This week's installment of Cemetery Sundays takes me back to my old stomping grounds of Richfield, Ohio and the West Richfield Cemetery. Three years ago, I toured the small city's other cemetery, Fairview Cemetery. And like that cemetery, West Richfield also has a beautiful collection of old tombstones dating back to the early and mid-1800s.
I had a great time meandering through the empty cemetery as the early morning sunrise crested over the frost dotted grounds. I was snapping photos at every turn, and there's quite a few this time. So sit back and enjoy the beautiful old tombstones from the West Richfield Cemetery...
I noticed that in the tombstone above, a white substance had been wiped across a portion of the epitaph. I then noticed that it was done on a few of the old tombstones, but couldn't figure out what it was or why it was done. Some sort of preservation technique or something far more nefarious??
The white epitaph filler strikes again. And leaves a pile of residue all over the base...
Is the stone on the left telling us that somewhere, Harry P. Welton still walks the earth at 157 years old!?!?
Elijah Welton, former aide to General George Washington and Captain in the Revolutionary War, who died in 1821. I believe this to be the oldest stone in the cemetery, as well as having the distinction of being the only Revolutionary War Officer buried in the county. This was a beautiful stone, detailing his service to the country. And here is a really cool story about Welton's original tombstone and the efforts of a then high school student who mowed the lawn of the grounds to create the new one above.
1 comments:
Neat - lots of history there.
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