Tombstone Tuesday: Need a Sign of Spring

This is getting ridiculous. As I am sitting here, it is *still* snowing. More snow on top of the 8 inches we got yesterday — which was on top of the 9 inches we got last week. I need Spring!

With that in mind, this week’s Tombstone Tuesday features the tombstone of Susan Esenbock Johns (1948-2006) in Lexington Cemetery, Lexington, Kentucky. The flower is stained glass. Until I went to Lexington a couple of years ago, I had never seen stained glass incorporated into a tombstone, but there were numerous ones there.

Susan Esenbock Johns, Lexington Cemetery, Lexington, Kentucky. Photo by Amy Crow, 15 September 2007. Copyright 2007, Amy Johnson Crow; all rights reserved.

If you ever have a chance to go to Lexington Cemetery, be certain to have your camera, fresh batteries, and plenty of space on your memory card. In the morning and afternoon I was there, I took nearly 200 photos. I have some of my favorite Lexington stones posted on my Flickr page.

Valentine’s Day in the Cemetery

This is the largest heart I have ever seen carved into a tombstone. Top that, Hallmark!

Abraham Smith, Havens Cemetery, Franklin County, Ohio. Photo by Amy Crow, 3 Sept 2007. Copyright Amy Crow, all rights reserved.

Abraham Smith is buried in Havens Cemetery on Reynoldsburg-New Albany Road in Jefferson Township, Franklin County, Ohio. He died in July 1837. Although the stone is ornately carved, the inscription is very difficult to read.

Tombstone Tuesday: Frank English, 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery

Frank English was born in Alexandria, Virginia on 10 April 1847. His death certificate lists his mother as Mary Nevins and father as “don’t know.” Frank was mustered into Company B, 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery on 15 May 1863 and mustered out 25 July 1865 at Knoxville, Tennessee. He was living at 262 S. Monroe in Columbus when he died 2 August 1918. He is buried in section 74 of Greenlawn Cemetery.

He received a pension for his Civil War service (application 851128, certificate 612950), and his widow also received a pension (application 1125119, certificate 866832). He is a part of my 1st Ohio Heavy Artillery project on WeRelate.org; his specific page can be found here. If you have any additional information about Frank or any other member of the 1st OHA, please feel free to add it to the site.

Tombstone of Frank English, Section 74, Greenlawn Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio. Photo taken 29 Nov 2009 by Amy Crow. Copyright 2009, Amy Crow; all rights reserved.

I plan to add more tombstones of Civil War veterans as we move closer to the Sesquicentennial next year.

The Graveyard Rabbit in Etna Cemetery

In honor of the February 2010 Graveyard Rabbit Carnival theme “Cemetery Critters,” I present (drumroll, please)….. The Graveyard Rabbit!

The Graveyard Rabbit in Etna Cemetery; copyright 2009, Amy Crow. All rights reserved.

I took a picture of this little guy (or gal — I couldn’t tell which) 5 July 2009 in Etna Cemetery in Licking County, Ohio.

Joseph Herbert Layton: a follow-up

On Tuesday, I posted about the tombstone of Joseph H. Layton in Etna Cemetery in Licking County. At the time, I did not have his obituary, but mused that there was probably a newspaper article about the train wreck. Bill Johns did a little bit of research and found that, indeed, that was the case. I was then able to go onto NewspaperArchive through the Ohio Genealogical Society (members have access — a good reason to join!)

Joseph H. Layton (referred to as Herbert in one of the articles) was killed in a train wreck near Bloomingburg, Fayette County, Ohio, on 14 May 1903. A repair crew had been working on the tracks and “the ballasting had been largely removed. The rails spread and three cars were plunged into a ditch at the bottom of a high embankment.” Layton, a fireman on the train, tried to save himself by jumping from the engine, but broke his neck. The B&O train was on its way from Cincinnati to Washington Court House when the accident occurred.

Also killed in the accident was engineer John May. No passengers were killed.

According the article, two days before the accident Layton’s father, J. M. Layton, had contacted photographer George Chase to get a photo of “his boy’s engine.” The two of them went to the depot and got “an excellent likeness” of the engine, Joseph Layton and John May. According to Chase, the father said he wanted a good photo even if it cost him his last dollar because, “He may be brought home dead from his next trip.”

Joseph Herbert Layton was the son of James and Mary Layton, who were living on Broadway in Summit Station at the time of the accident. Joseph moved to Newark circa 1900, about the time of his marriage to Laura Kelley. In 1900, they had a son James H. Layton. According to his obituary, Layton was survived by two children. I have not determined the identity of the second child.

Sources:

Herb Layton household, 1900 census, Etna Township, Licking County, Ohio, sheet 2B, nos. 41/41.

Joseph Layton household, 1880 census, abstract viewed on FamilySearch.org.

Newark Advocate, May 14, 1903, p. 1 and 3.

Tombstone Tuesday: Joseph Layton and the train

This tombstone is in Etna Cemetery in Licking County, Ohio. I have not looked for an obituary for him yet, but I would not be surprised if there is an article about his death. Judging from the tombstone, I would say that he worked for the B&O Railroad and was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen. The fact that the occupational information is so prominently displayed and that it states that he was “killed at Bloomingburg, Fayette Co., O,” leads me to think that he was killed while working on the railroad.

A search of the Fayette County 1867-1908 Death Index and the Licking County Death Index yielded no results.

Joseph H. Layton
1876-1903
Killed at Bloomingburg, Fayette Co, O.

EDIT: More information found on Joseph H. Layton

Joseph H. Layton, Etna Cemetery, Licking County, Ohio. Photograph by Amy Crow, 5 July 2009; copyright 2009, Amy Crow. All rights reserved.

 

Tombstone Tuesday: Two Tiny Hands

This broken tombstone is in Etna Cemetery in Licking County. It is the first I’ve seen with two small hands like this. Unfortunately, the surname is missing. The ages are illegible, but judging from the lamb, the two tiny hands, and the diminutive form of the first names, I think these are two young boys. Buried together like this, they are likely brothers.

Complicating discovering their identity is the fact that their ages are unknown and they died between census years. Also, Licking County’s death records for this time period were destroyed in a courthouse fire.

Tombstone of Artie and Georgie, Etna Cemetery, Etna, Licking County, Ohio. Photo by Amy Crow, 5 July 2009; all rights reserved.

Artie E., died June 6, 1878

Georgie E., died April 15, 1875

Live is a span, a fleeting hour

Asbury Cemetery in Columbus is not only well maintained, but they have done a good job of repairing some of the older tombstones, such as this one for Zechariah Algire. Despite the top 3/4 of the stone having broken off at one point, it is still remarkably legible.

The top features a broken column, symbolizing a life cut short. It is also signed by the stonecarver, J. W. Jungkurth of Lithopolis.

Zechariah Algire, Asbury Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio. Photo by Amy Crow, 9 June 2009; all rights reserved.

“In memory
of
ZECHARIAH
ALGIRE
born Decemr 1st 1813
died March 27th 1844
aged 30 years,
3 months and
26 days.
Life is a span, a fleeting hour.
How soon the vapour flies.
Man is a tender, transient flow’r
That e’en in blooming dies.
J. W. Jungkurth
Lithopolis”

Tombstone Tuesday: John C. Coble, “lovely bud so young and fair”

[NOTE: I also published this on Amy’s Genealogy, etc. Blog.]

John C. Coble tombstone, Asbury Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio. Photo taken by Amy Crow 9 June 2009; all rights reserved.

This tombstone is in Asbury Cemetery in Madison Township, Franklin County, Ohio, near the intersection of Noe-Bixby Road and Winchester Pike. It is in excellent condition. I love the epitaph.

“In
memory of
John C.
Son of John and
Jane Coble.
born Augt 3th 1838.
died Septr. 17th 1840.
aged 2 years,
1 month and 14 days.
This lovely bud so young
and fair,
Called hence by early doom
Just came to show how
sweet a flower
In paradise would bloom.”

Vandalism at Forest Cemetery, Circleville

Vandals have stolen the statues from several children’s graves at Forest Cemetery in Circleville. According to cemetery caretaker Martin Garner, parts of at least 5 graves have been stolen over the past month. 

WBNS 10TV has an article and photos here.

Thanks to my friend Beth Santore at GraveAddiction.com for alerting me to this.