Oakland Cemetery, Petersburg, IL – 01 JUN 2011

The first stones to catch my eye, was this set of four.
Here's a close-up, from left to right:
Later I found this one:Squire and Lucinda are the grandparents of Edger Lee Masters: American poet, biographer, dramatist and Lawyer. He wrote one of my favorite classic pieces, Spoon River Anthology, which I was in a Readers Theatre production of, in college. His marker reads:
Edgar Lee Masters
1866 – 1950
“GOOD FRIENDS, LETS TO THE FIELDS…
AFTER A LITTLE WALK, AND BY YOUR PARDON
I THINK I’LL SLEEP THERE IS NO SWEETER THING,
NOR FATE MORE BLESSED THAN TO SLEEP
I AM A DREAM OUT OF A BLESSED SLEEP—
LETS WALK AND HEAR THE LARK.”
Ellen was his wife. Dexter Wright Masters was his nephew and a noted authority on atomic energy.The interlocking three rings (often shown in white/blue/red) is the symbol for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The letters stand for Friendship, Love, Truth.
The Trenary plot had three different chairs.
There was a sign: "The Ann Rutledge Tuliptree - The Oakland Cemetery was designed in 1879 around this majestic old tuliptree (Liriodendron tulipitera), whose origin and age are unknown. The remains of Ann Rutledge lie under its afternoon shade. Cables and lightning protection have been installed to help preserve the tree for future generations." Ann Rutledge (January 7, 1813 – August 25, 1835) was believed to be Abraham Lincoln's first love. For more information check out this link:  Ann Rutledge
Edgar Lee Master wrote this poem:
Out of me unworthy and unknown
The vibrations of deathless music;
'With malice toward none, with charity for all.'
Out of me the forgiveness of millions toward millions,
And the beneficent face of a nation
Shining with justice and truth.
I am Anne Rutledge who sleep beneath these weeds,
Beloved in life of Abraham Lincoln,
Wedded to him, not through union,
But through separation.
Bloom forever, O Republic,
From the dust of my bosom!

I first saw this marker:
Which is the back of the marker below: Yes, he is still alive. A writer, editor, and retired university administrator. He wrote, Stealing Secrets (about female spies of the Civil War) and Lincoln’s Ladies: The Women in the Life of the Sixteenth President. The sign says: Bowling, Nancy Green yet her tombstone says Nancy Greene.
Hannah Armstrong’s husband challenged Abraham Lincoln to a wrestling match, after which they became good friends.Edgar Lee Master's wrote of her:
 
I wrote him a letter asking him for old times' sake
To discharge my sick boy from the army;
But maybe he couldn't read it.
Then I went to town and had James Garber,
Who wrote beautifully, write him a letter;
But maybe that was lost in the mails.
So I traveled all the way to Washington.
I was more than an hour finding the White House.
And when I found it they turned me away,
Hiding their smiles. Then I thought:
"Oh, well, he ain't the same as when I boarded him
And he and my husband worked together
And all of us called him Abe, there in Menard."
As a last attempt I turned to a guard and said:
"Please say it's old Aunt Hannah Armstrong
From Illinois, come to see him about her sick boy
In the army."
Well, just in a moment they let me in!
And when he saw me he broke in a laugh,
And dropped his business as president,
And wrote in his own hand Doug's discharge,
Talking the while of the early days, And telling stories.