52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Week 37 Prompt - Tombstone

2024

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Week 37

Prompt – Tombstone

Is tombstone the same as a headstone or gravestone? I was just wondering! The prompt could have been headstone. What was the difference? Or was there one? Trusting “google” I have learned that gravestone, headstone and tombstone are now used to mean the same thing.

“A headstone is typically a marker that is placed at the head of a grave, which is why it is called a "head" stone. A headstone is often made of stone or other durable materials, and it can be inscribed with the name, birth and death dates, and other information about the deceased. The design and style of the headstone can vary widely, from simple and understated to ornate and elaborate.

A tombstone, on the other hand, is often used to refer to a larger and more elaborate monument that covers an entire burial site, or in some cases, an entire family plot. Tombstones can include multiple inscriptions and may be adorned with sculptures or other decorative elements. In general, tombstones are more elaborate and costly than headstones and are often used to commemorate prominent individuals or families.”

Today headstones are the normal. Examples in my family are:

Woodlawn Cemetery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

 

My mother and father's gravestone made of stone and granite. They had one that stood upright. 

Woodlawn Cemetery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

This headstone is on the grave of Bill's father. Tony Hoffart died in 1992. Clara told the story about getting the lettering done for her side and was going to include "19" on her death but then she said wait I don't intend to die that quickly and left it open so that it could be filled in with her year.  She is 96 and still living. Bless her.  Clara also said that she chose the flat headstone because vandalism from tipping them over would be less likely.

 

Woodlawn Cemetery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

This is the grave site of my great uncle who died at 3 months of age. George Windsworth Sullivan died January 8, 1925. My grandparents had no money for a headstone so this is what is called a grave marker put their by the cemetery.  To find this we had to wipe many stones to get the one we wanted.  We had a map and the number 4470. It was sad that he was just a numbered stone.

 

 

Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Cemetery, Benson, Saskatchewan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jacob and Eva Hoffart are Bill's paternal great-grandparents. They have quite an elaborate headstone. 

St. John's Lutheran Cemetery, Killaly, Saskatchewan

Arthur and Ida Jahnke is Bill's maternal grandparents.  I would think that this would be a tombstone as their graves are completely covered by the stone with headstone included.  This plot of 3 included Arthur and Ida's son, Herbert Jahnke who died in 1961 of cancer. Ida died in 1972 and Arthur died in 1979.

City of Vancouver Mountain View Cemetery

This unmarked grave is of my paternal grandmother.  I dropped into the cemetery office and they "flagged" it for me. I had to come back a few days later so that maintenance could get it marked.  

At this time in 2021 we discovered that her daughter Mary Murray (nee Peters) was also buried in this spot. The reply from the office when we inquired about this was as follows: "The city did initially provide the plot to your family, but then at the time of your Aunt Mary's death in 1980 a Mrs. Alice Nelson reimbursed the ministry (the department had switched hands by the time that Mary died) and then paid for Mary's burial." 

Below is the burial cards the office included with our inquiry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shows that Alice Nelson (Mary's daughter, Elisabeth's granddaughter) paid for the grave site.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This shows that this plot is now owned by Alice Murray. 

I found out that it is possible to put a gravestone on their grave even this many years later.  I feel that they should have one to acknowledge their existence.

Wendy