May 21

Tombstone Tuesday–Footstones

We are all familiar with tombstones, the permanent memorials that mark the final resting places of our loved ones. Sometimes called headstones, these grave markers have been used to mark burial sites as far back as 3000 B.C. and are positioned at the head of the grave. These markers can be upright or flush with the ground and often provide a vast amount of information about the deceased.

What we don’t see as often in cemeteries in this part of the country are footstones. Footstones are set at the foot of a grave and are less about identity and more about boundary. They were used more frequently a few decades ago.

Set at the opposite end from the headstone, footstones serve to mark the boundary of the burial plot. Like headstones, footstones may be upright or flush with the grass.

Headstone and footstone at burial site. Pingry Cemetery

Footstones are usually less ornate and are smaller than the headstone. Most are about 1-2 feet wide. They may be engraved with text or images. Since a headstone includes most of the standard information about the person (name, birth date and death date, a quote and some funerary art), the smaller footstone usually features only the person’s initials. They are smaller and less ornate so they do not distract from the headstone.

Footstone, Pingry Cemetery

The headstone marks the upper boundary of the grave site and the footstone marks the lower boundary, helping visitors to avoid walking across the grave, which is sometimes deemed disrespectful or bad luck. In addition, footstones clearly distinguish one gravesite from another for cemetery workers.

Sometimes there is no headstone and a footstone is the only grave marker. In that case the footstone still sits at the foot-end of the grave, but the footstone might be slightly larger so that it can incorporate some of the information that is usually on the headstone. Solitary footstones for individual graves are a more common in modern cemeteries, where site owners are trying to conserve space.

Some cemeteries have family burial plots, consisting of a large upright headstone with the family name, and smaller stones with individual names surrounding the large family stone. These small stones are also considered footstones. Each member of the family has their own footstone near the family headstone.

Family burial plot with footstones around the central headstone. Elm Grove Cemetery, St. Marys, Ohio

Family burial plot, with footstones around central marker.

Family burial plot, with footstones near central marker.

Family burial plot with footstones Mother and Father. Liber Cemetery.

Closer look of family burial plot with footstones Mother and Father. Liber Cemetery.

Some cemeteries limit the number of upright headstones and require that footstones be used instead of headstones.

May 17

More Chattanooga Residents

A few more Chattanooga and Chatt-area residents from the past:

Joseph Merkle

Edward Kuehm

Don Caffee

Lester Miller

Rev. George Heintz

John Miller

May 14

Tombstone Tuesday-Chi Rho Symbol

This is the Chi Rho symbol, a Christian symbol for the Greek word ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ, Christos, which means Christ.

Chi Rho symbol

It is formed by overlapping the first two letters of the word ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ, Chi (X) and Rho (P). It is one of the earliest forms of a Christian monogram, or a Christogram. Chi Rho, pronounced as KEE-roe.

In Christian art, the Chi Rho is often flanked by the Greek letters alpha and omega, symbolizing Jesus Christ as the Alpha and Omega—the Beginning and the End. The Chi Rho symbol is not mentioned in the Bible, even though these letters are used to form the name “Christ” in Greek.

Chi Rho symbol

The Chi Rho symbol was used by early Christians to symbolize both Jesus and Christianity. It is attributed to Roman Emperor Constantine I, who used it as a military symbol. The first public use of the Chi Rho symbol was on 28 October 213 A.D., on the shields of Constantine’s warriors in the Battle of Milvian Bridge. Constantine’s troops saw a miraculous sign in the sky the day before the battle and Emperor Constantine believed he won the battle because of the Chi Rho symbol on the shields of his men. Several months later, in the Edit of Milan, Constantine declared Christianity legal in the Roman Empire, ending nearly three hundred years of Christian persecution.

This symbol appeared on the coins of Constantine and his successors.

Chi Rho symbol

Even though Christians have used the Chi Rho symbol to represent Christ and Christianity for centuries, Chi Rho has also been used as a good-luck charm and as a talisman for warding off evil. It is believed the symbol was worshiped by pagans in ancient Greece, believing the symbol bestowed good fortune.

The Chi Rho symbol exists today in numerous variations. Some of our altar cloths have this symbol.

The symbol may have lead to the modern practice of using the letter X in Xmas, as an abbreviation for Christmas.

May 10

Mothers and Daughters

Happy Mother’s Day!

Here are some photos of mothers and daughters and grandmothers in my family, and some sons and husbands as well:

Florence & Karen, c1959

Grandma Hilda (Scaer) Schumm with Amy, Esther, & Florence

Lizzie (Schinnerer) Scaer & Amy Schumm, 1929.

Frieda, Sarah (Breuninger), Cornelius, Louis J Schumm (1905)

Front: Carl, Jacob, John, Christina (Rueck), Clara, Caroline. Back: Mary, Peter, Jacob Jr, Christian, Maggie.

Carl Miller family, front: Herb, Anna Lou, Kenny, Vernie. Back: Carl, Gertrude, Ruth, Helen, Kate, Em.

Front: William Reid, Gertrude (Brewster) Miller, Mary Ann (Cotterell) Headington. Back: Pearl (Reid) Brewster, Elvira (Headington) Reid. c1898

Grandma Miller (Gertrude Brewster Miller) and Great-grandma Brewster (Pearl Reid Brewster)

Emily (Bryan) Reid & daughter Pearl (Reid) Brewster (1936 photo) Photo courtesy of Brian Brewster

Emily (Bryan) Reid and her daughters. Front: Pearl, Emily, Laura. Back: Zorphia, Minnie, Edith, Gladys.

John & Hannah (Huey) Bryan, children Emily, Peter, Mary, William Riley, Alta Jane, Hallet, Byantha (c1883)

May 07

Tombstone Tuesday-Dogwood Flower

Flowers are commonly carved on tombstones. Flowers have a natural beauty and the individual varieties have special, symbolic meanings. 

People in ancient cultures often left flowers in and on the graves of their loved ones out of respect.

Flowers carved on a tombstone create a permanent remembrance.

This flower is the dogwood flower.

Dogwood flower symbol

The dogwood flower is a symbol of Easter, the Passion of Christ, rebirth, renewal, and beginnings. Dogwood trees bloom in April, often during the Easter season, and are a reminder of spring, regeneration, and resurrection.

Dogwood flower

The dogwood flower is predominantly white, symbolizing beginning, purity, and spiritual perfection.

The four white petals of the dogwood tree are not really petals but are leaves, called bracts. The actual flowers are the small yellow clusters in the center of the bracts.

The four bracts of the dogwood flower form a perfect cross, with what looks like a crown of thorns in the middle. Each of the four bracts is indented on the edge, giving the appearance that a nail has passed through it. In that dent is a red spot of color that resembles blood. Christ’s blood. For that reason, dogwood trees were and are still often planted in and around cemeteries.   

In nature the dogwood is hard and durable, giving additional symbolic values of strength, protection, and a firm will.

Dogwood flower

There is a legend of the dogwood tree that claims the cross of Jesus’ crucifixion was made of dogwood. According to the legend, the dogwood tree was very different then and was a strong, solid tree that grew larger than an oak or cedar tree. It was chosen to make Jesus’ cross because its wood was very strong and sturdy. After Jesus was crucified God declared that dogwoods would never grow tall enough to create another cross. Jesus blessed the dogwood tree to grow beautiful flowers that would bloom at Easter time.

In actuality, flowering dogwood trees are native only to Eastern North America and Northern Mexico and are not native to the Middle East. There were no dogwood trees in Israel during the time of Jesus and dogwood trees are not mentioned in the Bible.

Dogwood trees produce red fruit in the fall and are deciduous trees, dropping their leaves in the fall. The average lifespan of a dogwood is 80 years.

As an old Southern saying goes, referring to a deceased person, “I’ll see you when the dogwood blooms.”