Talk 20 Slides 16-20

Wow, did life get busy. Shortly after my talk my Daddy passed away. And, as I felt things slowing down from all that comes with that we had the opportunity to purchase a downtown building after a 2+ year search. So, here we are in July!

Let's wrap up the slides.

Slide 16: Eastside Cemetery & Talking Tombstones

Eastside Cemetery is also the location for Talking Tombstones, an annual fundraiser of the Hutchinson Theatre Guild. Since 2007 actors have portrayed the lives of over 50 people buried at Eastside. Many of them were prominent citizens responsible for the development of our city.

Others were stories that needed to be remembered like the murder of the 5 Moore children and Laura Fife, a young black girl that fell to her death from the roller coaster in Riverside Park, present day Carey Park.  

Mark your calendars for October 24^th for the 9^th annual Talking Tombstones and support your local theatre guild.

Slide 17: Cemetery Sign Project

In 2009 I coordinated a project for the Reno Co Genealogical Society to place signs at 17 cemeteries in the county that did not have one. Through a grant from Honoring Our Ancestors and fundraising efforts we were able to complete the project.

The signs were installed by cemetery caretakers and members of our genealogical society, Dwayne & Vivian Gobin and Jay and Jeannie Moore.

This was an important project, not only to help researchers find a cemetery, but especially for those burials located in rural and remote locations, including fields that are farmed around them.

The Hutchinson News and The Clarion helped us share our project with the community.

Slide 18: Cemetery Bookshelf  
I have a small library of books that offer informational, educational and entertaining cemetery resources, including several on signs and symbolism.

Among my favorites are:Stories in Stone, Forever Dixie, Going Out in Style by Douglas Keister; Soul in the Stone, Cemetery Art from America’s Heartland by John Gary Brown;  And books about some of the wonderful cemeteries I’ve visited like Bonaventure in Savannah GA that was featured in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. And, Bellfontaine in St. Louis, as one book notes is filled with Movers, shakers and scalawags. 

Slide 19: Love in the cemetery
We can find much more than death in the cemetery. Sometimes we find love. Jon is a civil war re-enactor and Kristen was a reporter for the Hutchinson News when they met at Eastside Cemetery.

It was during a headstone dedication for John Crooms, a civil war veteran born into slavery in Kentucky and died a free man in Hutchinson in 1922.

Jon & Kristen are getting married this Spring.

Slide 20: Where to find me
To date I have photographed over 360 cemeteries across 13 states, that total thousands of photographs. I share bits and pieces on my blogs, Digital Cemetery Walk  and Eastside Cemetery while I continue to add to my collection of photographs, maps, brochures, books, interment lists and anything else cemetery related.

I almost started my talk with “My name is Gale and I collect dead people.” Instead, I’ll leave you with this:

Cemeteries offer an afternoon of discovery and History remembers the famous-----genealogy remembers everyone.

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.

Massey Stones Undamaged

Earlier this year I posted a short blog about the vandalism at a local cemetery. This cemetery is one that I've been working on since 2006. I helped another person digitize the interment records for the city. And, recently I decided to blog the project I'm working on to photograph each lot. You can read the details on the about|contact page on the blog.

A few weeks ago I received an email from someone asking about the damaged stones at Eastside and if there was a list. She was concerned about the stones of her great grandparents, Charles Christopher and Eliza Jane Lattimer Massey. I told her I would check on the stones on my next visit.

I was happy to report they are fine and not in the area where most of the damage occurred. I hope she will share information on them for the Eastside blog.

Massey Stones
Eastside Cemetery
Lot 1144

Cemetery vandalized

Last week Eastside Cemetery was vandalized. I took it personally. I have been working on recording and preserving the records and lives of those resting at Eastside since 2006. 67 headstones were toppled with some of them breaking.

Here is a photo of a section of Civil War veterans that had their stones broken. After Memorial Day I will do a thorough walk through with the sexton and record the damage. Thankfully I had already photographed most of the 21 broken stones.

75 cent stones

Did they ever purchase them?


Hutchinson News 3/12/1896


I don't think so because the original potter's field is pretty bare.

Eastside Cemetery

Wiltse Children

In lot 1125 of Eastside Cemetery are the unmarked graves of siblings Edward [1914-1916] and Erma May [1920-1921], children of Earl and Emma Wilson Wiltse. The Wiltse family later moved to California.

Sadly, unmarked graves are a common find among the nearly 13,000 burials here. Last night we took a drive to enjoy the cooler weather and I made a quick stop to visit the children.

I was able to find a brief mention of their deaths -


Hutchinson News
4/10/1916
I didn't find another notice and he was interred
the next day according to the cemetery records.



Her name is Erma May



Hutchinson News
7/8/1921


Isn't this a beautiful photo of Edward!?

The only census that Edward will be found in:

1915 Reno County, Kansas State Census

My thanks to fellow RCGS member, Kathy Floren, for granting me permission to use Edward's photo in this post. She shared her Wiltse family with me for use in our society quarterly.

Ellsworth / Dukelow Lot

Eastside Cemetery

William Ralph Ellsworth 1884 – 1919

Lillian R. Peck Ellsworth Bovee 1888 – 1970

Thelma M. Rittgers 1908 – 1995

William T. Dukelow 1943 –

Evelyn C. Ellsworth Dukelow 1910 – 2008

Samuel G. Dukelow 1917 – 2003

Cemetery Art Video

I haven't done much genealogy research lately. And that means I haven't checked for changes over at FamilySearch.org either. We usually give periodic updates at our genealogical society meetings. Wow! Was I in for a surprise when I visited the site recently.

I haven't navigated through it all yet but I can tell it is much more organized and user friendly.

Starting with the front page---click on the "What's New?" button and follow the updates.

And at the bottom of the home page---check out the free learning courses.

Once you get there you could spend many hours learning so much with some great resources....all at your finger tips.

Scanning down through the list I see there is a video on Cemetery Art by the Midwest Genealogy Center which is part of the Mid-Continent Library. I didn't get to watch all of it but I do plan to go back and finish it.

You can also get Slides from the video in PDF.

This reminds me of a pending project I haven't finished....short videos on the cemeteries in my county. Maybe I'll start over on one and use my new camera that also does video and see how it turns out.

Here is something interesting---I am working on a very detailed project for this cemetery. All of the work is shared with the city and sexton. This document would be interesting to look at and pass on to a fellow researcher that is documenting all of the civil war soldiers.

I can see where I will be spending some time in the near future. Stop by and check it out too. You just may discover something new.

Goodbye

I want to know more about the young James Bailey buried at Eastside Cemetery.

Goodbye
James Bailey
Died
Mar 12, 1879:
Aged
19 Yrs 1 Mo 14 Ds

His death pre-dates the creation of the cemetery so I am left to wonder if he was buried in the original cemetery in the neighborhood of 17th and Monroe or if he was an "ancient" burial and removed from a homestead or "railroad" lands. I've seen the term "ancient burial" on interments where bodies were removed from farms and re-buried at Eastside and a few newspaper articles telling folks to remove their dead from the railroad lands and bury in a cemetery.

Edit: I forgot to mention that the first few years of records for the cemetery are lost.

At the bottom of his stone is a christian doxology:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him all creatures here below;
Praise him above ye heavenly host;
Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost

At Wikipedia we can learn more about this doxology:
 
"Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow"Another doxology in widespread use in English, in some Protestant traditions commonly referred to simply as "The Doxology" and in others as “The Common Doxology”, is "Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow". The words are thus:

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye Heavenly Host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

This hymn was written in 1674 by Thomas Ken, an Anglican Bishop of the Diocese of Bath and Wells in the Church of England. This hymn was originally the final verse of two longer hymns entitled "Awake, My Soul, and With the Sun", and "Glory to thee, my God, this night", written by Ken for morning and evening worship, respectively.

Winter at Eastside

Crosses

I aways look for these crosses when I enter the cemetery from the east in drive one.

Eastside Cemetery

I blogged about the one on the right back in 2009

Left Behind

Juan Diaz - Final

The headstone of Juan Diaz is one of few that dot the section of ground at Eastside Cemetery known as the city ground. This is the original potter's field.

If Juan was a wealthy man why was he buried in the potter's field section? My guess is because he was Mexican. Of the few marked graves in this section most are a mexican name.


County Affairs

The board of commissioners adjourned last week, after transacting more the usual amount of business. The first three days were spent in allowing bills, as follows:

J. O. Hubbart: coffin for pauper - $4
M. J. Ruddy: coffin for pauper - $14.70
A. L. Kellogg: digging grave for pauper -$2
M. L. Lemont: coffin for pauper - $5.55

The Hutchinson News 7/22/1880

Note: more than likely these paupers are buried in unmarked, possibly unrecorded graves at Eastside Cemetery. Records for the original potter's field are few and poor.

Eastside Cemetery
City Ground
Original Potter's Field

He Died a Refugee

Juan Diaz - Part 2

He Died A Refugee

Now that Diaz Family is Returning to Power

Will Take Remains Home

A Cousin of Diaz, of Mexico, Found Sanctuary in Hutchinson

In a quiet and secluded corner of the East Side Cemetery is a grave with a simple marker bearing the one word, “Diaz.”

Buried in Alien Soil

Eastside Cemetery
City Ground

Juan Diaz - Part 1


Buried in Alien Soil

Cousin of Ex-President Diaz of Mexico, Dies Here

Passed Away on Rock Island Limited Train Nearing Hutchinson

Body Interred Here

Until Conditions in Mexico Permit Removal to Home Land

Siegrist Children - Final

Buried in Same Casket Were Victims of Accident


The Little Brother and Sister Were Laid at Rest Together

The bodies of the two little children of Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Seigrist, of South Huthinson, who were killed by a Sante Fe passenger train Saturday, were interred at Eastside Cemetery yesterday afternoon in one little white casket.

Side by side the children lay, Elvin aged 3, and Emma, aged 20 months. Beautiful flowers covered their forms so as to conceal the mangled and maimed heads, as though they were but asleep with their tired heads burrowed in the pillow of roses.

Nearly 700 people gathered at the Methodist church in South Hutchinson yesterday afternoon to attend the funeral service, which was conducted by Rev. W. B. Stevens. Fully 200 were unable to get into the church.

The funeral procession was a mile in length. Four little girls, dressed in white, carried the little casket from the hearse into the church, containing the forms of the little brother and infant sister, who went to death together, and were now being taken together to their last resting place.

It was one of the saddest sights ever witnessed and there was not a dry eye in all the large audience. Like two little buds, snatched from the rosebush, they lay together in the little white casket, and the beautiful flowers banked about their little forms bid that, which the eye could not see without a shudder and left only a scene of beauty, sad, but sweet.

The Hutchinson News 10/23/1911

Thank you for your sacrifice

Today I took Christmas flowers to a few graves for a friend that lives out of state. While there I looked across the lane and saw the grave of a brave soldier that paid the ultimate price earlier this year. I knew he had been buried at Eastside but not where. I walked over and paid my respects. He was a young man, only 2 years older than my son.

I thanked him for his service and sacrifice. As I stood there with my heart hurting for his family I couldn't help but say a prayer for God to continue to protect my son, Clayton, deployed to Afghanistan. We are 7 months into our journey and I am weary from waking and ending my day with war and worry.

Thank you Sgt. Mena. May you rest in peace.

Siegrist Children - Part 1

Eastside Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in Hutchinson, KS. I spend a lot of time there working on the records and photographing the headstones. Sometimes I come across sad stories like this one.

Babes Hit By Train

5 Children Murdered

In 1899 the 5 Moore children were murdered. Injuries inflicted were throats cut, an axe to the head and the house set on fire....all by their father.

Carl, Mary, Pearl, Charlie & Lee Moore ranged in age from 3 to 13.

I have been on an emotional journey researching this tragedy. One sad piece is it appears that they sleep in an unmarked grave at Eastside Cemetery here in Hutchinson, KS. It has been a winding road of census records, marriage records, interment sheets, lot cards, many newspaper articles, prison and court records and I'm still not finished.

I brought this to the board meeting of our genealogical society on Monday with the hope that we will make this one of our community connections project and have a headstone placed on the gravesite.

A news article tells about the burial of the 5 white caskets in the EAST part of the cemetery. The interment sheet lists them in lot 851. They are not on the 851 lot card and this lot is in the WEST part of the cemetery. [Eastside has a small number of lots with duplicate numbers]. 851 A is in the EAST part of the cemetery. They are not on this lot card either but I feel this is where they are since their grandfather is in the lot next to it.

More to come...

Eastside Cemetery Lot 1

Information obtained from interment sheets, lot cards and headstones.

Burial Information

Lot 1 Overview

Lot Card - Order of Burials

List for search purposes:

Barr Loid
Molyneux Infant
Molyneux Madaline
Molyneux Mary M.
Molyneux Richard
Molyneux W. J.
Pargeter Ellen
Pargeter Lillie
Pargeter Thos.
Powell Mary Susan B.
Powell Ella
Powell W. W.