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It's been a while.... but we"ll be back soon!

Family issues have slowed this site down just a bit. We will be back doing what we do soon!

New contact email: karenalfred@twcny.rr.com

Good to know:

If you have ever seen the words Consort or Relict on a headstone and wondered what they meant-

Consort was the common 17th & early 18th century term for a woman who died before her husband. Typically, seeing this on a headstone we would know that at the time of her death, the deceased was married and her husband survived her. Relict (may also be seen as Relic, Relick, Relect , Relek or Releek) also a 17th & early 18th century term used to describe a woman who died  after her husband did. Thus, she died as a window.  While Relict was usually used as a description of a female, it was sometimes used for males and can occasionally be seen on the headstone of a male.

Louis Lewisson Monument Mount Hope Cemetery Rochester, NY

A headstone doesn't have to be grand or fancy to make it to my favorites list. In-fact, most of my favorite markers are small and simple, with no fancy lettering or design. But yes, some of my fav's are more grand, with remarkable craftsmanship, insane detail and near endless photographic appeal. This stunning marble monument of Mr. Louis Lewisson is one of them.

The first time that I saw the Lewisson monument, I was already five hours into an exhausting day of documentation and photography at Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, NY. Summertime cemetery stalking is usually best done earlier in the morning, before the sun rises to it's high point and takes it's toll on the stalker. On this day, the temperature had risen to 98 degree's with full sun and no relief of a single cloud in the sky. By noon the heat and humidity had become so oppressive, that I stayed mostly to the wooded areas of the massive cemetery; until even then, the heat of the July afternoon sent me retreating to the air conditioning of the car. After a few minutes of recovery time, I pondered the trip home. It's about a five hour round trip. We had spent the night in Rochester the night before to ensure an early start in the cemetery that morning, and I did not want to waste the rest of the afternoon due to the heat, so we deciding to circle around and head down to the shaded area of the mausoleums for a bit. As we drove, a few stones caught my attention. So, despite the heat, out I went, focusing on the lovely, stoic face of a granite guardian. After capturing a few images of her, I scanned the near-by area... newer stones, mixed with old. Defiantly worth battling the high-noon sun. Stepping around my stoic lady, I glanced into the distance behind her, and saw it. Bright white in the afternoon sun, impressive in size and unique amongst it's neighbors... the monument of Louis Lewisson.

It was love at first sight! The size of the monument- at least 8 feet in height, was in itself impressive. But as I wound my way through the crowded field of headstones, it was the fine, artistic detail of the life-sized man, carved, seated into the solid marble, that drew my attention. It was truly stunning. He sits within a doorway, his thoughtful, face lifted skyward, eye's to the heavens. He is donned in a flowing marble robe, and on his feet he is wearing ancient, Romanesque style, sandals. One hand, his right, rests upon his knee, while the other, which was once lifted in some telling gesture... is missing. To his sides, just outside the doorway are two empty urns, meant for floral offerings. The slightly larger than life, marble man, sits just in front of a set of marble doors, carved to the likeness of heavy wood, complete with large carved hinges. One of the doors appears to be ajar... yet Mr. Lewisson still sits outside them.

On the top front of the stone, in the center of a carved arch and flourishes are the words “WEARY PILGRIM I AWAIT THE OPENING OF THE HEAVENLY GATE”.  Obviously the doors behind Mr. Lewisson are in-fact representing the “Heavenly Gates”. Just below the inscription is the Freemason symbol of the 'G' centered in the square and compass. On the monuments front base is simply his name- LOUIS LEWISSON.

The rear of the monument gives more information about the man buried there.

Born in Schwersenz, near Posen, Germany

October 18, 1822

Died at Canandaigua, NY

January 6 1909

Written in Hebrew is another inscription- “May his soul be bound with the souls of the living”

Mr. Lewisson is not alone there, below his name is that of his son- Louis Lewisson JR who died July 2, 1920

What makes this monument so incredibly special and one of my favorite's is the amazing artistic craftsmanship & uniqueness. If the carving is done in the likeness of Mr. Lewisson, there can never be another like it. A life sized, one of a kind.

Once home in research mode, I was able to find information about Louis Lewisson, and a portrait- photograph of him. A perfect likeness to his monument! WOW.

Mr. Lewisson, a Jewish immigrant born in Germany, a businessman and charitable soul, had contracted architectural stone carver Frederick A. Heister of Rochester, NY to memorialize his likeness in marble some years before his death. While the stone is signed, it is not dated. It is believed that it was crafted in 1900 or 1901(8 or 9 years before Mr. Lewisson's death) during the most active and prosperous days of carver F.A. Heister.

*As an interesting side note- Frederick Heister the talented carver, walked through Mount Hope Cemetery on July 2, 1903 just prior to going to his shop on the corner of Mount Hope Ave and Stewart St. where he promptly went upstairs to a storage room and shot himself through the heart. A great talent gone at his own skillful hands. Rochester newspapers state that Frederick, on the morning of his suicide, made claim to his wife that she would be better-off with out him. Mr. Heister is buried in Sec. E plot 60 beside the Pitkin mausoleum. His wife, Josephine, was a member of the well-known Pitkin family. Josephine is entombed within the mausoleum with her family, while poor Fred who shamefully committed suicide is buried just outside of it.

If you visit- Mount Hope Cemetery was founded in 1838 and continues to be an active cemetery with over 350,000 burials. Stop at the office just inside the main entrance on Mt Hope Ave and pick-up a glossy map of the cemetery. The Lewisson Monument is located in range 4 lot 46

Brimfield Street Cemetery Clinton, NY Town of Kirkland

Located just outside the village of Clinton, NY on Brimfield Street near the Cleary Rd intersection in what was once known as the "Ellinwood District" is this small roadside pocket cemetery now known as the Brimfield Street Cemetery. It is one of the villages original burying grounds, and most likely served as an extention of the first burying ground of Clinton (Kirkland) which is the Old Clinton Burying Ground located on Kirkland, Ave. Nestled between a golf course and a home, Brimfield Street cemetery is non-active but is mainained and is very easily accessible. Many of those interred there are early settlers of the village who came from Brimfield Mass. There are currently less than 40 intact headstones with several broken and deteriorated beyond legibility.
Historic original cemetery worth a visit!

Click on an image for larger size to read full inscriptions

Mary Armstrong      d. Jan 19, 1858	William Armstrong d. Sept. 9, 1846	Augustus Carpenter       d. Nov. 21, 1873	Caroline Carpenter d. Oct. 18, 1885	John W. Carpenter d. Jan. 27, 1833
Sally Carpenter d. May 24, 1836	Sarah Carpenter d. Oct 5, 1835	William Carpenter d. April 5, 1816	Winthrop Carpenter d. Sept 30, 1816	Mabel Cutler d. Aug 10, 1841
Harriet & Helen Maria Ellinwood d. Sept 14, 1823 & Sept 10, 1832	Edward P. Ellinwood d. Mar 8, 1865	Eunice Ellinwood d. Apr 28, 1832	Mary Ellinwood d. Sept 12, 1875	Phebe Ann Ellinwood d. June 7, 1841
Capt. Reuben Ellinwood d. Oct 23, 1863	Samuel Ellinwood	Nathan Marsh d. Aug 22, 1833	Samuel G. Marsh d. Sept 24, 1838	Mary Ann Marsh d. May 12, 1850

Sarah Marsh d. July 29, 1840

Peter & Lydia Lombard Groves d. 1807 & 1818

Polly Prior d. March 17, 1817

Alexadner T. Sweeting d. Sept 21, 1838

Nathaniel G. Wilson d. Nov 28, 1830

Saint Agnes Cemetery Utica, NY

Saint Agnes Cemetery located at 605 Arthur Street in Utica, NY was founded during Utica's most prosperous days of industry and immigrant influx. Situated in what was known as the “Italian quarter” of the city, this very large cemetery serves as the burial location of many of the city's original Italian, Irish,Welsh and German immigrant settlers. Ethnic groupings are easily recognizable in the original park-like setting of this cemetery, with many beautiful and ornate headstones to see. It continues to be an active cemetery and is very well maintained.

The Coupe Mausoleum is a stunning example from the 1940's in the "newer" section of the cemetery.

Joseph C. Coupe 1857-1940

Lucy S. Coupe 1860-1945

 

For you Paranormal seekers- Saint Agnes Cemetery is listed as one of the few haunted cemeteries of New York State!

It has been claimed that the spirit of a young lady roams the cemetery at night, watching after a ghostly baby who crawls along beside her....

Interesting claim- Because while researching the cemetery I found this.....

and several  other newspaper articles which detailed the 1909 murders of a young girl and a baby in the rear corner of Saint Agnes Cemetery.  Interestingly, none of the paranormal claims reported, mentioned knowledge of the murders....

September 12, 1909- 39 year old Theodore Rizzo lured 6 y/o Fannie Infusino, her 2 y/o baby brother Ferdinando Infusino and their 7 y/o friend, Theresa Procopio, to a desolate wooded area at the rear of Saint Agnes Cemetery, to a culvert area known as the “gulf”. Mr. Rizzo had indecent intentions for the young girls, but they fought back and threatened to tell their fathers about what Mr. Rizzo tried to do. Mr. Rizzo, who later claimed to have been under the influence of much drink, pulled a .38 caliber revolver from his pocket and without a second thought, fired a round at each of the children. Young Theresa sustained two gunshot wounds, the second, fatal. Little Freddie suffered a severe gunshot wound to the abdomen, and Fannie received a shot through her arm and abdomen. Rizzo ran from the area leaving the children for dead. Fannie somehow survived the night, tending to her fatally wounded baby brother. When the children were found the next morning, Theresa had already passed away. Fannie and Freddie, both mortally wounded and weak from blood loss were rushed to the local hospital, neither expected to make it. Freddie passed away soon after arriving at the hospital. Last rights were administered to Fannie. In the hours and days thereafter, by some miracle unexpected by doctors, young Fannie was able to tell police what happened and who did it. While she was not initially able to positively identify the cleanly shaven & newly hair-clipped Mr. Rizzo when police brought him to the hospital for identification, she was able to state that the man who did the deed was the brother of a roomer in the Procopio home. The same man who only a short time before the shooting, had lent Mrs. Procopio a penny to purchase a postage stamp. Theodore Rizzo was executed 6 weeks later at Auburn State Prison. Fannie Infusino survived her injuries. Theresa Procopio and Ferdinando Infusino are buried in Saint Agnes Cemetery.

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