Wednesday’s child: Infant Spong, revisited

July 2010

In July, the stone lay broken beneath a large walnut tree. The baby boy had no name other than his surname.

On a recent walk through Oller Cemetery, I came upon the walnut tree again. Where was Baby Spong’s marker? Was it was not this tree? Had someone stolen the broken marker?

Within moments I saw it: Repaired, off the damp ground, resting against a larger gravestone.

October 2010

In
Memory of
an Infant
son of Absolum &
Mary Spong born
Oct 17, 1835.
How great to see signs of extra care in Oller Cemetery!

Together forever

Husband, wife, and wife: together forever.

JONES
ABRAM 1839–1907
ISABELL 1835–1865
ANNA E. 1841–1916
HIS WIVES
Oller Cemetery, Delaware County, Ohio

Effa stands again

June 2010

One of my first blog posts was about the gravestone for Effa Hamilton Butt (b. 1805, d. 1852) in Oller Cemetery. It had fallen over, maybe due to soil erosion at its base. Judging from the cement-y clump at its base, the gravestone had been reset once or twice.

Today while visiting Oller again, I was pleased to see signs of recent caretaking, including at Effa’s grave: Her grave marker is upright once again.

October 2010

Watch for the next “Wednesday’s child,” where I’ll share another indicator of the care that is being given to the old gravestones at Oller Cemetery.

Wednesday’s child: Dearth sons

Candler Cemetery is a small country cemetery outside the town of Ada, Ohio. There I found the grave marker for the infant sons of T. and R.A. Dearth—perhaps twins who died at birth or soon after.

The marker is topped by not one, but two lambs. The lambs appear to sleep peacefully, as if in each other’s embrace.

TWO
INFANT SONS
OF
T. & R.A. DEARTH
DIED
Aug 21, 1876 

Buried nearby are Thomas Dearth (b. 1849, d. 1927) and Rachel Ann (Candler) Dearth (b.1855, d. 1886), who surely are the babies’ parents.
Chandler Cemetery, Hardin County, Ohio

A barber’s family

Four small, simple markers in a row at Africa Cemetery caught my eye. Walking right to left along the row, I smiled when I read the marker for Archie Corl Bennett (b. 1893 d. 1970): “This barber was a man.”

FATHER
ARCHIE CORL BENNETT
NOV. 26, 1893
MAR. 16, 1970
THIS BARBER WAS A MAN

Next, Harriett M. Bennett (b. 1905, d. 1982), “with a lantern in her hand.”

GRANNY LEAD US THROUGH LIFE
HARRIETT M. BENNETT
MAY 29, 1905
MAY 4, 1982
WIFE OF ARCHIE
WITH A LANTERN IN HER HAND

Next to Harriett, “at her request,” Mary D. Bennett (b. 1930, d. 2002).

KNOWN TO ALL AS DOLLY
MOTHER & NANNY
MARY D. BENNETT
JULY 5, 1930  Mar 17 2002
WIFE TO JACK
NEXT TO HARRIETT AT HER REQUEST

Finally, the man behind these charmingly personal grave markers. He appears to be living still, which is why his name appears here only in the image below, but his grave site is ready and to his liking.

THIS MAN PROVIDED ALL THESE MARKERS

Well done, Mr. Bennett.

Africa Cemetery, Delaware County, Ohio

Let there be (more) light

Sometimes you cannot simply pull a tree branch out of the way to illuminate a gravestone that is difficult to read. Many times a mirror can throw some light on a gravestone, creating shadows in the carved letters.

Do I carry a mirror in my cemetery kit? Nope. But I do carry a roll of aluminum foil.

See how nicely a bit of foil can be used to reflect light onto a gravestone?

This gravestone was not impossible to read without the light enhancement, but I wanted to see every mark on it: It is the gravestone of my 4g grandfather.

Wednesday’s child: Hester Ann Black

I cannot tell a lie: I saw a photo of this gravestone with its lovely rosette on Beth Santore’s site, graveaddiction.com, and immediately added Africa Cemetery to my to-visit list. Recently I was able to pay my respects to Hester Ann.

HESTER Ann
daughter of
G.W & D. Black
died Oct 24
1831:
Aged 1 year &
3 mo.
Hester Ann is buried in a row with several other Blacks, but none appear to be her parents, G.W. and D.

Africa Cemetery, Delaware County, Ohio

Let there be light

A few months ago I blogged about a trip my daughter and I took to Winsor Cemetery to search for the grave of my (probable) 3g grandmother, Anna Marie Gilpin Aldrich (d. 1856). In the cemetery that day, “the marker was next to impossible to read.”

Recently we visited again. This time we got smart.

The gravestone is in the shade most of the day under a large, leafy walnut tree at the back of the cemetery. On this visit we noticed a low hanging branch near Anna’s grave. Maybe if we could reach that branch and pull it just so...

With one good jump, Katie reached it, pulled it aside, and the marker was out of the shade.

Aha! “Next to impossible to read”? Not on this day. Not with the light shining just right.

ANNA M.
Wife of
Arnold Aldrich
DIED
July 4, 1856
In the 54th year
of her age.
No walnut trees were injured in the photographing of the gravestones on this blog.