THE EFFECTS of INDUSTRIALIZATION on NORTH CAROLINA HEADSTONES by Simon Goldstone April, 2016 Director of Thes
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INDUSTRY OF DEATH: THE EFFECTS OF INDUSTRIALIZATION ON NORTH CAROLINA HEADSTONES By Simon Goldstone April, 2016 Director of Thesis: Charles R. Ewen, PhD Major Department: Anthropology In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a shift from marble headstones to granite has been observed across the United States and in parts of Canada, as well. The goal of this study is to determine when this shift in headstone material occurred in North Carolina, and what factors contributed to this transition. Another objective is to determine how this shift impacted the expression of cultural meaning in North Carolina cemeteries. By examining how the shift from marble to granite caused changes to headstone morphology and style, this project will show how memorialization of individuals is influenced by headstone manufacturing processes. Ultimately, this study illustrates the effects of industrialization on the North Carolina cultural landscape as manifested in the state’s cemeteries by analyzing the means of production and the expression of identity. INDUSTRY OF DEATH: THE EFFECTS OF INDUSTRIALIZATION ON NORTH CAROLINA HEADSTONES A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Department of Anthropology East Carolina University In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Masters of Arts in Anthropology By Simon Goldstone Copyright © Simon Goldstone 2016 INDUSTRY OF DEATH: THE EFFECTS OF INDUSTRIALIZATION ON NORTH CAROLINA HEADSTONES By Simon Goldstone APPROVED BY: DIRECTOR OF THESIS: _____________________________________________________________________ Charles R. Ewen, PhD COMMITTEE MEMBER: _______________________________________________________ Megan Perry, PhD COMMITTEE MEMBER: _______________________________________________________ Laura Mazow, PhD COMMITTEE MEMBER: _______________________________________________________ Wade Dudley, PhD CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY: _________________________________________________________ I. Randolph Daniel Jr, PhD DEAN OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL: _________________________________________________________ Paul J. Gemperline, PhD ACKNOWLEDGMENTS There are numerous people I would like to thank for their assistance with my thesis. Firstly, I would like to thank Dr. Charles R. Ewen for his patience and guidance. He gave me the opportunity and the confidence to pursue my own research interests, and was supportive throughout the entire thesis process. Whenever I needed advice or suggestions, his door was always open, and for that I am indebted to him. I would also like to thank Dr. Laura Mazow and Dr. Megan Perry for serving as members on my committee. Their support and guidance through the writing process of my thesis has been invaluable. In particular, I would like to thank Dr. Mazow and her students for helping me with my data collection. Without them, my thesis would not have been possible. Additionally, I would like to thank Dr. Wade Dudley for being an outside reader of my thesis. His guidance during the background research phase of my thesis, and his enthusiasm for my topic (whether feigned or genuine) helped me stay motivated and focused. I also need to thank the members of my cohort. The friendships that we have made have helped keep me sane, and I am so grateful for the support that they have offered me during times of stress and aggravation. Table of Contents List of Tables .......................................................................................................................................... vi List of Figures ....................................................................................................................................... vii Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 1 Background History ............................................................................................................................... 3 Methodology ......................................................................................................................................... 19 Site Selection Criteria ...................................................................................................................................... 19 Background of Individual Cemeteries .......................................................................................................... 19 Fieldwork and Data Collection ...................................................................................................................... 28 Data Analysis .................................................................................................................................................... 32 Results and Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 34 Old Smithville Burying Ground ..................................................................................................................... 34 Cherry Hill Cemetery ...................................................................................................................................... 38 St. Peter’s Cemetery ......................................................................................................................................... 43 Durham Hebrew Cemetery ............................................................................................................................. 46 Combined Cemetery Data ............................................................................................................................... 51 Discussion and Conclusions ............................................................................................................... 55 Bibliography ......................................................................................................................................... 60 Appendix A: Old Smithville Burying Ground Data .................................................................... 64 Appendix B: Cherry Hill Cemetery Data ..................................................................................... 111 Appendix C: St. Peter’s Episcopal Cemetery .............................................................................. 127 Appendix D: Durham Hebrew Cemetery ..................................................................................... 133 List of Tables Table 1: Graves and Headstones by Cemetery………………………………………………… 28 List of Figures Figure 1: Old Smithville Burying Ground ................................................................................................... 21 Figure 2: Cherry Hill Cemetery ......................................................................................................................... 24 Figure 3: St. Peter’s Episcopal Church Cemetery ....................................................................................... 25 Figure 4: Durham Hebrew Cemetery .............................................................................................................. 26 Figure 5: Location map of cemeteries in North Carolina ......................................................................... 27 Figure 6: Recording form used for data collection in the field ............................................................... 30 Figure 7: Upright tablet headstone ................................................................................................................... 31 Figure 8: Block headstone ................................................................................................................................... 31 Figure 9: Lawn-level marker .............................................................................................................................. 31 Figure 10: Box tomb ............................................................................................................................................. 31 Figure 11: Stacked bar graph depicting frequencies of headstone material use by decade in the Old Smithville Burying Ground. ........................................................................................................................ 35 Figure 12: Stacked bar graph depicting frequencies of headstone form by decade in the Old Smithville Burying Ground. ................................................................................................................................. 37 Figure 13: Stacked bar graph depicting frequencies of headstone material use by decade in the Cherry Hill Cemetery. ............................................................................................................................................ 42 Figure 14: Stacked bar graph depicting frequencies of headstone form by decade in the Cherry Hill Cemetery. ........................................................................................................................................................... 44 Figure 15: Stacked bar graph depicting frequencies of headstone material use by decade in St. Peter’s Cemetery. ..................................................................................................................................................... 45 Figure 16: Stacked bar graph depicting frequencies of headstone form by decade in the St. Peter’s Cemetery. ....................................................................................................................................................