Found in Miles City, Montana

I have found more than one of these tombstones throughout my travels. The way these are carved are just amazing! They denote that the person was a woodsman and has the masonic symbol on them. Are these the tombstones for Freemason members? I would love to know the answer to that so if any Freemasons are reading this please email and let me know!

Ask and you shall receive!!! Ruth Icenogle graciously sent me historical info on the Woodsmen of the World:

In 1883, a man by the name of Joseph Cullen Root organized a

fraternal society in Omaha, Nebraska, called "Modern Woodmen

of America". One of the benefits of being a member was that upon 

death, the other members would pass around a hat and donate money

to the widow. Membership was limited to white males older than 18

years of age. Later when passing around the hat became more

frequent and costly, Root decided to sell life insurance to 

members. Modern Woodmen of America became a fraternal benefit society.

Later, a womens's auxiliary started up called "Royal Neighbors

of America. Both the male and female organizations grew steadily

and in five years, Modern Woodmen had a total membership of 

twenty-four thousand.

In 1899, several members had a "falling out" with the leaders of

the society, and separated to form a new society under the 

leadership of Fred A. Falkenburg, and named it 

"Woodmen of the World". Shortly after, tensions were high in the

new organization, and Falkenburg moved to Denver to form, 

"Woodmen of the World, Pacific Jurisdiction". Today, the three

societies remain as insurance companies. Woodmen of the World 

created women's auxiliaries called "Woodmen Circle" and "Supreme

Forest Woodmen", while the Pacific Jurisdiction created an 

auxiliary called, "Neighbors of Woodcraft", which still exists

as an insurance company in Portland, Oregon. 

My great-great aunt and uncle, Alonzo and Luella Welty are buried

in Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs.  They both died in a 

buggy accident when their horse ran away in Cripple Creek 1899.

They have the biggest Woodmen double-tree monument in the state

of Colorado. A google search will come back with lots of 

photgraphs of the monument.  The Woodmen provided the headstone

and gave each of their 2 children $100.00 from the life insurance 

Do you know the story of this soul? Please email chick (at) cemeterychick.com I would LOVE to add the story to this page!