Tag Archives: Charleston

Cemeteries, Churches, National Register of Historic Places, South Carolina, Symbolism

Circular Congregational Church Burial Ground-Charleston, South Carolina

March 20, 2019 Cynthia Jennings Leave a comment

Charleston County

Founded in 1681, the Circular Congregational Church is one of the oldest churches in continual use in Charleston. The burial ground, also known as graveyard since it is next to the church, is the oldest one in the city. The first burial occurred in 1695.

Many of the grave markers are made of slate and carved in New England. The tympanic markers illustrate the evolution of grave symbolism. Skull and crossbones were part of the earlier designs, but they evolved to angels and portraiture. The graveyard contains the most slate markers in a Southern state.

Cemeteries, National Register of Historic Places, South Carolina, Symbolism, Uncategorized

Rosalie Raymond White at Magnolia Cemetery-Charleston, South Carolina

March 19, 2019 Cynthia Jennings Leave a comment

Charleston County

Rosalie Raymond White, who died at seven months old in 1882, was one of seven children of Blake and Rosalie White. Only two of their children lived to see adulthood.

Rosalie was the White’s first child. Her likeness is carved in relief on a bassinet. Some suggest this is a death mask, which is a likeness created directly from a mold of the person’s face. At any point of the year, different flowers are planted in the bassinet.

The Victorians often used symbols and words to indicate someone “sleeping.” The bassinet represents this concept.

Cemeteries, South Carolina

Emanuel AME Church Cemetery, South Carolina

March 17, 2019 Cynthia Jennings Leave a comment

Charleston, Charleston County

I visited Charleston in 2019 to visit the cemeteries there. If you’ve visited Magnolia Cemetery, you will know there are several cemeteries in the area. As I was leaving Magnolia, I was driving down the side roads around the other cemeteries when I noticed Ethel Lance’s marker.

The grounds were being tended to, so I had to wait until the mowers moved away from the marker. Once I got out, I noticed that she was buried near several other members of the Mother Emanuel mass murders.