Tombstone Tuesday - The Mysterious Mr. Burns

While recently visiting a new-to-me cemetery in Grundy County, Illinois, I photographed some rather large gravestones. In this case, I think monument is more the proper term. These two huge monuments, I came to learn, belong to the same man. The data is the same on each, but they are in completely different sections of this rural, primarily Irish Catholic cemetery. The first:

parents Michael and Bridget on reverse

Reel in-laws

Then in the front of the cemetery, slightly more traditional but equally as imposing, is this monument:

"Their Life Was Pain
To Die Was Gain"

Now I know nothing of Mr. Burns or his family (Ellen is his sister). By chance I happened to photograph both of these monuments during my wanderings. Even more interesting is the story I found on his FindAGrave page: that Mr. Burns decided to spend all of his wealth on gravestones so that nothing would be passed on to his family. He may also have more monuments in more cemeteries and no one knows where he truly lies, if the legend is true.

It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Burns, wherever you are.

Photographed at Mount Carmel Cemetery, Morris, Grundy, Illinois

© 2013 Sally Knudsen