The Joy and Pride

Abilene Cemetery

Thomas H.
son of
Thomas & Esther
Raines

born
April 17, 1849
died
Dec 18, 1880

Through life unselfish
affectionate and helpful
The joy and pride of his
family. The comfort and stay
of his parents and beloved
by his friends who place
this stone to his memory.

More information online here:

http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=151710131

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Note: I'm REALLY getting tired of my scheduled posts changing to drafts. Argggh!

Men only are great...

...as they are kind.

Quote of Elbert Hubbard: american writer, publisher, artist and publisher.

 

Abilene Cemetery


John Edwin Hilton
1849 - 1909
Men only are great,
as they are kind.

Hero of Frontier Days

Thomas J. Smith was the Marshall of Abilene, Kansas for 5 months in 1870. While attempting to make an arrest he was shot and nearly decaptiated with an axe. Using Google I found bits and pieces on his murder.

 

Abilene Cemetery


Thomas J. Smith
Marshall of Abilene, 1870
Died, a martyr to duty, Nov 2nd, 1870
A fearless hero of frontier days,
Who in cowboy chaos
established the supremacy of law.

In 1871 Andrew McConnell and Moses Miles were convicted in the death of the Marshall. Andrew was convicted of first degree manslaughter, received 12 years and was discharged on 1/12/1881. Moses was convicted of first degree murder, received 16 years but was pardoned by the governor and discharged 1/2/1877 after serving only 6 years.

The following links give us a photo and insight to the short life of Thomas.

• http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/WWsmithT.htm
• http://www.odmp.org/officer/12490-city-marshal-thomas-j.-smith
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_J._Smith
• http://www.kancoll.org/articles/tomsmith.htm
• http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-tomsmith.html

Questions I'm left with:
What became of Andrew?
What became of Moses?
Why was Moses pardoned?

Tombstone Photo of the Week

St. Patrick's Cemetery

Watch this sleeping dust

In Memory of

Mary E.
wife of
John J. Ryan
Died June 29, 1878
Ages 31 years & 13 days

May she rest in peace

May Angels kind be inclined

to watch this sleeping dust

till God above wraped in pure love

will come to raise the just

then may she rise in sweet surprise

in glory radiant rise may she

be blest with peace and rest

for everlasting days

Erected by her husband John J. Ryan

Located in St. Patrick's Cemetery

Tombstone Photo of the Week

Abilene Cemetery

Tombstone Photo of the Week

St. Patrick's Cemetery of
The Church of St. Michael
Chapman, KS

Nature's Beauty

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Nature can leave a headstone illegible. Sometimes beauty can be found in the ruins. As I approached this stone I wondered how legible it would be. I did find this one readable and loved the colors found on top of the stone.

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In loving remembrance of

C W Pennington

Died Jan 17, 1888

Aged 6 years

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Abilene Cemetery

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Symbolism: Cross

Little information

Or is it a lot!

Abilene Cemetery

Lamb

The lamb symbolizes innocence and is usually found on the grave of an infant or child. This is the largest lamb I have found on a grave.

Austin Young

Died September 19, 1888

2 years, 6 months & 10 days

Buried: Abilene Cemetery

Peaceful Views

2 photos from my recent adventure.


Smoky Hill Cemetery
McPherson Co., KS


Indian Hill Cemetery
Dickinson Co., KS

Small world or...

Recently I took a weekend trip close to home - within a few hours drive. On the day to return I decided to visit St. Patricks Cemetery in Dickinson County, about 75 miles from where I live.

I'm glad I did. St. Patricks is a beautiful cemetery on a hillside. As I walked and photographed headstones a small flat one tugged on my heart strings. Upon returning home I wanted to find out more on Elley's family. I found her, listed as Ellen, with her family on the 1880 Dickinson County federal census. Next, I searched Ancestry.com for a family tree and almost fell out of my chair when the file for a member of my local genealogical society popped up. This member lives out of town but we communicate via email on projects for our society. I quickly emailed her to share my find. This was information she did not have [regarding dates & burial] for this sister of her great grandmother and she was very happy to receive it. This was not the end of my surprise.

Little Elley's parents are buried right here where I live. I don't know the details of how they ended up here. I suppose that doesn't matter. I went to visit John and Lizzie. Perhaps they know Elley had a visitor recently!
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John & Elizabeth Donnelly Devine

Fairlawn Burial Park - Reno Co., KS

Both were born in Ireland

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This is not the best photo due to the position of the sun but look closely and you can see Elley's flat stone among the numerous tall ones.
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Note the Angel carved in the top of Elley's headstone.

More Eisenhower's

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Parents of President Eisenhower are buried in the Abilene Cemetery.

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David J. and Ida Stover Eisenhower

Buried in the same enclosed area are the following:

Large surname stone has Musser Eisenhower

Amanda Musser

Christian Musser

Beulah Musser Brechbill [dau of Christian]

Abram Brechbill

Mr. President

Place of Meditation

Abilene, KS

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Eisenhower's buried here:

David Dwight: 10/14/1890 - 3/28/1969

Mamie Doud: 11/14/1890 - 11/1/1979

Doud Dwight: 9/24/1917 - 1/2/1921 [died of scarlet fever]

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Also on the grounds is this statue.

His parents are buried North of town in the Abilene Cemetery.