I’ve already introduced you to this cemetery with the story of the Fisk Coffin find and a brief tale of my adventures in grave cleaning but that was just the proverbial tip of the iceberg. There’s so much to tell that *spoiler alert* there’ll be a third post about this spot! But I don’t want to get ahead of myself so let’s just pretend I didn’t spill the 3 beans and instead move on to this particular adventure…
The only zinkie in the cemetery, this one still had lovely details (that draping seemed extra nice to me that morning) even though it was missing all the panels. But that gave me an opportunity to do this:
Ever wanted to see what the inside of one looked like? I was hoping for a bottle of booze wrapped in some burlap tucked away on a ledge because I’ve heard a zillion stories about zinkies during prohibition. Alas, it was just a chimney-esque situation…
This is the grave of Mary Annie but grave is known more for her sister Lucy aka The Lady In Black. Lucy was a local musician who had at one time played in a band with her departed sister Mary. But her true claim to fame came from visiting Mary’s grave twice a week for over 46 years, always dressed in traditional mourning black. She walked all the way from Atlanta to Marietta round trip which around 40 miles both ways and averages around 10-15 hours. Her dedication was both lauded and looked at with suspicion in the small town. Stories swirled about why she would do such a thing? Some rumors focused on Lucy having a guilty conscious for some wrong done to Mary. Others questioned if they had been siblings at all and were instead lovers. Whatever the reason, Lucy spent a lifetime visiting Mary.
Mary’s grave is in the family plot and there is only one other marker…and a small one at that. Lucy herself is without a stone! Why Mary had the largest and most expensive monument while her parents and other siblings went without is a mystery. More fuel to the rumor mill fire.
And speaking of fire, someone left a candle burning and scorched the stone. Remember, use grave goods responsibly.
I spy with my little eye…can you find the grave good in the floral photo above?
One of two legs buried at the cemetery but the only one buried with full honors and not reunited with the, uh, owner.
J. Kemp worked for the railroad and an accident crushed his leg with amputation being the only option. He requested the leg be given a proper burial which is what you see here. Sadly, Kemp died not long after from an unrelated illness and was buried elsewhere leaving his leg a phantom limb in the graveyard…
I’ve now seen an arm and a leg. *checks off those boxes from my cemetery scavenger hunt* Go read more about the Arm of Buel Stanley!
Stay tuned for another chapter featuring some lovely funerary art and heartbreaking story involving murder, mayhem and a song written about a young girl’s death.
