Shared Photo: Grave monument for Joseph P. Hardesty

Question

I wanted to share this family photo of Joseph Hardesty's grave monument  with the community. Location: Rosehill Cemetery, Barber County, Kansas. Taken 7 June 2018. The iron medal in front says F.L.T. = "Friendship, Love, and Truth" (Independent Order of Odd Fellows). Behind the monument are the headstones of him and his wife, Mary Ann Godwin Hardesty.

Click here for the image details page.

Comments

I have also added Joseph P. Hardesty's memorial to Find a Grave at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/207644889/joseph-p-hardesty

Answer 1

That’s a really cool gravestone, Lee. As a cemetery hound, I always appreciate the creativity and art of stones. It makes me sad to see graves where folks couldn’t afford a carved stone, just a fieldstone, or one where the inscribing has worn away over time, and the memory of who’s buried there long forgotten.

Thanks for sharing this photo with us, Lee.

Answer 2

Joseph Hardesty was also a Freemason. You can see the Masonic Square & Compasses symbol (with the letter 'G' on the inside) clearly on the gravestone.

Find out more about this at the Freemasonry Project.

Answer 3

This is probably the most elaborate memorial I've seen in my family. Not only does Joseph have a large monument with carefully incised inscriptions and symbols, topped by a Bible sculpture, but he also has an iron medallion from the International Order of Odd Fellows and a double headstone behind the monument with separate stones for him and his wife. Plus, somebody planted a juniper tree! Why all this show? I think it's because he had a large family and was well loved. He lived a long life and was a member of several fraternal organizations.