Thursday, May 14, 2009

Unknown and forgotten

PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Sorry for missing last week guys! And just a heads up that I will miss the next two weeks while we’re on vacation but I’ll see you again in June.

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While traveling some back roads near Milwaukee we discovered a Pauper’s Cemetery. Most of the people buried here were unknown and most of the stones are simply blank. The one above reads, “Unknown Male Infant”

lc1863



See, blank. I found it very sad that there were so many unknown peoples, but grateful that they were at least buried and given a marker. Near our home is a poor people’s cemetery with only one stone. A stone that explains what the cemetery is and no names or markers for where the graves actually are.

lc1864



I did find a few markers with words.

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And right next to unknown white lies unknown colored - men or women I do not know.

lc1866

33 comments:

  1. What a cool, thought provoking post. It makes you wonder how they could have known the exact date that the person died, and still have not known their name.

    Have a wonderful vacation!

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  2. Very interesting ! I have never seen such a cimetary.

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  3. It makes you wonder what the story of their lives was.

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  4. Oh, how sad!
    *They* seemed to have been more concerned about what colour these unfortunates were, which is even sadder.

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  5. I'm always fascinated by cemeteries and the stories told in them. These are certainly sad ones...come and gone with hardly a notice.

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  6. beautiful photos. My heart breaks.

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  7. Fascinating Pauper’s Cemetery post with beautiful images!

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  8. that must be the worst, living, a life and having no one appreciate all you did for the world. What if that unknown colored helped old ladies across the street and wiped children's faces so their mother's wouldn't yell at them for being dirty? or shined shoes and made people's day before they went on with the rest of their business? amazing. anyway. the saddest part is the unknown infant graves. i think now a lot of times its overblown (A giant statue of a cherub with my angel in huge letters. that's too much, just looking at the birth and death dates so close together sums it up, folks).. but still, to have been born, and cooed and smiled and gnawed on your fist and explored your world, and no one claims you? how sad.

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  9. Interesting...I didnt know cemeteries like that existed.

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  10. How sad! It's hard to imagine that someone could die and NO one know who they are.

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  11. I used to think cemeteries were scary...now I think they're cool!
    Great photos of the unknown graves!

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  12. You are right, it is sad. How could no one not know who they are!?! Seems crazy to me.

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  13. I think I might know where that cemetery is, as I used to live there. I now live in Tennessee, right around war grounds, so we have seen many unmarked graves. It's interesting.

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  14. I really really do love that you do this. That last image of unknown infant is just so incredibly powerful.

    And BTW, per my last comment, I just thought you would look a smidge (a few years) older - but you look SO YOUNG. :)

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  15. Interesting study. There are a bunch of these cemeteries in Wisconsin, basically in every county, mainly where ever the former "County Home" or County Asylums were located. The poor, who died indigent, without living relatives, often ended up being buried in these cemeteries, with a simple headstone, often without anything much on them. Many years ago, when I started my geneological search of my family and my wife's family, I spent a lot of time searching cemeteries and headstones, and noted a number of pauper headstones during those expeditions.

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  16. Wow, makes you think doesn't it.

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  17. Wow, I've never seen a pauper's cemetary, very interesting. Have a great vacation Lisa!

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  18. This just breaks my heart! How sad :-(

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  19. This is amazing. It affirms the importance of life in all its strangeness.

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  20. Lisa: That is a shame that people are buried with no history.

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  21. I'm glad to see that they aren't forgotten any more. Great job, Lisa.......................:)

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  22. I too, find this sad. Especially for the infants. And wonder...what kind of life did they have? I take solace in that they are now in a better place...

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  23. I've been under the weather this week so I didn't post any photos on Friday, but this morning I posted my 5 faves from Photostory Friday and You Are One Of Them!!

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  24. gorgeous photos, but so sad! like you say tho - at least they got a burial

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  25. This makes me feel sad...all the unknown...but yet it is beautiful too...

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  26. makes you want to bring flowers --

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  27. These people and babies may not have a name marked on the grave, but it gives me great humility to know that they were given and chosen to partake in this thing we call life, even if it were just for a few hours. HIstory... We've come a long way in this country! Thanks for sharing something so intriguing!

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  28. Two 1925 gravestones and one 1926. It makes me wonder if many of the headstones had similar dates and if there was perhaps some sort of epidemic. I googled "1925 epidemic", but only came up with something for Nome, Alaska. I love a good mystery.

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  29. Leave it to you to find and share such a unique place.
    Hugs and blessings,

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  30. I've been researching cemeteries like these recently and would like to know where I can find this one. I live in the Milwaukee area and have been to the Milwaukee Poor Farm Cemetery but it's nothing like this!

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