The Death of a Child! - Rebecca Heartwell Tarver

[Originally posted at the Southern Graves blog.]

DIED, in Dougherty county, on the 15th day of May, REBECCA HEARTWELL, infant daughter of Mr. Paul E. Tarver and Mrs. Cinderilla Tarver, aged 9 months and 13 days.

The death of a child! How little does the world mark such an incident! Society feels no shock. It is scarcely felt in the narrow circle of relatives and friends. The arrow flies swiftly through the air to its victim, its trace is lost and all is tranquil. Yet how often does such an event crush the hopes and destroy the happiness of families.

Our heart bleeds in tender sympathy with the parents of the bright little being whose death we chronicle. She was indeed a precious bud, whose leaves had not yet opened to the day.

"A vision of beauty! fair as brief!"
If the tender affection of parents, or the innocence and beauty of childhood, could have been a defence from the grave, we could not be making this sad memorial of little Rebecca.

"Yet thou art fled ere guilt had power
To stain thy cherub soul and form.
Closed is the soft ephemeral flower,
That never felt a storm!"

Above from the Macon Weekly Telegraph (Georgia) - 8 June 1858.
Rebecca was the daughter of Paul E. Tarver and Cinderella Crocker Solomon. All are resting in Rose Hill Cemetery at Macon, Bibb County, Georgia.

Photo © 2011 S. Lincecum