These headstones are distinctly uncommon and stand out. Some cross over
into the Humorous but they must be filed somewhere.
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Mary Ellen (Mammy) Pleasant
|
Mary Ellen Pleasant’s grave is perhaps the most interesting marker in Tulocay Cemetery.
Found near the west entrance, it’s strikingly different from all surrounding graves, befitting
this unique individual.
Her marker reads: “MARY ELLEN PLEASANT, MOTHER OF CIVIL RIGHTS IN
CALIFORNIA, 1812-1904, SHE WAS A FRIEND OF JOHN BROWN, SAN FRANCISCO
NEGRO HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL SOCIETY MEMORIAL.”
The small brass plaque in the upper right corner reads: “MAMMY PLEASANT, IN
MEMORY, ECV HONORS ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE, UNIQUE WOMEN OF
EARLY SAN FRANCISCO HISTORY. DEDICATED FEBRUARY 4, 1978, MAMMY
PLEASANT BENEVOLENT SOCIETY, OF SAM BRANNEN CHAPTER NO. 1004, E
CLAMPUS VITUS.”
You can easily research her history as a slave, her marriage, her career in San Francisco
and her generosity on the web.
Location: Tulocay Cemetery, Napa, CA
There is no letter under the rivet, it's a space to allow attachment of
the aluminum stake. There is no other information. The Cemetery
office said Jacob died in 1946. The marker is an aluminum plate
about the size of a business card fixed onto a twisted aluminum stake;
both are subject to weather and abuse. It rests on a crude, cement
footing. His unusual marker is the only aluminum one I’ve seen.
Jacob was buried in an old section of Tulocay reserved for folks
without means (pauper’s graves). This area is at the back of the
Cemetery on the slope of a hill, not as convenient, desirable or
accessible as plots near the road. It is no longer active; the most
recent burials were in the 1950’s.
Location: Tulocay Cemetery, Napa, CA
WILLIAM G.
SON OF
Wm. M. & A.
HARGRAVE
AUG 17, 1867
Aged
4 Yrs & 2 Mos
“Sleep on dear Willie,
And take thy rest,
God called thee home,
He thought it best.
Location: Tulocay
Cemetery, Napa, CA
|
Picket Fence Gate to Heaven
|
DANIEL R. SOMERS
1830-1905
CATHERINE SOMERS
1845-1905
“Rest in peace
Dear parents, tho we miss you
so much,
We know you rest with God”
The open, two dimension picket
fence begs entrance yet a far cry
from “pearly gates.” I have
since found other stones like it,
so it's not unique.
Location: Tulocay Cemetery,
Napa, CA
This is an unusual, thin stone marker.
Some headstones of this type are
fashioned into trees trunks. I looked
closely for simulated bark but there is
none, it’s a simple, upright piece of
limestone. Although granite is available
close-by in the Sierras, this stone will
more easily wear and weather. NSGW,
engraved below the simple, brass
plaque, stands for Native Sons of the
Golden West.
Location: Tulocay Cemetery, Napa, CA
IN MEMORY OF
JOHN P. RHOADS
ONE OF THE DONNER RELIEF PARTY.
BORN OCT. 5 1813. HE CARRIED LITTLE
NAOMI PIKE OVER THE SNOW CLAD
MOUNTAINS TO SUTTER FORT IN 1847.
DEDICATED MAY 29, 1932
BY LIBERTY PARLOR 213
NATIVE DAUGHTERS
OF THE GOLDEN WEST
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Location: Sloughhouse Pioneer
Cemetery, Sloughhouse, CA
|
I’m not sure what this is properly
called. Many graves and family plots
are surrounded by enclosures. This
one is unique. It contains at least
three graves. While resembling a bed
frame, it’s far too bulky.
Location: Sloughhouse Pioneer
Cemetery, Sloughhouse, CA
SACRED
To the
memory of
Virginia
wife of
L.W. BALTHROPE
Died Apr. 17, 1864.
Aged 22 Yrs.
her two infant babes
Aged 9 and 15 days.
|
This may
be the
saddest
stone in
Sacramento
.
|
Enoch Matter
ENOCH MATTER
Native of Penn
DIED
Nov. 29, 1879
Aged
50 Yrs, 9 m, 22 ds
Passing stranger call this no
A place of fear and gloom
We love to linger round the
spot
It is our friends tomb
|
Location: Sacramento (CA) City Cemetery
Walter
WALTER
WE HAD A LITTLE WALTER ONCE
HE WAS OUR ONLY PRIDE
WE LOVED HIM, AH, PERHAPS
TOO WELL
FOR SOON HE SLEPT AND DIED
|
Location: Sacramento (CA)
City Cemetery
|
This is an unusual
stone. I have looked
at thousand of stones
and this is the first
that identifies
someone as having a
hearing defect,
“DEAF MUTE.”
Location: Wilson
Cemetery, Johnson
County, TN
Photographer:
Sharon McCubbin
This is a most unusual stone
I found on the web. It is in
the Old Concord (aka
Goodpasture Cemetery) in
Menard Count, IL. The
hunting and dog motif is
extraordinarily rare even by
today's standards; this stone
dates from 1860.
Photographer: Jeanie Lowe.
|
A Fascinating Sidelight of History...
"Note regarding Ann Rutledge (unknown newspaper): Ann Rutledge, sweetheart of
Abraham Lincoln, died Aug. 25, 1835, and was buried in the Goodpasture grave yard
(sometimes called Old Concord cemetery)... near Petersburg. Her brother, David, and
other relatives were buried beside her. Here she lay until 1890 when an undertaker,
ambitious to sell lots in his new cemetary, disinterred the dust that remained of her, and
moved it to Oakland Cemetery, near Petersburg. Later a granite stone was erected over
this second grave, and now people make pilgrimages there, to what purports to be her
grave. Abraham Lincoln often visited the original grave. "
Credit:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilmaga/menard/cemetery/cem_old_concord.html
