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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/143980
ber the prominent deceased in perpetuity. The Victorians also had a penchant for all things rustic, so treestones became wildly popular during this time and can be found in cemeteries across the country. They are significant examples of folk art and generally made of limestone from south central Indiana. Where you see one treestone, usually many will be found. This suggests not only their popularity among the bereaved, but also that there was a ready local supply of limestone or a particularly aggressive monument dealer who liked treestones. Interestingly, during this time, treestones could also simply be ordered from Sears & Roebuck, which might explain why they were most popular in the Midwest where more people were catalog shoppers. Clamet," (meaning "Though silent, he speaks," a more formal way of saying "Gone, but not forgotten") appears on each of their members' treestones. And that is exactly what the symbols on treestones do—they speak silently to us to reveal the owners' values and send messages to the living. Treestones provided a ready canvas for personal messaging because so much symbolism is closely tied to nature to begin with. The stump itself represents a life cut short or the brevity of life. A jagged and rough break marks the sudden, unexpected termination of a life. A leaning trunk or the height of the stump can indicate a child and even give hints about their age. Double tree stump tombstones often have intertwined branches or joined roots to indicate two lives that have become one. Branches can be twisted and broken as well, with the number of branches associated with the number of children an individual or couple had or how many family members are buried in the plot. When a branch is cut close to the trunk, it can mean However, the main reason treestones are abundant is probably due to the fraternal organization known as Woodmen of the World, founded in 1883 by Joseph Cullen Root. "Woodmen" was a non-denominational fraternal organization intended to provide both life and death benefits to its members. Root's use of the word "woodmen" had nothing to do with members being loggers or foresters; instead Root was inspired when he heard a sermon extoling the virtues of the pioneers as "woodmen clearing the forest to support their families." Root believed men in his organization would forge a new brotherhood in the wilderness that would clear away problems of financial security for its members. Membership in Woodmen guaranteed that "no Woodman would ever rest in an unmarked grave." The Woodmen naturally selected the already popular tree stump motif for their grave markers, and plenty of men and their families exercised the membership proviso for a free grave marker, bringing even more treestones to cemeteries. The Woodmen's motto, "Dum Tacet 32 Scrolls embellished with ferns and flowers were carved as part of many treestones to artistically provide a place for the family name and birth and death dates. City Trees