TOMBSTONE TUESDAY: He died for his master

Unusual Monument and Epitaph

In the Magnolia Cemetery in the lot of W. S. Metcalf is a monument to a FAITHFUL FRIEND. This is the story about the tombstone.

Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama 2010 by Carol Highsmith (Library of Congress)

In 1903, a mill located near Cedar Point Road, known as the Metcalf Mill, was destroyed by an explosion, killing Mr. W. S. Metcalf. His dog “Rex” his faithful friend and everyday companion, refused to leave the location or to partake of any nourishment, waiting and watching for his masters return and died at his post. Rex is buried at the foot of his master’s grave and a monument, a life size replica of him, marks the spot on which is engraved: “He died for his master.”

RIBBON OF LOVE: 2nd edition – A Novel of Colonial America Inspired by actual people and historical events! Based on the Cottingham ancestors of Bibb County, Alabama.

Ribbon of Love was a wonderful love story of Henry and Mary living and struggling to succeed as one of the first families in the colony of Virginia in the 1600s. In addition to the love story, the descriptions of the clothing, home furnishings, personalities, family life, church and community are most intriguing. The exhilarating action and subplots keep the reader in constant anticipation. It is almost impossible to put the book down until completion. – Dr. Don P. Brandon, Retired Professor, Anderson University