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<div>Les...</div>
<div>In the 1960's my aunt had a slim little book called something like "Comic Epitaphs" and I recognize some of these from that book. On the other hand, my 3rd great grandfather, Joseph Whealdon, is buried in the pioneer cemetery in Centralia, WA. On this Quaker's grave, the inscription reads: "Stranger pause as you pass by; as you are now, so once was I. As I am now; so you will be. Pause awhile and think of me".</div>
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<div>I do believe that at least some of the inscriptions you quote are likely to be true. We tend to think of epitaphs as something that survivors conferred upon their loved ones, but in many cases, epitaphs were written (as were obituaries) by the individual before they died. If there was a sense of humor involved, I can easily see an atheist deciding that his obituary should read "all dressed up with no place to go". </div>
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<div>Carla <br>
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<div style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: helvetica,arial">-----Original Message-----<br>
From: Leslie Chapman <reedsportchapmans@verizon.net><br>
To: or-roots mail list <or-roots@listsmart.osl.state.or.us><br>
Sent: Fri, Jan 15, 2010 6:06 pm<br>
Subject: [or-roots] Browsing Old Cemeteries<br>
<br>
<div id=AOLMsgPart_0_657b3e5e-aa45-4573-a753-5c1f19234c22 style="FONT-SIZE: 12px; MARGIN: 0px; COLOR: #000; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fff"><PRE style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt"><TT>I hope I can be forgiven for this one, it is sort of genealogy. Les
Browsing Old Cemeteries
A truly Happy Person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.
And, one who can enjoy browsing old cemeteries...
Some fascinating things on old tombstones!
Harry Edsel Smith of Albany, New York :
Born 1903--Died 1942.
Looked up the elevator shaft to see if the
Car was on the way down. It was.
=============================
In a Thurmont, Maryland , cemetery:
Here lies an Atheist, all dressed up and no
Place to go.
=============================
On the grave of Ezekial Aikle in
East Dalhousie Cemetery , Nova Scotia :
Here lies Ezekial Aikle, Age 102. Only The
Good Die Young.
=============================
In a London , England cemetery:
Here lies Ann Mann, Who lived an old maid
But died an old Mann. Dec. 8, 1767
=============================
In a Ribbesford, England , cemetery:
Anna Wallace
The children of Israel wanted bread, And
The Lord sent them manna. Clark Wallace
Wanted a wife, And the Devil sent him Anna.
===============================
In a Ruidoso, New Mexico , cemetery:
Here lies Johnny Yeast... Pardon him
For not rising.
===============================
In a Uniontown, Pennsylvania , cemetery:
Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake.
Stepped on the gas instead of the brake.
==============================
In a Silver City, Nevada, cemetery:
Here lays The Kid.
We planted him raw.
He was quick on the trigger
But slow on the draw.
================================
A lawyer's epitaph in England :
Sir John Strange.
Here lies an honest lawyer,
And that is Strange.
=================================
John Penny's epitaph in the Wimborne,
England , cemetery:
Reader, if cash thou art in want of any,
Dig 6 feet deep and thou wilt find a Penny.
==================================
In a cemetery in Hartscombe , England :
On the 22nd of June, Jonathan Fiddle went
Out of tune.
==================================
Anna Hopewell's grave in Enosburg Falls ,
Vermont :
Here lies the body of our Anna,
Done to death by a banana.
It wasn't the fruit that laid her low,
But the skin of the thing that made her go.
==================================
On a grave from the 1880s in Nantucket ,
Massachusetts :
Under the sod and under the trees,
Lies the body of Jonathan Pease.
He is not here, there's only the pod.
Pease shelled out and went to God.
==================================
In a cemetery in England :
Remember man, as you walk by,
As you are now, so once was I
As I am now, so shall you be.
Remember this and follow me.
To which someone replied by writing on the tombstone:
To follow you I'll not consent.
Until I know which way you went.
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