Those Amazing Tree Stones

If you’ve been a taphophile for a while, you have probably developed a special fondness for certain gravestones, those that just seem to draw you to them.  My current favorites are the white bronze, headstone photos, and trees stones.

I am amazed but not surprised by the number of people who love the tree stones.  I remember the first time I found one.  There, amid a mixture of short stones, flat stones, intricate sculpture and obelisks, set an unassuming limestone tree stump.  Touching, yet solid and dependable, maybe a true adaptation of the person resting below.

There is something peaceful and heartening about the natural rustic look of a tree stone. – Life has ended but as a part of nature, we go on….

Tree stones were popular from the 1880’s to 1920’s.  They are called tree stump stones, tree trunk stones and tree stones.  Joseph Cullen Root was the founder of Modern Woodmen of America (1883) and also of Woodmen of the World (1890,) both fraternal insurance benefit societies.  Both became well known for using tree gravestones for their members. Root decided on the woodmen name after hearing a minister describe his congregation as ‘trees in God’s forest.”

Modern Woodmen of America (MWA) offered its members the opportunity to purchase grave markers for deceased associates until the mid-1970’s.  Cemeteries around the country also have the tree stone monuments, engraved with the MWA initials and symbols.  The MWA did not supply these grave markers or provide any monetary assistance for their purchase to members.

However, from 1890 to 1900, Woodmen of the World’s (WOW) life insurance policies did have a proviso that provided for the grave markers, free of charge, for members.  From 1900 to the mid- 1920’s, members purchased a $100 rider to cover the cost of the monument.  By the mid-20’s, the organization had discontinued the grave marker benefit due to the increased cost of the stones.

As the tree gravestones became more popular, the Sears and Roebuck catalogue and Montgomery Wards catalogue offered them for sale to the general public.  A tree stone marker does not necessarily mean that person was a member of MWA or WOW.  Only if the organizations initials or symbols are located on the stone does it indicate that the deceased was a member of one of these organizations.

Tree stones vary in size and height from tiny children’s stones, just a few inches high, to soaring 10 to 12 feet high tree trunks.  All have intricately carved detailing at the base, and many ties around the trunk.  You could request certain elements be added to a stone to better tell the story of the deceased.  Many local stone makers could incorporate these carvings on the tree stone, making them very individualistic.

Symbols found on the tree stones include axes, mauls, wedges, any type of tool used in woodworking, flowers, vines, animals, chairs, buckets – anything that helped tell the story of the person buried there.

Tree stones also vary according to the area they were carved in and the type of cemetery.  Many local stone carvers left their personal mark on a stone.  This carver in Illinois put mushrooms on all of his tree stones.

The tree stones found in B'nai Abraham-Zion Cemetery in Chicago may feature an inscription in Hebrew, and photos – an extra bonus for the Tombstone Traveler.
  

Many times tree branches were broken off to show that a family member had died.  Tops were notched in certain ways and bark appeared to be peeled back or cut off to reveal the epitaph of those buried there.

Although no longer available for purchase, I can’t help but believe that if they were offered again, we would see a resurgence of tree stones in our 21^st century cemeteries – a link to our past, and a nod to nature.

 

~ Joy

Cemeteries Worth the Visit – Oak Hill Cemetery, Crawfordsville, Indiana

Entrance

Oak Hill Cemetery

Oak Hill Cemetery is located in Crawfordsville, Indiana.  The cemetery was founded in 1875.  Before that a tract of land near Wabash College was used as the cemetery for the town.  It went by various names during the 1800’s including Crawfordville Cemetery, Presbyterian Cemetery, Mills Cemetery, and the Town Cemetery. Many remains were reportedly removed to Oak Hill Cemetery in the last quarter of the nineteenth century.  The Crawfordsville Masonic Cemetery, founded in 1866, was acquired by Oak Hill Cemetery in 1997.

James Lee's White Bronze

Cemetery Grounds

There are over 8,000 interments in the cemetery including Indiana Governors, US Congressmen, and the first boy born in Montgomery County, Indiana.   James Lee was born on August 8, 1825.  Lee served as Montgomery County Commissioner from 1870 until December 1876.  During his administration the current Montgomery County Courthouse was built at a cost of $150,000. The building’s corner stone bears Lee’s name.  Lee died on April 28^th, 1884 and rests with his wife Mary Ann, under a white bronze monument.

Inscription on Monument

Nathaniel Willis & Daughter

Crawfordsville native, Nathaniel Parker Willis suffered a tragic death.  He was born on August 21, 1868 and apprenticed for Bayliss Hanna, publisher of the Crawfordsville Record before setting out as a salesman.  His first wife died young and he remarried several years later to Hattie Bell of Ladoga. They had one daughter, Mary Frances Willis. Reports indicate the marriage was not a happy one.  In fact, Hattie took Mary and ran away shortly after they moved to Indianapolis.  Willis searched for his daughter until he discovered her living with her mother and her new husband, W.Y. Ellis in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Willis went to court in Little Rock to secure permission to have his daughter visit him at his hotel there.  On July 27, 1909 while in the Little Rock courtroom, Willis was shot to death by W.Y. Ellis, his former wife’s husband. During the Ellis trial it was shown that Willis had followed all legal manners to secure his rights to visit with his daughter, and had devoted his life to finding her.  His stone stands as a tribute to his dedication as a father.

Did Wabash Win?

Ralph Wilson

Ralph Lee Wilson was only 20 years old when he died as the result of a tragic accident.  Wilson played on the football team for Wabash College during the 1910 - 1911 season, his freshman year.  During the fourth game of the season against Washington University in St. Louis, Wilson fractured his skull during a tackle.  When Wilson regained consciousness he asked, “Did Wabash win?”  He died the following Sunday.  Wabash did win the game that day, 10 – 0, but the rest of the season was cancelled. A memorial was created in honor of Wilson and hangs on Hollett Stadium. On Wilson’s stone, the Wabash College pennant and his immortal question -  “Did Wabash Win?” still tugs at your heart, over one hundred years later.

Mahlon Manson

Manson's Monument

Civil War Union Brigadier General Mahlon Dickerson Manson is buried at Oak Hill.  Manson was severely wounded in the Atlanta campaign. Unable to return to service, he resigned in December 1864.  He served in the U.S. Congress from 1871 to 1873 and was Lieutenant Governor of Indiana from 1885 to 1886. He died on February 4, 1895 in Crawfordsville.

Lew & Susan Wallace

Lew Wallace

General Lewis ‘Lew’ Wallace and his wife Susan are buried here.  Wallace was the 11th governor of New Mexico Territory.  He served as a Major General for the Union Army in the Civil War, leading troops into the Battle at Shiloh. After the assassination of President Lincoln, Wallace served as the judge in the military trial of the Lincoln conspirators.

Lew Wallace Writing

Wallace's  Novel

Wallace was also the author of one of the best selling novels of the 19^th century and what was considered the most influential Christian book of the 1800’s - Ben-Hur a Tale of the Christ (1880).  This is the book that several movies of the same name have been based on.  Wallace died February 15, 1905 at the age of 77.

Susan Wallace

Susan Wallace, the wife of Lew Wallace, was also a writer.  Her writings were published in over thirty magazines, journals and books of poetry during her lifetime.  She also wrote and published six books: The Storied Sea (1883), Ginevra (1887), The Land of the Pueblos (1888), The Repose in Egypt (1888), Along the Bosphorus and Other Sketches (1898) and The City of the King (1903).  After Lew Wallace died, Susan completed his autobiography.

Tree Stone with Chair

Tree Stone with Broken Branch

History is plentiful in Oak Hill Cemetery where countless city founders, movers and shaker are buried.  There are numerous tree stones of varying detail.  Most with hand carved objects showing the interests and enjoyments of those whose resting places they now mark.

 

 

 

White Bronze Monument

Close up of Detailing on White Bronze

White bronze monuments are also abundant.  From small ‘stones’ to large, intricate monuments, the symbols and epitaphs are easily readable, providing a glimpse into the lives of those resting here.

Oak Hill Cemetery

Angel Statue

Oak Hill Cemetery is located at 392 West Oak Hill Road in Crawfordsville, Indiana.  The office is open Monday through Friday.  Jim Clouse is the Superintendent and Suzi Petrey is Office Manager.  The phone number is (765) 362-6602.  The cemetery does not have a web page or Facebook page.

Egyptian Planter

Guarding the Grave

Plan to spend an afternoon at Oak Hill Cemetery, strolling the rolling grounds covered with towering oaks and maples.  This is a cemetery full of surprises, so take the time to wander among the graves and look for those small details that can tell a lifetime of stories.

~  Joy

Cemeteries Worth the Visit – Green Hill Cemetery, Bedford, Indiana

 

Green Hill Cemetery is a tombstone tourist’s delight!  Founded in 1889, Green Hill is located in Bedford, (Lawrence County) Indiana.  Consisting of over 20 acres of rolling hills near the center of town, Green Hill maintains a quiet, reflective atmosphere with sculptures and carvings that beckon you to walk the grounds.

Largest stone ever shipped from here

Oolith Limestone

The town of Bedford is known as the “Limestone Capital of the World.”  This is the only area of the country where Oolith limestone has been found in such great abundance.  Oolith was sought out because of its beauty and endurance.  Once the oolith rock was dug, exposure to the elements hardened and strengthened it, making it more durable and weather resistant. Perfect for building cities throughout the new country.

Ready to ride the rails

Lawrence County, Indiana

The ‘Father of the Limestone Industry,’ Dr. Winthrop Foote, arrived in Lawrence County in 1818 from Connecticut.  Foote realized the potential use for the limestone and purchased acres and acres of stone land. He predicted that limestone would be sent to the East Coast for use in building cities well before there was a railroad in place to haul the stones and carvings to their destinations. 

Working the Quarry

Indiana Stone Carver (IHS)

Foote opened the first quarry in the state, Blue Hole, in 1830. He brought in a master stonecutter, Mr. Toburn, from Louisville, Kentucky in 1832.  Soon stone workers and master carvers from all over the world were arriving in Bedford to work in the Indiana quarries.

Empire State Building

National Cathedral

The stone carvers came from Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany and Italy, each bringing his understanding of stone and his carving skills.  These men helped to build America through the quarrying and carving of oolith limestone. From the 1870’s until after WWII, Indiana limestone was used to build over 30 notable architectural landmarks in the U.S., including, the Empire State Building, the Pentagon, and the National Cathedral.

The work of numerous stone carvers can be seen at Green Hill Cemetery.  Hundreds of carvings, statues, sculptures and engravings exist in minute detail, thanks to the limestone’s ability to weather well.

Stone Cutters Monument

Hand with Mallet

Many of the stone carvers from the past are buried here, near the Stone Cutters Monument, erected by the Bedford Stone Cutters Association in 1894.  The monument shows a late 19^th century stonecutter, holding a mallet in his hand.  Clasped hands are shown on the front of the monument, beneath it’s gabled roof.   The other three sides bear the carved images of a hand with a mallet, a sexton and square and a grouping of stonecutting tools.  This monument, along with those listed below, is included in the Smithsonian American Art Museum Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture.

Other monuments included in the Smithsonian American Art Museum Inventories are,

The Baker Monument –

Baker monument

Top of Workbench with Tools

This gravestone is an exact replica of how the wooden workbench, belonging to stone carver Louis Baker looked as he left it for the last time on August 29, 1917.  Baker was killed when he was struck by lightening that night at the age of 23.  In homage to him, stone carver Marion Taylor and fellow stonecutters recreated the workbench in limestone, detailing Baker’s discarded carving tools, apron, bent nails, and stone slabs.  Baker was working on a building cornice at the time.

Corbin Family Marker

The Corbin Monument –

This limestone grave marker shows Christ kneeling in prayer.  The sculpture was carved by three stonecutter brothers, Virgil, Elmer and Jesse Corbin for their family plot in the 1940’s.

The Wallner Monument –

List of Battles

Wallner Monument

This WWI soldier is the life-like carving of Michael F. Wallner (1893 – 1940.)  Wallner was a private in Company A-16^th Infantry’s First Division.  The battles he fought in are listed on the base of the stone, along with the dates.  Wallner was wounded by shellfire in a campaign on July 20^th, 1918.  He was sent home and hospitalized for his wounds.  He never recovered and died in the hospital 22 years later.

The Barton Sculpture –

Barton detail

Barton Statue

Local resident Tom Barton stands ready to begin yet another game of golf.  The detailing of his 1930’s clothing, including bow tie and cuffed pants, make the statue appear ready to tee off. Legend has it that Barton died while playing golf in 1937.

A Couples Stone

Other amazing examples of limestone statues, carvings, and monuments are spread throughout the cemetery.  As an avid ‘tree stone as grave marker’ person, I was amazed at the sheer number of those stones found here.  The Bedford Walking Tour brochure lists 26 tree stones in Green Hill, but there are even more!

 

Tree stones were popular from the 1880’s through the 1930’s. They could be ordered from catalogues and were also offered as a benefit to belonging to the Modern Woodmen of America and Woodmen of the World, both fraternal benefit organizations.

You can find mass-produced trees in cemeteries throughout the country.  But the true jewels are the hand-carved tree stones, depicting an individual's hobbies and interests carved into the tree stone.  The tree stones in Green Hill are rich with these details.

Footes Tomb Sign

Foote Family Stone

Footes Tomb

And a final word on Winthrop Foote - While his family stone is located in Green Hill, he and a brother are buried just east of town near what was once the Blue Hole Quarry. (Blue Hole is where stone for the Indiana State House, Chicago’s City Hall, and the Vanderbilt Mansion in New York came from.)  Mr. Toburn, the area’s first stonecutter, cut and designed the Foote vault in 1840.  Foote’s brother Ziba was buried here soon after.  Foote died in 1856 and was interred here, along with, according to locals, his horse of whom he was very fond.  Legend also has it that Foote also had his money buried with him in the tomb.  You can see where attempts have been made to cut into the limestone, but Foote continues to rest in peace.

Green Hill Cemetery is located at 1202 18^th Street in Bedford, Indiana.  The cemetery manager is Peggy Tirey, and the phone number is (812) 275 – 5110.  The cemetery does not have a web page.  Two walking tour brochures are available at the cemetery office located at the main gate.

Green Hill Cemetery

Green Hill Cemetery is definitely worth the visit!  Plan an afternoon and take a step back in time as you explore this gorgeous cemetery. The amazing skill and intricate details found on the tombstones indicate the deep pride and respect the stonecutters and carvers had for their craft. And the durable limestone they used allows us enjoy their pain-staking work, over one hundred years later.

~ Joy