Gardens of Stone --- A Cemetery Blog by Alexandra Kathryn Mosca

  A bronze angel, holding a hammer and chisel, perches on the monument of Benjamin Franklin Romaine, a NYC merchant, appearing to rest after completing the memorial. Romaine was a Trustee of both the Bowery savings Bank and the Church of the Divine Paternity, where his funeral service was held. Romaine's father, Jacob, who is also buried in the plot, headed the Romaine Academy for Young Ladies, a private school in New York City.

This month, Kates-Boylston Publications generously offers non-subscribers complimentary digital access American Cemetery & Cremation magazine. It's a great opportunity to see the photos and read the great stories about cemeteries around the country. Long before I began writing for them I was a subscriber, and I truly believe this is a magazine for anyone who cares about the beauty, tranquility, architecture and history to be found in cemeteries. This issue features my article on cemetery bloggers (of which I am one) and the reasons we chronicle the sometimes arcane stories of those who have gone before us. The Eppig mausoleum (pictured above) is one of them. For the article, I interviewed Ed Snyder, who began his popular blog, The Cemetery Traveler, more than a dozen years ago, and Chantal Larochelle, whose blog features Canadian cemetery stories. In a sidebar, I've included a few more of my favorite blogs. Here's the link: Cemetery Bloggers Blending History and Reveren...

Italian-born Emanuele Ronzoni, a master of pasta-making from a young age, founded the Ronzoni Macaroni Co. in 1915. His son and namesake, Emanuele Jr., carrying forward his father's legacy, brought innovation and growth to the company. He diversified the product line, introducing pasta sauces and frozen entrees alongside the more than 50 pasta varieties.   In an interview, Emanuele Jr. once said " I don't expect the company's management will be passing out of family hands." But despite that prediction,  the company was acquired by General Foods n 1984. Yet, even through subsequent corporate transitions, the Ronzoni brand and its iconic logo,  "Ronzoni Sono Buoni," have remained a symbol of quality and tradition. The Ronzoni mausoleum stands in Mt. St. Mary's Cemetery in Flushing, New York.

John Dustin Archbold was a key figure of the Gilded Age. He worked for John D. Rockefeller’s company, Standard Oil, where he served alternately as vice president, president, and a member of the board of directors. The Archbold mausoleum, situated across from William Rockefeller's mausoleum, is a unique structure. Crafted from green granite by Troy Granite in Worcester, Massachusetts, it stands at an impressive 36 feet by 36 feet and reaches a height of 32 feet, housing 12 crypts.The mausoleum, and its bronze doors, were designed by the New York firm of Morris, Butler and Rodman Architects. The Norcross Brothers, a 19th century construction company, oversaw the building of the structure. Inside, the glass mosaic ceiling, a true work of art, was painstakingly crafted by Otto Heinigke (1850-1915) and features a myriad of Christian symbols, including the Agnes Dei (lamb of God), winged depictions of the four evangelists, angels, and crosses, each with its own fascinating story to tell.

For this month's American Cemetery & Cremation magazine, I wrote about some of the cemetery monuments I've come across bearing song lyrics. Bob Dylan's Blowin' in the Wind, and Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run, are among them. Here's a bonus find from  Westchester County’s Sharon Gardens Cemetery. The words to the song “One Boy” from the classic musical Bye Bye Birdie are etched into a small grave marker. With lyrics by Lee Adams and music by Charles Strouse, the song became a hit when it was performed by Ann-Margret in the 1963 film adaptation of the musical. Kim McAfee, played by Margret, assures her boyfriend, Hugo Peabody, that rock star Conrad Birdie has not stolen her affection. Have you seen any? If so, where? And what was the song?

  In 1817, brothers James and John Harper founded J. & J. Harper in New York. They were later joined by their younger brothers Wesley and Fletcher, and the company was renamed Harper & Brothers. It became the leading book publisher in the United States during most of the 19th century. Harper & Brothers played a major role in the early industrialization of book publishing. In the 1850s, they shaped American culture by creating and distributing Harper's New Monthly Magazine and Harper's Weekly. The company had its most significant influence during the three decades following the Civil War. Harper textbooks educated students, Harper trade books were found on family shelves, and Harper periodicals illustrated current affairs and guided national thought. However, as the literary marketplace evolved, Harper was increasingly viewed an old-fashioned "family" publisher by the century's end. This compelled its corporate reorganization. In 1962, Harper & Brot...

  When President Ulysses S. Grant died on July 23, 1885, two undertakers were called to prepare his remains. At the suggestion of Grant's physician, Dr. John Douglas Ebenezer Holmes was contacted. Holmes brought his patented invention, the “Corpse Cooler Casket,” to preserve the body in the summer heat until the embalming process could be carried out. Later, Reverend Stephen Merritt Jr. arrived to handle the embalming process with associates Daniel Harrigan, Felix Sullivan, and a small group of assistants. Sullivan was an expert in embalming who had previously worked on President Garfield and had recently opened the New York School of Embalming. Meanwhile, Merritt had taken over his family's undertaking business in the 1870s and was one of the most well-known and respected undertakers in New York City. Harrigan handled the funeral arrangements for Albany, while Merritt took care of those in New York City.However, conflict arose between Merritt and Holmes over payments and libel...

  Many artfully designed Celtic crosses can be seen in cemeteries. A favorite of mine is the one that marks the grave of industrialist Andrew Carnegie and his family in Sleepy Hollow. The Celtic cross --a traditional cross accentuated by a circle--has been part of the culture of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, from ancient times. Many believe that the cross symbolizes God's eternal presence, as well as Christ's sacrifice and victory over death. Another of my favorites can be found in Providence, Rhode Island's Swan Point Cemetery.  In upper Manhattan's Trinity Cemtery, a 16-foot high Celtic cross, adorned with animal carvings, towers over the grave of John James Audubon. 

One of the not to be missed monuments in Kensico Cemetery is the pink pyramid that graces the graves of Civil War surgeon Major Howard Pinkney, M.D., and his family.

  Walter B. Cooke's was once a busy chain of independently owned funeral homes throughout the New York metropolitan area. At the time of Cooke's death, in 1972, there were 13 locations. Cooke's motto was: "A funeral should never cost more than a family can afford" and for many years the company advertised a complete funeral for $150. Cooke is entombed in a private family room in Ferncliff Cemetery. The Cooke name was absorbed by SCI/Dignity Memorial.