Aged tombstones are often spotted with growth like this on a stone at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Faribault.
A TIME EXISTED when I disliked cemeteries. I thought of bones, of coffins, of creepy, scary stuff that wings through the imagination of a child. I thought of my grandfather buried beneath the cold earth. The grandpa with the shock of white hair. The grandpa who loved iced tea and pruning raspberries and raising honeybees. Decades later I would stand in that same southwestern Minnesota cemetery on a bone-chilling April morning to bury my father. By then I’d long overcome my fear of cemeteries.
I recognize several early Faribault names on the Oak Ridge Cemetery sign.
Today I purposely walk cemeteries to discover the history, the art and the stories therein. I’ve meandered among the tombstones of countless Minnesota graveyards. But not until recently did I explore one right in my own backyard—Oak Ridge Cemetery in Faribault. The cemetery sits atop a hill along Minnesota State Highway 3 on the north edge of town. I always thought it was the Catholic cemetery, an error corrected by my husband who pointed to an adjacent burial grounds.
Oh, the oaks and the limestone.
Oak Ridge is unlike any cemetery I’ve toured. Narrow roadways wind up this historic burial site appropriately named for its ridge-top location and many oak trees. It’s a beautiful location overlooking the city. I made a mental memo to visit in the fall. I noted also two limestone buildings—a crypt and a pumphouse. And I noted the natural state of the unmanicured grounds.
Four Nutting headstones in a row grabbed my attention. The Nutting family built a manufacturing company in Faribault. On the left is the marker of the Rev. Freeman Nutting, who married Mary Spencer. After he died in December 1853, Mary married Freeman’s older brother, Truman, in 1854. Truman’s first wife, Lucinda Graves, died in 1851.
Truman Nutting was born in 1807 and died in 1891.
Mary Spencer Nutting was born in 1814 and died in 1904. Have you ever noticed how aged graves read “wife of,” but not “husband of?”
When I began reading tombstones, I recognized names of early Faribault residents, of individuals prominent in the community. This is an old cemetery, laid out in 1857, a year before Minnesota became a state.
A Google search revealed that stones atop a headstone indicate a visitor stopped to pay respects to the deceased.
A penny on a headstone also marks a visit and is often practiced by those of Jewish faith, according to Google sources. I spotted this coin on a headstone with a Star of David.
As I paused at markers, I considered the personal stories that I will never know of these men, women, teens, children and babies once loved. I saw evidence of that love in objects left atop gravestones. I’ve seen the usual flowers, flags, garden art and stuffed animals at other cemeteries. But not until Oak Ridge had I seen a penny and stones left as signs of a grave site visit.
There’s so much history in cemeteries. This sign led me to visit the Dalby Database to learn more about the woman buried beneath this marker. The broken marker is held together by a plate and bolts.
She is Sarah Benedict, born on July 29, 1793, died on December 3, 1872…
…daughter of William Brewster, soldier of the Revolution.
I am determined now to revisit Oak Ridge—termed by another visitor as “the horse and buggy cemetery.” His tag seems fitting for a burial site that traces back to the early days of Faribault, of Minnesota as a state.
I’ve visited many rural Minnesota cemeteries. This is the first Star of David I’ve found on a tombstone.
TELL ME: Do you explore cemeteries? If yes, why?
A tombstone inscribed in German.
FYI: Click here to read an unofficial Facebook page for Oak Ridge Cemetery. It offers lots of information on those buried here.
The Dalby Database is also an excellent source of information for those buried in cemeteries throughout Minnesota.
© Copyright 2017 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Looks like a lovely old cemetery to check out. Your story inspires me to write about my husband’s home church cemetery. There are seven generations of his family buried there! He has done his research and we have a photo of each gravestone.
Seven generations? Wow. Yes, I would enjoy reading that blog post.
The seventh is our generation. He had a younger brother die in 1986.
That’s simply remarkable to me from a Minnesota perspective.
I love exploring cemeteries particularly if ancestors are buried there. At a family reunion this past summer I spent some time at the small Catholic cemetery in Bluffton, MN and found the headstones of my great-great grandparents. The immigrated from Germany and the markings were in German.
Growing up one of the daycares we attended was located next to cemetery. We had loads of fun playing hide and seek amongst the old headstones and trees.
-Jocelyn
I’m delighted to hear of your appreciation for cemeteries. How wonderful that you were able to find your great-great grandparents headstones in Bluffton.
In the Jewish tradition, it’s customary to place stones atop a headstone on the anniversary (Yahrzeit or Yortzeit in Yiddish) of the deceased.
I’ve never heard of or seen the penny custom.
Thank you for the additional information, Marney.
It would appear that a beautiful old graveyard to look at. Your story moves me to expound on my better half’s home church burial ground…
I’m always happy to inspire readers.
Yes, I do family research and will travel great distances to visit grave sites of past relatives I’ve discovered. Enjoy writing a story to go with each person and their family and the visit.
Good for you, Joan. The stories are such an important part of family history.
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Love these pictures too. The stones on the grave stone reminded me of something I read a while back so I went to research.
According to snoops.com
“A coin left on a headstone or at the grave site is meant as a message to the deceased soldier’s family that someone else has visited the grave to pay respect. Leaving a penny at the grave means simply that you visited.
A nickel indicates that you and the deceased trained at boot camp together, while a dime means you served with him in some capacity. By leaving a quarter at the grave, you are telling the family that you were with the soldier when he was killed.
According to tradition, the money left at graves in national cemeteries and state veterans cemeteries is eventually collected, and the funds are put toward maintaining the cemetery or paying burial costs for indigent veterans.”
Thanks for sharing this additional interesting info.