Tombstone Abbreviations

Hopewell Cemetery, Copiah County, Mississippi

Walking through cemeteries while visiting the graves of those that went before us, or looking for that lost family member, we have come across many unique and sometimes confusing symbols and abbreviations on markers. Note: There are far more abbreviations than listed here.

AF&AM - (masonic)
AFL – American Federation of Labor
AFL-CIO - American Federation of Labor – Congress of Industrial Organizations
AFSCME - The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
AMORC - Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis
AOF - Ancient Order Of Foresters
AOH - Ancient Order Of Hibernians
AOKMC - Ancient Order Of Knights of Mystic Chain
AOUW - Ancient Order Of United Workmen
ALOH - American Legion of Honor
AUM - Ancient Order of Mysteries- Masonic Order
BPOE - Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
BPOEW - Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World
Congress of Industrial Organizations
CK of A - Catholic Knights of America
COOF - Catholic Order of Foresters
CTAS - Catholic Total Abstinence Society
CBKA - Commander Benevolent Knights Association
CCTAS - Crusaders-Catholic Total Abstinence Society
CSA - Confeserate States of America
DAR - Daughters of American Revolution
EBA - Emerald Beneficial Association
FAA - Free and Accepted Americans
F&AM - Free and Accepted Masons.
FOE - Fraternal Order of Eagles
GALSTPtr - German American Legion of St. Peter
GAR - Grand Army of the Republic
GLAUM - Grand Lodge Ancient Order of Mysteries-Masonic Order
GUOOF - Grand United Order of Odd Fellows
IHSV - Red Cross of Constantine
IOI - Independent Order of Immaculates
IOKP - Independent Order of Knights of Pythias
IOOF - Independent Order of Odd Fellows
ISH - Independent Sons of Honor
IORM - Improved Order of Redmen
IWW - Industrial Workers of the World
JAOUW - Junior Order-Ancient Order of United Workmen
JOUAM - Junior Order-Order of United American Mechanics
KGL - Knight Grand Legion
KM - Knights Militant
KC - Knights of Columbus
K of C - Knights of Columbus
K of FM - Knights of Father Matthew
KFM - Knights of Father Matthew
K of H - Knights of Honor
K of L - Knights of Loyola
K M - Knights of Malta (Masonic)
KMC - Knights of the Mystic Chain
KPC - Knights of Peter Claver
KP - Knights of Pythias
K of P - Knights of Pythias
KSC - Knights of St. Columbkille
KG - Knights of St. George
KSTG - Knights of St. George
KSTI - Knights of St. Ignatius
K of SJ - Knights of St. John
KSTJ - Knights of St. Joseph
KSL - Knights of St. Lawrence
KSTM - Knights of St. Martin
K of STP - Knights of St. Patrick
KSTP - Knights of St. Paul
KSTP - Knights of St. Peter
KSTT - Knights of St. Thomas
K of STW - Knights of St. Wenceslas
KT - Knights of Tabor
K of T - Knights of Tabor
KWM - Knights of Wise Men
KGE - Knights of Golden Eagle
KHC - Knights of Holy Cross
KKK - Knights of Klu-Klux Klan
KOTM - Knights of Macabees
KSF - Knights of Sherwood Forest
KT - Knights Templars (Masonic)
LAOH - Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians
LK of A - Loyal Knights of America
LOM - Loyal Order of the M.O.O.S.E.
MOLLUS - Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States
MRA - Royal Arcanum
MWA - Modern Woodsmen of America
NOK - New Order Knights (see KKK)
OES - Order of the Eastern Star
OUAM - Order of United American Mechanics
PM - Patriarchs Militant (Independent Order of Odd Fellows)
POSA - Patriotic Order of the Sons of America
RIP - Rest in Peace
RMOKHSJ - The Religious and Military Order of Knights of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem
RSTV - Rite of St. Vaclara
RSTV - Rite of ST. Vita
RK - Roman Knights
SR - Scottish Rite (Masonic Order)
RAM - Royal Arch Masons
RO-AUM - Rosicrucian Order
SBCL - Saint Bonifazius Catholic Union
SBL - Society B. Lafayette
SCV - Sons of the Confederate Veterans
SAR - Sons of the American Revolution
SNA-AUM - Shrine of North America (Masonic)
SV - Sons of Veterans
TH - Temple of Honor-Independent Order of Odd Fellows
TMO – Traditional Martinist Order (Rosicrucian)
UCV - United Confederate Veterans
UDC - United Daughters of the Confederacy
VFW - Veterans of Foreign Wars
WOW - Woodsman of the World
(FAG FB post)

The 1890 Census - Not Everything Was Destroyed

The following is a Plus Edition article written by and copyright by Dick Eastman. 

Beginning U.S. genealogists soon learn that the 1890 census records were destroyed in a fire in the basement of the Commerce Building on January 10, 1921. Many people who would like to see these records just shrug their shoulders and move on.

In fact, census fragments for 1890 in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas, and the District of Columbia survived and are available now.

Additional story at: https://blog.eogn.com/2019/07/15/the-1890-u-s-census-not-everything-was-destroyed/

Hopewell Cemetery - Slay, Sojourner and Weathersby

For researchers working on Slay, Sojourner, and Weathersby families, the following are noted in the Hopewell Cemetery in extreme eastern side of Copiah County, Mississippi.

SLAY JENNIE CORNELIA MAR 19 1909 FEB 6 1924

SLAY A. C. "LONNIE" JUL 11 1870 JUN 18 1952

SLAY A. CLIFFTON "CLIFF" DEC 26 1904

SLAY ALICE OCT 23 1882 NOV 22 1914 MOTHER W/O A. C.

SLAY DORA J. 1875 1917

SLAY ELLA C. SEP 14 1811 NOV 10 1811 D/O A. D. & V. L. SLAY

SLAY ETHEL ROSE JUL 31 1906 Married A. C. Dec 15 1929

SLAY GERTUDE JUNE 24 18?? JUNE 24 18??.

SLAY J. C. APR 3 1894 DEC 26 1920 FATHER

SLAY JEANETTE (TOOSIE) SEP 18 1911 APR 3 1988 W/O WILLIAM

SLAY JENNIFER RENEE JUL 3 1975 JUL 5 1975

SLAY JOHN C. 1867 1927

SLAY LENORA SEP 8 1863 NOV 2 1870 D/O N. & M. SLAY

SLAY MARY C. FEB 14 1813 SEP 30 1814 D/O N. & M. SLAY

SLAY MR. ALONZA C. JUNE 18 1952 AGED 81 YEARS

SLAY THOMAS J. SR. SEPT 17 1847 APR 1 1885

SLAY WILLIAM HOMER SEP 25 1906 JAN 7 1982

SOJOURNER ALBERT CLIFTON MAR 13 1885 APR 29 1936

SOJOURNER B. H. OCT 6 1829 AUG 26 1900

SOJOURNER FRAKLIN WILLIAMS MAR 21 1904

SOJOURNER HOLLIE F. JR. JAN 21 1932 SEP 11 1995

SOJOURNER HOLLIE FRIDAY SR. OCT 1 1895 DEC 22 1974

SOJOURNER HOMER D. JAN 17 1897 MAY 22 1942

SOJOURNER JOHN C. MAR 4 1858 DEC 15 1863 S/O M. U. & A. E. (Unreadable 1998)

SOJOURNER LEVISA AUG 8 1791 JAN 8 1866 MOTHER W/O REDRICK

SOJOURNER M. U. JAN 29 1833 JUNE 2 1913

SOJOURNER MARTIN C. 1868 1945

SOJOURNER MARY E. 1872 1954 MOTHER W/O MARTIN

SOJOURNER NORMAN PARKER JAN 12 1936 SEP 24 1974

SOJOURNER OSA V. AUG 14 1896 AUG 6 1906

SOJOURNER REDERICK FEB 1 1795 AUG 20 1868 FATHER

WEATHERSBY ANNIE RENO MAR 14 1890 APR 19 1948 Mother, W/O James Isom W.

WEATHERSBY GILLIAN 1870 1927

WEATHERSBY JAMES ISOM FEB 16 1882 JUNE 10 1950 FATHER

WEATHERSBY LILLIAN MURRAY 1870 1944

WEATHERSBY LOUIS I. APR 7 1914 AUG 9 1990

Slay tombstones in the New Hazlehurst Cemetery

New Hazlehurst Cemetery (old section)

Hazlehurst Cemetery is located in the town of Hazlehurst in Copiah County, Mississippi.  It is one of the older cemeteries in the county. It can be reached from Interstate Highway 55 by taking exit 61 and going east for 0.7 miles.  Then turn right on old highway 51 and go south through town.  After you pass the Courthouse in the center of town go 0.3 miles and turn right on Fair Street.  Go one block, and the cemetery is on the left.  The oldest recorded grave is 1858.  The new section of Hazlehurst cemetery is across the street from the old section.

Slay Beryl D.  November 3, 1904 March 3, 1969 Husband of Ruth T. Slay 

Slay Cora Sexton  August 4, 1881 September 14, 1944 Wife of Maurice L. Slay 

Slay Diane D.  May 29, 1950 November 3, 1999 Wife of Ronnie E. Slay 

Slay George Dewey  November 21, 1898 June 20, 1975 Husband of Maggie Stuart Slay 

Slay Harold A.  April 15, 1907 August 3, 1994 Husband of Nell Myers Slay 

Slay Harold Alexander  April 15, 1907 August 3, 1994 

Slay Hulon N.  July 17, 1896 November 15, 1945 

Slay James Milton  May 26, 1871 December 18, 1918 Son of Erasmus & Catherine Slay 

Slay Jessie L.  December 29, 1911 June 12, 1991 

Slay Maggie Stuart  May 2, 1914 February 13, 1988 Wife of George Dewey Slay 

Slay Marguerite Love  July 8, 1913 August 3, 1960 Wife of Robert D. Slay 

Slay Mary Kate Sexton December 9, 1886 December 5, 1933 

Slay Mary Love  April 22, 1886 December 5, 1933 Wife of Oscar J. Slay 

Slay Maurice L.  May 27, 1870 December 25, 1923 Husband of Cora Sexton Slay 

Slay Nell Myers  May 12, 1913 July 18, 1980 Wife of Harold A. Slay 

Slay Oscar J.  April 30, 1886 December 5, 1933 Husband of Mary Love Slay 

Slay Robert D.   Husband of Marguerite Love Slay 

Slay Robert Wesley  June 19, 1921 January 31, 1927 

Slay Ronnie E.  May 25, 1947  Husband of Diane D. Slay 

Slay Rosa  1876 1937 Wife of Sandy Slay 

Slay Ruth T.  September 6, 1920  Wife of Beryl D. Slay 

Slay Sandy  1864 1922 Husband of Rosa Slay 

Slay William Selman  August 15, 1952 August 19, 1952