Treestones

There are stones cut and shaped as tree trunks, logs and stumps. For some this is a metaphor of how a growing life may be cut short. For some it is odd juxtaposition for stone to imitate wood. For some it was a rustic theme of art, the woodlands were cleared for farms and towns. The woodlands had no civilisation [ignore the Indians], their removal was life giving to the society of men.

Logs as human bodies metaphor is not so comfortable. The Japanese during WWII (Second Sino-Japanese War) did nazi-type human experimentation, they referred to these human subjects, not as people, but as logs. This was done in Harbin, China (Manchukuo/Manchuria) by the Japanese Imperial Army Unit 731. This was not in the mind of the stone cutters, since these stones pre-date that.

The thought is earlier than that. In the Old Testament there are several prohibitions of religious activities with arbors and trees, that the modern reader ignores (mostly of lack of recognition).

Thou shalt plant no grove, nor any tree near the altar of the Lord thy God: —Deuteronomy xvi-21.

The English 'grove' [now, sometimes 'pole'] is translated from the Hebraic 'Asherah'. That term can refer to the idol, a tree, a stylized or cut tree, or idol. Asherah was a Semitic mother goddess.

at Cleveland's Calvary

bark delineated and bark stripped, branches cut off, with ivy, with scrolls attached

detail with fungi and ferns, all these at Monroe Street

This is a 'Woodmen Circle' monument, 'Woodmen Circle' was a women's auxiliary of 'Woodmen of the World' which is a fraternal benefit society (insurance company) with headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. At one time with the 'life insurance' benefit came a free stone if the company's logo was inscribed. The logo often was with wood splitting tools (maul and mallet, axe and beetle, wedge). There were many different stones. This benefit was terminated in 1920. Here, Alvina died in 1909. Her husband [we must assume] died in 1923, and his name was then on the monument.

bolster knocked off log pedestal, multi-piece monuments are tempting to mischief