Going to the Chapel…Cemetery Weddings

It’s June, the season of weddings.  So I decided to see what people thought of the idea of  ‘tying the knot’ in a cemetery.  It turns out this may be a trend of the future!

According to The Mortician Journal http://www.morticianjournal.com/, out of a list of ‘25 Funeral Trends for 2011’, #8 is “More and more funeral facilities will be used for other services (like weddings and birthdays.)  Funeral homes and cemeteries are now starting to utilize their chapels and grounds for ‘celebration events.’

Community Life Center

In Indianapolis, Indiana, Flanner and Buchanan Funeral Centers http://www.flannerbuchanan.com/ built a ten-million dollar structure they call the ‘Community Life Center’ http://www.clcindy.com/  Opened in 2009, the Center was the site of ten weddings that year.  It now holds several events each month and has over 100 weddings booked for this year and into 2012.

Research indicates that more and more couples, within the past five-year, have entertained the idea of, if not actually been married in cemetery and funeral home chapels.  This interest has caught the attention of cemetery superintendents, sextons and funeral home directors, who are now viewing their sites as places to celebrate life as well as mourn the dead.

Wedding Carriage

Events being held in cemeteries have included birthday celebrations, anniversary parties, seasonal musical events, historic grounds tours, proms, holiday gatherings, banquets, family reunions, business conferences and weddings.  According to a survey conducted by the National Funeral Directors Association, http://www.nfda.org/, almost 10% of over 600 funeral homes in the U.S. have or are offering an event center for use by the community.  Some funeral homes also offer their expertise in planning a wedding.  And that does make sense.  What a funeral home director can accomplish in three days for a funeral, they can also achieve for a wedding, in record time.  In this new market, wedding planners are just beginning to take consider this a viable wedding option.

Norman Chapel

Inside of chapel

The appeal of a cemetery as a wedding location is easy to understand.   According to Leigh Hensley, Executive Assistant at Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretun http://www.springgrove.org/ in Cincinnati, Ohio, there are many reasons for couples to choose to be married in a cemetery.  For Spring Grove, it may be because of the historic nature and beauty of the grounds, or the gorgeous Norman Chapel, which is non-denominational.  And many times the location has to do with family members being interred there and the sentimental act of including those who have gone ahead.  Hensley said that Spring Grove hosts around 45 wedding per year in the Norman Chapel or their rose garden. http://www.springgrove.org/sg/weddings/sg_weddings.shtm

Cemeteries weddings are also considered to be more ‘green,’ or environmentally friendly, than most regular wedding and reception sites.    And, as an added bonus, the price is usually much less than traditional wedding venues. 

But we are not the first to be drawn to cemeteries to celebrate our life events.  In the mid-1800’s, people treated the cemetery as if it were a park, picnicking, enjoying boat rides on the lake, or taking a quiet carriage ride through the grounds.

During WW II, the Forest Lawn Cemeteries http://www.forestlawn.com/ in California buried during the day and married during the night.  Today the cemetery group has eight chapels that are used for funerals and weddings.

And the interest in cemetery weddings is not just occurring in the U.S.  Cemetery weddings have been reported this year in many parts of the world including Indonesia and China.  The main reasons given overseas for having a cemetery wedding are the same - the beauty of the location, the meaningfulness of being married near ancestors, and the lower cost.

I asked readers of A Grave Interest, friends on my personal page, and members of A Graveyard Rabbit and Cemetery Explorers, all on Facebook, if any of them had been married in a cemetery and how they felt about cemetery weddings.  The overwhelming response was very positive.  While it was a novel idea to some, almost all felt it would be a very peaceful and beautiful location for a wedding.  Here are some of the replies:

Katie Killian wrote: "I would do it in a heartbeat if there was one that I found pretty enough or interesting enough to do it in. There aren't any in Indy that I have any ties to, though."

Steve Kalland thought it was a “Great idea.”

Save A Grave stated:  “I think it’s a cool place to have a wedding.  You can find some great places that would be beautiful for a wedding.  I don’t know anyone who has done it.”

Stewart Dashwood replied: “Sounds interesting!  I like the idea but my fiancé (despite loving cemeteries) isn’t quite sold on it.”

Tricia Neal responded: “Had some pictures taken after the wedding with the old church cemetery in the background, but didn’t actually get married IN the cemetery!  (And the fact that the cemetery was in the background in the pictures was unintentional, although if I’d thought about it at the time, I would have made sure it happened that way!)

Cheryl Mason wrote: “A cemetery in Savannah…under oaks draped in Spanish moss….”

Only a few people were somewhat wary of the idea –

Allison Butt commented that she didn’t “know of anyone doing it.  I don’t think I like the idea, although the setting would be peaceful!”

Beverly Ross Nance replied: “Hmmm, no.  But my family used to picnic in them...”

Thanks to everyone who replied!  So what do you think?  Would you get married, or renew your vows in a cemetery?  I definitely would!  But then, how would you decide, between all of the beautiful cemeteries and chapel out there, which one?  Something to ponder during the next wedding you attend.

~ Joy

Celebrating 'Daniel Boone Day'

Daniel Boone

Today is “Daniel Boone Day”.  It was on this date in 1769 that frontiersman and American folk hero, Daniel Boone first saw the great land of what would one day become known as Kentucky.

Daniel Boone was born on October 22, 1734 but because the Gregorian calendar was adopted during his lifetime, his birth date was changed to November 2, 1734.  Boone only accepted the October 22 date.  He was born the sixth of eleven children in Berks County, Pennsylvania to Squire and Sarah Morgan Boone.  His parents were of English and Welsh decent and were practicing Quakers. 

Boone spent his childhood hunting and trapping in Pennsylvania, before his parents moved to Davie County, North Carolina in 1750. Although his formal education was limited, Boone was often the only literate person in a group of frontiersmen. 

Boone and his dog

He served with the British militia during the French and Indian War.  Then, on August 14, 1756, he married Rebecca Bryan.  The couple settled in a cabin on Boone’s father’s farm in the Yadkin Valley in North Carolina.  Boone supported his family as a market hunter.  During the autumns, he would go on “long hunts", which lasted several weeks or months.  During that time he would collect hundreds of deer, beaver and otter skins to sell to the commercial fur traders on his return in the spring.  Once asked if he ever became lost during these long hunts, Boone supposedly replied, “I’ve never been lost, but I was once bewildered for three days.”  By the late 1760’s, Boone was traveling up and down the Ohio River trapping for furs in the Cumberland and Green Valleys.

Daniel Boone is well known for founding the first settlement west of the Appalachian mountain in what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky.  This region was beyond the western boundaries of the original thirteen colonies and legally belonged to the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the Indians.  

On September 25, 1773, Boone moved with his family and about 50 other pioneers, to begin the first settlement in Kentucky, ignoring the British ban on westward migration. During their attempt to establish a settlement, Boone’s older son James and another man, William Russell, were captured, tortured and killed by Indians.  The killings were so brutal; Boone’s party decided to abandon the idea of a settlement and turned back.  This massacre was one of the first events in what would become known as Dunmore’s War.

Crossing the Cumberland Gap

In the spring of 1775, Boone blazed a trail through the Cumberland Gap, opening up what became known as the Wilderness Road from North Carolina and Tennessee into Kentucky.  Once in central Kentucky, Boone built a fort in what is now Madison County and founded the community of Boonesborough, Kentucky.  On September 8, 1775, he brought his family and other settlers to Boonesborough to live in one of the first English-speaking settlements west of the Appalachians. Boone told the pioneers there were three elements vital to survival here, “A good gun, a good horse and a good wife.”  Thousands of pioneer families poured through the steep and rough pass on foot or horseback, heading for the ‘promised land.’   In 1792, the newly formed Kentucky legislature provided money to upgrade the Wilderness Road.  In 1796, the road was improved enough for wagon travel.  By 1800, over 200,000 pioneers had traversed Boone’s road and crossed the Cumberland Gap to settle in Kentucky.  Forty years later, in 1840, the Wilderness Road was abandoned.

Capture of Jemima

Up until this time, Boone’s life had been an adventure, but he began to suffer hardships in the summer of 1776.  In July, his daughter Jemima was captured by the Shawnee and Cherokee Indians.  He rescued her but only two years later the Shawnee seized him.  

Capture of Boone

He managed to escape and warn Boonesborough of an impending attack, thus saving them from capture.  After the uprising, he set off East to purchases lands for some of the settlers.  Along the way, he was robbed of all the money he had been given.  He repaid the settlers out of his own money and was never able to get out of debt again.

In 1781, Boone was elected to the Virginia legislature.  In 1786, he was elected again.  Two years later, he left Kentucky after he lost all of his land claims due to an error in the records. He moved west to what is now Missouri.  When asked why he had left Kentucky Boone reportedly replied, “Too crowded, too crowded!  I want some elbow room.”

Boone Half Dollar

Boone was an explorer, a frontiersman and a legend in his own time.  His deeds and accomplishments were woven into an assortment of fact, legend and folklore, weaving him into the fabric of American history as a folk hero.  Boone’s autobiography, called “Adventures” was published in 1784, making him famous throughout America and Europe.

Boone's Grave Site
at Frankfort, KY

View from Boone's Kentucky
Grave Site

Daniel Boone died on September 26, 1820 at his son’s home on Femme Osage Creek in Missouri.  He was buried on Teuque Creek, next to his wife, Rebecca, who had died in 1813.   In 1845, Boone’s remains were taken and reburied in the new cemetery (Frankfort Cemetery) in Frankfort, Kentucky.  Legend has it that the wrong bones were dug up in Missouri and taken back to Kentucky.  Both cemeteries still claim to have Boone buried there.

Engraving on Grave Marker

Regardless, Daniel Boone will always be remembered as one of the earliest frontiersmen in America, a hunter, explorer and pioneer, a true and fearless leader of the great westward migration of our country.

~ Joy

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Cemeteries Worth the Visit - Glenwood Cemetery

At the beginning of month we’ll take a look at one cemetery that is especially “Worth the Visit.”  This means that it offers something exceptional for the historian, genealogist and tombstone tourist.  It could be outstanding gravestones, interesting cemetery grounds, or just an exciting place to explore!  Today we will begin this monthly series at Glenwood Cemetery, located in Shelbyville, Illinois.  The stones, the hills and valleys, and the walking bridges are superb.

Underground Mausoleum

H.J. Hamlin Mausoleum

Glenwood has some wonderful examples of statues, stones and cemetery architecture.  There are five mausoleums in Glenwood.  The five family names are Earp, Hamlin, Harnett, Haydon, and Tackett.  Other well-known family names from the area include Davis, Miller, Oliver, Smith, Weakly and Williams.

Shells surround Thornton's monument

Anthony Thornton plaque

The famous buried here include Illinois politicians Samuel Moulton and Anthony Thornton.  Josephine Garis Cochran, the inventor or the dishwasher, is also buried here.  General William Thornton who fought in the War of 1812 is buried in a family plot.  And John G. O’Brien, a man who lived in three centuries - the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth - 1793 to 1901 is at rest here.  Mr. O’Brien died at the age of 108.

There are numerous stones throughout the cemetery, which catch your eye and imagination.  Here are two that I found intriguing.  This is an open book on a tree stump with ivy vining up it.  In Victorian symbolism the book may stand for someone who was intelligent and well read.  The tree stump symbolizes a life interrupted and the ivy signifies faithful ness and undying friendship.  Tyson Mahnke, the cemetery sexton, told me that this is Phillip Nicoale's gravestone.  He was part owner in a cigar factory in the 1860’s. 

George F. Furr

Be aware that when wandering the cemetery, you may be caught off-guard by the gaze of a WWI soldier, standing at ease on a hilltop.  Carved in Italy from white cara marble, this sculpture is the exact likeness of the young soldier named George F. Furr who lies buried beneath.  On his stone is the notation: Co. 1 53rd U.S. INF 4th Div.

Map of cemetery

For the genealogist, Glenwood offers several options.  The Sexton’s office has burial records on paper and computer.  Maps are available for each section, and for the entire cemetery.  And, for those unable to make the trip, Sexton Tyson Mahnke has been known to go the extra mile to assist researchers, when possible.

Stone Walking Bridge

If you travel to Shelbyville, plan on spending at least one day at Glenwood Cemetery.  This is a cemetery where exploring stones and enjoying nature go hand-in-hand.  While you’re visiting Shelbyville, be sure to stop by the Shelby County Historical Society and the Shelby County Courthouse for more genealogical information.

If you would like more information about Glenwood Cemetery, contact Tyson Mahnke, Cemetery Sexton at (217) 774-3514 or by email at gravdigr@live.com  The cemetery is located at 308 E North 6^th Street in Shelbyville, Illinois.  The office is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Glenwood also has a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Glenwood-Cemetery/118663618164180

What a nice way to keep in touch with the cemetery and other genealogists.

~  Joy 
 

Remembering the Great Jack Dempsey

William Harrison Dempsey

He was one of the most popular boxers in the world.  Jack Dempsey held the world heavyweight title from 1919 till 1926.  Born William Harrison Dempsey on June 24, 1895, he grew up in Manassa, Colorado and in Utah.  His parents, Hiram Dempsey and Mary Celia Smoot Dempsey were poor and always on the move.  One of eleven children, Dempsey left school in the eighth grade to go to work and help support the family.  In 1911, at the age of 16, he left home to ride the rails, where he discovered a knack for fighting. 

A Young 'Jack' Dempsey

Dempsey was known to stop by taverns and issue the challenge, “I can’t sing and I can’t dance, but I can lick any SOB in the house.”   He was rarely known to loose these wagers.  With his brother Bernie’s support, Dempsey began his boxing career in 1914 in Salt Lake City, Utah, fighting under the names ‘Kid Blackie’ and ‘Jack Dempsey.’  By 1916 his fights were all billed as ‘Jack Dempsey,’ a name he took in honor of Jack ‘Nonpareil” Dempsey, a middleweight boxer of the late 1800’s.  Dempsey also became known as the ‘Manassa Mauler’ later in his career.  Dempsey was well known for his knockout victories, which usually occurred in the first minute of a fight.

Training

During WWI, Dempsey worked in a shipyard and continued to train and box.  Boxing fans questioned why he had not served his country during the war and labeled him a draft-dodger. In 1920, after a federal indictment, it was released that Dempsey had tried to enlist but had been refused. However, the damage had been done and a stain would remain on his character until the mid-twenties.

Dempsey in the early 20's.

 Dempsey’s record speaks for itself; out of 83 fights, he won 66.  51 of those by knockouts.  There were 11 bouts called as draws. During his career, he lost a total of six fights, only one loss by a knockout, administered by Fireman Jim Flynn

Jess Willard

The most controversial fight of Dempsey’s career came on July 4, 1919 when he went against world heavyweight champion, Jess Willard.  The size match-up was so off kilter, many touted the fight as a modern day David and Goliath match.  Willard didn't see Dempsey as a threat and did little training for the fight. Dempsey proceeded to knock Willard down seven times – in the first round - and won in the third.  Cries of cheating and a fixed fight spoiled the win and Dempsey gaining the title of World Heavyweight Champion.  Dempsey did not attempt to defend his title for over a year.  Then in September 1920, he took on Billy Miske and knocked him out in three round.

Carpentier - Dempsey fight

It was July 2, 1921 when Dempsey took on Frenchman and WWI hero, Georges Carpentier.  Carpentier was touted as the ‘Greatest Boxer in the World’ and the fight was billed as the ‘Fight of the Century.”  Odds were set at 50 to 1 against Dempsey.  It was the first million-dollar gate in boxing history.  Almost 100-thousand people watched the four-round fight, from Jersey City, New Jersey.  RCA provided live radio coverage of the bout, with commentary, making it the first national radio broadcast telegraphed from KDKA in Pittsburgh.  Dempsey won and maintained his title as World Heavyweight Champion.

Gene Tunney

Dempsey then spent several years making movies, endorsing products and doing boxing exhibitions, making him one of the richest athletes in the world.  It was September 23, 1926 when he fought again, and lost his title to U. S. Marine Gene Tunney in Philadelphia, in the tenth round.  This fight garnered boxing’s largest paid attendance, over 2.6 million dollars.

Dempsey took on Tunney again in 1927, hoping to reclaim his title. He knocked Tunney down in the seventh round but because he did not immediately go to a neutral corner, the referee delayed the count.  Tunney was able to get up on the count of nine and won the bout three rounds later on a decision.  In the end, the count of nine was estimated to be a count of 14 and speculation would always remain concerning the bout that became known as the ‘Long Count’ and the final decision.

Jack Dempsey's Broadway Restaurant

After the Tunney match Dempsey hung up his gloves, and became more popular than ever.  He spent his time on exhibition fights and working in films about boxers. In 1935 he opened ‘Jack Dempsey’s Broadway Restaurant” in New York’s Times Square.  He retired professionally from boxing in 1940.

Lieutenant Dempsey

During WW2, he joined the New York State National Guard and was commissioned as a first lieutenant.  He resigned that commission in 1942 to become a lieutenant in the Coast Guard Reserve.  He served onboard the USS Arthur Middleton for the invasion of Okinawa.  He was given an honorable discharge in 1952.

In an Associated Press poll of 1950, Dempsey was named the greatest fighter of the first half of the twentieth century.  In 1954 he was a charter inductee to the Boxing Hall of Fame and in 1980 he was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame.  Some still consider him as the best of all pugilists.

Courtesy of Ace Preston

Courtesy of Ace Preston

Dempsey died on May 31, 1983.  A true fighter to the end, Dempsey told his wife, Denna Piatelli Dempsey, “Don’t worry honey; I’m too mean to die.”  He succumbed of heart failure and was buried at Southampton Cemetery in Southampton, New York.  

Jack Dempsey

Courtesy of Ace Preston

Dempsey was officially inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990 and named the seventh best puncher of all time in boxing history by Ring Magazine in 2003.  According to sportswriter Grant Riceland, Dempsey was the finest gentleman and gentle man he had ever met in the world of sports.  In the world of boxing, he lives on as a heavyweight hero.

~ Joy