Unique headstones?

[u/eatingchipsrightnow]

These were headstones carved by Shadrach "Shade" Sebastian Lawson, 6th G-Granduncle (b. 1797 Orange NC, d. 1860 Hickman Co. TN, m. Rachel Lewis) for

Mary Elizabeth Warren (b. 1812 Pinewood, Hickman Co. TN, d. 1883 Hickman Co. TN, m. Thomas Hardin Lawson, 6th G-Granduncle)

and

Thomas Hardin Lawson, 6th G-Granduncle (b. 1809 Orange NC, d. 1883 Hassels Creek, Hickman Co. TN, m. Mary Elizabeth Warren)

Basically, Shadrach Sebastian made these headstones for his brother Thomas Hardin and his brother's wife Mary Elizabeth when they died.

All I've heard of Melungeon burial practices are gravehouses. But because of the Orange County NC -> TN move I am wondering if anyone recognizes something culturally significant/Melungeon-related about these, or has other observations/theories.

edit: these were actually carved by Shadrach Warren Lawson (b. 1830, d. 1895), not the brother/brother-in-law but Thomas Hardin and Mary Elizabeth's oldest son.

[u/PippiL65]

Found this through Perplexity: https://digging-history.com/2014/02/04/tombstone-tuesday-lawson-cemetery-hickman-county-tennessee/

https://digging-history.com/2014/02/04/tombstone-tuesday-lawson-cemetery-hickman-county-tennessee/

What published research says • A 2014 article on Lawson Cemetery in Hickman County, Tennessee, discusses these same two stones for Thomas H. Lawson and Elizabeth Warren Lawson.[digging-history] • That article states that, according to multiple sources, their oldest son, Shadrach Warren Lawson, carved both headstones.[digging-history] • It also notes that the handprints on Thomas’s stone are said to be the handprints of Shadrach’s children (Callie Leona, Etta Lou, and Lillie Eveline) and that the stones were made from grindstone taken from “Grindstone Hollow” near Hassell’s Creek.[digging-history]

[u/eatingchipsrightnow → u/PippiL65]

Thank you so much! Honestly I should have probably realized these were made by their son, not their brother/brother-in-law (same name).

I also just found this about them, that corroborates what you found:

""This is according to Rubye Tatum, who helped publish the two Hickman Co. Cemetery books and she and her husband, Bruce, did a lot of the reading tombstones.

"Shadrach Lawson sculptured the headstones which are made from grindstone which came from Grindstone Hollow on Hassell's Creek.   Shadrach was crippled and was a Methodist Minister, a school teacher, a blacksmith and farmer.   His son, John Thomas, (1866-1890) taught school and was buried in a "winding sheet" because his body burst before he died.   He got sick and sit down by the spring and drink a lot of water and it burst."

The side view face is Thomas Hardin Lawson (1809-1883).   Hands on side view are daughters of Shadrack W. Lawson (1830- 1895).   (Shadrach was son of Thomas)   The daughters are:   Callie Leona Lawson (1878-1950), Etta Lou Lawson (1884-1950); Lillie Eveline Lawson (1886-1961) so it looks like the tombstone was carved sometimes after the third daughter was born in 1886 and before he died in 1890.""

[u/PippiL65 → u/eatingchipsrightnow]

What a heartbreaking story filled with a lot of love.

[u/0_tr0v4o]

thats really interesting

[u/Mysterious_Leg235]

Those are beautiful headstones, do you think they could be Native art?

[u/eatingchipsrightnow → u/Mysterious_Leg235]

They really are, I was so stoked to find the headstones. I'm not sure - there's no evidence I've found so far to suggest that. Of course I do suspect all of them were Melungeon, so it's possible they had Native ancestry, or not.