Tag: Cemetery Symbols

A Collection of Freemason Symbols

Posted on Posted in CollectionsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

After visiting countless cemeteries, you start to notice patterns. Symbols that repeat in different styles and settings. Some are subtle, while others are bold, but each carry its own meaning.

For today’s collection, I want to take a closer look at the symbols associated with the Freemasons and share some examples I’ve photographed over the years.

Freemasonry is one of the oldest and most widespread fraternal organizations in the world. It began with stonemason guilds of the late Middle Ages.1 Over time, it became a society that focuses on moral integrity, personal growth, and helping the community, all while keeping rituals and symbols that have been passed down for centuries.1 Membership was traditionally men only, and lodges operate under larger governing bodies called Grand Lodges.1

Although often secretive, Freemasonry is not a religion. It is a system of moral and ethical teachings that encourages members to live good lives, help others, and seek knowledge.1 Its symbols, which appear in cemeteries, and historic buildings, serve as reminders of ethics, morality, and brotherhood.2

  • Square and compass
    Woodlawn Memorial Park, Guelph ON ©2007

Possibly the most iconic symbol of Freemasonry is the square and compass, tools once used by stonemasons. In Masonic teachings, the square represents acting morally and treating others fairly.3 The compass symbol reminds members to control their desires.3 The “G” in the center is thought to represent Gnosis (the Greek word for knowledge), Generations (passing knowledge down through the ages), and God.3

  • Square and compass symbol on a gravestone.
    Nairn Community Cemetery, Nairn Centre ON ©2021
  • Square and compass emblem on a gravestone
    Park Lawn Cemetery, Sudbury ON ©2022
  • Square and compass symbol on a gravestone
    Pinehill Union Cemetery, Mattawa ON ©2023

Another common gravestone symbol shows two hands clasped in a handshake. If both hands have suit cuffs, it is a fraternal handshake, symbolizing brotherhood.3

  • Fraternal handshake on a white bronze marker
    Walkerton Cemetery Walkerton ON ©2025

If one hand points a finger down, it is a Masonic handshake, showing that the deceased was a Freemason.3

  • A masonic handshake on a gravestone
    Sylvan Valley Cemetery, Echo Bay ON ©2019

A rare version, the double Masonic handshake, shows both hands pointing a finger down, mimicking the square and compass symbol.3

  • A double Masonic handshake.
    Little Rapids Cemetery, Little Rapids ON ©2023

The Freemasons also have a sister organization called the Order of the Eastern Star (OES). It was created to allow female relatives of Master Masons to join in Masonic activities. Today, both men and women can become members.

The OES symbol is an inverted five-pointed star, with each point representing one of the five Biblical heroines and the different roles that a woman can play in life.3 Some people mistake the inverted star as evil or witchcraft, but it actually stands for humility and sacrifice. It’s a reminder of the organization’s values: charity, loyalty, and moral integrity.4

  • Inverted star symbol for the Order of the Eastern star.
    Eyre Cemetery, Sudbury ON ©2011

Symbols used by the Freemasons and the Order of the Eastern Star offer us an interesting way to look at history, values, and community. Whether carved in stone or hidden in plain sight, each symbol tells a story and encourages reflection.

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. What is Freemasonry | The Grand Lodge of Ohio
  2. Behind the Masonic Symbols: The Square and Compasses | The Grand Lodge of Ohio
  3. Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider | Book
  4. Behind the Masonic Symbols: The Eye of Providence | The Grand Lodge of Ohio
  5. The Pentagram: Masonic? Satanic? Or What? | Freemasons for Dummies

A Collection of Anchors

Posted on Posted in Collections, SymbolismTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

Every gravestone symbol and motif tells a story.

If you spend a lot of time in cemeteries, you will often start to notice the repetition of certain symbols. Throughout my travels, I have seen the shift in common cemetery symbols. What might be a common motif found in one area might be uncommon in another.

As I travel Ontario more frequently, I have noticed more and more anchor symbolism. So today on the blog, I wanted to look a little closer at this symbol, what it represents, and some of the examples I have photographed in my travels.

Sometimes anchors are found on the graves of sailors or those who have died at sea, but this is rare. The anchor is a Christian symbol and represents hope, steadfastness, and calm.

The symbolism is thought to come from passages in the bible, “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;” 

  • A Collection of Anchors
  • Espanola Cemetery, Espanola ON ©2021
  • Union Cemetery, Sturgeon Falls ON ©2021

Saint Andrew’s Anglican Churchyard, Grimsby ON ©2023

“Those without hope may be like a ship tossed on the sea…”

  • Bronte Cemetery, Oakville ON ©2024
  • St. James Anglican Cemetery, Gravenhurst ON ©2024
  • Allenwood Cemetery, Allenwood ON ©2023

You might also come across a female figure holding an anchor. The anchor signifies that this is Hope, one of the Seven Virtues.

The Seven Virtues are traits that some of those of the Christian faith aspire to. According to Tui Snider’s book Understanding Cemetery Symbols, this list of traits was created by Greek philosophers and then adopted by Christian scholars. Sometimes the virtues are labeled on the statue’s pedestal, but you must look closely at their design for clues.

Hillcrest Cemetery, Parry Sound ON ©2023

Have you ever found a unique version of an anchor symbol? I would love to read about your finds in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

References:

  • Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider | Book
  • Stories in Stone: The Complete Guide to Cemetery Symbolism by Douglas Keister | Book

A Collection of Mourning Figures

Posted on Posted in CollectionsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

One of my favorite things about cemeteries is the variety of symbolism you can find. After so many years wandering cemeteries, I have noticed some common motifs. An interesting thing I have also noticed is that depending on where you are in Northern Ontario, those common symbols will be different. I’d wager that the same could be said for other parts of the world as well.

On some recent cemetery road trips in Simcoe County and the Muskokas, I noticed many different forms of mourning figures. This symbol is not very common in my local cemeteries. So today on the blog, I wanted to look deeper at this symbol and share some of the examples I have come across so far this year.

Grief and mourning were popular grave motifs in the Victorian era. As death was such a big part of life in that time, it affected everything from fashion and jewelry to of course funeral practices and gravestones.1 

One of the many ways that grief was expressed was through the use of mourning or weeping figures. These figures were often depicted as kneeling or standing over a grave in a display of deep grief and mourning. Sometimes a mourning figure can also symbolize an early or sudden death.1 

Bracebridge United Cemetery, Bracebridge ON ©2024

Mourning figures are sometimes depicted holding wreaths or flowers. Flowers are thought to represent that life is fleeting, while the circular wreath is thought to symbolize eternal memory and immortality.2

Bracebridge United Cemetery, Bracebridge ON ©2024

Urns are another common Victorian grave symbol that sometimes accompanies a mourning figure. Borrowed from the Ancient Greeks who often cremated their deceased, urns represent the physical body being reduced to its barest elements as the soul ascends to Heaven.2

Thornton Union Cemetery, Thornton ON ©2024

  • St. Paul’s Cemetery, Innisfil ON ©2024

Sometimes weeping willows also appear with mourning figures. Weeping willows are strongly associated with grief and mourning, as their name suggests. They are another grave symbol adapted from the Ancient Greeks.2

  • Thornton Union Cemetery, Thornton ON ©2024

Knox Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Oro ON ©2024

I am always in awe and inspired by the art I find in cemeteries. It’s one of the reasons I love walking among the gravestones.

Have you come across any similar mourning figures in your local cemeteries? I would love to read about your findings in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. Cemetery Symbolism: What Do Those Mysterious Monuments Mean? | Laurel Hill
  2. Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider

A Collection of Urns

Posted on Posted in CollectionsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

If you spend a lot of time in cemeteries you will often start to notice the repetition of certain cemetery symbols and motifs. In Ontario, more so in southern Ontario, urns tend to be a common gravestone symbol.

Although cremation was rarely practiced in North America at the time, the urn became a popular symbol in the Victorian era. Urns as a funerary symbol were adapted from Ancient Greece. Cremation was commonly practiced by the Ancient Greeks, who used ceremonial urns. As a gravestone symbol, the urn represents the body reduced to its most basic elements and the ascension of the spirit to heaven. Today cremation is a common practice, having started its climb to popularity in the 1980s.

I have found and photographed many urns during my cemetery walks, so today I wanted to share some of them with you.

Like many graveyard symbols, the urn can be found depicted in a variety of ways. Each version of the symbol has a slightly different meaning. This is one of the reasons I find cemetery symbolism so interesting. It is a language unto itself. 

  • Lasalle Cemetery, Sudbury ON ©2011
  • Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Centre Wellington Township ON ©2022
  • St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery, Kitchener ON ©2022
  • Calvin Township Public Cemetery also known as Union Cemetery Calvin Township, Eau Claire ON ©2022
  • Saint Andrew’s Anglican Churchyard, Grimsby ON ©2023

The Victorians were very fond of drapery, and you might come across what looks to be a fabric made of stone draped over an urn. Fabric draped over a gravestone is often thought to symbolize the veil between life and death. The fabric might also represent the shedding of earthly clothes as the deceased moves from this life to the afterlife. 

  • Hillcrest Cemetery, Parry Sound ON ©2023

Have you ever found a unique version of an urn symbol? I would love to read about your finds in the comments. 

Thanks for reading!

References:

  • The History of Cremation in North America | Une Belle Vie Memorial Urns
  • Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider 
  • Stories in Stone: The Complete Guide to Cemetery Symbolism by Douglas Keister

Cemetery Book Review: Stories in Stone

Posted on Posted in Book ReviewTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

For this month’s cemetery book review, I wanted to talk about Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography by Douglas Keister. I have been meaning to share this one for a while now. This is one of my favorite cemetery books, and one of my go-to reference books when it comes to looking up symbolism. I see it pop up now and then on the cemetery side of Instagram and Facebook and thought I should finally share my thoughts on it. 

This book has been on my bookshelf for a very long time and it is something I go back to over and over again. It is a great resource for explaining the meaning and history behind most of the symbolism and iconography you will come across in a cemetery. Every symbol has a meaning, and the descriptions can range from simple to quite in-depth. The book itself is compact, so it’s easy to slip it into your hiking or camera bag if you want to take it with you on your cemetery travels. It’s filled with full-color photos as well to help identify all the variety of symbols you might come across. 

Here is a snippet of the book synopsis from Goodreads.com: “Stories in Stone provides history along with images of a wide variety of common and not-so-common cemetery symbols and offers an in-depth examination of stone relics and the personal and intimate details they display; flora and fauna, religious icons, society symbols, and final impressions of how the deceased wished to be remembered. Douglas Keister has created a practical field guide that is compact and portable, perfect for those interested in family histories and genealogical research.”

I don’t recall where I picked up my copy, but it is a reference I use often. I never bring mine with me on my cemetery travels, but my cloth-bound hardcover copy has a special place at my desk for easy access when I need to look something up. This book covers iconography from A to Z, as well as the different art styles and architecture that can be found in cemeteries. It covers everything from religious and military symbols to fraternal organizations and secret societies. Douglas Keister is also an amazing photographer and his beautiful color photos of detailed gravestone symbols add depth to the descriptions. It also has a very thorough index at the back, which is very handy for moving back and forth throughout the book. 

The name Douglas Keister may sound familiar to you. This is not the first book of his that I have reviewed. Back in July 2022, I reviewed his book Going out in Style: The Architecture of Eternity. You can read that review here. Douglas is no stranger to cemeteries and has written quite a few books about them. He is a photographer, author, and co-author of forty-five critically acclaimed books, twenty-five of which are on architecture.2

I highly recommend this book to any budding taphophiles and those interested in learning more about cemetery symbolism and history. This book would be a handy tool for genealogists as well, as many interesting and thoughtful things can be learned about the deceased based on what is on their gravestone.

This book has been an invaluable resource for me. I have always loved learning more about the stories that gravestones can tell us, and finding new symbols to research and learn about is one of my favorite things. It’s a beautiful, high quality book, that I think is an essential addition to any taphophiles library. 

Have your read Stories in Stone? I would love to read your thoughts in the comments.

Thanks for reading! 

I am always on the hunt for cemetery-related book recommendations. Please feel free to share yours in the comments. If you are an author and have a cemetery-related book you would like me to review, please reach out at hello@chantallarochelle.ca. I would love to hear from you.

References:

  1. Stories in Stone: A Field Guide to Cemetery Symbolism and Iconography | Goodreads.com
  2. About Douglas Keister | DouglasKeister.com

Celebrate Cemetery Appreciation Month

Posted on Posted in GeneralTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 3 Comments

Did you know that May is Cemetery Appreciation Month?

I first learned about it in 2021, and I have been celebrating every year since. Cemeteries are often seen as taboo and they are not often the first place someone would think to visit, but I believe that cemeteries are for the living. They are filled with history, art, and architecture, and are wonderful places to go for a stroll, or bird watching, among other things. Yes, they are resting places for our loved ones and should be respected, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy their beauty as well. Cemeteries were the blueprints for today’s public parks, after all. 

So how do you celebrate? In 2021, I created a mini bucket list of things to do during the month to foster an appreciation for cemeteries. It was a nice excuse to spend more time outside. I had a lot of fun completing everything on my list. Some activities on my list included visiting a cemetery I had not visited before, and re-visiting a favorite local cemetery.

This year I wanted to do something a little different. I’m a graphic designer by trade and wanted to create something that would bring my two loves together—design and cemeteries. I was also inspired by a cemetery scavenger hunt I took part in last October. I thought it would be really fun to do something similar with my group of friends. 

So I thought why not design a Cemetery Bingo card? 

  • Cemetery Bingo Card
    Designed and illustrated by Chantal Larochelle ©2023

It’s a great activity to do in a group or solo and lets you explore the world of cemetery symbols. I created my cards using my cemetery photographs as a reference. I illustrated 40 symbols that are commonly found on gravestones. I included the name beneath the symbol as well, to help identify common motifs you might find while walking in a cemetery. 

To play, all you need to do is print out a copy, bring something to mark your cards, and go for a walk in your local cemetery. Match the symbols on the card to what you find on the gravestones. The first one to get a full line wins! You can make that two lines, or even a full card to make it a bit more challenging. I can see this being a fun tool to introduce your friends and family to cemeteries and help explore gravestone symbolism. It could also be a fun activity for kids. 

Please remember to be respectful when visiting your local cemeteries. For a guide on cemetery etiquette, you can read a previous blog post I wrote about the rules I follow when visiting a cemetery here.

  • Who wants to play Cemetery Bingo? Designed and illustrated by Chantal Larochelle ©2023

My friends and I will be going on a cemetery road trip very soon, and I think it will be a great opportunity to try out the bingo cards. We have a lot planned already, but I think we can fit in a round of Cemetery bingo. I’ll be sharing how our cemetery bingo plays out in my stories on Instagram on May 6th. 

Do you want to play too? You can download a set of 4 cards here, for free.

For best results, send this print-ready file to a local print shop, or you can print them at home on your home printer. Just be careful when you are trimming the pages. Then all you need are some markers, stickers, or bingo dabbers to mark off your finds and have fun! Make sure to tag me in your photos or stories on Instagram and Facebook. 

Happy Cemetery Appreciation Month!

Thanks for reading!

A Collection of Weeping Willows

Posted on Posted in CollectionsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

While working on an upcoming project, I was going through my photo archive and found myself frequently stopping on the images of weeping willows. I have captured an interesting variety in the last few years. I love weeping willows, they have a very unique look. They are not common in my area, in the forests, or on graves. 

So for today’s collection, I wanted to take a closer look at this cemetery symbol and share some of the different versions I have found and photographed during my cemetery walks.

As the name implies, weeping willows commonly symbolize grief and mourning. They are a very common Victorian-era cemetery symbol. Adopted from the Ancient Greeks, the weeping willow can represent immortality and life after death. Weeping willows are sometimes associated with the Underworld because, in Greek mythology, Orpheus brought with him a willow branch on his travels to the Underworld to save Eurydice from Hades.1 The symbolism of immortality stems from the fact that willow trees are very hardy, and can survive heavy damage.

  • Pine Grove Cemetery, Sault Ste Marie ON ©2019
  • Merrill Cemetery, Roseneath ON ©2022
  • Martin’s Mennonite Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo ON ©2022
  • Kinzie-Biehn Cemetery, Kitchener ON ©2019

A variety of the weeping willow motif you might find is a weeping willow standing beside a gravestone. I love the idea of a gravestone on a gravestone. 

  • Martin’s Mennonite Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo ON ©2022
  • East Oakwood Cemetery, Oakwood ON ©2022
  • Martin’s Mennonite Meeting House Cemetery, Waterloo ON ©2022

Another variation you might come across is of a weeping willow and urn. The urn represents death itself, and the willow again symbolizes grief.2 This motif was a popular gravestone symbol of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. You might also see weeping willows paired with a lamb or a cross.3 I have yet to come across these variations. 

I noticed that the majority of the ones I found were in Southern Ontario. As I explore more Ontario cemeteries this summer, I hope I will come across a few more to photograph. I would love to find some more variations on the symbol. If you have any suggestions for where I might look, I would love to hear about them in the comments. 

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider
  2. Mastering Cemetery Iconography | The Academy at Penguin Hall
  3. Stories in Stone: The Complete Guide to Cemetery Symbolism by Douglas Keister

A Collection of Doves

Posted on Posted in CollectionsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

This week, I had originally planned on posting a cemetery recipe for Red Lantern Cheese dip, from the gravestone of Debra Ann Nelson. But, I had some issues finding the correct ingredients and the recipe didn’t turn out as expected. So I will continue my hunt for the elusive ingredients. 

Instead, this week I will share a collection of Dove’s. If you have been following this blog for a little while, you may have noticed that I sometimes like to share collections of my favorite photos of some of the cemetery symbols I find on my cemetery walks. I have been photographing cemeteries for over 15 years, and in that time I have noticed some repetition of certain symbols and motifs. I find cemetery symbolism so interesting and love looking at what the different variations of a symbol mean.

Doves are not as common a symbol as lambs in Northern Ontario, but they represent similar ideas. Doves commonly are a symbol of peace, but when used in funerary art, they also represent innocence and the Holy Spirit. Doves may appear in many forms, such as sculpture or bas-relief. There are also different variations of doves, and each carries additional meaning.

  • St. John’s Anglican Cemetery, North Bay ON ©2019
  • Union Cemetery, Sturgeon Falls ON ©2021
  • East Oakwood Cemetery, Oakwood ON ©2022
  • Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Massey ON ©2022

Sometimes a dove may be depicted carrying something in its mouth. A dove with an olive branch in its mouth may represent peace. This symbolism also can be traced to Ancient Greece. A dove carrying a broken flower bud in its mouth often symbolizes a life cut short. 

  • Grandview Cemetery, Massey ON ©2022

The position and angle of the dove may have some significance as well. A dove flying downward is thought to represent the Holy Spirit coming down from heaven.

  • Locks Cemetery, Huntsville ON ©2022

Another variation of a dove you might find, is a dove that looks like it might be dead. A dead dove sadly represents a life cut short. This variation may also be found lying in front of, or on top of a tree stump; which is also a symbol of a life cut short.

  • Webbwood Protestant Cemetery, Webbwood ON ©2022
  • St. John’s Anglican Cemetery, North Bay ON ©2019
  • Calvin Township Public Cemetery also known as Union Cemetery Calvin Township, Eau Claire ON ©2022

Have you come across a different variation of this symbol? I would love to hear about it in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

References:

  1. Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider
  2. Stories in Stone: The Complete Guide to Cemetery Symbolism by Douglas Keister

Cemetery symbolism in Sudbury District Cemeteries

Posted on Posted in GeneralTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

This post was first published in the Ontario Genealogical Society, Sudbury District Branch newsletter, Ancestor Hunting (Volume 44 Issue 4).

For me, symbolism is one of the many things that make visiting cemeteries so interesting. I have been photographing them for over 15 years, but I still continue to find unique symbols that have me reaching for my reference books. I have lived in Sudbury almost all of my life, so I have spent a fair amount of time traveling in Northern Ontario to visit cemeteries. I have yet to visit ALL the cemeteries in the Sudbury district, but as of May of this year, I can now say that I have visited all 25 in the Greater City of Sudbury. I have noticed a repetition of certain symbols and motifs and wanted to share some of my findings.

The majority of the cemeteries found here are of a religious denomination. You can often find a variety of human statues in these cemeteries, representing Saints and Angels or symbolizing grief and mourning. Another common religious symbol is the cross. There are so many varieties of crosses, each with various meanings. You could write a whole book on just cross symbolism alone! Some of the more common crosses you can find are the Agony cross, with its pointed ends that represent the agony of the crucifixion, or the Glory or Rayed cross, its rays representing the glory of God. 

I have also noticed quite a few handmade stones. I find handmade stones to be beautiful, full of love, and have a unique charm. They come in all shapes and forms. Some are hand-poured cement, with stones and tokens embedded in them. They are usually adorned with hand lettering, either hand painted or hand carved, or might have handmade plaques affixed to them.

Another common symbol you will find in the area is the lamb. This is another religious symbol, representing the “lamb of God”, as well as innocence and sacrifice. Lambs are most commonly found on the graves of small children and infants. Lambs are often depicted laying down, sometimes in front of a tree stump. The tree stump symbolizes a life cut short. 

  • Grandview Cemetery, Massey ON ©2022

Another common symbol found on children’s graves in the Sudbury district is the dove. Similar to the lamb, a dove represents peace, innocence, and purity. One of the variations on the dove symbol you might find is a dove that looks dead. This symbolizes a life cut short.  

  • Webbwood Protestant Cemetery, Webbwood ON ©2022

In my experience, books are not quite as common as some other symbols in our area, but they are still one of my favorite cemetery symbols. I’m an avid reader, so seeing a book on a gravestone always makes me smile. I have seen many variations of books in the area. Books can be decorative or symbolic. Some gravestones use a book as a device to display the name of the deceased, along with dates. An open book can sometimes represent emotions, open to the world, or symbolize a life that has been cut short, before getting to the last page. Another variation you might find, is a closed book, usually at the top of a truncated obelisk. A closed book symbolizes a long life, lived to the last chapter. Some books represent the Holy Bible and might be labeled as such. 

  • Chelmsford Protestant Cemetery, Chelmsford ON ©2022

This is just a small sampling of the more common cemetery symbols you will find in our local cemeteries. I look forward to seeing what other common symbols might be found in our district cemeteries, as I continue to explore them. 

Thanks for reading!

A Collection of Tree Stones

Posted on Posted in CollectionsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

While wandering a cemetery, have you ever come across a monument that is shaped and textured to look like a tree? Today, I want to take a closer look at these types of grave markers, called tree stones. Although they are a bit harder to come by in Northern Ontario, you can find them, and they are usually very easy to spot since they are so unique!

  • St. Mary’s Cemetery, Sturgeon Falls ON ©2009

Tree stones are often used as memorials for members of the Woodmen of the World, a fraternal organization. This fraternal order was started in 1890, and membership included those who worked in particularly dangerous professions. The organization offered health insurance and death benefits to its members, which included a tree stone tombstone.1

Woodmen of the World tree stones, often bare the Woodmen crest, as well the tools of the trades like an axe and sledgehammer, representing the works of man. You may also find other symbols on tree stones like ivy or doves, representing friendship and peace, respectively.

  • Old Greenwood Cemetery, Sault Ste Marie ON ©2019

The severed branches or tree stump of a tree stone, Woodmen of the World or otherwise, often represents a life cut short. We often see this combined with other symbolism, like a lamb or dove laying in front of a stump. Lambs and doves are often found on the graves of small children, symbolizing innocence and purity.

  • All Saints Anglican Cemetery, Huntsville ON ©2022
  • Calvin Township Public Cemetery also known as Union Cemetery Calvin Township, Eau Claire ON ©2022

Sometimes the number of logs on a tree stone can be symbolic of the number of children the deceased had. A tree stone can also be seen as a representation of the tree of life, symbolizing knowledge. 

  • Laird Cemetery, Echo Bay ON ©2019
  • This tree stone has the symbol of the Freemasons on it, another fraternal organization. Lake View Cemetery, Kirkfield ON ©2022
  • Union Cemetery, Sturgeon Falls ON ©2021

Have you ever come across a tree stone? Or maybe a Woodmen of the world memorial? I would love to hear about your finds, in the comments. 

Thanks for reading! 

References:

  1. Understanding Cemetery Symbols: A Field Guide for Historic Graveyards by Tui Snider