----- ............Cemetery Walk: An afternoon of discovery! Every stone has a story. And they are waiting to be told........... -----

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Dinsmoor's Garden of Eden

Additional information for my Photo Monument article posted today at the GYR Online Journal.

Samuel Perry Dinsmoor's Garden of Eden
Lucas, Kansas

One of the 8 Wonders of Kansas

History excerpt from the website:
Samuel Perry Dinsmoor was born on March 8, 1843, in Ohio. He served in the Civil War as a nurse in the Union Army. After the war, Dinsmoor returned to Ohio and soon joined the Masonic Lodge. Joining this organization was a significant development in his philosophical outlook on life. He had grown up in a very religious home, but, like many who witnessed the inexplicable slaughter of the Civil War, began searching for other ways to understand humankind. 

Inside the log cabin mausoleum is his glass topped coffin where you can view his embalmed body. As expected, no photos are allowed inside the mausoleum.

Outside of the mausoleum is a cement angel that will carry him to heaven, if that is God's will.


 
Iola Daily Register 8/16/1927
In his self-published booklet, The Cabin Home, he describes the mausoleum in detail. At one time a flag topped it, but it is no longer there. Based on the photo included in the booklet I know it is this flag that sits outside of the mausoelum. See photo below - bottom left corner.


The booklet also states that his first wife is buried inside. Story has it he snuck into the cemetery and removed her body and placed inside the mausoleum, where he placed her in a steel vault and cemented it in.
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with his 2nd wife.
Notices of his death/will

The Hutchinson News
7/22/1932

Emporia Gazette
7/22/1932
  
Iola Daily Register
8/13/1932
 An article about him published a few years before his death

Iola Daily Register 1927
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3 comments:

  1. Taphophilia CatafalqueAugust 12, 2011 at 2:29 PM

    Did you view inside the mausoleum Gale ?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Taphophilia CatafalqueAugust 12, 2011 at 2:31 PM

    I also meant to say, what an amazing find, thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Gale WallAugust 12, 2011 at 2:38 PM

    Yes, I did! His glass topped coffin is behind a big window. And there he is, all mummified. I didn't find it creepy like some did.

    ReplyDelete

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