Day: March 1, 2008

Charley Harden, Indiana PVT 70 FIELD ARTY, JANUARY 9, [1930?]

GOODMAN

John J Lawrence 1840-1935, Union Veteran Civil War

Skirvin, Tilford L., Sept. 22, 1850 – Jun. 24, 1913
Mary M., Oct. 14, 1853 – Dec. 23, 1929

Grave Marker with Red Lichen (Caloplaca)

Clara, Mount Gilead Cemetery, Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana

There are actually three graves here, but the stones are worn smooth. The only identifying mark is the name Clara, on the center stone. It’s etched deeply, as if it had been re-carved at some point. The graves are clearly old, but someone still keeps it decorated with plastic flowers and tchotchkes.

There’s a new grave, just a few feet from Clara’s. It wasn’t there the last time I visited the cemetery. A young man is buried there, and the grave is packed with flowers and mementos. It’s interesting to see new graves jumbled in with the old ones.

Another weird thing about this cemetery–there are new stones in the old section, right next to the dry stone wall. A couple of them are facing the wall, with only a few inches of empty space between them. The old church is directly on the other side of the wall, so there’s not a good way to look at those backward headstones. Why on earth would they be placed facing out like that?