Oh, I love this stone. From the Floriography to the details on her dress to the very unusual epitaph, this is just one of those monuments that grabs your attention. It’s very obvious that Lizzie’s family took her death very hard.
Lizzie Blalock Estes
B 1859 D 1883
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It’s noted that her gravestone was created by the renowned J.S. Clark & Co. from Louisville, Kentucky. The company created tombstones and monuments all over the South!
A few more things that caught my eye: a tiny stone ‘house’ marking the grave of young sisters and a bowl of conch symbolizing infinity and the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth.
The most famous resident of this cemetery is James Longstreet. He was Confederate generalΒ during theΒ American Civil WarΒ and was the principal subordinate to GeneralΒ Robert E. Lee. He is a controversial figure here in the South for a variety reasons – the Lost Cause folks (UGH, gross) had a field day with him – but I don’t really like to focus on the war here on the site so I skipped his grave. There’s a ton of literature and research about him so feel free to do your own thing if you’re interested.
But I did see this one with cannon and had to find out a bit more about Cooper B. Scott because I’d never heard of him. Plus that inscription alludes to ‘we can neither confirm or deny’ kinda vibe, right? Obviously this is a hotly contested honor of sorts?
He was thrown in the brig for (supposedly) firing this shot against direct orders as well as being drunk as a skunk while doing it. Scott was a career hothead and was demoted more than he was promoted, and eventually faced a court martial for his actions. You can read more here and note his obit was published on an anniversary of the battle.
Sidequest: If you’re in Gainesville then I recommend the Walking Tour of the Solar System and the Chicken Statue in Poultry Park just down the way.
