Talk20 Slides 11-15

Slide 11: Secret Societies
As we saw with slides on symbolism and epitaphs there are many headstones that contain emblems of secret societies, organizations, military service including wars, clubs, hobbies and occupations that are representative of a persons life.

The term "secret society" is often used to describe fraternal organizations that may have secret ceremonies. There have been countless organizations that span the ages, many of them still in existence today.

The center photo has multiple icons and the compass and square notes he was a Freemason.

Slide 12: Photo Essay

A photographic essay is a set or series of photographs that are intended to tell a story or evoke a series of emotions in the viewer. I do it to showcase the details.

For many of the detailed carved stones I like to photograph the features individually and present them visually in a photographic essay. When they are presented this way it allows your eyes rest on the feature before moving on.

Slide 13: Eastside Cemetery

Eastside is the oldest cemetery in Hutchinson, but not the first. It was established about 1879 when graves were moved from the original city cemetery location that is present day 17^th and Monroe area.

A ledger at City Hall dated 1880 discusses the number of bodies in the old cemetery, for them to be counted before moving.

Records for Eastside begin in the 1884 so there are many interments unknown from both those moved and early burials.

Documenting Eastside Cemetery lot by lot is an ongoing project of mine, and one I've worked on with my friend, Kathleen Dankanyin. It is my goal, through my photographs and cross referencing available records to create a good record for future generations.

S.C. Brady and James Bailey are two of the oldest marked graves I have found.

The little stone I’m kneeling behind is for a 2 month old that died in 1884 and has an interment record.

J. Brander is one that has a stone but no burial record.

Slide 14: Eastside Mausoleum

The Hutchinson News reported on June 6, 1912 that construction had started on the first Mausoleum in Kansas at Eastside Cemetery.

Another article dated September 5, 1912 reads: Slowly arising, in the south part of the East-side cemetery, is a massive structure of concrete, steel and marble, with the graceful lines of a Grecian temple. It is the new mausoleum, the first public mausoleum to be erected in the state of Kansas.

It was to built at a cost of $30,000.

Further in the article it shared many details of how science and skill would work together to handle any moisture or gases and render them germless or odorless for the 200 crypts.

One document in the sexton records refers to it as the Temple of Rest mausoleum and I’d like to find additional information for this.

Slide 15: Mattie Franklin Moore Blanchard

Mattie Franklin’s life is one I can’t imagine living. She married John Moore and had 5 children.

A part of her life documented in the newspapers begins in 1899 when her husband murdered their five children with an ax at their home on E. 10^th Street. He would also set the house on fire to cover up the crime.

John Moore was convicted and sentenced to die but that sentence was later changed to life in prison. However, he would later be granted parole and disappear, at least as far I can find.

Mattie would remarry, twice and have other children and live out her days in Hutchinson.

Carl, Pearl, Charlie, Mary and Leo Moore, ranging in ages 3 to 13, rest in an unmarked grave at Eastside. Their 5 white caskets were buried together.