This is a photographs of some of the small markers that are near the edge of the Denison Burying Ground (#19) in Mystic, CT. These stones probably mark the graves of infants. Notice that they are really quite different. It needs to be noted that many children are buried in this burying ground with cut, carved gravestone in the style of adult gravestones but smaller.
The two small ones on the left are rough and uncut stones without any carvings. The next stone is clearly shaped like a gravestone but is small. The one on the right is smaller yet but is smooth on the top. It is possible that the two on the right had carved inscriptions at one time.
These gravestones and the ones out of range to the right are set in a row indicating to me that they were placed there intentionally to mark the resting place of a dead loved one.
This is a private burying ground of mostly persons related to the Denison family. Some of those buried here have been relocated to the large Elm Grove Cemetery nearby. Recently, I learned that some of them were Stanton gravestones.
I own several books to be used for gravestone research and I am working on a list of the composition of gravestones. I am hoping to get together a list of the types of materials used to make them and approximate years in which they were used.
2 comments:
I look forward to seeing your research on this. Not only do I visit graveyards for family research but I find myself admiring and wondering about when it was made, how, with what stone/material, what tools etc. I am also interested in why there are certain designs on stones (leaves, hearts, anchors etc) There are so many types. In most of our local graveyards, the small markers are also used for infants/young children, many also with a tiny lamb on top.
Thank you for sharing more information on headstones. It is important to have a meaningful headstone because they are used to remember and memorialize the deceased. Even though it is hard to deal with a loved one passing away, we can always remember them by the location of where they are buried and their headstone. Like you said, we can choose which type of material we want for the headstone such as marble or granite. Thank you again.
-Chris | http://www.syracusemonumentscny.com
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