Diary of a graveyard.

Forums: History, Photography, Graveyards, Grave Stones
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This thread is coming from my gravestone carving thread.

I had alot of people either post in the thread, or ask me
in PM about this graveyard.

Some people wanted to know about stone quality, some about fences, some about specific areas..

all of wich, I know a considerable amount, but my knowledge is neither complete, nor 100% accurate.

But, it is a quirky passion of mine to visit, photograph, and
learn as much as I can about older graveyards here in Austin.

Oakwood is the "oldest" ( so they say.. ) graveyard in austin.

They also say it was started in 1850. But, if you look closely
on some of my photographs, you will soon learn, as I have, that
the city is wrong.

I don't blame them. This graveyard is over 23,000 in population
and more then 10 acres.

it was charted by someone like me. Someone who volunteered to do the job
and only had a camera, pencil and paper.

I try to take landscape shots to help you get an idea of exactly HOW big
this place is, but I think I am unsuccessful. I guess I will have to take
a video one day, but for right now, I will just post pictures.

This thread will be a project of mine, so it will change constantly.

I will start with the pauper section, then the coloreds,
move to the " middle class section".
Then I will finish off with the very wealthy .

Well, that is my "rough" idea..

This graveyard is so large, there is a major street that cuts right
through the center because it just takes up too much of Austin.

Due to its size, i may not have everything grouped together as I plan,
but I will get it out here all the same.

don't worry, I will not post all 23,000! Laughing

I will just post the odd, the beautiful, the old, and the famous.
Wich may be close to some 5,000 headstones.. who knows.

I hope you enjoy reading and watching this thread as much as I am going
to enjoy making it. Smile

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The pauper section is full of small stones with too much information.

Small pieces of concrete that people tried to place an entire family
history on, with only a pocket knife, and some cases what appears to be lead pencil.

There are only a few that have survived over the years.

Some have absolutly no information on them, but beautiful carvings.
Then.. some have only initials.

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/5721/135dk5.jpg

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/326/2zr5.jpg

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/2032/4mt1.jpg

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/9447/7ao4.jpg

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There are so many broken pauper headstones, that sadly,
people have been dragging them to small
piles so that the grounds keepers can mow safely.

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/6914/8lb5.jpg

http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/8959/9pb1.jpg

http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/117/11copyvz6.jpg

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http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/8369/12qz4.jpg

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http://img455.imageshack.us/img455/6660/13kx5.jpg

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http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/3429/14ob9.jpg

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This one is only a little bigger then my foot.

I am assuming it is a childs grave, possibly a still birth, and / or before term. It is very small.

( for reference, I wear a womans size 8 and this is just above the tip of my toe by a few inches)

No information. No neighboring headstones..

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/1702/firstpictures1812vd8.jpg

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This one has naturally worn down to appear like a rough drawing of the state of Michigan

OR- could have been shaped like a mitten to begin with?

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/3325/firstpictures1867ve3.jpg

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These are images of the pauper area.

The area is right next to the fence . On the other side of the fence is a residential street that goes right down the middle of this graveyard. It separates the 'older' from the newer.

Though, on the other side of the street there are old graves as well, most of them appear to be spanish people.

What I imagine is that this now paved street, was a major street for regular folks to come by and visit their loved ones.
It could also have been the street for funeral processions, and wagons/trucks to bring the bodies in on.
I dont think the street would have been added later as there might have been bodies buried in the ground and moving them would be disrespectful.

That also explains why the pauper area is there as well.

Poor people could not afford a large procession. They would have had to carry their family members / coffins on their own. It would have been the very 'end' of the yard away from everyone else before major streets began popping up.

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/6039/firstpictures1898er8.jpg

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/5058/firstpictures1889gj2.jpg

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This is so interesting!
I live in a historic town in MD that was founded in the 1700's - we have a very old graveyard too.
That tiny little grave in your photo is facinating. Really makes you wonder doesn't it?

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It does.

I wonder if someone had TB? While they were pregnant?

The pile of stones may have had mom and dads marker in it, but they were moved because they fell ov er. So it is quite possible that either mom or dad are buried right next to the tiny grave , but no one knows anymore.
Maybe , mom and dad are in another state.. they could have been passing through austin.
It could have been an " abortion" of sorts from an unmarried woman. Marked for respect, but buried anonymously to save the womans status..

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http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/2157/5dc2.jpg

http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/3145/6af7.jpg

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shewolfnm wrote:

That one says "PIG".

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http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/4341/firstpictures1901pz6.jpg

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/1602/firstpictures1911xl6.jpg

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Bella Dea wrote:

shewolfnm wrote:

That one says "PIG".

I have on that says "Ima Hogg.. "

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Another example of the 'home made' head stones-

http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/7209/firstpictures1905yi3.jpg

there are quite a few of these in the pauper area.
But as you can see in the photos of the yard, there are not alot of them in good condition anymore.

I also wonder if alot of the headstones were not wooden crosses and things that have rotted away over time.. or have been removed all together.

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This group of pauper headstones particularly bothers me.

In the picture, the 2 that are in the bottom corner read Mom the next one says Dad

The larger one in the top says Grandma and Grandpa ( on the same stone )

each and every other marker says Baby, Baby, Baby , Baby , Baby, Baby

These are stones that look like they wrote in the tops of them when the concrete was still wet. ( signs of a poor family)

My mind wanders..

Did they all die together? TB? The plague?

Was it a young couple who tried to have children.. but she couldn't carry them?
Did they , one by one, die of a disease? Starvation?

Maybe the wife's body could not produce milk , and with out the modern birth control options we have today, she had to bear the children she was pregnant with, to only watch them die of starvation because her body couldn't feed them....

Was it a fire that killed the family?

There are no dates on any of the stones so I don't know if they died together, separate.... Nothing....

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/6181/17qd2.jpg

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Another , home made headstone, that says there is more then 2 people in one grave.

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/5649/18oq0.jpg

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http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/3092/15gn9.jpg

These are quite common.
Simple stones with initials and nothing else.
In fact, in the pictures of the pauper area, MOST of what appears to be empty ground, has these in it.

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/9240/10up6.jpg

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/1661/firstpictures1899kh0.jpg

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This is a photo taken from across the graveyard.

You see where the chain link fence is ? Allllll the way down the road?

That is where I am 'at' now in the virtual 'tour'. The pauper area.

And this is less then 1/4 of the yard you see in this picture.

Hell, less then 1/6th I would say.. .. and probaly be correct..

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/9156/firstpictures1772sq8.jpg

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Diary of a graveyard.

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