Tombstone Tuesday: Edward F. Harney

This is the tombstone of Edward F. Harney.  This picture was taken in Evergreen Washelli Memorial Park and Funeral Home in Seattle, King County, Washington.

Edward is the brother of my great grandfather, William Fredrick Harney.  He was born April 29th, 1883 in Indiana.  He moved to Seattle and raised his family there.  He died on December 8th, 1944.

Note: This picture was taken by Karen Sipe and is on the FindAGrave website.  You can view his memorial page here.

Symbols Found On The Gravestones Of Children

Burying a child is every parent's worse nightmare.  Unfortunately it was something that our ancestors had to do all too often.

Below is a list of commonly used symbols on the gravestones of children:

• Butterflies: This is often a symbol that represents an early death or a life taken too soon.
• Lamb: This represents innocence or sinlessness.
• Birds with Wings (as if flying): This symbolizes the soul's flight to heaven.
• Angels: The idea behind this symbol is that an angel guides the soul to heaven.
• Urn or Vase: A symbol of an early death.
• Dove: This is a symbol that represents love, tenderness, peace, purity, and innocence.

When searching for the gravestone of a child, search for these symbols.  Have you ever seen these symbols on the gravestones of children?  What other symbols have you seen on the gravestones of children?