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Monday, October 4, 2021

Visiting the Masonic Cemetery in Elma, Washington

The Elma Washington Map has lots of information...  Businesses, Health Care, Restaurants, Churchs, Cemeteries, etc.  We've never seen a Masonic Cemetery, so...






... let's pay a visit.








Why visit a cemetery?  I think cemeteries are beautiful.  They are, in many communities, the first public parks.  That's right - people went to cemeteries for picnics in the 1800s.   This is strange but true.  





Leal P. Knudsen
died during
World War II









The Miller Graves








I tried to find information on why Masons purchased land and established cemeteries.  No luck.  I did find out that Fraternal Organizations sold life insurance.  The group made money upfront, which they could use for other group projects, and assisted members in by covering funeral costs.  






The Bramer Monument looks like
it's been shifted on its base to
accommodate the slope it sits on.






Eric and I look for Masonic Symbols - The Masonic Square and The Masonic Eye.






Flowers decorate the
Hart monument.





I think the Reinharts enjoyed
Ballroom Dancing.






The Cochnour monument has
The Masonic Square for Jacob
&The Eastern Star for Daisy.






I assume that Daisy was a member of a Women's Freemason Group.  The closest Masonic Lodge is in Montesano.






A sunset is etched into the
Salmon monument.







Some markers look illegible until you get close...





Matthew Scott died
in 1914.

He lived 66 years.





Alice Kibbe died in
1912 at 66 years
of age.




This marker looks like
it's covered with a shroud.

James Anderson died in
1896 at the age of 72.












Freddie died on May 5, 1886
when he was 17 months old.








I found another Masonic Square
on Frank Taylor's monument.

He died in 1911 at 42
years of age.









One of many flush markers...






Ella Murgatroyd
1864 - 1943





Eric found the Roderick monument.

It has photos of the departed
family members.






This Masonic Cemetery was formally adopted and taken over by the City of Elma in the 1950s.  Though not stated in the Find A Grave Website listing, I got the impression that the cemetery had become inactive and was no longer actively maintained by area Masons.

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