Last week, I drove out to the Rosehill Cemetery in Hazelton, Kansas, to visit my ancestors' graves. I thought it would be a grueling trip to a dust bowl location, but it was the opposite of that. A rainstorm had been through earlier in the day, and the dirt roads had turned to slimy red mud. However, the cemetery was on high ground, and was dry.
It was a lovely. peaceful place, with a lively breeze and storm clouds in the distance. A small shed in the middle of the graveyard listed all the inhabitants and their locations. There were four Stephensons and maybe a dozen Hardestys.
Prominently located was the grave monument to Phyllis's paternal grandfather, William Francis (Frank) Stephenson, who died in 1906. His marker was carved in limestone in the shape of a tree, standing about 5 feet tall, and, even though it was more than 100 years old, was etched very finely and deeply.
A short distance beyond was the grave monument to Phyllis's maternal grandfather, Joseph P. Hardesty. It was in a distinctive opposite style to Frank's. With a sculpted open bible on top, incised sculptures and a marble-like finish, the monument to Joseph P. was a testament to how well he was loved by his descendants.
These interesting grave monuments illustrate the differing sides of my mother's personality. From the wild and rustic to the refined and social.
It was a lovely. peaceful place, with a lively breeze and storm clouds in the distance. A small shed in the middle of the graveyard listed all the inhabitants and their locations. There were four Stephensons and maybe a dozen Hardestys.
Prominently located was the grave monument to Phyllis's paternal grandfather, William Francis (Frank) Stephenson, who died in 1906. His marker was carved in limestone in the shape of a tree, standing about 5 feet tall, and, even though it was more than 100 years old, was etched very finely and deeply.
William's monument seems distinctly Scottish in nature, while Joseph's is very English and genteel.
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