#15 Christ Church Cemetery

May 9, 2023

Even with centuries-old live oaks and trailing moss shading much of the grounds, when I entered the cemetery in the early afternoon, it was already sultry and hot.  The church doors wouldn't open until 2:00, so I spent the first hour walking the grounds.  

I knew the names I was looking for...Goulds, Coupers, Hazzards, and more.  I found a website that told which section people were buried in, but the sections were randomly marked on stone blocks, and had no logical pattern.  But I had come too far to let a little sweat and tired feet get in my way.  I would systematically comb that cemetery until I found the resting place of each of these dear ones I'd been hanging out with for the past several months.

By the time the church opened, I had found a few familiar names.  The books by Eugenia Price are large tomes, and take so long to read or listen to, that the names began to blur.  Dates on the stones helped to figure out how people fit into the island history. 

The Hazzard family vault is constructed of "tabby", a locally used material.  Shells, left behind by the Indians that used to inhabit the islands, are burned, and turned to lime.  Then that is added to more shells (and maybe some other things) to become a cement-like product.  

Hazzard Family vault

Close up of tabby

I read in a book of Christ Church history that the Hazzard family vault was built in 1813.  During the Civil War, when the church was so damaged, the vault was as well.  A descendant, Capt. Miles Hazzard, upon discovering the damage at that time, vented his anger in a scathing letter to the commander of the northern forces.  Posted on a stick for all to see, it said in part, "If it is honorable to disturb the dead, I shall consider it an honor, and will make it my ambition to disturb your living."

I won't try to write the history of all of those tucked under the sod here, but one family is very significant, the Anson Dodge family.  Anson did not have very good health, and in 1898, at only 38 years old, he died.  Ellen’s body was removed from beneath the church, and they were buried together in the Christ Church cemetery.  A simple flat marker with their initials and the date, marks their resting place. 

Grave of Anson and Ellen Dodge

Anna lived until 1927.  Anson had wished for her to be buried beside him and Ellen, as she was dear to them both, but when Rebecca, Anson’s mother died in 1925, Anna had her buried next to them instead.  The little boy Anson was buried in the plot between Rebecca and Anna.  

Another very important person was James Gould, originally from Boston, builder of the first lighthouse on St Simons Island.  His story is told by Eugenia Price in the first book of the trilogy, and not surprisingly, titled, "Lighthouse".  She actually wrote them in reverse order.  First, "Beloved Invader", about Anson Dodge, then, "New Moon Rising" about James Gould's son, Horace Bunch Gould.

John Couper, owner of huge Cannon's Plantation, deeded four acres of his land at the south end of the island for the building of the first lighthouse.  He was a member of the vestry in Christ Church, and brought the mail to church every Sunday to be distributed to all.  He and his family are buried here under Italian marble markers.  His son James, wife Rebecca, and daughter, Isabella.

There were many other familiar names as I walked around.  Squirrels scampered up the trees and cardinal flitted through the branches  The grave that I had the hardest time finding, and finally had to ask someone in the church, was Eugenia Price's.  It's tucked back behind two large oak trees, quite far from the church.  

Eugenia died a few days before my youngest daughter was born.  She was almost 80 years old.  On her stone it reads, 

After her conversion

to Jesus Christ

October 2, 1949

she wrote

"LIGHT...

AND ETERNITY

AND LOVE

AND ALL

ARE MINE

AT LAST."