Epitaph: Thou joyous youth!

The roses carved on the gravestone of Robert Lisle (d. 18??) are weathered and nearly unrecognizable. It will only get worse. The stone is lying on the ground in two pieces. You can see tire marks on its face left by the industrial lawn mowers that help maintain the grounds of the cemetery.

ROB’T LISLE.
DIED
July 11, 18[??)
[destroyed]
6 mo. [11, 17, 14?] dy.

Thou joyous youth, hence learn how soon
Thy yeares may end their flight:
Long long before life’s brilliant noon
May come death’s gloomy night.

Amazingly, the epitaph is not only in one piece, but quite legible. It is a verse from a hymn written by William A. Muhlenberg (b. 1796, d. 1877) named “How short the race our friend has run,” a hint at Robert’s age.

How short the race our friend has run,
Cut down in all his bloom!
The course but yesterday begun
Now finished in the tomb!

Thou joyous youth! hence learn how soon
Thy years may end their flight:
Long, long before life’s brilliant noon
May come death’s gloomy night.

To serve thy God no longer wait,
To-day his voice regard;
To-morrow, mercy’s open gate
May be for ever barr’d.

And thus the Lord reveals his grace,
Thy youthful love to gain;
“The soul that early seeks my face
Shall never seek in vain.”

Union Cemetery, Franklin County, Ohio

United Commercial Travelers of America

In January, 1888 in Columbus, Ohio, eight traveling salesmen formed a new society for traveling salesmen, or commercial travelers. They founded the The Order of United Commercial Travelers of America to provide accident insurance and other benefits for traveling salesmen and their families.

A salesman’s sample case is a focal point of the society’s emblem. It was this emblem along with the title “Supreme Counselor” that caught my eye on the gravestone for William B. Emerson (b. 1872, d. 1921).

WILLIAM B. EMERSON
SUPREME COUNSELOR
BORN 1972 DIED 1921

At the time of his death, William Emerson was an editor employed by UCT. Did he perhaps edit their magazine, “The Sample Case”?

Emerson death certificate from FamilySearch.org

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Union Cemetery, Franklin County, Ohio

Wednesday’s child: Joseph N. Perkin

The marker at the grave of Joseph N. Perkin (d. 1844) is toppled over and lying among the oak leaves in tiny Hamilton Cemetery.

The stone is decorated with almost cartoon-like carvings of oak leaves and acorns, which are often understood to represent maturity or “ripe old age.” Maturity does not fit with this child’s stone, but there is another interpretation for the acorns that does fit: The seed of the oak tree can be a symbol for potential.

IN
Memory of
JOSEPH N PERKIN :
Son of
S: & M: Perkin :
died March 17 1844
Aged 6 Yearſ .
& 51 dayſ .

The two instances of the medial or long s (ſ) on this stone are interesting in that the long s is normally seen at the beginning or in the middle of a word, not at the end.

Another obvious quirk on this gravestone is the representation of the age. It is counted in years and days instead of the more commonly seen years, months, days.

  

Hamilton Cemetery (aka Lenox School Cemetery), Union County, Ohio

Fingers crossed?

The dainty hand on the gravestone for Amanda M. Evans (d. 1860) holds a rose, normally understood to be a symbol for beauty. The hand holds the rose between thumb and middle finger, freeing the index finger to point toward heaven.

At first glance, it almost looks as though the fingers are crossed, doesn’t it?

AMANDA M.
Wife of
SOL. EVANS
DIED
May 19, 1860;
Aged 27 y’rs
8 mo. 10 d’s.

Amanda Evans died before the census was taken in 1860, and her death is listed in the mortality schedule for Perry Township, Franklin County, Ohio. She died of consumption after having been ill for 2 months.

From Ancestry.com U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 

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Union Cemetery, Franklin County, Ohio

The Brown gate

Carved on a gravestone, a gate is generally understood to represent the passage to heaven. Those of us who look upon the gravestone remain on the earthly side of the gate; the deceased have passed through the gate to heaven.

The large monument at the graves of David Brown (b. 1842, d. 1898) and Olive Zinn Brown (b. 1849, d. 1894) is in the shape of a gate, announcing to all that Mr. and Mrs. Brown have passed into heaven

DAVID BROWN DEC. 16, 1842, JULY 19, 1898.

OLIVE ZINN WIFE OF DAVID BROWN SEPT. 8, 1849, JAN. 29, 1894.

The 1880 U.S. Federal Census shows the Browns living in Columbus, Ohio, which is home to the cemetery in which they are buried. David Brown was working in a grain elevator while Mrs. Brown, who went by “Ollie,” was keeping house.

From Ancestry.com

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Union Cemetery, Franklin County, Ohio