Angels in Heaven, and in Stone

I have been racing through projects, being productive and getting things done around here for a couple of weeks now.  On Monday, I felt I deserved a day off ... so I loaded up the dogs and headed two hours west of here to Staunton, Virginia (pronounced STAN-ton, not STAWN-ton), to visit Thornrose Cemetery.  I had never been there before ... and ya'll already know how much I love exploring a good cemetery.

According to information on their web site, Thornrose Cemetery was designed in 1849, because the only other cemetery in town, at Augusta Parish Church, was full.  The first burial at Thornrose took place in 1853.  Old cemeteries like this contain a wealth of beautiful monuments with wonderful sculpture.  What I noticed most at Thornrose were the Angels.

 

 

Vickie Louise  /  daughter of

S. & E. P. Campbell

Aug. 12, 1943  /  Sept. 25, 1950

Budded on Earth  /  to bloom in Heaven

 

 

Each of the angels is unique.

 

Patricia Ann  /  daughter of

Jack & Beulah Peterson

Sept. 4, 1955  /  Mar. 26, 1970

 

 

(I didn't photograph the inscription on this one ... rats!)

 

 

Standing before these statues, and seeing the names and the dates, I can barely imagine the grief of the families who commissioned these angels in memory of their children.  It is strangely uplifting to see that these children are memorialized in such a beautiful way and that they will be thought of by all who see these angels.

Liggan H. Cox  /  Died Nov. 9, 1883  /  Aged 2 Mos.

Everett S. Cox  /  Died Aug. 15, 1887  /  Aged 2 Yrs. 6 Mos.

Mamie Corina Cox  /  Died Aug. 3, 1889  /  Aged 10 Mos.

 

 

Frederick  /  Feb. 8, 1907  /  July 15, 1907

Randolph  /  May 10, 1909  /  July 6, 1909

Virginia May Serrett  /  May 10, 1903  /  Oct. 21, 1918

 

 

Plot sales and burials continue at Thornrose Cemetery.  I found one relatively-modern grave with an angel statue.  The carving is just as fine as on the older angels, though the color of the marble is still white and new looking.  This lovely little angel will develop a beautiful patina with the passage of time and the effects of weather.

 

Brenda Lee Ayer

March 16, 1960  /  August 31, 1976

 

 

 

 

There are other statues at Thornrose besides angels.

 

It is common to see lambs on the memorials for children.  Never before have I seen a lamb like this one, sleeping with his head down.

 

 

 

 

 

The most unusual monument I saw was this one ... a statue of a dog, waiting patiently for his mistress.

 

 

 

 

 

I went to Thornrose Cemetery in search of the roses that I was told were once there.  Tomorrow, I will show you what I found.