Uncovering the Meaning Behind Grave Symbols

Bethel United Methodist Church

Have you ever walked through a cemetery and wondered what the meaning was behind the symbols you saw on the tombstones? For my Beyond the Grave class, we visited the Bethel United Methodist Church graveyard and our goal was to interpret the meaning of the symbols that we saw on the different graves.

The Bethel United Methodist Church is the oldest standing Methodist Church in Charleston and has a unique racial history. The first church served black and white members from 1797 to 1852. The first church is now known as "Old Bethel" and was donated to the black congregation in 1876 when a new and larger sanctuary was built. The Old Bethel Church was physically moved across the street while the new church was built on its old spot.

Old Bethel United Methodist Church

Catherine Lord's Headstone

To the right, is the grave Catherine Lord, who was born in 1826 and died at 32 years old. Her grave is decorated with a wreath and has a ribbon in the background. The use of wreaths was adopted by the Christian religion from the ancient Greeks. It symbolizes victory and redemption. It is also said to indicate memory and victory over death. This grave marker has been moved from its original spot, however, it is most likely a die on socket.

Family Ancestor Proposal

For my family ancestor research project, I am researching Sallie Robinson. Sallie is my great-great-great Grandma on my mother's side. I chose her because she had a very interesting life, lived to be almost 100, and had a newspaper article written about her in the 1940s.

History of the Circular Congregational Church

I did a group project for my Beyond the Grave class, we collaborated to write a blog on a historic Charleston Church. We researched the Circular Congregational Church, one of the oldest churches in Charleston. Visit this link if you want to find out more about the Circular Congregational Church.

Top 5 Best Historic Charleston Churches

Have you ever wondered about the architecture styles or history of the old Charleston churches? I created a list of my top five favorite churches in Charleston, South Carolina for my First Year Experience class. My class visited ten historic Churches and our assignment was to pick and research our top five favorites. 

First Scots Presbyterian Church

#5- First Scots Presbyterian Church
The First Scots Presbyterian Church is number five on my list. This Presbyterian Church was built in 1814, but the congregation of First Scots dates to 1731. It was designed by Benjamin Latrobe, the same architect that designed the United States capital, according to the National Park Service. The National Park Service website also says that the Churches' walls are made of brick and are three feet thick and covered with stucco.

This church is one of my top five because I like how symmetrical it is and I also like all the different types of stained glass windows it has. The National Park Service Website says, "Reflecting the heritage of the congregation, the seal of the Church of Scotland is displayed in the stained glass window over the main entrance." I think that the windows give the church a unique and interesting look.

French Huguenot Church

#4- French Huguenot Church
The fourth church on my list is the French Huguenot Church, which is the only remaining independent Huguenot Church in America. The original church was built in 1687, however, was destroyed during a fire (French Huguenot Church website). The church that is there today was constructed in1845 and was the first building of this style constructed in Charleton, according to, SC Picture Project. Its style is called Gothic Revival and this church is also built with brick and covered with stucco (SC Picture Project).

What I find interesting about this church is that it has a slight, pink tint to it. Due to structural damage, the church underwent a renovation in 2013, and part of the project was changing the white exterior to pink (SC Picture Project). I also find the architecture of this church interesting, I like how everything goes to a point. The door, windows, steeples, and even the fence is all pointed. There are also mini, pointed steeples the align the sides of the church. This church is on my list because of how much detail it has to it and its' unique color.  

French Huguenot Church

St. Michael's Episcopal Church

#3- St. Michael's Episcopal Church
Next on my list, at number three, is one of the most iconic churches in Charleston. St. Michael's Episcopal Church is the oldest church edifice in Charleston and was the first Anglican Church built south of Virginia. The Church was built in 1752 and little has been changed since then, according to the Church's website.

The architect is unknown but the type of architecture follows the tradition of Sir Christopher Wren, generally used during the colonial period (St. Michael's Website). I also think it is interesting that it is one of the few city churches in America that has kept its original design. The church's clock and the ring of eight bells were imported from England in 1764, according to their website. I found it interesting that it is thought to be the oldest functioning colonial tower clock in the country. St. Michael's made my list because it is so classic but so grand and beautiful too.

Charleston Through Ruth Miller's Eyes

Did you know Charleston's graveyards have more 18th Century graves then anywhere else in the country? I learned that from Ruth Miller, a Charleston tour guide for forty years, when she talked to my "Beyond the Grave" class. Ruth Miller is very educated on the history of Charleston and on Charleston graves. She has written many books about Charleston and its different churchyards. Miller became interested in grave sites during a tour she was doing with morticians. When she was showing them a church, they went in the graveyard and started telling her facts about the different graves. From then on Miller was fascinated with learning about Charleston's grave sites.

Ruth Miller posing with one of her etchings.

Miller said, "The Circular Congregational Church has more portrait tombstones than any other church in the United States." The Circular Congregational Church is located in Charleston and was established in 1680. If someone had a portrait on their tombstone, it meant that they were rich. Charleston did not have stone carvers at this time, so people would have to have their tombstones carved somewhere else. Boston, Massachusetts is where most of the stone carvers were, and in the Circular Church graveyard, all of the tombstones were carved by carvers in Boston. 

An etching that Miller brought to the class.

Charleston was the center of the slave trade. "Forty percent of all Africans sold, were in the city of Charleston," according to Miller. In 1776, Charleston was the number one export for rice and all of that rice was grown by slaves. Charleston was also the number two export for indigo. Charleston was the fourth largest city in the world in 1776, and African Americans were the majority of people living there. However, African Americans were not allowed to be buried in the churchyards, even if they attended that church. 

First Class Cemetery Visit

William Johnston is buried here along with any other
 family members who chose to also be placed there. William
 Johnston lived from 1776 to 1840. This is structure is called a
 mausoleum and it is located in the Cathedral Church churchyard.
There is a plaque on the front of the mausoleum that says, "As a resting place
 for his remains and for those ofhis descendants who wish to be placed herein." 

Have you ever walked through a cemetery at night for a class? On Monday, January 27, that is what  I did during my First Year Experience "Beyond the Grave" class. This was our first time leaving the classroom for an outing and it was like a mini field trip.

Rebecca Freer Thomson was born in 1766 and died in 1826. She is buried in the Cathedral Church cemetery and her grave marker is a box tomb. On the box tomb, states the names of who she was the wife and daughter of. The symbol located at the top of the tomb, looks like a shield with a head of a deer, a cross and two stars in it. Above the shield is another deer head, but this one is turned to the side. The cross and the stars were probably meant to represent her faith. I think that the deers are also meant to represent her faith and maybe how strong it is.

   This type of grave marker is a column, because it is broken,
   it symbolizes a life that was cut short. This is the grave of
  Christopher Gadsden Hume, he lived from 1825 to 1849
  and died at just 24 years old. On the marker is written,
  "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and
 Christ shall give thee light." A bible quote from Ephesians
 5:14. This memorial can be found at the Cathedral Church graveyard. 

First, we walked to the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul  churchyard. Cathedral Church is an Anglican church built in 1816, their beliefs come from the 39 articles and the Book of Common Prayer. Anglicans were birthed out of the Reformation and they acknowledge that the Scriptures contain everything they need for salvation.