Gravediggers at Chapel of the Cross Cemetery

Recently I ran across some information about gravediggers. These gravediggers are, in fact, parishioners at Chapel of the Cross, an Episcopal church and cemetery located in Madison County. A picture of the cemetery located beside and behind the historic chapel, appears as the banner photo on this blog today. Volunteer members of this unique parish ministry dig graves, by hand, in which deceased parish members will be buried.

To read more about this unique ministry, visit the parish's website.

Wordless Wednesday - Two Young Children

Anna and Helen Hinton

Chapel of the Cross Cemetery

Madison, Mississippi

Chapel of the Cross Cemetery - Britton Family

Stephen Wells Britton, whose grave monument is shown here, was one of many Britton family members who migrated to Mississippi in the 1800s from Bertie County, North Carolina. According to the inscription on the monument that marks Stephen Britton's grave, he was born on April 21, 1818, and he died on April 19, 1855.

Other Britton family members buried in historic Chapel of the Cross Cemetery in Madison, Mississippi, include:


Frances A. Britton, b. Nov. 16, 1825, d. March 4, 1907
Herbert P. Britton, d. 1852
Mary B. Britton, d. Nov. 1883
William Britton, b. May 3, 1853, d. Dec. 24, 1894
William J. Britton, b. Mar. 19, 1815, d. Feb. 6, 1871

Interestingly, William J. Britton's wife, Frances A. Britton, was the daughter of Margaret Johnstone, who built the Chapel of the Cross. And it was Margaret Johnstone's younger daughter, Helen, who is known as the legendary "Bride of Annandale."