Southern Cemetery, 1800s

ginger_55

Old Wappetaw.

This was on the internet:

"This deserted church yard is beautifully situated in a live oak grove, Christ Church Parish, on the Georgetown road, Wando Neck, about 17 miles from Charleston, three miles from Seewee Bay; and near Wappetaw Bridge. All remains of the church have disappeared."

The graves are from the 1800s. Two of the graves have Confederate Battle flags. One of those graves has a "new" headstone and a Confederate iron cross marker.




First is the newish marker for Capt Louis Augustus Whilden who was wounded in the civil war and died three months later in a Virginia hospital. His descendents in McClellanville put a gravestone for him in the cemetery when he was discovered to have been buried here. There was much pomp and ceremony with the placement of the marker in the fall of 2002.

Wappetaw was settled in 1696 by 52 people from New England. They had been ship wrecked on Cape Fear on the North Carolina coast, had to spend the winter there, before coming on down to South Carolina and this area where they settled. Not much else seems to be known about that journey.






Above is the grave of "William Henry Venning, the eldest son, aged 8 yrs 7 months. He died on the 20th of October, 1858, after five days of illness."

I have more information on the graves, most of which I don't know which to place with which grave. I will leave it out in the interest of brevity, such as there can be. Many children were buried here. Most of the markers appear to be in the mid 1800s, before, or during the civil war.






These are 5 images, for those on dial up, I will post the other ones separately. This was an important project for me. I took the photos Sunday, Jan 15, 2006.

I hope you enjoy looking at these.

I have worked to improve them, finally deciding that less was more, most were simply worked up in LAB and sharpened. A few had a bit more done.

This is the Exif on the last one. The ISO did not change and most, if not all, of the Exifs would be similar.

ISO 100, f 11, 1/15, 39mm (17-40L Canon lens), EV -1

The rest will follow immediately.

ginger

ginger_55

Continuing with Old Wappetaw cemetery












Notice the sleeping child at the top......above







This cemetery is truly in the middle of nowhere. Nothing marks its existence. I noticed it a few months ago. On Sunday, I made a point of asking Bill to stop when we were on our way to McClellanville. At the wildlife center I found out the name of the cemetery, there is a New Wappetaw cemetery, this is the Old one. I then researched it on the internet.

There is much room between the graves, many are in disrepair. Whether one likes the old south or not, it did exist and this is a reminder. The flags and newer stones remember those who died in the civil war and who are buried in this cemetery. They are reminders that in nooks and crannies a part of the old south is remembered.


ginger

Thusie

Old cemeterys are special and love the story as well. #4 in the 2nd group, really like that one.

ginger_55

Thanks for looking and commenting, Thusie!

This cemetery beats all other cemeteries I have seen. It is for the dead!
Both literally and as a metaphor.

Battle flags are just not "seen" anymore in South Carolina, not anywhere. The dates on the tombstones, the verses, it is all of a south that is not seen often, is not supposed to exist. Though I did hear of some "happy liguor drinkin" church men getting together and singing Dixie, with a hidden flag. That was a couple of years ago, I have been trying to join that group ever since.

No women allowed. And I suppose that is from the "olden days", too.

And the ghosts will rise...............................right?

ginger

Thanks, Thusie!

ginger

Tessa HD

2nd & 4th here,
Nice job Ginger! You were fortunate to have such good weather!

ginger_55 wrote:

Notice the sleeping child at the top......above







This cemetery is truly in the middle of nowhere. Nothing marks its existence. I noticed it a few months ago. On Sunday, I made a point of asking Bill to stop when we were on our way to McClellanville. At the wildlife center I found out the name of the cemetery, there is a New Wappetaw cemetery, this is the Old one. I then researched it on the internet.

There is much room between the graves, many are in disrepair. Whether one likes the old south or not, it did exist and this is a reminder. The flags and newer stones remember those who died in the civil war and who are buried in this cemetery. They are reminders that in nooks and crannies a part of the old south is remembered.


ginger

Sally

old South
I liked the fifth (last) of the first series, if I had to pick one. Interesting grave architecture on those above-ground ones. What a pity that the place isn't being preserved -- except in photographs. But these really give a feel for the place, and for the soft warmth of the old South.

Sally

ginger_55

That is my favorite, too, Sally.

I worked it up like this, with a warm filter.

Then I decided that there was too much red in it, and other photos. So I worked them up again, skipping the filter.

This one does have the filter, just seems to bring the wood in one of the trees out more.

It really is, it is my favorite, too.

thanks, Sally,

ginger

erich6

Nice shots Ginger and an interesting story behind it all. Good job handholding down to 1/15!

Erich

eye-max

Thank you Ginger for a very interesting series. Well done!

Jnichols

Ginger - You've inspired me! My husband has such an interest in old civil war battlegrounds and cemetaries. We have many scattered little cemetaries here - now I want to catch the same serenity that you've captured in your pics. Great story... thanks so much for sharing.

DanielB

ginger_55 wrote:

i love this photo ginger. it screams "i wish i was infared!"

System

Ginger-

nice series-

you honor the dead-

george