During this class, I have made the best friends and possibly laughed the most I ever have. This collection of pictures on Kizoa is just a small selection of the hundreds of pictures I have from this class. They are my favorites from Magnolia Cemetery, Bethel UMC, and Second Presbyterian which we visited during the class. This class has been great.
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Monday, December 5, 2016
Epic Epitaphs
On a wonderfully chilly, Charleston day, Hunter and I walked around to some of the historic gravesites around town. We visited three, two of which we had already visited with class. The Bethel UMC on Pitt, St. Luke and St. Paul Cathedral, and Second Presbyterian.
The Victorian gravesites around campus are beautiful and a great place to explore on a Saturday when you get the time.
The Victorian gravesites around campus are beautiful and a great place to explore on a Saturday when you get the time.
Monday, November 28, 2016
The Sad Life of Dr. John Somers Buist
Dr. John Somers Buist was not only a doctor but a father to several children and a loving husband to his wife. He often dealt with childhood death as is ran rampant during the 19th century. He actually experienced childhood death first hand with the deaths of two his five children. This tragedy did not hinder his success as a physician but a prominent Charlestonian.
Margaret Sinclair Buist, John's wife, had five children; three of which lived good, long lives after the tragic deaths of their siblings. Daisy was the first to perish in 1877 when she was just one year old. She died from convulsions a common side effect of epilepsy. Even though she was the fifth child, she was the first one to pass away from the diseases of the 19th century which was a stroke of luck for the Buist household.
Their second child to pass away was their first born; the namesake of Dr. Buist. They called this boy Somers ad he lived until the age of seven when he died from diphtheria and the common whooping cough; I can personally attest to the whooping couch being terrible I had it when I was a little girl.
Both the children are buried together right beside the site for Dr. Buist. they have a small epitaph reading "He was weary and fell asleep, with his little sister, together they sing the song of the redeemed," according to Professor Harwood's book, In the Arms of Angels.
Even though Dr. Buist suffered great loss, he still had a successful working career. He was not only a father but a graduate of both the College of Charleston and the Medical University of South Carolina, a Civil War confederate surgeon, a doctor at the Roper Hospital in Downtown Charleston, the president of the Medical Society of South Carolina, and a board member at the Charleston Orphanage which just so happens to be on campus where the Berry Hall building is.
His grave site is a box tomb with a very plain outside especially for a man of his standing in downtown Charleston. It only has his name on the side and a small symbol in the front. He is buried in a plot along with a marker for the two children that passed away. Nothing is all that wonderful about his grave site nor his children's both are very plain and not magnificent.
I chose to do Dr. John Somers Buist in order to further learn about the name my building bears. I wanted to know why my building and many other things around the city of Charleston are marked with the Buist name. The Busit Academy on Calhoun Street bears the family name as well. It is unclear why the school is named after the family. I'd love to be able to talk to historians about why this school bears such a historic name and the other great things the Buist family did during their time.
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| A picture of Dr. Buist found on findagrave.com |
Margaret Sinclair Buist, John's wife, had five children; three of which lived good, long lives after the tragic deaths of their siblings. Daisy was the first to perish in 1877 when she was just one year old. She died from convulsions a common side effect of epilepsy. Even though she was the fifth child, she was the first one to pass away from the diseases of the 19th century which was a stroke of luck for the Buist household.
Their second child to pass away was their first born; the namesake of Dr. Buist. They called this boy Somers ad he lived until the age of seven when he died from diphtheria and the common whooping cough; I can personally attest to the whooping couch being terrible I had it when I was a little girl.
Both the children are buried together right beside the site for Dr. Buist. they have a small epitaph reading "He was weary and fell asleep, with his little sister, together they sing the song of the redeemed," according to Professor Harwood's book, In the Arms of Angels.
Even though Dr. Buist suffered great loss, he still had a successful working career. He was not only a father but a graduate of both the College of Charleston and the Medical University of South Carolina, a Civil War confederate surgeon, a doctor at the Roper Hospital in Downtown Charleston, the president of the Medical Society of South Carolina, and a board member at the Charleston Orphanage which just so happens to be on campus where the Berry Hall building is.
His grave site is a box tomb with a very plain outside especially for a man of his standing in downtown Charleston. It only has his name on the side and a small symbol in the front. He is buried in a plot along with a marker for the two children that passed away. Nothing is all that wonderful about his grave site nor his children's both are very plain and not magnificent.
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| My picture of the Buist gravesite. |
I chose to do Dr. John Somers Buist in order to further learn about the name my building bears. I wanted to know why my building and many other things around the city of Charleston are marked with the Buist name. The Busit Academy on Calhoun Street bears the family name as well. It is unclear why the school is named after the family. I'd love to be able to talk to historians about why this school bears such a historic name and the other great things the Buist family did during their time.
College Students Get Arrested by Ghosts in The Old City Jail
On a chilly November night, 18 college students and two chaperones were taken to the Old City Jail with a sentence of 45 minutes locked inside the haunted space. They were not there alone as the wonderful Paulette Foley of Bulldog Tours lead them through three creepy, pitch black rooms explaining the history of the Old City Jail. This touring company has several other paranormal related tours, as well as, a food tour of the city!
As we started the tour outside of the jail, Paulette told us about the history of the jail which is quite extensive and spans over a century. In 1802, the Old City Jail was built along with fur other buildings to serve as federal prisons. During this time, the government thought that long term incarceration was the cure for crime inside cities.
The jail would operate into the late 1930s until it was finally closed due to inhumane conditions. The guards and prisoners were forced to be without electricity, running water, and the building was infested with outside critters.
The exact number of prisoners is not known for the prison, however, we do know there was over 1,000 prisoners during the Civil War. Over the years the prison was open, 14,000 inmates met their demise inside the walls; only 600 of these were executions.
With the historical context set, our "not hokey tour" began around the back where the old gallows would have been. Paulette told us about the different way of hanging the old City Jail had which included a pulley system and a weight that plunged down into a well. When this weight fell into the well, the rope would jump and snap the persons neck, that is if you are the right size. Many people would not die correctly and would hang until they suffocated. The last hanging took place on July 7, 1911 where Daniel Duncan took 39 minutes to die after they let the weight down. After this happened, South Carolina outlawed all hanging executions.
Once we were led into the prison, we were put into a room where the Crane of Pain was used."This was a set of ropes and a pulley that attached to the prisoners arms and legs then they were pulled taunt and whipped with a catonine tails then rubbed down with rock salt to prevent disease."
While we walked down another pitch black hallway, we filed into a room filled with cells and a metal banged unexpectedly making our small hearts race. "That was similar t my first experience here," Paulette laughed at our reactions. On my third night here, I had to lock up alone and being scared I began singing "Jesus Loves Me" while locking up; as soon as I stopped signing, this 350 pound metal door slammed open without a warning. This I know was Lavinia.
Lavinia Fisher was the first woman executed at the Old City Jail. She was arrested along with two partners for murder at their Inn where they would poison unsuspecting tenants and take their fortunes. It was said oleander was put into tea and they became so ill the died within a few hours. One night, for some unknown reason, a man escaped and led police to the Six Mile Inn where they found three bodies on the property which was enough to arrest the three for attempted murder. Lavinia was sentenced to be hung, however, she tried very hard to get out of her punishment claiming a married woman could not be hung. She was brought to Marion Square for her hanging and when asked if she had any last words she proudly said "If anyone here has a message for Satan I'll be dining with him this evening" then she jumped from the podium and broke her own neck.
Lavinia is quite active in the Old City Jail as seen in the Travel Channel show Ghost Adventures. They had a creepy encounter with her when they came to visit Charleston.
As we started the tour outside of the jail, Paulette told us about the history of the jail which is quite extensive and spans over a century. In 1802, the Old City Jail was built along with fur other buildings to serve as federal prisons. During this time, the government thought that long term incarceration was the cure for crime inside cities.
The jail would operate into the late 1930s until it was finally closed due to inhumane conditions. The guards and prisoners were forced to be without electricity, running water, and the building was infested with outside critters.
The exact number of prisoners is not known for the prison, however, we do know there was over 1,000 prisoners during the Civil War. Over the years the prison was open, 14,000 inmates met their demise inside the walls; only 600 of these were executions.
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An outside of the jail, in the middle you can see a small ball.
Orb or dust, you decide.
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With the historical context set, our "not hokey tour" began around the back where the old gallows would have been. Paulette told us about the different way of hanging the old City Jail had which included a pulley system and a weight that plunged down into a well. When this weight fell into the well, the rope would jump and snap the persons neck, that is if you are the right size. Many people would not die correctly and would hang until they suffocated. The last hanging took place on July 7, 1911 where Daniel Duncan took 39 minutes to die after they let the weight down. After this happened, South Carolina outlawed all hanging executions.
Once we were led into the prison, we were put into a room where the Crane of Pain was used."This was a set of ropes and a pulley that attached to the prisoners arms and legs then they were pulled taunt and whipped with a catonine tails then rubbed down with rock salt to prevent disease."
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Here is Zach attached to the Crane of Pain. Used to discipline children now.
Can be purchased for around $12 at Lowe's.
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While we walked down another pitch black hallway, we filed into a room filled with cells and a metal banged unexpectedly making our small hearts race. "That was similar t my first experience here," Paulette laughed at our reactions. On my third night here, I had to lock up alone and being scared I began singing "Jesus Loves Me" while locking up; as soon as I stopped signing, this 350 pound metal door slammed open without a warning. This I know was Lavinia.
Lavinia Fisher was the first woman executed at the Old City Jail. She was arrested along with two partners for murder at their Inn where they would poison unsuspecting tenants and take their fortunes. It was said oleander was put into tea and they became so ill the died within a few hours. One night, for some unknown reason, a man escaped and led police to the Six Mile Inn where they found three bodies on the property which was enough to arrest the three for attempted murder. Lavinia was sentenced to be hung, however, she tried very hard to get out of her punishment claiming a married woman could not be hung. She was brought to Marion Square for her hanging and when asked if she had any last words she proudly said "If anyone here has a message for Satan I'll be dining with him this evening" then she jumped from the podium and broke her own neck.
Lavinia is quite active in the Old City Jail as seen in the Travel Channel show Ghost Adventures. They had a creepy encounter with her when they came to visit Charleston.
Monday, November 21, 2016
Preparing for Death with Dr. George Dickinson
Nationally acclaimed death, dying and, bereavement expert and beloved Sociology professor at The College of Charleston ,Dr. George Dickinson may be the only person excited to speak about death to a classroom of twenty college freshman. Dr. Dickinson has a plethora of awards from The College of Charleston and has been recognized state wide as one of the leading death experts in the college circuit.
He is passionate about the one of the two things people are uncomfortable talking about. "People hate talking about sexual relations and dying, I chose the later to be an expert on," Dr. Dickinson exclaimed about halfway through his talk on Monday night. He is definitely an expert in his field doing multiple research projects during this time, one including " the reactions of other dogs while another is being euthanized in a separate room."
He further outlined the three periods of death including the newest period from 1945 to the present day. Biomedical breakthroughs during this time have greatly reduced the death rates and people are living much longer than they used to. A shift in the dying pattern also happened, as medical technology became better people began dying more of chronic illnesses rather than widespread diseases.
A number of new traditions surrounding funeral ceremonies and other ways to be remembered in death have arisen over the years as well.
The first funeral home opened in New York City during the 1890s. They provided the first services in the country which were very limited at the time. During advances, cremation services, as well as, cryonics and natural cemeteries.
Cryonics is when someone who has passed away gets injected with liquid nitrogen and then kept frozen until medical advances become great enough to cure whatever disease they have died from. Two famous people that have been frozen include the father-son duo of Ted Williams and John-Henry Williams.
Natural cemeteries are where people who have died become fertilizer for the soil. Buried in the ground with a tree placed near them, they grow into a forest.
He also talked about the different stages of awareness during hospitalization. These include closed awareness, suspicion awareness, mutual pretense, and open awareness. Closed awareness is when nobody knows anyone is dying and they often pass suddenly. Suspicion awareness is when people know the situation is not looking good and they know it won't be much longer until they pass. Mutual pretense is where everyone involved knows the situation is dire but nobody says anything about it. Open awareness is when all parties involved know the situation. The last situation is common in Hospice care situations.
He also touched on Passive and Active Euthanasia which is where either a family member is taken off of life support or they actively seek a doctors help to kill themselves. The latter is only allowed in five states with the only east coast one being Vermont.
Overall the visit from Dr. Dickinson was very educational and somewhat comical when he ended with the story about a cremation on Folly Beach that happened on a BBQ grill back in the day. We thank Dr. Dickinson for taking time out of his busy schedule to come and talk to us!
He is passionate about the one of the two things people are uncomfortable talking about. "People hate talking about sexual relations and dying, I chose the later to be an expert on," Dr. Dickinson exclaimed about halfway through his talk on Monday night. He is definitely an expert in his field doing multiple research projects during this time, one including " the reactions of other dogs while another is being euthanized in a separate room."
He further outlined the three periods of death including the newest period from 1945 to the present day. Biomedical breakthroughs during this time have greatly reduced the death rates and people are living much longer than they used to. A shift in the dying pattern also happened, as medical technology became better people began dying more of chronic illnesses rather than widespread diseases.
A number of new traditions surrounding funeral ceremonies and other ways to be remembered in death have arisen over the years as well.
The first funeral home opened in New York City during the 1890s. They provided the first services in the country which were very limited at the time. During advances, cremation services, as well as, cryonics and natural cemeteries.
Cryonics is when someone who has passed away gets injected with liquid nitrogen and then kept frozen until medical advances become great enough to cure whatever disease they have died from. Two famous people that have been frozen include the father-son duo of Ted Williams and John-Henry Williams.
Natural cemeteries are where people who have died become fertilizer for the soil. Buried in the ground with a tree placed near them, they grow into a forest.
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| Dr. Dickinson during his talk with the FYE group. |
He also talked about the different stages of awareness during hospitalization. These include closed awareness, suspicion awareness, mutual pretense, and open awareness. Closed awareness is when nobody knows anyone is dying and they often pass suddenly. Suspicion awareness is when people know the situation is not looking good and they know it won't be much longer until they pass. Mutual pretense is where everyone involved knows the situation is dire but nobody says anything about it. Open awareness is when all parties involved know the situation. The last situation is common in Hospice care situations.
He also touched on Passive and Active Euthanasia which is where either a family member is taken off of life support or they actively seek a doctors help to kill themselves. The latter is only allowed in five states with the only east coast one being Vermont.
Overall the visit from Dr. Dickinson was very educational and somewhat comical when he ended with the story about a cremation on Folly Beach that happened on a BBQ grill back in the day. We thank Dr. Dickinson for taking time out of his busy schedule to come and talk to us!
Monday, November 14, 2016
My Top 10 Prezi
With the constant reminder of our childhood through Throwback Thursday and Flashback Friday on our Instagram and Facebook feeds, teens try to relive their childhood. Certain T.V. shows help transport us back to those nights watching T.V. after our homework. I love using Prezi and reminiscing about my childhood with shows that made me laugh. Enjoy my Top 10 Childhood shows.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Magonlia Cemetery "The Graddady of Them All"
Through the fog of mosquitos and early afternoon sun, Beyond the Grave FYE visited the 150 acre Victorian era Magnolia Cemetery. As described by a fellow College of Charleston student, it is the "land of hella dead people." Magnolia boasts over 15,000 internments according to findagrave.com with 41 of them being someone of importance or famous.
We braved mosquito bites and talkative cab drivers to cross over to the other side and explore a time where death was used as a way to immortalize the living with grand statues and burial places unlike the lawn markers of today. This breath taking cemetery has almost every kind of grave marker known to man with some being considered modern, marvelous monuments as there really is no classification for them.
Magnolia is known for its large landscape with plenty of places to enjoy the scenery and vast examples of markers. It has one large lagoon in the middle of the front property with multiple other ponds across the grounds; these create a breeding ground for the mosquitos that suck the life out of unsuspecting visitors to Magnolia. Its sprawling grounds host many different cemeteries, including a section for newer internments and some ethnic spaces as well.
It also has an old house that is used as the office for the cemetery that was built in its early days.
At Magnolia there are many different monuments it is hard to just pick three to talk about but I will narrow down the best and explain some things about them.
This mauseloum that is in the shape of shape a pyramid is by far the best in my opinion. Belonging to the family of William Burroughs Smith, a prominent banker in Charleston during the late 1800s. His pyramid is roughly over 100 years old and has been vandalized sadly, however you can see that new life emerged on the pyramid with grass and a tree poking out from the top. The idea of a pyramid came from his daughters when he died, I personally think the shape goes right along with his career as pyramids are prominent on our currency.
The Elbert P. Jones Monument is another of unprecedented beauty at Magnolia Cemetery. The monument features four different angles carved and paced on each side showing different emotions over the plot. Jones was only $6,500 dollars during his day, a sum of almost $300,000 today would be needed to recreate this masterpiece. He was a prominent business man in San Francisco but later moved to Charleston just a year before his death in 1852. His monument also has a Bible verse under the hands of on angel reading "Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble."
This monument to Sergeant James Brown Boyd just beat out some for the last space in this countdown of magnificent monuments at Magnolia Cemetery. He was a Confederate War solider tat fought in the bloodiest battle of the war at Sharpsburg in 1862. He was part of the Palmetto Guards, as seen by the palmetto fawns on his column. He also has flag crossed around the palmetto fawns that show he was a decorated war veteran. He was killed at only 22 during the war and had no other family other than a distant cousin at the time of his death.
As our visit to Magnolia Cemetery drew to a close, the whole class was over taken with its beauty and stood in awe, while slapping mosquitoes, looking at the beauty that is Magnolia Cemetery. We had such a great time at the cemetery and nothing could compare in the other sites we visit. Thanks to Professor Harwood's book In the Arms of Angels: Magnolia Cemetery for providing the information, as well as, findagrave which also provided information used in the post.
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| The lagoon in the middle of Magnolia |
We braved mosquito bites and talkative cab drivers to cross over to the other side and explore a time where death was used as a way to immortalize the living with grand statues and burial places unlike the lawn markers of today. This breath taking cemetery has almost every kind of grave marker known to man with some being considered modern, marvelous monuments as there really is no classification for them.
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| The office at Magnolia |
It also has an old house that is used as the office for the cemetery that was built in its early days.
At Magnolia there are many different monuments it is hard to just pick three to talk about but I will narrow down the best and explain some things about them.
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The sun smiled down on the Smith pyramid that day.
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This mauseloum that is in the shape of shape a pyramid is by far the best in my opinion. Belonging to the family of William Burroughs Smith, a prominent banker in Charleston during the late 1800s. His pyramid is roughly over 100 years old and has been vandalized sadly, however you can see that new life emerged on the pyramid with grass and a tree poking out from the top. The idea of a pyramid came from his daughters when he died, I personally think the shape goes right along with his career as pyramids are prominent on our currency.
As our visit to Magnolia Cemetery drew to a close, the whole class was over taken with its beauty and stood in awe, while slapping mosquitoes, looking at the beauty that is Magnolia Cemetery. We had such a great time at the cemetery and nothing could compare in the other sites we visit. Thanks to Professor Harwood's book In the Arms of Angels: Magnolia Cemetery for providing the information, as well as, findagrave which also provided information used in the post.
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| Just a big portion of the nine that attended from left to right: Beth, Aline, Hunter, Myself, Megan, and Zack |
Monday, October 24, 2016
Bloggers Take on Bethel United Methodist
Just after a weekend trip to Magnolia Cemetery the day before, the Beyond the Grave FYE class traveled to Bethel United Methodist Church on the corner of Pitt and Calhoun. The small graveyard boasts only 519 internments, however not near that many headstones are in the small cemetery of today. With only one distinguished "guest" inside the fences it is not a very well known graveyard around town (guest found through findagrave.com)
Our main mission was to find 10 or more graveyard symbols and describe them for part of the midterm grade. In the small space there were plenty of symbols to find and I have a few of them here outlined for you. All symbols are identified with either Stories Told in Stone by Gaylord Cooper or a grave symbol website included in the course.
This is a photo of the famous internment at Bethel, a Confederate general named Francis Capers. He was born on August 8, 1819 and died January 11, 1982. He was not only a general but also taught at the old Citadel Military School. He has a simple cross inside a circle which represents Christianity and eternal life.
This second, most likely fallen headstone, belongs to Charles C. Seyle. Born July 12, 1828 and died February 10,1880. This headstone has a cross which again symbolizes Christianity but also ivy vines around it which denote friendship. This makes sense due to many people with the last name Seyle are in this cemetery.
Ms. Catherine L. Lord was born September 27, 1826 and died just a few days shy of her birthday on September 25, 1859. Her headstone leaned up against the buildings side has an elaborate wreath with ribbons woven throughout it. This stone also has the births and deaths of a few other members of her family. The wreath symbolizes victory in death with the ribbons meaning not easily found an does not have a specific meaning.
Anna Elizabeth Chrietzberg was born March 15,1821 and died January 18m 1872. She was the wife of a pastor and has a flying dove and wreath on her die on socket headstone. The wreath symbolizes victory in death and the flying dove represents the holy spirit and is often used on graves with a Christian background.
William H. Fleming was the pastor at Bethel during the middle 1800s and born January 1, 1821 and died April 16, 1877. He has a cradle grave adorned with a bible on he top and a wreath with what looks to be poppy flowers and roses. The bible obviously denotes that he was a man of God and the wreath meaning the same thing as earlier discussed. The poppy flowers and roses mean eternal sleep and beauty respectively.
Elizabeth M. Ainger was born October 14, 1807 and died October 6, 1872. Her headstone is kind of hidden away by this bush on the side of the building. Her headstone boasts many different types of flowers and a dove with a branch in its mouth. The flowers look to include daisies which means innocence. The dove with a branch in its beak symbolizes peace, hope, and promise.
Anna Eliza Childers was born May 25, 1842 and died May 19, 1859. Her headstone is also leaned up against the building as well. It has wilted rose flower on the top. This is considered wilted and broken by the book which often denotes a teen death as well as mortality.
This headstone is my favorite partly because I love willow trees and it just seems like a hidden beauty of the graveyard. James F. M. Lord was born sometime in 1825 and died on February 1, 1862. His weeping willow symbolizes the sadness and mourning of a family.
Mary Syfan was born December 30, 1775 and died July 26, 1823. She has what looks to be a weeping woman under w willow tree. The weeping woman means mourning and sorrow as does the weeping willow that she is under.
Elizabeth Moore was born sometime in 1796 and died October 26, 1865. She was another pastor's wife and has a beautiful angel on the top of her headstone turned ledger. The angel means guide to heaven.
Overall, the class visit to Bethel United Methodist was a short walk away from campus and boasted many different symbols in a very tiny space downtown.
Our main mission was to find 10 or more graveyard symbols and describe them for part of the midterm grade. In the small space there were plenty of symbols to find and I have a few of them here outlined for you. All symbols are identified with either Stories Told in Stone by Gaylord Cooper or a grave symbol website included in the course.
This is a photo of the famous internment at Bethel, a Confederate general named Francis Capers. He was born on August 8, 1819 and died January 11, 1982. He was not only a general but also taught at the old Citadel Military School. He has a simple cross inside a circle which represents Christianity and eternal life.
Anna Elizabeth Chrietzberg was born March 15,1821 and died January 18m 1872. She was the wife of a pastor and has a flying dove and wreath on her die on socket headstone. The wreath symbolizes victory in death and the flying dove represents the holy spirit and is often used on graves with a Christian background.
William H. Fleming was the pastor at Bethel during the middle 1800s and born January 1, 1821 and died April 16, 1877. He has a cradle grave adorned with a bible on he top and a wreath with what looks to be poppy flowers and roses. The bible obviously denotes that he was a man of God and the wreath meaning the same thing as earlier discussed. The poppy flowers and roses mean eternal sleep and beauty respectively.
Overall, the class visit to Bethel United Methodist was a short walk away from campus and boasted many different symbols in a very tiny space downtown.
Bloggers Take on Bethel United Methodist
Just after a weekend trip to Magnolia Cemetery the day before, the Beyond the Grave FYE class traveled to Bethel United Methodist Church on the corner of Pitt and Calhoun. The small graveyard boasts only 519 internments, however not near that many headstones are in the small cemetery of today. With only one distinguished "guest" inside the fences it is not a very well known graveyard around town (guest found through findagrave.com)
Our main mission was to find 10 or more graveyard symbols and describe them for part of the midterm grade. In the small space there were plenty of symbols to find and I have a few of them here outlined for you. All symbols are identified with either Stories Told in Stone by Gaylord Cooper or a grave symbol website included in the course.
This is a photo of the famous internment at Bethel, a Confederate general named Francis Capers. He was born on August 8, 1819 and died January 11, 1982. He was not only a general but also taught at the old Citadel Military School. He has a simple cross inside a circle which represents Christianity and eternal life.
This second, most likely fallen headstone, belongs to Charles C. Seyle. Born July 12, 1828 and died February 10,1880. This headstone has a cross which again symbolizes Christianity but also ivy vines around it which denote friendship. This makes sense due to many people with the last name Seyle are in this cemetery.
Ms. Catherine L. Lord was born September 27, 1826 and died just a few days shy of her birthday on September 25, 1859. Her headstone leaned up against the buildings side has an elaborate wreath with ribbons woven throughout it. This stone also has the births and deaths of a few other members of her family. The wreath symbolizes victory in death with the ribbons meaning not easily found an does not have a specific meaning.
Anna Elizabeth Chrietzberg was born March 15,1821 and died January 18m 1872. She was the wife of a pastor and has a flying dove and wreath on her die on socket headstone. The wreath symbolizes victory in death and the flying dove represents the holy spirit and is often used on graves with a Christian background.
William H. Fleming was the pastor at Bethel during the middle 1800s and born January 1, 1821 and died April 16, 1877. He has a cradle grave adorned with a bible on he top and a wreath with what looks to be poppy flowers and roses. The bible obviously denotes that he was a man of God and the wreath meaning the same thing as earlier discussed. The poppy flowers and roses mean eternal sleep and beauty respectively.
Elizabeth M. Ainger was born October 14, 1807 and died October 6, 1872. Her headstone is kind of hidden away by this bush on the side of the building. Her headstone boasts many different types of flowers and a dove with a branch in its mouth. The flowers look to include daisies which means innocence. The dove with a branch in its beak symbolizes peace, hope, and promise.
Anna Eliza Childers was born May 25, 1842 and died May 19, 1859. Her headstone is also leaned up against the building as well. It has wilted rose flower on the top. This is considered wilted and broken by the book which often denotes a teen death as well as mortality.
This headstone is my favorite partly because I love willow trees and it just seems like a hidden beauty of the graveyard. James F. M. Lord was born sometime in 1825 and died on February 1, 1862. His weeping willow symbolizes the sadness and mourning of a family.
Mary Syfan was born December 30, 1775 and died July 26, 1823. She has what looks to be a weeping woman under w willow tree. The weeping woman means mourning and sorrow as does the weeping willow that she is under.
Elizabeth Moore was born sometime in 1796 and died October 26, 1865. She was another pastor's wife and has a beautiful angel on the top of her headstone turned ledger. The angel means guide to heaven.
Overall, the class visit to Bethel United Methodist was a short walk away from campus and boasted many different symbols in a very tiny space downtown.
Our main mission was to find 10 or more graveyard symbols and describe them for part of the midterm grade. In the small space there were plenty of symbols to find and I have a few of them here outlined for you. All symbols are identified with either Stories Told in Stone by Gaylord Cooper or a grave symbol website included in the course.
This is a photo of the famous internment at Bethel, a Confederate general named Francis Capers. He was born on August 8, 1819 and died January 11, 1982. He was not only a general but also taught at the old Citadel Military School. He has a simple cross inside a circle which represents Christianity and eternal life.
Anna Elizabeth Chrietzberg was born March 15,1821 and died January 18m 1872. She was the wife of a pastor and has a flying dove and wreath on her die on socket headstone. The wreath symbolizes victory in death and the flying dove represents the holy spirit and is often used on graves with a Christian background.
William H. Fleming was the pastor at Bethel during the middle 1800s and born January 1, 1821 and died April 16, 1877. He has a cradle grave adorned with a bible on he top and a wreath with what looks to be poppy flowers and roses. The bible obviously denotes that he was a man of God and the wreath meaning the same thing as earlier discussed. The poppy flowers and roses mean eternal sleep and beauty respectively.
Overall, the class visit to Bethel United Methodist was a short walk away from campus and boasted many different symbols in a very tiny space downtown.
Sunday, October 2, 2016
The Fighting Life of Ferdinand Ankenbrand
Americans know all too well the horrors of the World War II era. The reign of Hitler caused great destruction and a senseless genocide of Jewish people. As Americans, many of us had family members who fought for the Allied forces...but what would the war look like from the other side? My great grandfather, or große Opa, got to see what life was like fighting for the German Army during World War II.
Ferdinand Ankenbrand was born on 26 July 1913, right before World War I began in Europe. As a child growing up in the post World War I era, the war lasted from 1914-1918, my great grandfather did not have much. In fact, stories of his childhood are pretty much lost as it was turbulent and he chose not to talk about them with my Oma, his daughter.
From what I do know, Ferdinand was an orphan by the age of 11; his father most likely fought for the German Army in World War I and I have no idea what caused his mother to pass away while he was so young. No one in my family knows anything else beyond these few facts about Ferdinand's parents, everyone who knew them is either deceased or I have never met because they live in Germany. It's common for that side of the family to not talk about ancestors or anything pertaining to family life really for that matter.
As a German citizen, you are required to sign up for a draft much like the one we practice in America. This is what happened with my great grandfather, during World War II Germany issued a draft calling all the men to come to war; Ferdinand was drafted in 1938. He answered the call to avoid repercussions to his wife, Pauline. Ferdinand excelled in the German Army eventually becoming a sergeant. I want to clear something up, in no way did he work in concentration camps or any job that dealt with them; he merely was a fighting solider on the fields.
In July of 1945, Ferdinand was fighting in Italy when American troops captured him and he became a prisoner of war and was transported to America first going to Alabama then landing at Camp McCain in Mississippi. During his stay at Camp McCain, he had quite the unusual experience.
The German POW's at Camp McCain, were "treated like friends," he said during an interview when he later came back to visit. They did not have to do extremely hard labor or have unusual punishment because they were part of the German Army. As a POW, he picked cotton and did other work in the fields of nearby farmers who would return them to camp at the end of the day. He was also allowed to keep somewhat of a higher positon because of his sergeant status; he was the "commander" of the around 30 men in his barrack.
Through all of this, my great grandmother Pauline had no clue where her husband was. She was first told that Ferdinand was only missing-in-action, or MIA; she later just assumed his was killed-in-action because she never received the POW information card the American government was supposed to send. She waited quite some time to be reunited with him, but eventually, in October of 1947 they were finally together again.
Little is known about why it took so long after the war ended for them to be together again but we do know Ferdinand spent some time in England working in shipyards after being released from Camp McCain in 1946 right after the war ended.
Two years later they would have a daughter, their only child and my Oma, Renate. She has never really talked about growing up in a post-war reconstructing country so I do not know much about how her childhood was different from her fathers'.
Ferdinand and Pauline would later return to Camp McCain while visiting family here in America. That event was quite big for the camp as many of the POW's returned at some point because they did not have feelings of bitterness and hatred for the American soldiers there.
Not much more is known from their by any of my family that are willing to reminisce about ancestors. My mother, who was born in Germany, was able to visit only a couple of times when she was very young and does not remember much.
My great-grandfather passed away at the age of 82 on 3 December 1995 in Gochshiem, Germany
his hometown. He perished due to natural causes along with the complications from diabetes; he had several amputations in his later years which eventually shocked his system so terribly he never made a recovery. He was cremated and placed into the only cemetery of the city, because this is so, the cemetery is unnamed and impossible to find online.
Not much more of him is ever talked about. I think it would have been very interesting to meet him when I travelled to Germany. The German part of my heritage has always intrigued me. maybe one day I can explore more of my family tree and visit again.
Ferdinand Ankenbrand was born on 26 July 1913, right before World War I began in Europe. As a child growing up in the post World War I era, the war lasted from 1914-1918, my great grandfather did not have much. In fact, stories of his childhood are pretty much lost as it was turbulent and he chose not to talk about them with my Oma, his daughter.
From what I do know, Ferdinand was an orphan by the age of 11; his father most likely fought for the German Army in World War I and I have no idea what caused his mother to pass away while he was so young. No one in my family knows anything else beyond these few facts about Ferdinand's parents, everyone who knew them is either deceased or I have never met because they live in Germany. It's common for that side of the family to not talk about ancestors or anything pertaining to family life really for that matter.
 |
My great-grandfather and some of the men he fought with.
He is pictured top row, left.
|
As a German citizen, you are required to sign up for a draft much like the one we practice in America. This is what happened with my great grandfather, during World War II Germany issued a draft calling all the men to come to war; Ferdinand was drafted in 1938. He answered the call to avoid repercussions to his wife, Pauline. Ferdinand excelled in the German Army eventually becoming a sergeant. I want to clear something up, in no way did he work in concentration camps or any job that dealt with them; he merely was a fighting solider on the fields.
In July of 1945, Ferdinand was fighting in Italy when American troops captured him and he became a prisoner of war and was transported to America first going to Alabama then landing at Camp McCain in Mississippi. During his stay at Camp McCain, he had quite the unusual experience.
The German POW's at Camp McCain, were "treated like friends," he said during an interview when he later came back to visit. They did not have to do extremely hard labor or have unusual punishment because they were part of the German Army. As a POW, he picked cotton and did other work in the fields of nearby farmers who would return them to camp at the end of the day. He was also allowed to keep somewhat of a higher positon because of his sergeant status; he was the "commander" of the around 30 men in his barrack.
Through all of this, my great grandmother Pauline had no clue where her husband was. She was first told that Ferdinand was only missing-in-action, or MIA; she later just assumed his was killed-in-action because she never received the POW information card the American government was supposed to send. She waited quite some time to be reunited with him, but eventually, in October of 1947 they were finally together again.
Little is known about why it took so long after the war ended for them to be together again but we do know Ferdinand spent some time in England working in shipyards after being released from Camp McCain in 1946 right after the war ended.
 |
This is my great grandfather and his wife, Pauline.
This was at their home in Gochsiem, Germany.
|
Two years later they would have a daughter, their only child and my Oma, Renate. She has never really talked about growing up in a post-war reconstructing country so I do not know much about how her childhood was different from her fathers'.
Ferdinand and Pauline would later return to Camp McCain while visiting family here in America. That event was quite big for the camp as many of the POW's returned at some point because they did not have feelings of bitterness and hatred for the American soldiers there.
Not much more is known from their by any of my family that are willing to reminisce about ancestors. My mother, who was born in Germany, was able to visit only a couple of times when she was very young and does not remember much.
 |
The only photo of my great grandfathers burial place. He's urn is placed in the
first spot on the left of the second row.
|
My great-grandfather passed away at the age of 82 on 3 December 1995 in Gochshiem, Germany
his hometown. He perished due to natural causes along with the complications from diabetes; he had several amputations in his later years which eventually shocked his system so terribly he never made a recovery. He was cremated and placed into the only cemetery of the city, because this is so, the cemetery is unnamed and impossible to find online.
Not much more of him is ever talked about. I think it would have been very interesting to meet him when I travelled to Germany. The German part of my heritage has always intrigued me. maybe one day I can explore more of my family tree and visit again.
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Purple Skies and Dead Guys: Exploring Two of Downtown Charleston's Historical Graveyards
Chasing storms and knowledge, the Beyond the Grave FYE class at College of Charleston was able to visit two of the closest graveyards near campus.
The serene, historical sections of Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul and the St. Patrick Catholic Church provided the first experiences of our small class of twenty. Walking through these old graveyards we saw several different types of gravestones with many different symbols. I want to show you some of my favorites along with the interesting epitaphs on these stones.
First we visited the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. John, on beautiful Coming Street (I'm a little biased because I live on Coming), which boasted a grand white steeple and wrought iron fencing around the property. This graveyard featured a collection of different styles along with a variation of different years people were placed into the yards there; the most recent I found was 2013.
The site pictured on the left, reads "Thos. George Simons and Catherine Hume, His wife Catherine died Aged 84, 6 months, 26 days." On the other sides of the square, an epitaph to George was also written. This particular urn stood out to me because it was in a section that had flood lighting. I am very curious to know why lights were placed around this one little section of St. Luke's.
This mausoleum is one of the most "decorated" of the graveyard. It has two torches and a phrase in Latin across the top. The phrase "qui christo vivit perire nescit" I found has conflicting meanings. On Professor Harwood's blog it says the inscription means "it is hard to kill a rose in a churchyard" but in Google Translate the phrase translates to "He knows that Christ lives lost" which I believe makes more sense because Christo is Latin for Christ. This monument also has inverted torches with flames that symbolize eternity and death. (As of October 19,2016, Professor Harwood's blog now has an updated explanation of this phrase.)
This column was hidden in a back section of the graveyard and has the cut off top to symbolize a life stopped too soon or "cut off." It also has a wreath on the top that was adopted by Christians and Greeks as victory and redemption. This one looks like an laurel wreath which is usually used for people who have a high distinction in the literature and arts.
The picture below is of Alice Flacc Simons who was born April 19, 1849 and died on January 13, 1891. Her grave was extremely beautiful to me and offered a sense of serenity when I looked at it. She is in what is known as a tomb grave; hers is just lower than most typical tomb graves.
The serene, historical sections of Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul and the St. Patrick Catholic Church provided the first experiences of our small class of twenty. Walking through these old graveyards we saw several different types of gravestones with many different symbols. I want to show you some of my favorites along with the interesting epitaphs on these stones.
 |
A picture of the storm we ventured into. This photo does not
do the violet skies justice.
|
 |
The sign on the front of St. Luke's
They also have a coveted Carolopolis
award.
|
First we visited the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. John, on beautiful Coming Street (I'm a little biased because I live on Coming), which boasted a grand white steeple and wrought iron fencing around the property. This graveyard featured a collection of different styles along with a variation of different years people were placed into the yards there; the most recent I found was 2013.
 |
Found in the graveyard of St. Luke,
this is an example of a Pedestal tomb with an urn atop it.
|
 |
This mausoleum is fenced in with gates and has no
indication of what family is inside.
|
This mausoleum is one of the most "decorated" of the graveyard. It has two torches and a phrase in Latin across the top. The phrase "qui christo vivit perire nescit" I found has conflicting meanings. On Professor Harwood's blog it says the inscription means "it is hard to kill a rose in a churchyard" but in Google Translate the phrase translates to "He knows that Christ lives lost" which I believe makes more sense because Christo is Latin for Christ. This monument also has inverted torches with flames that symbolize eternity and death. (As of October 19,2016, Professor Harwood's blog now has an updated explanation of this phrase.)
This column was hidden in a back section of the graveyard and has the cut off top to symbolize a life stopped too soon or "cut off." It also has a wreath on the top that was adopted by Christians and Greeks as victory and redemption. This one looks like an laurel wreath which is usually used for people who have a high distinction in the literature and arts.
The picture below is of Alice Flacc Simons who was born April 19, 1849 and died on January 13, 1891. Her grave was extremely beautiful to me and offered a sense of serenity when I looked at it. She is in what is known as a tomb grave; hers is just lower than most typical tomb graves.
\
Our last stop for the night was the St. Patrick's Catholic Church graveyard which offers very little variety in headstones with many of them containing crosses.
During this trip one specific cross stuck out more than any other the others, it was carved to look like a tree in my perception and it had ivy leaves carved around in a winding pattern like it had just overgrown onto the cross. It is also a representation of the die and socket style of gravestone. The ivy winding around the cross is a symbol for many things like memory, immortality, and eternal life among others.
There was another cross with what looks to be grapes surrounding it on vines on a headstone. The grapes are used to symbolize Christ. It also appears to have some sort of ivy snaking around it as well.
The last symbol is probably one of my favorites as Weeping Willows remind me of my childhood down here in South Carolina. The weeping willow is said to stand for nature's lament and mourning. This stone is also very peculiar to me as the top of it resembles the Devil's horns.
As this post draws to a close, I encourage you to visit both of these beautiful graveyards and walk among the stories hidden in stone. Thank you for following my stormy adventure around Charleston!
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Sunday, September 18, 2016
Exciting Historian Shares Knowledge at College of Charleston
You may be "crazy" about a favorite band, activity, or hobby; well, Ms. Ruth Miller has the dead running trough her head. She came to share her extensive knowledge thanks to Professor Harwood.
Ms. Ruth Miller, established Charleston historian and expert for over 30 years, shared her immense knowledge with the FYE Beyond the Grave. While Ms. Miller is revered as a historian for all of Charleston, her favorite places to speak about are where Charleston's deceased lie.
Ms. Miller credits her love for all things graveyard to "a group of morticians who stopped [her] at St. Michael’s Church and taught [her] about the grave sites." Since that tour of "over five graveyards in just two hours," she has delved into the stories of Charleston's past residents.
She is a part of the highly acclaimed Association of Gravestone Studies which has members from all walks of life including historians, genealogists, stone cutters, and many more professions that tend to deal with the other side of life. This group often "believes graves are important to everyone" and they aim to preserve and document many of the sites around the country which hold great historical value.
Among her numerous achievements throughout her life including graduating from Duke University, becoming a social studies teacher, and established author on several articles, she has published a collection of pamphlets on the eleven 17th and 18th Century graveyards around downtown Charleston. They include anecdotes and photographs of the beautiful grounds in a portable format.
Throughout her visit to The College, she opened our eyes to many facts dealing with the historical statistics of Charleston’s beloved graveyards. Our city houses two 17th Century sites with the other nine being from the 18th century. Among these eleven grounds, Charleston is said to have “best collection of 18th century tombstones in the United States.” Although this fact is comical due to the fact that the Lowcountry is lacking heavily in the main component of tombstones; we have no stone! She cites the success of Lowcountry stone cutters immaculate work being so because they ordered the finest stone from northern areas and hand carved them once they reached South Carolina.
During her lecture, she also was able to tell stories of a few of her favorite grave sites that can be found in her publications about them. She pointed out St. Mary’s Roman Catholic, Circular Congregational Church, Unitarian Church, and St. Micheal’s as some of her favorites from around the city.
The story I loved most came from the Unitarian Church where the “most widely read woman at the turn of the Civil War” is buried. Carolina Gilman is inside it's graveyard but is often unspoken of because she and her husband owned slaves during their time and the Unitarian Church does not condone slavery so they more or less “swept them under” and erased them from their church.
In all, Ms. Miller’s visit was extremely informational yet interesting as she shared her love for all things grave to our class. We thank her very much for taking the time to teach us about one of the most historical places in our great city. Stay tuned for future posts where I explore some sites talked about in this post and others around the city!
“The wealthiest place on earth is the cemetery. There lies buried the greatest treasure of untapped potential.”
-Myles Munroe
Photo Citations:
St. Micheal's Churchyard. Hunt, Chris. 2009. Photo. U.S. Web Archives. <http://www.usgwarchives.net/sc/charleston/photos/tombstones/stmichaels/stmichae123nph.jpg>
Ms. Miller and Professor Harwood. Personal Archives.
Circular Church Graveyard: Friel, Thomas. 15 April 2016. Photo. Flickr. <https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1602/26520156556_de82252906_b.jpg>
Ms. Ruth Miller, established Charleston historian and expert for over 30 years, shared her immense knowledge with the FYE Beyond the Grave. While Ms. Miller is revered as a historian for all of Charleston, her favorite places to speak about are where Charleston's deceased lie.
Ms. Miller credits her love for all things graveyard to "a group of morticians who stopped [her] at St. Michael’s Church and taught [her] about the grave sites." Since that tour of "over five graveyards in just two hours," she has delved into the stories of Charleston's past residents.
 |
| The greeting sign in front of St. Micheal's, the site that started it all. |
She is a part of the highly acclaimed Association of Gravestone Studies which has members from all walks of life including historians, genealogists, stone cutters, and many more professions that tend to deal with the other side of life. This group often "believes graves are important to everyone" and they aim to preserve and document many of the sites around the country which hold great historical value.
Among her numerous achievements throughout her life including graduating from Duke University, becoming a social studies teacher, and established author on several articles, she has published a collection of pamphlets on the eleven 17th and 18th Century graveyards around downtown Charleston. They include anecdotes and photographs of the beautiful grounds in a portable format.
 | ||
| Ms. Miller and Professor Harwood exchanging books at the end of her lecture. |
Throughout her visit to The College, she opened our eyes to many facts dealing with the historical statistics of Charleston’s beloved graveyards. Our city houses two 17th Century sites with the other nine being from the 18th century. Among these eleven grounds, Charleston is said to have “best collection of 18th century tombstones in the United States.” Although this fact is comical due to the fact that the Lowcountry is lacking heavily in the main component of tombstones; we have no stone! She cites the success of Lowcountry stone cutters immaculate work being so because they ordered the finest stone from northern areas and hand carved them once they reached South Carolina.
During her lecture, she also was able to tell stories of a few of her favorite grave sites that can be found in her publications about them. She pointed out St. Mary’s Roman Catholic, Circular Congregational Church, Unitarian Church, and St. Micheal’s as some of her favorites from around the city.
The story I loved most came from the Unitarian Church where the “most widely read woman at the turn of the Civil War” is buried. Carolina Gilman is inside it's graveyard but is often unspoken of because she and her husband owned slaves during their time and the Unitarian Church does not condone slavery so they more or less “swept them under” and erased them from their church.
 |
| Circular Conventional Church and its graveyard. Looking forward to visiting this one most. |
In all, Ms. Miller’s visit was extremely informational yet interesting as she shared her love for all things grave to our class. We thank her very much for taking the time to teach us about one of the most historical places in our great city. Stay tuned for future posts where I explore some sites talked about in this post and others around the city!
“The wealthiest place on earth is the cemetery. There lies buried the greatest treasure of untapped potential.”
-Myles Munroe
Photo Citations:
St. Micheal's Churchyard. Hunt, Chris. 2009. Photo. U.S. Web Archives. <http://www.usgwarchives.net/sc/charleston/photos/tombstones/stmichaels/stmichae123nph.jpg>
Ms. Miller and Professor Harwood. Personal Archives.
Circular Church Graveyard: Friel, Thomas. 15 April 2016. Photo. Flickr. <https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1602/26520156556_de82252906_b.jpg>
Friday, September 2, 2016
A Look Into My Life
Hi y'all! For anyone who does not know, my name is Montana. I was born in Summerville, South Carolina, where most of my family still lives, but relocated to Bessemer City, North Carolina when I was very young so my dad could follow work.
I have always considered South Carolina as my home and could not be happier to attend College of Charleston. I plan to study Business Administration with a concentration in entrepreneurship, and if time allows a minor in sociology.
I went to an unconventional high school called Gaston Early College; this school offers a college education along with normal high school courses. At GECHS I was part of our BETA Club chapter as President and Secretary in different years, I was Business Manager for our Yearbook staff where I made business ads and had to be in embarrassing promotional videos, I was also a part of the Student Ambassadors which helped bring upcoming freshman into the school.
My school was a big part of my life for five years and I miss it so very much along with the friends I left behind in North Carolina.
In North Carolina, I worked as a bakery assistant for the wonderful Cake Me Away Bakery where I did everything under the sun. I became assistant cupcake baker, head customer service, and head bar and cookie maker in the company. As stressful as all of it sounds, I would not give up the experience for anything. The lessons I have learned at the bakery have shaped my adult life to make me a harder worker, determined to see my successes, and more patient with people. I also cook a variety of savory foods which benefited the restaurant the company owns as well.
I want to own a dessert based food truck with my best friend. We both worked at the bakery and study business administration; our partnership was destined. I look forward to making so many new friends here at The College, including my new roommate from Japan!
There is so much more about me that just would not fit into this blog post; if I have left anything out please ask me in person! I love to meet new people!
I have always considered South Carolina as my home and could not be happier to attend College of Charleston. I plan to study Business Administration with a concentration in entrepreneurship, and if time allows a minor in sociology.
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| Personal picture of how I revealed my college of choice. |
I went to an unconventional high school called Gaston Early College; this school offers a college education along with normal high school courses. At GECHS I was part of our BETA Club chapter as President and Secretary in different years, I was Business Manager for our Yearbook staff where I made business ads and had to be in embarrassing promotional videos, I was also a part of the Student Ambassadors which helped bring upcoming freshman into the school.
My school was a big part of my life for five years and I miss it so very much along with the friends I left behind in North Carolina.
In North Carolina, I worked as a bakery assistant for the wonderful Cake Me Away Bakery where I did everything under the sun. I became assistant cupcake baker, head customer service, and head bar and cookie maker in the company. As stressful as all of it sounds, I would not give up the experience for anything. The lessons I have learned at the bakery have shaped my adult life to make me a harder worker, determined to see my successes, and more patient with people. I also cook a variety of savory foods which benefited the restaurant the company owns as well.
 |
| A picture of an event the bakery has done that I delivered and set up. |
I want to own a dessert based food truck with my best friend. We both worked at the bakery and study business administration; our partnership was destined. I look forward to making so many new friends here at The College, including my new roommate from Japan!
There is so much more about me that just would not fit into this blog post; if I have left anything out please ask me in person! I love to meet new people!
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