St. Lawrence Cemetery, Huguenin Avenue, Charleston, S.C.
Isn't it beautiful? The giant metalwork cross makes for a dramatic entrance to St. Lawrence Catholic Cemetery. There isn't much to find online about St. Lawrence Cemetery. If you drive up Meeting St. until you cross the railway track there is a little sign pointing to the right directing you to Magnolia Cemetery. The entrance to St. Lawrence is on the right. You can walk through from Magnolia.
It is a wonderful place to spend a few hours with a camera. Usually it's just me and a couple of confederate history buffs hanging out there. They worship at the Hunley submariner's tombs while I hop over tombs taking pictures of the angel's faces.
That is quite a graceful and intricate piece of work...can't help but wonder who made it and how it was commissioned, and most importantly, if it has some special significance. It is rather unique!
ReplyDeleteJacob - Good question. I think the only thing on the plaque are the gate hours. I may need to learn more. I really liked it.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful I love all the iron work in the south. I have a pin I purchased in Charleston made in the image of something on an iron gate there.
ReplyDeleteYour pictures brought back wonderful memories of times past with loved ones that now and forever will rest in such a beautiful place. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteLinda - I know exactly what you are talking about. They are designs from Charleston gates and ironwork. Lovely pieces. I've given them as gifts.
ReplyDeleteBob. Thanks.
The word "agog".
ReplyDeleteIs there anybody out there willing to do a little searching at Magnolia/St. Lawrence Cemetery? My Great Grandmother's sister was married to Capt. James M Mulvaney of Charleston. He was with the Irish Volunteers in the Civil War and later the 27th. After the war he served on the State Legislature and died in 1872. He was active with the Hibernian Clubs in Charleston also. I was doing family research and found a letter that states the couple moved to Charleston from Ireland about the 1850's. Our family lost contact after Sherman's March to the Sea. It was presumed they both died at that time. Through internet searching I found they did not! I would like to locate Capt. Mulvaney's grave in hopes is gives some information about his wife, my great grand Aunt. I live in Ireland so cannot do this myself. I would like to visit the grave, perhaps in 2014/5 if it can be found. Thank you in advance if you are able to assist. joedes2000@hotmail..com
ReplyDeleteIt might be awhile before I am there again but will be happy to look around. I found Captain Mitchell for a Irish author. They needed a picture of his tomb for a book.
DeleteWell, Lady, it seems you've been stomping around on my grounds, which is wonderful for me. I just did the 2 week free trial of ancestry.com and boy, are you on my grounds. This cemetery is where my Great Grand-mother is buried, Harriett Lucia Margaret Moroso O'Mara (too much name is better than too little name when looking up genealogy, whew). I've been jotting down a list of sights to visit around town, places they've lived or were buried, kind of a personal tour. Would you be interested in getting together over coffee sometime and we maybe go over what we each know, per se? I live here in Hanahan.
ReplyDeletestarrling8@yahoo.com (Starr)
This past summer, my wife and I rented a large beach house on the Isle of Palms, Charleston, with some of our children and their families and had a wonderful family reunion.
ReplyDeleteWhile in Charleston I was able to find, with the help of sons David & Steve, the grave of my gg-grandfather Simon Schermer (1804-1853), who immigrated to Charleston from North Holland about 1836. We had a picture of the headstone in St. Lawrence Cemetery from Findagrave.com. We went to the cemetery, where we used the gravestones and buildings in the background of the photo to "triangulate" the location of the grave. I'm sure we were the first relatives to visit his grave in over 150 years. His widow Dorothy/"Dora" and her two young children -- Josephine & Simon -- moved to Dyersville, Iowa, about 1856, and the date of his death and location of his grave were lost to history. In 1865, Josephine (1848-1888), married my g-grandfather, Heinrich Kortenkamp (1839-1926), who emigrated from Muenster, Germany. I only learned Simon's death date and burial place last year on Findagrave.com, after searching for 42 years. A distant cousin in Amsterdam, also named Simon Schermer (1901-1988), had been searching for over 50 years, and had even visited Charleston in the 1960s looking for records of Simon's death and burial, with no success.
Here is the inscription on his headstone:
“GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO -- SACRED – To the Memory of -- SIMON SCHERMER -- who died on the 15th September 1853 -- Aged 49 years 1 month 14 days -- Son of Peter & Margaret Schermer -- of Wormer Seer [sic] Noord Holland -- and resident of Charleston 17 years -- Mr Schermer was a man of the-- strictest integrity and great -- moral worth -- an affectionate Husband -- and tender Father -- Ille Occidit Flebilis sed -- nullo Flebilior quam mihi -- Dora -- This Stone is erected -- by his beloved Wife --
Dora Schermer"
The Latin phrase at the end is from the Roman poet Horace’s (23 BCE) Book 1, Ode XXIV, where Horace speaks of the death of Quintillian -- “Many good men wept when he died, but none wept more than I.”
BTW, his grave is one of the earliest in the cemetery which was established in 1852. And, it is in a beautiful spot on a hill facing the southeast. There are a couple very large trees near the grave with Spanish moss hanging from them. His grave also has a small footstone which says -- "S. S. 1853". From the grave, one can see the new Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Bridge over the Cooper River.
I have now visited the graves of all my 13 immigrant ancestors. That only happens once in the lifetime of a genealogist.
I am glad you were able to find your ancestors graves. That must have been a wonderful feeling to connect with the past like that. St. Lawrence is a beautiful cemetery. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteJoan...just stumbled on this. How wonderful! Much of my extended family on my mothers side are buried here. I want to find them there one day when I have the time! Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteOne of those angels you are photographing belongs to my relative Charles Bart.
ReplyDeleteIt is located near the entrance on left side of road. Other relatives are located in another lot with an oblisk
Guess he had more money