July 13, 2018

Oak Grove Cemetery, St Mary's GA

Happy Friday the 13th!

I was really happy to get the opportunity to go re-explore a cemetery that I first found back in 1992/1993.
I was a youngun' away from home for the first time, at my first ship after joining the Navy after high school.  The USS Canopus was stationed in King's Bay, Georgia - in the lovely little coastal town on the Florida border called St. Mary's.  In my off time, I explored the area and found the coolest little cemetery that I don't think I ever knew the name of until many years later, when I began to embrace my fascination with cemeteries.  Thanks to FindaAGrave & Google Maps, I was able to eventually figure out what the name was.
Please excuse some of them being blurry - my camera is fussy.
The Resurrection Angel
I took 2 photos from this side (the other I held the camera lower) and both show those blue/green orbs in the upper right corner.  If it was just in one, I'd think it was dust motes in the sun...but in two photos??  Hmmmm.
Some of the plots were completely surrounded by brick walls, with no way to get inside!
Sacred to the Memory of Doctor Daniel McCormick
 of the United States Navy
This tribute of respect is offer'd
by his Brother Officers
(can't make out the script part)
So below is the reason I made a point of tracking down this cemetery.
For some reason, this memorial always stood out in my mind. 
 It's one of the oldest in the cemetery, from 1801. 
I don't know why I felt drawn to this family where they'd stay in my mind for so many years!
Sacred to the Memonry
of
Col. John Patterson
Aged 52 years
Mary Young, his daughter
Age 19 years, 6 months
Charles Young, the son of
Mary Young, Age 18 months
James Batcholer, Age 17 years
John Morris, Age 8 years
9 months, relatives of the above. 
All born at Philadelphia, State of 
Pennsylvania and fell victims within
a few days of each other, to the
yellow fever of 1801 at St. Marys
State of Georgia
This Marble is erected by 
Francis Young and 
Lewis Levy, sons in law of
Col John Patterson
The grief of their affectionate relatived
speaks louder then this cold Marble. 
(Rowe & White C.S.C)
John Patterson (1750-1801), of Philadelphia, served as a captain in the Second Pennsylvania Regiment of the Continental Line for the entire Revolutionary War from June 1776 until January 1, 1783
A Master shipbuilder, Col Patterson established a shipyard in St. Marys during the 1790s. He built many ships including the U.S. St. Marys (a very early US Navy ship), and The General Oglethorpe, a live oak timbered vessel built for overseas trade.
John Patterson and another St.Mary's resident from Philadelphia, John Stotesbury, had served as captains in the Pennsylvania Continental Line. John Patterson and John Stotesbury both became original members of The Society of the Cincinnati in 1783, at the end of the Revolutionary War. John Stotesbury, who was buried in an unmarked grave at Oak Grove, lived in a house which is still standing near the waterfront in St. Marys.
It is believed that all five people were placed together in the Patterson vault and were buried quickly, with little handling, and with little ceremony.
217 years later and the horizontal carvings are still clear & in excellent condition. 
Dr. George William (Blackie) Barker
Dorothy Louise (Dot) Timm Barker
Blackie, son of G.W.Barker Sr and Pearl Lee Spradlin Barker,
was born February 26, 1925 in Heard County Georgia.  Dot,
daughter of Walter Fred Timm Sr and Ethel Hughes Timm,
was born February 8, 1920 in Richmond County Georgia. 
Blackie died September 25, 1975 in the St Mary's River.  Dot
died June 14, 1994 in St. Mary's Georgia. 
Looks like another fallen from WWII.  
Clyde doesn't appear to share the sentiment of being twin to Grace!
Interesting that he was an officer and she was enlisted. 
Beneath this stone
Repose the Mortal Remains
of
Henry Robinson Sadler
who departed this life
on the 16th day of February 1854
in the Fifty-Sixth year of his age
Peace to his soul
Affection to his memory
Beneath this stone
repose the mortal
remains of
Mary Jane Sadler
Eldest child of 
Henry R & Catherine Ann
Sadler
who departed this life
June 17 A.D. 1823
Aged 2 yrs & 2 mo.
"The Lord gave & the Lord 
hath taken away, blessed be the 
name of the Lord."
The Sago palm I have in a pot in my kitchen window is much smaller than this one!
The foot stone belonging to the stone above, embedded in the wall around the plot. 
I mainly stayed in the "old section" of the cemetery, but this more recent one caught my attention. 
(on the right)
William Henry King
1854 - 1932
Founder of Kingsland (a nearby city)
Mary Ella Tumerelle / Adolphe Tummerelle
she was born in Connecticut & he was born in Belgium.
This crypt was apparently full, since the door was bricked in. 
I love the Spanish moss!  Another little tidbit that stayed in my mind all these years. 
That's a cool last name!
Grand Daughter
Rebecca Hunt Proctor
Educator and character builder
Jan 18, 1952 - Nov 27, 2000
Of course the little jack-o-lantern is what caught my attention!
It's like she's thinking "what am I going to do with you?"
This billboard was near the flagpole.  It lists all the veterans & their plots.
Tiny little lizard!
Arthur Lee King
Born at Longwood Plantation
Kingsland, Georgia
October 8 1886
Died in Jacksonville, Florida
November 27, 1958
The white of these 2 stones is amazing!
Resurrection Angel from a distance. 
Kind of love this shot!
Here's a really interesting article from the Florida Times-Union

 photo http---signatures.mylivesignature.com-54494-164-6E1F2937D85F5FD3EB8A14DC4819E6EF_zpsg5damrgy.png

1 comment:

  1. Really enjoyed your photos and commentary!

    ReplyDelete

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