Pittsburgh Cemeteries

These two stones are immense, the largest vertical stones of their era that Father Pitt has seen. Indeed, he wonders whether they were originally meant to lie flat, and later set up like this. —Addendum: Comparing these to other “ledger” stones of the same era, old Pa Pitt is almost completely convinced that these were ledger stones, meant to lie flat. Compare, for example, the Moses Coulter stone, and note the almost identical beveling. These have been much better preserved by raising them perpendicular to the ground.

JANE DICKSON
consort of
WILLIAM DICKSON
departed this life July 13th 1828
Aged 90 years

Jane Dickson, “consort” of William Dickson, lived to the fine old age of ninety. She thus outlived her husband by three years, but only because she was eight years younger.

In
memory
of
WILLIAM DICKSON
who departed this life
october 31st 1825
Aged 101 years

As you can see, outliving William Dickson was a considerable feat for anybody, and Jane is to be commended for an outstanding effort.

Father Pitt is inclined to attribute both these stones to our friend the Master of the Erratic Centering. He is sure about William’s stone: note the avoidance of capitalization (“october”), the spelling of the deceased’s name in large and small capitals, and the trademark erratic centering. Old Pa Pitt is only slightly less sure about Jane’s: the letters are in the same style, and though the work looks very slightly neater, we are inclined to attribute that to the stonecutter’s being slightly more experienced or slightly less drunk.

REBECCA RITCHEY
departed this life,
December 27, 1838.
Aged 42 years 11 months
& 4 days.

Here is a work by a stonecutter whom we shall call the Master of the Italic Months, from one of the most distinctive features of his style. He also writes the name of the deceased in all capitals (not small capitals), and he places a comma after the words “departed this life.” He adds an ornamental dash below the inscription. His lettering is not nearly as neat as that of the Master of the Erratic Centering, who also cut many stones in the Hiland Cemetery; but, on the other hand, his centering is a bit better.

In
memory
of
NANCY OWENS
who departed this life
july 31st 1824,
aegd 19 years

Two more works of the stonecutter we identify as the Master of the Erratic Centering, whose erratic centering and aversion to capitalization are both on display here. Both Nancy and Samuel died as young adults. Were they a young married couple, or were they brother and sister?

In
memory
of
SAMUEL OWENS
who departed this life august 2nd
1827 aged 28 years

An 1829 tombstone typical of the Hiland Cemetery. We can identify this particular stonecutter by two very distinctive traits: his erratic centering and his avoidance of capital letters and punctuation. We shall call him the Master of the Erratic Centering.