James (d. 1838) has elaborate carvings of a large urn, chains of tulips, and plenty of decorate flourishes.

And what’s that? Yes! The stone carver made his mark at the bottom.

TO
the Memory
of
JOHN JAMES
died July, 14.
1838,
Aged 50
Years.

The epitaph tells us that Mr. James left a widow behind. No children are mentioned; only “relations,” but perhaps he left children as well.

Farewell wife and
   relations dear:
From all afflictions
I lie here; In peace
I lived in hope I died.
I craved for life but
   death denied.

The stone is signed T. Griffith, or is there more hiding under the lichen?

Radnor Cemetery, Delaware County, Ohio