Just a thought on the semi-circle with seven spokes. Some families have used the
wheel as a symbol of the family with a spoke to represent each child. As one
passed on a spoke would be removed. I have never seen it actually placed on a
headstone, but thought I would pass this on.
CCG
Robin Carpenter wrote:
My favorite and most intriguing cemetery find (of my recent Orange
County
NY visit) was in the Pine Hill Cemetery. There, at the top of the piney
knoll of the oldest section, stands the smallish stone of Gabriel Van Cleft.
A primitive design is inscribed at the top, forming a semi-circle of seven
"spokes" suggestive of a sunrise or sunset. Below that, roughly hewn it
says "Died Gabriel; Van Cleft; November 22; 28 of his age; 1825.
Gabriel was a son of Benjamin Van Cleft and Abigail (Carpenter) Van
Cleft. Gabriel's father Benjamin died young (1806), probably about 25-30
years old. Gabriel's mother Abigail was a daughter of Carman Carpenter and
Mary (Webb) Carpenter. Carman Carpenter names Abigail (remarried to a
Young) and her minor children (including Gabriel Van Cleft) in his 1811 will.
Now here's the intrigue: Immediately next to Gabriel's stone are these:
Levi S. Young (1810? aged 28?)
Susan Jane Young (1813? aged 26?)
then a space
then a stone far too worn to read.
Now, Abigail's remarriage to a Young couldn't have been before she was
widowed in 1806, so what was this "other" connection between Young and Van
Cleft? And where are the other Youngs (including Abigail) buried?
Further intrigue is the finding that the immediately adjacent row of
stones in this little section of the old piney knoll has:
Isaac Carpenter (1818, aged 70)
Susannah Carpenter (1860, aged 84)
Moses Webb (1805, aged 25)
Jonathan Webb (1801, aged 7_)
Penelope Webb (1801, aged 67)
This Isaac is clearly the Isaac Carpenter #298 in ABC's Carpenter
Memorial (p.83), and Susannah his wife. (Names and dates all match.)
Jonathan and Penelope Webb are parents of Carman Carpenter's wife, Mary
Webb. With Carman's grandson Gabriel Van Cleft and the youthful Youngs
buried together with Isaac and Susannah Carpenter, and also with Carman's
in-law Webbs, the implied connection between Carman and Isaac Carpenter
grows. They cannot be supposed merely as Minisink neighbors. But just what
connection was it?
If anyone here can fill-in more on any of this, I'm all ears....
Robin