mason odd fellow

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Our Sunshine

Remember, it is sad and painful to lose a loved one. Reading some stones can bring one to tears.

twins

Anyone who goes about to view a strange graveyard must have aspects of a melancholy nature. There is sadness. It is approaching an hundred years that these two boys died. They lived less than three weeks outside their mother's womb, and then they were interred into the womb of mother earth. If anyone had seen them alive, and is still alive to-day, he would be near ancient to-day. What can be said about infants, the weest of babes who never had much life?

German fracture

 Hier ruht

Matthias Schonung.
Geb. den 16 Sept. 1805.
In Lambrecht Rhein Pfalz Baiern.
Gest. den 12 Aug. 1854.

Ruhe seiner Asche

Here rests Matthias Schonung. Born 16 September 1805.  Lambrecht Rhein Pfalz, Bavaria. Died 12 August 1854. Rest his ashes.

On top, there is a Christogram, a variation of the letters: IHS (a mediæval latinate abbreviation of the the first three Greek letters of Jesus). Then there is the biographical information with letters cut very finely. The German phrase is equivalent, but not the same as rest in peace.

At some time the right arm of the cross split cleanly off. Partly because, the camera used does not have a view finder, and the day being very bright with a low winter sun, i could not see a shadow profile fall on the cross. Interesting picture it did make.

Weed

new section markers

Fidelis ad urnam

On the top stone is the emblem of the San Patricios flag (Irish Battalion of the Mexican Army 1847-8), which also was used in Irish regiments in the American War for the Union (1861-5). This is on the flag with the words Éirinn go Brách, or Erin Go Bragh (Ireland For Ever). Fidelis ad urnam is Latin for faithful to the urn (which is funeral object, so it translates to faithful to the tomb, or faithful until death. The motto alone is the slogan the Malones. But this Irishman was a Walsh.

It must be remembered, that, all of Ireland was under English/British occupation, and many left Ireland escaping the prison, and the hangman. Some while in the new country worked for the old country's freedom. Other than that, the American army recruited the foreign born. 

Walking through the graveyard reading stones as if they were history, one's imagination can construct a narrative. The more one knows of history, and symbolism, one's suppositions can be plausible. Going to records offices, more particular evidence can be found. That is not my trade. I just on occasion read stones.

In Memoriam

Captain P. K. Walsh

Born in Ireland 1818.

Died in Cleveland, O.

July 28th 1886. 

True to God. His Country

and

Human Liberty.

God Save Ireland.

God Bless the Memory of

Ireland's Brave

and

Unflinching Patriot.

As impressive as the small stone, it is not alone. He has second, bigger one. This one has a medal on the stone. It reads, on its front face: Sacred to the memory of Capt. Patrick Kiernan Walsh. Born in Dundalk, Ireland. 1818. Died in Cleveland, O. July 28th 1886. "May his soul rest in peace"

This line, on another face is something special: Erected by his many friends, as a tribute of affection.

if a stone falls...

This stone stele, supra, face down. When it fell, it cracked this stone, infra. The maintenance at St. Joseph Woodland is content, the money spent for grave and burial has long gone. Cleveland's  Catholic Cemeteries, as so much of the diocese has had years of in accountability. As the diocese they have no problem in asking for money.

Frank was born in 1889, he thought he was going to die in the XXth century. His Margaret died in 1960. Scripted stones are public monuments, and monuments are created for historical remembrance. After initial erecting, some are meant to be further annotated. Sometimes the arrangements are not made.