A GOOD MAN IS HARD TO FIND

Click on an underlined name to read about the individual honored with verse.

MEN OF MARK

In the 19th century, the roles of wife and motherhood were deeply revered and central to societal expectations. Women were primarily seen as the moral and emotional anchors of the family, responsible for nurturing their children and supporting their husbands. The ideal wife was expected to embody virtues such as piety, purity, submission, and domesticity, often referred to by historians as the "Cult of True Womanhood".

The characteristics of "True Womanhood" were depicted in sermons, literature, religious texts, and women's magazines. Here are a few of the gravestones indicative of these 19th century cultural norms:

• Paul Holloway Ponder [1897-1967]
  Grand Master of Grand Lodge, Free & Accepted Masons of GA, 1966-1967
  Grand High Priest of Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons of GA, 1937-1938
  Worthy Grand Patron of Grand Chapter Order of the Eastern Star of GA,1955-1956
   

• Edward Taylor Newton [1904-1983]
  International patent attorney; Founder first patent law firm in Georgia
   

• William Thomas Bacon[1869-1944]
  “Nothing is so strong as gentleness, Nothing so gentle as real strength.” ~ Saint Francis de Sales
  Editor and Publisher of the Madisonian 1894 - 1944, State Senator 1943 - 1944
   

• Parmenius Rollins "P.R." Thomason [1816-1886]
  “A successful Merchant, a good Citizen, a most useful Man, and a member of the M. E. Church lies here.”
  Mayor | City of Madison - 1869-1870, 1871-1872, 1889-1890 
  ​

• Joshua Hosea Hill [1812-1892]
  Member of U.S. Congress from this District 1857 -1861, U.S. Senator 1871 - 1873
  Delegate to Constitutional Conventions of GA 1865 and 1877
  President | City of Madison - 1853
  “A staunch southern friend of the Union.”

A MOST EFFUSIVE MONUMENT
In 1821, a bereft Robert Taylor erected a monument to honor his wife, Harriot Caroline Jones Taylor [1798-1921]. Harriot is remembered for her many virtues: she was a devoted wife, an exemplary mother, a dutiful daughter, a loving sister, a generous friend, and a kind mistress. Her husband, deeply grieved by her loss, highlighted her noble character and the profound impact she had on those around her. The epitaph reflects his deep sorrow and love, expressing hope of reuniting in the afterlife and emphasizing the importance of their children emulating her virtues.
 

• Louise Marion McHenry Hicky [1891-1984]
  “Writer, Lecturer, Historian”