16 March 2010

Tombstone Tuesday--Evens Cemetery

This weeks cemetery is one I have not stopped at, but often drove past. Younger Son worked at a nearby dairy farm and when I had to deliver or pick him up, this was right on the way. One of the interesting things about this cemetery is the name. We have seen documents and maps with it spelled as seen here "Evens", but many records also have "Evans," the more common spelling of the name.
I tried to check our transcript, but alas...our cemetery book has a tab for Evens Cemetery (spelled Evans) but nothing behind the tab. I sense a cemetery crawl coming on.
Looking at an enlarged image of this picture for Samuel L and Mary G's stone it clearly states--in 3 places--the spelling is indeed Evens. I can't imagine the stone cutter getting it wrong that often. I thought it an unusual stone with the huge ball on the top. I am unable to make out any carvings on it, possibly a globe, or just a simple ball. Hmmmmm.
As you can see this cemetery is set in a lovely rural area of the county. What I was unable to find a picture of, however is what I considered the most unusual feature of the cemetery, and one that raises lots of questions in my mind.
When you drive by this cemetery, the drive in, along the south side, takes you back to a small modern ranch-style house. I wondered at that, thinking it was a caretakers home or something. However, it is apparently just a house. One with a cemetery in its front yard. Most unusual.
I find this picture interesting as it shows the way these stones are put together; something I had never thought of. The base can be firmly planted. Then the next section only needs to have the family name engraved usually. That can be secured to the base. Then the taller section can be set but made more removable. Since these types of stones frequently have one or two names on each of the four faces, it can be taken down and re-engraved as another family member dies.
This stone, still standing strong, if tipsy, but so hard to read. The lichens, while they may be great for dying wool (another blog) are not so great for stones. Besides attaching themselves to the stones and deteriorating the surface, they make the stones hard to read. Here I can tell the stone is for the wife of Wm something and she died Dec. 10, 18 something, possibly 70. But even with the lichens, the engraved lily is fairly clear on the top of the stone.
In contrast to the previous stone, the above stone is still clear, with its rich engraving. But, is this all of it? Is half of it buried, lost, broken? Ahh, the questions it raises.
And have you noticed the in the previous pictures the items that have been so common in recent cemeteries I have highlighted that are missing here? Where are the bordered family plots? I have never noticed them while driving by the cemetery, and none of the pictures shows any cement or stone borders.
And longtime followers may remember my rants about planting trees and bushes too close to grave stones.
Look at this. It is practically buried by the tree stump.
Don't say I didn't warn you.

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