Colonel Abraham S. Vosburgh

 In 1861, Colonel Abraham S. Vosburgh died from noncombat causes. Following a well-attended military funeral, he was buried in Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery. This is the base of his monument, which features an obelisk topped by an eagle. The monument was commissioned by Vosburgh's regiment and designed by noted sculptor Patrizio Piatti, who is also buried in Green-Wood.

The scene in Washington, D.C. as Col. Vosburgh's casket was borne to the railroad station for its journey to New York.

John Matthews Revisited

I am always looking for a new angle from which to photograph Green-Wood's John Matthews (Soda Fountain King) monument. Here's my latest effort.

Flo Ziegfeld's Girl: Anna Held

Born in Warsaw, Poland, to a Jewish family, Anna Held often headlined the Folies-Bergere. Later, Held would claim Paris as her birthplace, shave a few years off her age and convert to Catholicism upon her marriage to a Uruguayan playboy, Maximo Carrera. With Carrera, Held had a daughter named Liane. In 1896, Held met Florenz Ziegfeld when he hired her to be in one of his productions. By 1897 the two were in love and despite being able to legally marry (her first husband would not grant her a divorce) they were, after seven years, considered husband and wife by virtue of New York’s common law. It was Held who inspired the ‘Ziegfeld Follies’. In 1918, Held died at the age of 46 from multiple myeloma, a rare disease at the time. Her funeral took place at Campbell’s in NYC and was well attended by stars of the era, save for Ziegfeld who abhorred funerals. Held’s “Empire-Style” burial site, boasts a stone arch and two benches. Purchased for her by actress Lillian Russell, Held’s funeral was one of the first to take place in Westchester’s Gate of Heaven Cemetery. She was memorialized by Carl Sandburg in his poem, An Electric Sign Goes Dark.

Gil Hodges

To kick off the baseball season, today's post is in homage to Gil Hodges, one of the game's greats. The grave of Gil Hodges can be found in Brooklyn's Holy Cross Cemetery. His grave is adorned with an American flag and baseball memorabilia left by visiting fans. The former first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers died in 1972, two days before his 48th birthday. Several days later, more than 1,000 people stood in line to pay their respects as Hodges body reposed in a Brooklyn funeral home. After two days of visitation, a Mass of Christian Burial took place at Hodges church, Our Lady Help of Christians, led by Bishop Francis Mugavero. Seated in the church, which was filled to capacity, were Bowie Kuhn, Jackie Robinson, PeeWee Reese, Tom Seaver and Mayor John Lindsay. Thousands more lined the streets. At the conclusion of the service,  two flower cars overflowing with floral tributes led the cortege to Holy Cross.

 

 

Andrew McClennen -Brooklyn Politician

The bust of  well-to-do Kings County politician, Andrew McClennen, marks in grave in Brooklyn's Holy Cross Cemetery. McClennen stipulated in his will that if his children left no heirs, "I give his or her share to the incorporated Roman Catholic hospitals and orphan asylums of the city of Brooklyn." 

The Laurel Hill Lion

This majestic monument marks the grave of  Major General Robert Patterson, who fought in both the Mexican-American War and the Civil War.

Shades of Michelangelo

Based on Michelangelo's Lorenzo de Medici, this sculpture is part of the Sayles family lot in Rhode Island's Swan Point Cemetery.