Little Jimmie Stetson: "It is Well with the Boy" (Tombstone Tuesday)

Originally posted at the Southern Graves blog.

Our first born
JIMMIE
Son of J. D. & E. S. Stetson
Born May 25, 1873
Died Sep 10, 1885

"It is well with the boy."

Rose Hill Cemetery
Macon, Georgia

Photo © 2012 S. Lincecum

Young Jimmie Stetson's tombstone is fashioned after a broken column. This often represents a life cut short. Dying at the young age of twelve years, as did Jimmie, would be an example of just that. A poignant Our first born is inscribed above Jimmie's name on the scroll that bears his epitaph, and at the base of the broken column is "It is well with the boy."

I took this latter phrase as a play on "It is well with my soul," a hymn written by Horatio Spafford about 1873.

...No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Mislocated and Misnamed? (The One Where Obituaries and Tombstone Conflict.)

James Daniel Stetson
Born May 30, 1846
Died March 18, 1901
"He Giveth His Beloved Sleep"

His Wife
Eugenia Sophia Pate
Jan 28, 1852 - July 31, 1906

Obituaries of this sort give genealogists fits. Was she buried at Hawkinsville or Macon? Was his first name John or James?

Macon Telegraph (Georgia)
1 August 1906

MRS. EUGENIA STETSON PASSES AWAY AT HOME

Widow of the Late J. D. Stetson, and One of the Most Prominent Women in Macon's Charitable Circles, Dies After Short Illness.

Mrs. Eugenia Stetson, the widow of the late J. D. Stetson, died about 4:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon at the home of the family at 360 College street.

Mrs. Stetson had been ill only a short while. She was aged 55 years. She was one of the most prominent women in the charitable circles of Macon, the splendid Methodist Orphanage being one of the institutions, upon which she bountifully bestowed her time and energy, not to mention her worldly goods.

The death of Mrs. Stetson comes rather as a surprise and shock to hundreds of people in Macon and elsewhere, who were not aware that she was seriously ill. The announcement of the death will strike sorrow into the hearts of a host of loving friends and admirers, and will cast a gloom over almost the entire city.

The deceased was a woman of beautiful and consistent character. Charitable almost to a fault, loving to all and withal possessing a sweet, gentle, sunny nature, she had entwined herself about the heartstrings of a host of [...illegible...] felt as a personal and irreparable loss.

[...Illegible...], the daughter of the late Major John H. Pate, of Hawkinsville. She was born in that city in January, 1852. Her late husband, J. D. Stetson, was for many years the president of the American National Bank.

The following relatives survive Mrs. Stetson: Four brothers, R. O., M. C., J. W. and R. A. Pate, all of Hawkinsville; one sister, Mrs. W. B. Steele, of Hawkinsville; her mother, Mrs. Z. A. Pate, of Hawkinsville; and the following children: J. P. Stetson, of Macon; Mrs. Sam T. Coleman, of Macon; E. W. Stetson, of Fitzgerald, and James D. Stetson, of Macon.

Mrs. Stetson was a devout member of the Mulberry Street Methodist Church. The funeral will be held this afternoon at 1:30 o'clock at the residence. The interment will occur this afternoon at Hawkinsville.

A special train will convey the body to Hawkinsville, leaving the Southern depot at 2:30 o'clock, and returning at 7:30 o'clock this evening. The friends of the family are invited to attend the interment at Hawkinsville.

The following will act as pallbearers: R. A. Merritt, R. J. Taylor, W. R. Rogers, Jr., O. E. Dooly, W. P. Glover, B. E. Willingham, A. R. Willingham, T. J. Simmons, Jr.

For what it's worth, the burial records of Rose Hill Cemetery list Mrs. Eugenia Stetson, and there is no indication at the family burial plot in the Central Avenue division that Eugenia's inscription on her and J. D. Stetson's tombstone is a cenotaph.

Here's another one. I find it a bit odd that possible misinformation was provided in obituaries for both husband and wife, who died 5 years apart.

Augusta Chronicle (Georgia)
19 March 1901

JOHN D. STETSON, MACON, DEAD
Macon, Ga., March 18. -- Mr. John D. Stetson, vice president of the American National bank of this city, and a prominent financier in the state, died here today.

Stetson Family Plot at Macon's Rose Hill Cemetery

Photos © 2012 S. Lincecum

Death Summons John Pate Stetson

Macon Telegraph (Georgia)
7 September 1921
(Viewed online at GenealogyBank.)

John Pate Stetson
Son of J. D. & E. S. Stetson
Oct 12, 1874
Sep 6, 1921

I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes
Unto The Hills From
Whence Cometh My Help.

Photo © 2012 S. Lincecum

"DEATH SUMMONS J. PEYT. STETSON

Report of Death In Asheville Received Last Night.

FORMERLY MACON RESIDENT

Message Brief, Merely Stating His Demise Was Sudden

News was received last night of the death of John Pate Stetson in Asheville, N.C. He was 47 years of age.

Mr. Stetson was formerly a resident of this city, but moved about three years ago to Asheville, where he was engaged in the automobile accessory business.

The message received by friends here last night was brief, simply stating that Mr. Stetson died suddenly. The Telegraph received the information that he was walking along the street in the early past of the evening, when he was stricken.

Visited Macon Recently
Mr. Stetson was married in 191[3?] to Miss Virginia Davis, of Athens. He was for a number of years connected with the Massee Brick Company of this city, but he went to Asheville to become associated with his brother, Jim Stetson. The latter recently went to Miami, Fla.

Mr. Stetson was here in Macon less than a week ago and appeared to be in good health, notwithstanding the fact that he had undergone a serious operation.

Besides his wife Mr. Stetson is survived by two brothers and one sister, Mrs. S. T. Coleman of this city; Eugene W. Stetson, vice president of the Guaranty Trust Company of New York, and Jim Stetson."

John Pate Stetson was a son of James Daniel Stetson (1846-1901) and Eugenia Sophia Pate (1852-1906). All rest in the Stetson family plot in the Central Avenue District of Rose Hill Cemetery.