Warrenton, North Carolina

A is for Abbott:  What does Abbott mean? In one word: priest. But, it derives from the Aramaic (and Hebrew) word for 'father' (abba). The root is recognizable from the name Abraham, which means 'father of multitudes.' The family name on this headstone is deeply rooted in world culture, just as the first and middle names are deeply rooted in American culture. The suffix 'Jr.' puts the use of 'George Washington' into perspective. In the decades following the Civil War, names chosen from the pantheon of patriotism were common. His father would have been born during that time period. Sulphur Springs Baptist Church Cemetery. [2013]

Rockport, Arkansas

Rest in Peace:  "Rest in Peace" is probably the most well-known short epitaph found on cemetery memorials.  It has Biblical roots and a long history, but it soared in popularity in the 1700s and remains in the mix of prayers uttered for the soul. What's worth more than a knowing glance on this headstone, though, is the name. Rockport Cemetery. [2012]

Laramie, Wyoming

Irish Clover as Totem:  St. Patrick's Day comes and goes, but shamrocks on rocks stay around forever. Here's a couple that would have so enjoyed all those parades last week-end. Can anyone identify the other stem on the headstone? Greenhill Cemetery. [2013]

North Kingstown, Rhode Island

One of Many ~ The Boulet Clan:  A name with obvious French origins should map onto the Francophone settlement pattern of the United States, and it does. On a choropleth map generated from the 1920 Census, Boulet families are most numerous in Louisiana and on the border with Canada. Sources are unclear about the meaning of Boulet, but someone who speaks French thinks immediately of a ball. Portrayed on the headstone is not the shore of Normandy (likely the origin of the first Boulets to North America), but the shore of the Narragansett Bay. Quidnessett Cemetery. [2009]

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Tampa, Florida

"Chase the Shades of Night Away":  Here is proof that perpendicular lighthouse DNA can be impregnated with granitic cemetery DNA. Like the family name it carries (see it?), this lighthouse looks like it has decidedly New England roots. Myrtle Hill Cemetery. [2014]