Toppled, broken, and eroded gravestones

 

In nearly every cemetery, there is a distressingly large number of toppled and broken stones, in addition to those whose inscriptions are not very legible. Vandalism is rife, and mowing accidents are frequent. Weather conditions cause erosion, and ice can crack off large portions of the surface.

 

There’s not much that can be done about the stones suffering from the effects of nature. The elements will continue to destroy the inscriptions; however, a photograph of them now will definitely be better than a photograph taken several years in the future. The ones that are not standing may very likely be left on the ground, soon to have overgrown grass hiding them totally. If not that, they may be carted away. Cemeteries don’t always have funds to reset stones, and family members who might pay often cannot be located or will be disinterested.

"A picture is worth a thousand words." Even if the inscription can be read only partially, someone who knows about the memorialized person might be able to decipher it. And a photo of an ancestor's gravestone might be the only tangible link to the past. Photograph those stones before it's too late and post the photos online.

Think of it as historic preservation! 

All photos from Buffalogen's collection. 

   

St. John's Evangelical Cemetery, Buffalo NY

    St. John's Ev., 2000

    St. John’s Evangelical Cemetery was located on the corner of Military Road and Lansing Street in Buffalo, New York. Established in the 1860s by St. John’s Evangelical Church on Amherst Street, the last burial was in 1918.
    In 1974, while searching for the burial place of John Rupp (died 25 May 1883), I explored this abandoned cemetery. It was marshy and overgrown with weeds and brush, but several stones were still standing, including one for Jacob Rupp.The large monument was substantial and in good condition. I vaguely remember an encircled “R” at the top and names, Jacob's and his wife's, and something about five children who died young. I did not record the inscription.
    In October 1983, I revisited the site of this cemetery - it had been destroyed. In the middle of the area, under a rug, was a pile of rubble that might have been shattered gravestones. I searched the entire area, even where it was still almost impenetrable, and found no standing or toppled stones.
    I have regretted ever since that I did not photograph the Rupp stone and record the inscription.

Postscript: The property was sold in December 1976 to Niagara Dairy Products Corp., and the cemetery was decommissioned by the church. The remains of the cemetery were bulldozed circa July 1977 to make way for a parking lot. I don’t know if the bodies were removed, but I suspect they were not.

Photograph from Buffalogen's collection