John Strauther was the first Black mortician in Greenville, Mississippi. His monument is the only one in Live Oaks Cemetery. His wife had this made after he passed.
It is listed as part of the Smithsonian’s Save Outdoor Sculpture program.
Glen Allan, Mississippi is located in the Mississippi Delta region of Washington County. Built in 1830, it was one of the first churches in the area. During the Civil War, the stained glass windows were supposedly removed to assist in the Civil War efforts by using the lead in the windows for bullets.
This began the decline of the church building. Unfortunately, it was hit by a tornado in the early 1900s, and the outer brick walls were destroyed leaving most of what you see today.
This the funeral marker for Jesse Crowell, the only person of color to be buried in the adjacent cemetery. The marker reads, “Born into slavery and held by the Turnbull family, he was a master craftsman who directed the construction of St. John’s Episcopal Church. He supervised the preparation of timber from the forests, as well as bricks made on site by fellow slaves. He personally carved the wood for the chancel rail and pulpit, creating his own design from the leaves of native trees. A devoted Christian, he became the church’s sexton for the remainder of his life. When he died, Bishop Wm. Mercer Green, Sr. preached his funeral from the church, and Jesse became the only person of color ever buried in Greenfield Cemetery.”I cannot confirm what this is, but I asked some cemetery experts, and they believe that it was a holding vault for the cemetery that is located next to the churchyard.
This Queen Anne House was designed by architect, Charles Choate, who focused on designing buildings and homes in the South. Charles Madden was a Black railway clerk who worked his way up the ranks and was able to afford and contract a known architect to build his home. Tennille has the railroad that rights through town, and the tracks are a less than a bock from this home. It was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
Located in Sandersville, Georgia, the T. J. Elder High and Industrial School is a Rosenwald School built in 1927 for $18,600. The six-teacher type school was expanded behind the building over the years. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
Named for Thomas Jefferson Elder, Elder was an important educator who opened his first school in 1889. He and his wife, Lucy Lillian Phinizy, are buried in front of the school.
Founded in 1836 and expanded in 1868, the Old City Cemetery is located in a 4.5 acre plot of land near the town center. The cemetery features several different types of markers that represent the change in marker styles. For a smaller cemetery, it contains several Victorian monuments. I featured many of those here.
It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
Daisy Evans (1906-1908)-A common element in Victorian grave markers is a human figure, child or adult, dropping petals below. While I can’t find a consensus on the meaning, it seems to represent a heavenly reminder to those who are earthbound.George Clinton Evans (1901-1903)-A common motif on Victorian markers is the cherub removing the shroud from a coffin. This represents hope as the shroud of grief is lifted.William Howard Evans (1909-1913-Etched at the bottom, it says “Grand Pa’s Pet.” Scrolls represent the documentation of our lives in Heaven.Ernestine Artman Roberts (1844-1882)-This is one of the larger zinc or “zinkies” I’ve photographed in the state of Georgia. Monumental Bronze Company in Bridgeport, CT made these markers from 1874-1914, and they can be found all over the United States.Emily Evans (1897-1899)-This headstone is in desperate cleaning to bring out the details of the baby shoes and empty stockings.Walter Gallaher (1878-1916)-Conch shells placed on a grave were popular during the Victorian era, and they represented a Christian’s journey through life and the church. Dr. William Haynes (1797-1856)-Haynes was a local preacher, doctor, and high level Mason. The compass and carpenter’s square with the G is one symbol of the Masons. It symbolizes the interaction between the mind and matter.
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