Ancestor Proposal

For my ancestor research project, I would like to learn more about my great grandfather on my dad's side, Yoneichi Miyasaki. He was a very interesting man and shared many similar interests to me. Unfortunately, I never got to meet him which is why I would like to research him.

Top 5 Churches

A haven for heathens and dissenters, Charleston's Holy City is home to a wide variety of churches, each with their own unique style and history. With my class, I visited ten of these churches. Here are my top five (with a bonus).

#5: Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church

Catholics weren't always the most welcome in Charleston due to the large number of Protestants, nonetheless, St. Mary's was established in 1789. It is the first Catholic church in the Carolinas and Georgia. This church makes the list because of its extravagant classical Greek revival design featuring a large cross at the very front and center of the church. It boasts beautiful iron wrought fences and elaborate tiling. 

#4: St. Philip's Episcopal Church

Established in 1680, this church has a fruitful history. In the accompanying churchyard, you can find the graves of Patriots who signed the Declaration of Independence. One thing that sets this church apart, is that it was not built in the Greek revival style like many prominent buildings were. Instead, this church sports an anglo-palladian style and overlooks Charleston. One time I heard a group of people singing inside and it was beautiful. 

#3: Second Presbyterian Church 

After dissenting from the Church of England, worshipers from all over Charleston congregated in White Meeting House. These worshipers included dissenters from England, Ireland, Scotland, and France. Wanting to establish their own practice, tailored specifically for them, a twelve families left the White Meeting House and established the First Scots Presbyterian Church. This new church grew so rapidly, a second church was deemed necessary. The new church, called Second Presbyterian Church, was established in 1809 and deemed the oldest edifice of its kind in Charleston. It includes walls made from brick and stucco. Another interesting feature of this church is that the pews still in use today are from 1849.

#2: French Huguenot Church

The roots of this church date back to the 45 French Protestants that traveled to Charleston on the ship Richmond. These worshipers established the church in 1687 on the corner of Church St. and Queen St. The number of French Protestant refugees in the Low Country spiked and by 1700 there were more than 450 Huguenots settled here. Interestingly, the original church had been destroyed in an attempt to stop the spread of fire. I loved this church because of the subtle, pink exterior.

#1: KKBE Synagogue

https://thetakeonundertaking.blogspot.com/2020/02/kkbe.html

Kickin' KKBE Synagogue

While exploring the Holy City of Charleston, I saw a glimmer of gorgeous reds, blues, and greens. These were the stained glass windows of Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim, or KKBE, a synagogue who's roots trace back to the very cornerstone of the American Reform Jewish practice. Intrigued by the style that was so different from other synagogues, me and my classmate Alex Stribling decided to see what KKBE was all about.

On Sunday, we made our way in the rain to the KKBE's cemetery, found at 189 Coming Street. There we met Randi Serrins and Anita Rosenberg, two members of the synagogue who graciously let us into the locked cemetery and gave us a tour. Interestingly enough, the cemetery is not located near the synagogue as this is not allowed in the Jewish faith. Upon first look, we noticed that all the headstones pointed towards the East. Randi explained that this was because Jerusalem is in the East. Next to the entrance, there was also a hand washing station and a container full of rocks. The hand washing station was placed there to follow the tradition of washing hands before leaving a cemetery to separate the living from the dead. In Jewish tradition, rocks were placed on graves to show remembrance, much like flowers are used, but unlike flowers, rocks are eternal. The graveyard itself was quite large and had almost every type of tombstone imaginable, including a prominent mausoleum. 

Standing off to the side, almost hidden upon first view of the cemetery, is the aforementioned mausoleum dedicated to the Lopez family. Why was this mausoleum facing a different way and built in such a different style, we wondered. That question unraveled a large part of the synagogues past. 

Charleston was a haven for Jews who were being prosecuted all throughout Europe. Here, they had religious freedom and could even establish a practice if they had only 7 other members of their faith. In 1749, there were finally enough Jews (mainly from Spain and Portugal) to organize a synagogue and KKBE was built on 90 Hassel Street. Later, in 1764, the man who helped found the congregation, Isaac Da Costa, dedicated his family burial ground to KKBE. This would become the burial ground for Sephardic Jews in Charleston. Things began to change in the Jewish community as a group of men decided the current practice did not cater to the new wave of Jews in the community that did not speak Hebrew. These men petitioned for a change in the services provided, including music and a sermon in English. The old members of the congregation denied these requests and the group split off to create "The Reformed Society of Israelites." With this move, a new sect of Judaism known as Reformed Judaism was created. 

Because of their disagreement, the Reformed Society of Israelites did not practice at the synagogue. That is until 1838 when the original synagogue burned down in the Great Fire that took place. Still knowing those who practiced at the synagogue the groups overcame their differences and built a new temple in 1840 that still stands today. Like many prominent buildings of its time, the temple was built to resemble the architecture of Ancient Greece and was made to not only replace the old synagogue, but enhance it.

Now you may be asking where David Lopez comes into play. Being a prominent member of the synagogue, Lopez was hurt by its destruction and decided to build the new temple in 1840. So if he was so important, why was his mausoleum isolated from the rest? Lopez had a wife who was not Jewish. Unfortunately, she died in 1843 and because she refused to formally become a Jewess, she was denied burial in the traditional lot. Angered by this after all he had done for the synagogue, Lopez bought a parcel of land that jutted out of the original cemetery. It was here he buried his wife in a grand mausoleum, larger and more intricate than any grave found in the synagogues cemetery.

Cemetery Exploration... AT NIGHT

Late at night, in the depths of downtown Charleston, I went to two amazing churchyards; Cathedral Church and St. Patrick. Established in 1816, Cathedral Church is located on the corner of Coming and Vanderhorst Street. This Anglican church was in use during the Civil War and had their bell dismantled and melted down for the Confederates. Established in the mid 1800s, St. Patrick Catholic Church is located on the corner of St. Philip and Radcliffe St. This Catholic church started as just a cemetery and had the first black priest to serve in Charleston. At these Churches, I found some amazing gravestones that demonstrated the diversity of graveyard markers. These ranged from simple slates of wood to dramatic sculptures, boasting intricate details.

Obelisks at Cathedral Church

The tombstone to the left is an example of an obelisk, characterized by its height and length. Obelisks will most likely have a tapered point at the top, as this one does. These obelisks can vary drastically in size. The one pictured was of a modest size, not giant and not little either. Tombstones like these were popular during the resurgence of classical art, specifically Egyptian and other ancient cultures. Obelisks were tasteful due to their simple uplifting lines that portrayed a sense of ancient greatness. Their tall and slender shape made them ideal for small graveyards while being cheaper than the more elaborate monuments found during the time.

Mausoleum at Cathedral Church

The image to the right is an example of a mausoleum. This specific mausoleum houses William Johnston. He was born on September 22, 1776 and died at the age of 63 on August 9, 1840. The main characteristic of a mausoleum is that it's a large, free standing structure built above ground. The interior of the building consists of compartments to hold human remains and usually house six or more tombs. This is an also an example of a private mausoleum, meant to house members of one specific family, in this case the Johnston family.

Bedstead at Cathedral Church

An example of a bedstead, also known as a cradle grave, is shown to the right. The name of this grave marker is very easy to understand. With the center exposed in the rectangular shape of the marker, it resembles a cradle. With adult graves, like the one to the right, they are commonly referred to as bedsteads instead of cradle graves. In these, you can see that the top somewhat resembles a headboard while the bottom resembles a footboard. These markers began appearing in the early 1800s.

Broken Column at Cathedral Church

Don't be fooled! Just because this grave marker is tall and long does not mean it is an obelisk. Instead, the image to the right is another common grave called a broken column grave marker. The main characteristic of this type of marker is that it resembles a column, yet they often consist of a broken off slanted top. In this image, the broken top is surrounded by a wreath. This symbolizes a life cut short, often representing a man who died in his prime, around 20 to 40 years old.

Die on Base at Cathedral Church

The grave marker to the left is called a die on base.  These type of markers are held together with a thick rod called rebar. When grave markers like these fall, you can see the stone itself cracking around the bar inside.

Die on Socket at Cathedral Church

The grave marker to the right may seem familiar. However, it is not the same as the one previously mentioned. The grave marker pictured to the right is a die on socket, very similar to the previous day on base. The main difference is, with the die in socket, the stone sits upon one base. With the die on base, the stone sits on two bases. The grave marker to the right belongs to Ruth Ham Baker. She was born on March 21, 1921 and died on April 9, 2005.

Lawn Marker at Cathedral Church

The image to the left is an example of another modern grave marker. It's called the flush or lawn marker, because they are flush with the ground as if they are part of the lawn. The lawn marker is common in modern cemeteries to allow for easy maintenance. It also helps maximize ground space as these markers are quite small and cannot fit large epitaphs. This specific marker belongs to Matilda Holleman who was born in March, 1911 and died in December, 2004.

Pedestal With Urn at Cathedral Church.

Contrasting the simpleness of the lawn marker is the pedestal tomb with an urn on top. This type of marker consists of a platform, where the epitaph is written, that holds a tall rectangle-like or column-like shape. In some cases, like the one pictured to the right, these pedestals are topped with an urn. Since urns were not actually used to hold remains when many pedestal urns were made, the urns in this case call back to Ancient Roman traditions using the urn.

Tympanum Headstone at Cathedral Church

The grave markers pictured to the right are my personal favorite type. These are a type of headstone called the tympanum headstone. Popular during the 1600s through the 1800s, these markers are a single stone with a distinctive curved top.

Cross Marker at St. Patrick

The last type of marker I found on my trip was this cross on a base marker. The ornate cross had what looked like ivy leaves carved into it, showing just how intricate some grave markers could be. It was also in its own fenced in area. The base of this grave marker depicts the epitaph, but unfortunately, I was not able to read it.