One Bunny's Tale from- The Old Burying Ground- Beaufort, NC

Wow... this Graveyard Rabbit was deeply humbled as she entered the Old Burying Ground in Beaufort, NC last week. Typically she likes to think of herself as a history buff-- with a deep understanding of our country's past. However, as she walked into the Old Burying Ground, and saw graves and memorial space that dated as far back as 1711, she was reminded that North Carolina's past is vast and meaningful.

Case in point-- the picture to the left is from the grave that is marked "Little Girl Buried in a Rum Keg". The picture is the side view. Visitors to the Old Burying Ground stop by and leave shells and other trinkets at her grave. Doing some simple internet research, I came across the following explanation for how this came to be

"The little girl buried here is buried in a rum keg. Growing up in an
English family, the little girl desperately wanted to visit her
homeland. Upon convincing her mother, her father agreed to take
her and promised her mother that he would return the girl safely.
On the boat on the journey home, the little girl died. Rather than bury
her at sea (as was customary) and break his promise to his wife, the
little girl's father purchased a barrel of rum from the boat's captain.
He stored the little girl's body in the barrel and returned her safely
home so that she could have a proper burial."
(from site: http://ced.ncsu.edu/2/sch/burying/index.html)

I have no way of knowing if the above quote is true. It reminds me that cemeteries are not only full of amazing historical citizens and cherished memories, but fabulous urban legends as well.

This time of year, as burying grounds and cemeteries face an influx of visitors as many come to visit the "ghosts," these unique graves pique the interest of not only the cemetery buff but also the casual visitors. These types of graves are the "stuff" legends are made of! As a graveyard rabbit, I love to focus on the monument art and symbolism of stones, but I can't help but appreciate these unassuming markers and the legends behind them.

Happy Fall!