Ridge Cemetery Part 2

Ridge Cemetery is an old historic cemetery in my town. As I mentioned on Monday, the cemetery has it's share of some beautiful unique headstones. I will be sharing some of the older headstones and some of the history of the cemetery.

Then for part 3 (next week) I'll share some other unique headstones 

Lutheran Orphans Home 

Not far from where I live now, was a Lutheran Orphans Home that was Est 1891 (Good Shepherd Lutheran church and Lutheran Family Services are there now).  

Sadly 56 of the children are buried at Ridge Cemetery.  Back in 2019 a group of children and adults cleaned up the gravesite which has remained pristine. 

Dodge County Poor Farm 

Another historical location is the Poor Farm. Upon my research I couldn't find any information on some of the people listed on the grave. I did do some digging on a grave photo (she's buried at Ridge) by the name of Sarah "Aunty" Hickman she had lived at the Poor Farm and died kneeling in front of her Bible. 

Laura A. Blair Wacek 

Again, not much back story for Laura (that I could find) but her headstone is a can't miss when you're exploring in Ridge. 

A Young Wife

This beautiful headstone is towards the front of the cemetery (she's my local Etta Grisby) on the stone it reads In loving remembrance of Lura M Beloved wife of G.H. Hodges Nov 18, 1887 21 years 9 months 28 days. Below that is an inscription (which I forgot to photograph). The beautiful statue looks mournfully down and hardly shows anywhere or much age.

Gypsies

I have spent my time trying to find a family of gypsies that are buried here. Although I don't think this is the right headstone (I discovered later the headstones have covered wagons on them). Anyways they were a family that stayed at our local state lakes and always came to visit the family headstones (the name is Mason) and were eccentrically decorated. 

Stay Tuned for Next week where I finish up the other headstones at Ridge!

Miss Mag Nificent