The Ordinary, Extraordinary Cemetery

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“No abbey’s gloom, nor dark cathedral stoops,
No winding torches paint the midnight air;
Here the green pines delight, the aspen droops
Along the modest pathways, and those fair
Pale asters of the season spread their plumes
Around this field, fit garden for our tombs." - WILLIAM ELLERY CHANNING

There are more than 10,000 souls who call Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, Massachusetts their final resting place. In this episode Jennie and Dianne will share just a smidgen of those 10,000 stories. Meet authors, artists, sculptors, American Civil War veterans and so many more in this edition of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery!

Resources for this episode include:

Dee, Susan, and Kevin Thomas Plodzik, Ed.D. "Sleepy Hollow Cemetery: Beyond Authors Ridge ." https://issuu.com/. 1 May 2021, issuu.com/discoverconcordma/docs/dc.spring21.final/s/11973724. Accessed 5 Sep. 2021.

"The Friends of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery ." https://www.friendsofsleepyhollow.org/. www.friendsofsleepyhollow.org/. Accessed 5 Sep. 2021.

"History of Concord, Massachusetts ." https://www.u-s-history.com/. www.u-s-history.com/pages/h3869.html. Accessed 5 Sep. 2021.

"DANIEL CHESTER FRENCH ." https://www.chesterwood.org/. www.chesterwood.org/daniel-chester-french. Accessed 5 Sep. 2021.

Editors, Biography.Com. "Nathaniel Hawthorne Biography ." https://www.biography.com/. 2 Apr. 2014, www.biography.com/writer/nathaniel-hawthorne. Accessed 5 Sep. 2021.

"Louisa May Alcott ." https://louisamayalcott.org/. louisamayalcott.org/louisa-may-alcott. Accessed 5 Sep. 2021.

Schneider, Richard J.. "Thoreau's Life ." https://www.thoreausociety.org/. www.thoreausociety.org/life-legacy. Accessed 5 Sep. 2021.

"Ralph Waldo Emerson." https://www.poetryfoundation.org/. www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/ralph-waldo-emerson. Accessed 5 Sep. 2021.

Service, National Park. "Harriett Lothrop (pen name Margaret Sidney) ." https://www.nps.gov/. 28 Apr. 2020, www.nps.gov/mima/learn/historyculture/thewaysideharriettlothrop.htm. Accessed 5 Sep. 2021.

Moore, Jr., Alex W.. Concord Authors Biographical Notes. 3rd ed., Anaxagoras Publications, 2009, pp. 1-25.

Brooks, Paul. The Old Manse and the People Who Lived There. Applewood Books, 1983, pp. 37-68.

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Jennie and Dianne explore a couple of highly unique Belgian immigrant cemeteries located in Door County, Wisconsin. Is there really a little cemetery in the sky? And why are the headstones at St Mary of the Snows churchyard only 6 inches apart? Find out the answers to these questions and much more more in this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery.

Cemetery events mentioned in this episode:
 * Ask the Historian & Cemetery Open House: Albany Rural Cemetery - Albany, New York - https://fb.me/e/1f32r6pnX

*Green Lawn Abbey Classic & Exotic Car Show -  Green Lawn Abbey - Columbus, Ohio -  https://greenlawnabbey.org/

*Beyond the Grave: Cemetery Wanderings with Edgar Allan Poe - Evergreen Cemetery - Colorado Springs, Colorado - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beyond-the-grave-cemetery-wanderings-with-edgar-allen-poe-tickets-166124694433?aff=efbevent&fbclid=IwAR0Us4khydqSAEPeAJa9X2uJhcpCkSIa4j0auAeln8kN36iqqnlc6LIzpNI

Resources used for this episode include:
 Burton, Paul, and Frances Burton. Door County Stories and Stories from the Belgian Settlement. 2nd ed., Stonehill Publishing, 2003, pp. 45-51.

"INTRODUCTION TO DOOR COUNTY: A 5-MINUTE PRIMER ." https://www.doorcounty.com/. www.doorcounty.com/introduction-to-door-county/. Accessed 29 Aug. 2021.

"Our History." https://www.doorcounty.com/. www.doorcounty.com/discover/our-history/. Accessed 29 Aug. 2021.

"Historical Timeline ." http://www.belgianamerican.org/. 1 Jan. 2003, www.belgianamerican.org/history.html. Accessed 29 Aug. 2021.

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Jennie and Dianne take you to one of Ohio's most beautiful garden cemeteries, Oakwood Cemetery in Cuyahoga Falls. In this episode they explore the lives of a teacher and a gentleman farmer, a self-made man who was one of Cuyahoga Falls' best know citizens, a man who began his career on the factory floor making tires and worked his way up to become the CEO of Goodyear tires, a poet, and the discovery and marking of the graves of freed slaves. As we always say. "Every death had a life and every life had a story", in this Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery. 

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In this episode Dianne and Jennie visit five  mysterious graves located throughout the United States. From the grave of a female stranger, to a group of graves marked by a turning Angel, to a supposed witch, and even to the grave of a creature that may not be of this world! Come along as we explore these ordinary extraordinary cemeteries and and the mysteries they hold within!

Resources for this episode include:

Connelly, Christopher. "Nearly 120 Years After Alleged UFO Crash, Small Texas Town Is All About Aliens ."  keranews.org. 18 Apr. 2016, www.google.com/amp/s/www.keranews.org/texas-news/2016-04-18/nearly-120-years-after-alleged-ufo-crash-small-texas-town-is-all-about-aliens%3f_amp=true. Accessed 8 Aug. 2021.

"Aurora, Texas, UFO incident ." Wikipedia.org. 26 July 2021, en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora,_Texas,_UFO_incident. Accessed 8 Aug. 2021.

Carpenter, Heidi E.. "The “Witch’s Grave” of St. Omer Cemetery ." Medium.com. 11 Nov. 2019, medium.com/chicagoland-haunts/the-witchs-grave-of-st-omer-cemetery-350871b7c869. Accessed 8 Aug. 2021.

Ofgang, Erik. "A Botched Bank Robbery, the Lady in Black, and a Mysterious Headstone: The Strange Tale of 'XYZ' ." Connecticutmag.com. 18 Dec. 2018, www.connecticutmag.com/history/a-botched-bank-robbery-the-lady-in-black-and-a-mysterious-headstone-the-strange-tale/article_1cdf8a2e-02f4-11e9-94b4-6312ac978f71.html. Accessed 8 Aug. 2021.

"The Grave of XYZ Deep River, Connecticut The mysterious headstone of an unidentified bank robber was seen visited, every year, by a woman in black.  ." Atlasobscura.com. www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-grave-of-xyz-deep-river-connecticut. Accessed 8 Aug. 2021.

"The Grave of the Female Stranger St. Paul's Episcopal Church Alexandria, Virginia This grave marks the passing of a historic Jane Doe whose identity remains a mystery to this day.   ." Atlasobscura.com. www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-grave-of-the-female-stranger-alexandria-virginia. Accessed 8 Aug. 2021.

"Turning Angel memorial restored at Natchez City Cemetery ." Wjtv.com. 8 Sep. 2020, www.wjtv.com/news/turning-angel-memorial-restored-at-natchez-city-cemetery/. Accessed 8 Aug. 2021.

Woodrick, Jim. "Lost in Flames: The Natchez Drug Company Explosion ." www.andspeakingofwhich.blogspot.com. 13 Oct. 2013, andspeakingofwhich.blogspot.com/2013/10/lost-in-flames-natchez-drug-company.html?m=1. Accessed 8 Aug. 2021.

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Jennie and Dianne are joined by special guest James Walsh who shares the stories and histories of the Irish miners who went to Leadville, Colorado in search of silver. These miners were the bottom of the rung men who were generally shunned by other members of society because of their Irish Catholic heritage. Many of them were buried in the pauper's section of the Evergreen cemetery in Leadville, Colorado. A very large majority of the graves  belong to the children of these miners who died from all manner of illnesses in the 1880s and '90s. James has spent many years researching these miners, their stories, and now is working hard to build and dedicate a brand new, beautiful memorial to these lost men and their families in hopes that their stories may never be forgotten. James tells how the monument is being funded not only by people in the community, but even by the Irish government. Join us as we remember not only these miners, but all those who have worked hard all over the country and throughout the world to support themselves and their families in some of the hardest possible jobs and are buried in ordinary extraordinary cemeteries.

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Find out how a gold mine, a pocket watch, and a letter bring the past to life and bring a family back together. In this episode Jennie and Dianne talk with Ron West. Ron has spent many years portraying James F Burns, Jimmie to his friends, at historic events throughout Colorado. James Burns was a coal miner turned millionaire who was not all that thrilled with his wealth and the other millionaires he was forced to spend time with. Ron has spent years researching Burns and in a twist of fate was able to bring together some lost family treasures and build new friendships. All of this because of a mausoleum in an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery. 

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Jennie and Dianne enjoy a delightful conversation with three gentlemen who have been tasked with helping to preserve and restore St John's Historic Cemetery in  Thibodaux, Louisiana. Special guests John Dennis, David Plater, and Teddy Pierre share the stories and history of St. John's and what they have been doing to preserve this historical landmark. Join us for a visit to yet another ordinary, extraordinary cemetery!  

Resources for this episode include:

http://www.stjhca.org/home.html

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"These few dollars you lose here today are going to buy you stories to tell your children and great-grandchildren. This could be one of the big moments in your life; don't make it your last!" Words spoken by American gangster John Dillinger. Join Jennie and Dianne as they visit Crown Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana specifically to tell the ordinary extraordinary story of John Dillinger on the anniversary of his death, July 22nd, 1934.

Resources for this episode include:

Croyle, Johnathan. "Granddaughter and some dedicated woodcarvers restore a 113-year-old Syracuse grave marker ." https://www.syracuse.com/. 17 July 2021, www.syracuse.com/living/2021/07/granddaughter-and-some-dedicated-woodcarvers-restore-a-113-year-old-syracuse-grave-marker.html. Accessed 17 July 2021.

"About." https://www.dignitymemorial.com/. 21 July 2021, www.dignitymemorial.com/funeral-homes/indianapolis-in/crown-hill-funeral-home-mgmt-co/8366. Accessed 19 July 2021.

"John Dillinger ." https://www.fbi.gov/. www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/john-dillinger. Accessed 19 July 2021.

Callahan, Rick. " Body of 1930s gangster John Dillinger to be exhumed ." https://apnews.com/. 30 July 2019, apnews.com/article/indiana-us-news-ap-top-news-in-state-wire-il-state-wire-86614eac91854827ab6f210ac1349c69. Accessed 19 July 2021.

Callahan, Rick. "Body of 1930s gangster John Dillinger to be exhumed ." https://www.pbs.org/. 30 July 2019, www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/nation/body-of-1930s-gangster-john-dillinger-to-be-exhumed. Accessed 19 July 2021.

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Take a dive with Jennie and Dianne as they explore two of the world's underwater cemeteries. Their first stop will be a cemetery off the coast of the Philippines that has been underwater for more than 150 years thanks to a volcanic explosion. Their second stop is a man-made coral reef cemetery off the coast of Florida. And finally they will pay a visit to the Gloucester Fisherman's Memorial in Gloucester, Massachusetts to honor the hundreds of fishermen who have been buried at sea over the last 300 years.  Come along as we explore these Ordinary Extraordinary Cemeteries!

Resources for this episode include:

"Blog - A Hidden Piece of History: The Guinsiliban Tower of Camiguin ." https://www.tropicalexperiencephilippines.com/. 1 July 2020, www.tropicalexperiencephilippines.com/blog-camiguin-moro-tower. Accessed 3 July 2021.

Collett, Richard. "The Sunken Cemetery Lost Beneath the Waves ." https://www.travel-tramp.com/. www.travel-tramp.com/the-sunken-cemetery-lost-beneath-the-waves/. Accessed 3 July 2021.

L. Rocamora, Joyce Ann. "Remembering the dead in Camiguin’s sunken cemetery ." https://www.pna.gov.ph/. 30 Oct. 2018, www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1052584. Accessed 3 July 2021.

Patowary, Kaushik. "The Sunken Cemetery of Camiguin Island ." https://www.amusingplanet.com/. 7 Apr. 2014, www.amusingplanet.com/2014/04/the-sunken-cemetery-of-camiguin-island.html?m=1. Accessed 3 July 2021.

"Camiguin Island History." https://www.bohol-philippines.com/. www.bohol-philippines.com/camiguin-island-history.html. Accessed 3 July 2021.

"THE EARLY SPANISH PERIOD ." http://countrystudies.us/. countrystudies.us/philippines/4.htm. Accessed 3 July 2021.

"THE STORY OF NEPTUNE MEMORIAL REEF™ ." https://www.nmreef.com/. www.nmreef.com/the-story-of-memorial-reef/. Accessed 3 July 2021.

Hudson, Karen. "Man at the Wheel ." https://www.roadsideamerica.com/. 3 Jan. 2011, www.roadsideamerica.com/story/26220. Accessed 3 July 2021.

"Gloucester Fisherman's Memorial ." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/. 29 Mar. 2021, en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloucester_Fisherman%27s_Memorial. Accessed 3 July 2021.

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Jennie and Dianne wander through graveyards across the United States and even the world exploring the wit and wisdom of epitaphs. Some are sweet and poignant, some are comical, and some tell the tragic tales of those buried beneath the headstones. Come along on another journey through many Ordinary Extraordinary Cemeteries and their poetry.

Resources for this episode include:

"Epitaph." https://www.merriam-webster.com/. www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epitaph. Accessed 27 June 2021.

Crow, R.. "The Tomb of Jim Morrison." https://acrowsview.wordpress.com/. acrowsview.wordpress.com/2019/01/30/the-tomb-of-jim-morrison/. Accessed 27 June 2021.

"Remember Me As You Pass By." http://www.vastpublicindifference.com/. 24 Feb. 2010, www.vastpublicindifference.com/2010/02/remember-me-as-you-pass-by.html?m=1. Accessed 27 June 2021.

Jarvis, Dale. "Drown'd by the stroke of a whale, 1782: the grave of Jonathan Webber ." http://www.ichblog.ca/. 7 May 2019, www.ichblog.ca/2019/05/drownd-by-stroke-of-whale-1782-grave-of.html?m=1.

And of course a BIG thank you to all of the listeners who submitted epitaphs and their stories. This episode was truly made possible by all of you!

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