102 - David Tomas - Newtonia, MO USA
N 36° 53.077 W 094° 11.220
15S E 394223 N 4082730
Headstone for centenarian David Tomas in the Old Civil War Cemetery in Newtonia, Newton County, Missouri
Waymark Code: WMQ58M
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 12/22/2015
Views: 5
We don't know much about
David Tomas who lived, and died, so long ago. We know that someone affectionately had inscribed "Uncle David Tomas" on his headstone, which is in the well-kept
Old Newtonia Civil War Cemetery. The caretakers have restored some of the old broken stone markers by placing new angle-irons around them, such as in this case. However, this marker is at the extreme west edge of the cemetery, right where a bush or a bushy tree had fallen over above the marker, making it just a little difficult to get to the front side of the marker, which is facing west. I had to push aside some branches and stand in that fallen thing to get the first couple of photos of the front of the headstone.
Due to lighting conditions and marker conditions, the FindAGrave photo of the headstone is better than I could get, but the "UNCLE DAVID TOMAS Died Sept. 19, 1881" (the FindAGrave entry says Sept. 18), and the "102 YRS" are still very clear. The inscription between Died ... 1881 and the 102 YRS is not legible. Looks like it may be some letters and numbers. At the bottom there is a lengthy inscription that is too hard to read, but the last words are: "... here below can lay this boddy (sic) down." At the top is an etching of an open book with the words Holy Bible inscribed across its pages.
Just think, this Uncle David lived from just a couple of years after the War For Independence was fought, born during the time of the Articles of Confederation (1779), and died 15 years after the U. S. Civil War had ceased. This is one person that I would sure like to know more about.