Missouri State University

Skip to content Skip to navigation
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Art History Virtual Exhibition

Gravestone Epitaphs at the Union Campground Cemetery: Researched and Conserved by Katelyn Hageman

August, 2020 by Sarah Teel

Gravestones are monuments that are usually inscribed with general information about the deceased, including the name, birth date, death date, and sometimes names of close relatives such as parents or spouses. An epitaph, however, is an inscription that goes beyond these basics to memorialize the deceased or to communicate the feelings of the deceased or their survivors. Books of epitaphs have been published since the seventeenth century in the United States, but epitaphs additionally may derive from religious scriptures, common sayings, or even popular hymns. Although the size and material of gravestones often reflect the economic wealth of the deceased, gravestones from all levels of society may include epitaphs.

In the Union Campground Cemetery, epitaphs vary from short statements to elaborate, lengthy poetic verses. George Gimlin’s concrete headstone and Zadie Winton’s small marble headstone have simple messages, “At Rest” and “Asleep in Jesus,” which are Biblical and hymnal references that suggest peaceful rest in death. The headstone of Mary Sage, who died of typhoid at the age of three, expresses both her young age and the grief of her family, with reference to a Bible passage saying that the kingdom of heaven belongs to children: “Suffer little children to come unto me.” J. E. Davis’s large limestone ledger stone, meanwhile, has a longer text that can be traced back to common epitaphs in England and Ireland, and provides a cautionary message that people should live a good life to prepare for death and the afterlife: “Remember me as you pass by, as you now are, so once was I. As I am now, so you must be, prepare for death, follow me.”

 

Before conservation:

 

 

After conservation:

Ledger Gravestone of J. E. Davis
American Midwest Ozarks culture
ca. 1843
Limestone, L.1.14 m x W. 50 cm x H. 10.5 cm
Union Campground Cemetery #4

 

Before conservation:

 

After conservation:

Headstone of Mary E. Sage
American Midwest Ozarks culture
ca. 1884
Marble, L. 24.5 cm x W. 5 cm x H. 55 cm
Union Campground Cemetery #30

 

Before conservation:

 

After conservation:

Headstone of George Gimlin
American Midwest Ozarks culture
ca. 1910
Concrete, L. 26 cm x W. 10 cm x H. 40 cm
Union Campground Cemetery #3

 

Before conservation:

 

After conservation:

Footstone of Zadie Winton
African-American Midwest Ozarks culture
ca. 1905
Marble, L. 21.6 cm x W. 5.5 cm x H. 14.6 cm
Union Campground Cemetery #2b

 

 

For more information, you may contact the researcher(s) noted in the title of this exhibit entry, or Dr. Billie Follensbee, the professor of the course, at BillieFollensbee@MissouriState.edu

Filed Under: 2017 Fall, ART/MST 488: Basic Conservation of Art and Artifacts Tagged With: african-american culture, african-american midwest ozarks culture, american midwest, american midwest ozarks culture, conservation, gravestone, ozarks culture

Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Categories

  • 2014 Fall, ART/MST 488: Basic Conservation of Art and Artifacts
  • 2015 Fall, ART/MST 488: Basic Conservation of Art and Artifacts
  • 2016 Fall, ART 385: Art of the Americas
  • 2016 Spring, ART 386: Art of Africa
  • 2017 Fall, ART/MST 488: Basic Conservation of Art and Artifacts
  • 2018 Fall, ART 385: Art of the Americas
  • 2018 Spring, ART 386: Art of Africa
  • 2019 Fall, ART/MST 488: Basic Conservation of Art and Artifacts
  • 2020 Spring, ART 386: Art of Africa

Tags

20th century 20th century art africa african art African basketry akua'ba american midwest american midwest culture american midwest ozarks culture art of africa asante culture bamana culture basketry baule culture beadwork bobo culture bonniebrook ceramics ceremonial masks chancay culture conservation early 20th century footstone gravestone headstone kente cloth kifwebe mask kuba culture kuna culture lakota culture late 20th century mask mola ndebele culture oceania ozarks culture panama papua new guinea ralph foster museum senufo culture Sioux Culture staffs staffs of power tanzania zulu culture

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org
Make your Missouri statementMake your Missouri statement
  • Last Modified: November 10, 2020
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Disclosures
  • EO/AA/M/F/Veterans/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity
  • © 2013 Board of Governors, Missouri State University
  • Contact Information