Samuel L. Bedford rests
in Laurel Hill Cemetery, Minisink Hills Pa. his stone sits off to the side in
the weeds, and most visiting the cemetery would not notice it, except for me.
Samuel is born 6 August 1846 in New Jersey. In the 1880s he works for his
mother in law Jane Barnes on her farm in Brotzmanville, Pahaquarry, Warren Co.,
NJ. His stone is interesting because of the stones symbols, the crown and the
star. Various symbols have different meanings. The star; These pick in
night's veil suggest, to Christians, "the Light shining in the darkness,
the Light that darkness could not overpower". Or as Mithras put it:
"I am a star which goes with thee and shines out of the depths."
Stars stand for the spirit, piercing the darkness as an expression of their
triumph against the overwhelming odds of oblivion.
Five pointed stars have been used both to represent both the spirit rising to heaven and, when inverted, its treason as an instrument of Evil. The six-pointed star or mogen david, now recognized as the emblem of international Judaism, was but a minor motif until its adoption by the Zionist movement in the late 19th century.
Five pointed stars have been used both to represent both the spirit rising to heaven and, when inverted, its treason as an instrument of Evil. The six-pointed star or mogen david, now recognized as the emblem of international Judaism, was but a minor motif until its adoption by the Zionist movement in the late 19th century.
The Crown: The crown atop the head of many saints
and a few worldly devils attests to the soul's achievement. Early crowns were
made out of plants and derived their meaning from those herbs. As men fashioned
crowns out of more enduring substances like gold, they added little spikes to
call to mind the power and authority of the sun. more about cemetery symbols
here https://mysendoff.com/2012/08/the-grave-secrets-of-symbols-and-iconography-of-the-cemetery/
So knowing these things, makes you know a little more who
Samuel was just by looking at his stone. He was a strong man, and the Psalm at
the bottom lets you know he had a strong faith. This reads from the King James Bible;
lord make me know mine end and the measure of my days that I may know how frail
I am.
Samuel enlisted in the Army in Sept 1861 and was not
discharged till 29 Sept 1865. That is a long time to be in the civil war, which
ended in June 1865. I find 2 enlistment records for him one from Pa and one for
NJ
He marries Margaret Barnes in 1870 and by 1880 they have 3
children; James (after Samuels father) John (after Margaret’s father) &
Rutherford (could be a surname) .
Samuel dies on Feb 10 1890.
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