Tombstone Tuesday - What Do You Do with a "Used" Tombstone?

A new cemetery (Forest Lawn) was opening adjacent to Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, Georgia, and I decided to  purchase six burial spaces. In 1980, when my Dad (Raymond Mitchell THOMAS, Jr.) died unexpectedly, arrangements were made to bury him in Forest Lawn Cementery. Eight years later, my grandmother (Eddye Mae LOYD SWANN) died. While making arrangements for her funeral, we learned that the LOYD-SWANN lot in historic Bonaventure Cemetery contained more spaces than we thought. Once my Mom (Eddye Frances SWANN THOMAS) received this information, she was determined to relocate my Dad's remains to her family's lot. Her parents and grandparents are buried there as well as her brother and uncle. 

The "Unwanted Tombstone"

The relocation happened sometime during the late 1990s. Mom did not want to use the old marker because marker's design did not match the current markers on the LOYD-SWANN lot. 


Loyd-Swann Lot

This created a real dilemma--what do you do with a "used" marker!" My brother, Ray (Raymond Mitchell THOMAS III) stored it in his garage until we could make a decision. We forgot about it until early 2002, when Ray asked, "What are we going to do with this old marker that's still in my garage?" I told him we couldn't just throw it away. Then we had a brainstorm! The gravesite of my grandparents' (Raymond Mitchell THOMAS, Sr. and Kathryne "Katie" Elizabeth AUSTIN), in Hillcrest Abbey East Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia, was minus a tombstone.

Ray and I visited the monument company and asked if the plates on the old marker could be replaced. The answer was yes, but the cost was just a few hundred dollars under the purchase cost of a new marker. We were told it would be necessary to recast the bronze. We then explored the cost of two new name plates. Ray decided he could sand the plates off the bronze marker and new plates could be attached. The representative warned that it may destroy the marker. Since the marker was of no value as it was, we decided there was nothing to lose by trying. The new plates were only a fraction of the cost of a new marker. In 2002, the "repurposed" marker was installed and it now marks my grandparents' graves.

The "Repurposed" Tombstone with close-up photos of the new plates

I have attempted to properly document the relocation of my Dad's remains from one cemetery to another, but can you imagine the headache some poor genealogist might have one day! My Dad's obituary clearly states he was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia. He was, but he didn't stay. He now rests happily in Bonaventure Cemetery next to my Mom and her parents whom he loved dearly. 

A Trip to the Cemetery

Find-A-Grave (http://www.findagrave.com/) is a great site. I have located many of my ancestors’ graves there. If you are not familiar with Find-A-Grave, one of its features is the “Request a Photo” option. While unloading photographs of family graves, I noticed there were eighteen photo requests for Hillcrest Abbey Memorial Park, East, where my paternal grandparents are buried.

My grandson, Hayden, accompanied me this past Sunday to fulfill some of the requests. I was impressed with his sensitivity and respect for the graves. I watched as he cautiously stepped around the lots. He said he felt he was being disrespectful when he stood on the graves in order to photograph the markers. We talked about it and I tried to assure him his actions were very respectful. I then showed him stones vandalized by people who obviously had no respect for themselves or the graves they were desecrating. He could not believe people would do this.

Unfortunately, our trip satisfied only three of eighteen Find-a-Grave requests. The other requests did not give enough information to locate the graves without help from the cemetery office. We easily found the Heidt lot as described in the requests as it gave the location/lot number and I had a detailed map of Section J. We took photos of the all the markers on the lot as well as those specifically requested. Nine photos were sent to the requester.

The closed, cemetery office held the information we needed to fulfill the remaining fifteen requests. This venture was not planned. We found that no advance preparation was a mistake. An after-the-trip phone call to the office would provide the information we needed to fulfill the third Heidt request.  

We then visited the graves of my grandparents—Kathryne Elizabeth Austin and Raymond Mitchell Thomas, Sr. (Section J, Lot 152). I told Hayden the story of this marker (which I will share at another time).

Katie Austin and Raymond Thomas marker

Two uncles are also buried on Lot 152--John Hugo Thomas and William Burrington Thomas. Hayden asked about the damage to Uncle Hugo’s marker--the mowers have caused extensive damage to its corner and the US Navy insignia is missing. I pointed out that Uncle Bill’s birth date was incorrectly shown on his marker.  

Uncle Hugo's marker

Uncle Bill's marker showing incorrect birth date

Hayden wanted to know how I knew the date was wrong. This offered a genealogy research lesson! I told him that I had a copy of the birth recordings from my great-grandmother's Family Bible (actually written by Uncle Bill) and her personal Bible (written by her), a birth certificate copy, and my knowledge that his birthday was always celebrated on Oct 15th.

Written by Annie Hunsucker Austin in her personal Bible



Added to the Austin Family Bibly by Uncle Bill (his handwriting)



Copy of birth certificate

 For me, the trip was a total success. What started out as a favor for someone, ended as a gift to me. I spent a great afternoon with my grandson--visiting graves of four generations located in two cemeteries (Bonaventure and Hillcrest), sharing stories of the family, respecting others, and learning to plan! Hopefully, a genealogy seed was planted. Hayden learned that you do not take genealogy facts at face value and more than one source, if at all possible, should be obtained to validate a fact. It was a good day.