Oak Grove Notables – Page 3 – Friends of Oak Grove Cemetery

Mausolea

February 14, 2008July 22, 2009 ShelleyLeave a comment

n. pl. mau·so·le·ums or mau·so·le·a 1. A large stately tomb or a building housing such a tomb or several tombs.

There are three mausolea built in the favored classical Grecian style at Oak Grove and one in a distinctly Gothic Revival mode.

The Turner Mausoleum can be found near the main entry , slightly to the center behind the Civil War obelisk and cannon memorial.

(west facade)

Typical triangular pediment (south facade)

The Sears and Charlton Mausolea are quite close together in the south end.

Earle Perry Charlton became a Vice President of Woolworth’s dimestore chain, a position he held until his death in 1930. Charlton Hospital, just down the street from Oak Grove is named in his honor. Mr. Charlton was a great philanthropist and benefactor to the city.

The Gothic Revival Mausoleum

F. H. Stafford- You CAN take it with you!

January 6, 2008January 9, 2008 ShelleyLeave a comment

Perhaps the most unusual monument in the cemetery is this 9 x 7 1/2 x 4 granite miniature mill which serves as a lasting memorial to mill owner F.H. Stafford The windows are reproduced in faithful detail as well as the doors on each storey which were needed for loading. The doors even boast minutely executed keyholes!

It was the wish of Mr. Stafford to erect this lasting tribute to his life’s work, and it was erected shortly after his death in 1892. The site was well-chosen as it is located upon a high hill section of the cemetery which overlooks the many smokestacks of the southeastern part of the city.

Aesthetic and Black Forest influences

January 3, 2008 ShelleyLeave a comment

The popular styles which affected home decor and fashion also followed on to the final purchase- a gravestone. At the end of the nineteenth century, many influences were at work to counter the previous generation of old Victorian tastes. The Aesthetic Movement was afoot in England and Europe with its high regard for the hand made, natural, and back-to-Nature motifs of trees, flowers, and other flora and fauna. The famous Swiss and German Black Forest and rustic hunting lodge influence was spotted in furnishings for the home- shelves and picture frames laden with carved walnut leaves and stag heads, antlers, rough bark and “twig” effects. Art Nouveau (1880-1914) was sweeping the globe as well with fluid natural lines, sensuous curves, flowers and whimsical motifs.

Monuments in Oak Grove reflect all of these trends, and especially noteworthy is the symbolic motif of the tree, twig, or tree cut off short, reflecting a life cut off in its prime. Particularly interesting is the enormous life-sized tree marker of Cook Borden, a relative of Lizzie Borden, who had, by coincidence, a lumber yard business in Fall River. It is hard to know if the tree was purchased for that reason, or because it was stylish-but it remains one of the most fascinating memorial tributes in Oak Grove.

The Borden and Almy Plot

January 2, 2008 ShelleyLeave a comment

So many visitors come to call upon the Bordens that cemetery staff finally had to mark the way from the main gate by spraypainting black arrows on the ground. No matter what time of year one visits, there is always a flower, coin, note, or some remembrance on Lizzie’s grave. William Almy, Andrew Borden’s business partner and friend is interred nearby. Over time, many feet have worn a well-trod path to the old oak tree which watches over the infamous family.

A Victorian Memorial Park

January 2, 2008January 2, 2008 Shelley2 Comments

The concept of a beautifully -landscaped park where families might come to visit departed Loved Ones was first fully-realized in London’s Highgate and Cambridge’s Mount Auburn. The Victorians rivalled the Ancient Egyptians in their ritual observances of death and burial, monuments and memorials. Beautiful Oak Grove Cemetery in the North end of Fall River is one of many New England mid- century Victorian memorial parks where the streets are named for trees, and fanciful wrought iron gates enclose the fine families of the city like fences of stately homes in the earthly life.

For those who love cemeteries, – the peacefulness and quiet of the Past- Oak Grove holds unparalleled verdant vistas and peerless carved monuments of another age. Whether a student of Victorian symbolism , or of Fall River history- a pensive hour spent in silence at Oak Grove is a retreat from the pressures of modern society, and a glimpse into the intriguing past of the city’s notable citizens.

Plagued with the problems all cemeteries are faced with today, vandalism, landscaping and maintenance costs, security, lack of volunteerism, etc. -perhaps now is the time for those who truly appreciate the heritage and history enclosed within the gates and walls of Oak Grove to come together.