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.
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 17th 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. 10th
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.
