Monday, August 20, 2012

The Burns of Scotland and San Antonio

Burns Gravestone
On three sides of this stone, there are inscriptions for a different family member - James Burns, his wife Margaret Burns and their daughter Cassie Burns McDonald who are buried in the plot. Sadly, Cassie's inscription is now unreadable.


James Burns' inscription


JAMES BURNS

BORN

IN STONE HOUSE
LANARKSHIRE
SCOTLAND
NOV. 15, 1822

DIED

IN SAN ANTONIO
APRIL 5, 1888




An article from the San Antonio Light newspaper regarding James Burns' death gave his cause of death as snakebite. Mr. Burns had walked into his garden at night in his slippers and was bitten by a rattlesnake. Although he was attended by a doctor, he became progressively worse and died in the afternoon of April 5th.


Margaret Burns inscription



MARGARET BURNS

BORN

IN KILWINNING
AYRSHIRE, SCOTLAND
JUNE 9, 1826

DIED
DEC. 6, 1910







Monday, August 13, 2012

The Derr "Faux Bois" Plot

Fence along west side of Derr plot
San Antonio has several examples of the work of Mexican artist Dionicio Rodríguez in the style of "faux bois" (from the French for false wood); however, this gravestone and plot in San Antonio's Cemetery #1 date to 1904, many years before Rodriguez came to the United States from Mexico in the 1920's.

Wilhemina Derr Gravestone

WILHEMINA DERR

BORN May 23, 1832
DIED March 23, 1904


Southern fence wall of the Derr plot

Sadly, this unique plot is now overgrown and neglected with numerous volunteer shrubs and trees crowding the space.