Back when New Vrindaban had lots more cows than now, we used to plant corn and make hay on what was known to the plough department as the Markonovich place. Now it has been converted to pasture, but when we cropped it, I spent many days there working the fields.
When I took a lunch break, I would seek the shade of the woods and the peacefulness of an old abandoned cemetery with about 30 graves in it.
This particular one is known to the local historical society as the Peter Crow cemetery. He was a Revolutionary War veteran who left his body in 1826.
Bhakta Eric was in town for a last breather before taking off on his Scoot 66 adventure. I knew from reading his blog he liked to visit old cemeteries so I invited him to take a hike to one on New Vrindaban land, one which I suspect less than a handful of current New Vrindaban devotees even know exists. Soma came along for the hike.
Here is Eric inspecting one of the many infant headstones, some unmarked and some only with initials. The herb seen flowering about him is known as death nettle, appropriately enough. It gets its name from its scent, which is a little disturbing, and evokes formaldehyde. Fortunately, you have to get your nose right into it to get the odor.
Cemeteries are always poignant. Here is one set of headstones side by side that tells a tragic story.
“Amanuel son of A & S Francis Died Jan.6, 1837″.
Lived 16 days.
Two years later his sister Sarah dies after 3 months and 22 days incarnate.
Two babies born for Christmas, neither survives. Think of the parents grief.
“In memory of the infant son of J and J Crow” and only a day of death, never named. Must have been too painful to even consider naming.
“Your time is very short. If you miss this opportunity of human form of life… Because we do not know when death is coming. It is not that because I am old, I am nearing death, and you are young, you are not nearing death. Who knows that you may die before me? So there is no certainty. So the principle is that because this human form of life is so important to perfect oneself in Krsna consciousness, he should not waste even a minute.”
Interview — March 9, 1968, San Francisco
May 3, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Is this the one my old math teacher and where chai used to live.
May 4, 2008 at 4:48 am
Yes, up above where Cai housesat for a while, like a year or so, and next to McCardle’s.
May 4, 2008 at 5:57 am
What a great article and pics!
Yes, I did talk to Bob yesterday…made a special appointment, lol ;) He didn’t know of this cemetary either, but had taken me to one on another ridge near here way up in the woods.
Back in PA, there were very few places like this, as the law required burial in a public place or church yard. Still, I did get some wonderful rubbings of centuries-old stones that revealed quite a bit that wouldn’t have been seen otherwise.
McCreary’s has some really old ones as well, but I haven’t done rubbings there yet; still don’t really know who to contact for permission (sometimes required, and just generally a nice thing to do).
This looks like a beautiful place, serene and quiet, and a good place to spend some time with nature and history, and a bit of meditation. I’ll have to get some larger paper and a few supplies, and certainly get up there for some artwork.
Thanks, Gosh!
May 4, 2008 at 7:59 am
There is an organization that keeps that cemetery up. Perhaps the Delf Norona Museum would have their contact info or info for the historical society which surely would have it.
But I seriously doubt anyone would mind if you took rubbings there.
May 5, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Gerald Plants is the chairman of the McCreary Cemetery Association. There is an address on their website and he’s listed in the phone book.
May 7, 2008 at 3:36 am
Thank you Mudakari, much appreciated.