A Marble Lamb

Lambs, a popular Easter symbol, were also a common motif on children's graves.  Many lambs - usually marble - can be found throughout the Albany Rural Cemetery.  This one, its base unfortunately fallen, is located along the edge of the North Ridge.

Idol of His Command

The grave of Colonel Walter A. Van Rensselaer (1836-1879) is set into the slope of the Middle Ridge just above the Burden family vault (one of the sculpted Burden dogs can be seen in the background on the left). 

A descendent of two of Albany's most prominent families - the Van Rensselaers and the Schuylers, - he served with the 20th NY Militia and was wounded in the neck during Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg.  An 1858 graduate of Albany Medical College, he became a physician after the war. 

The inscription on his simple granite headstone reads:  Idol of His Command, Chosen Comrade of His Peers, Pet of His Superiors.

Celtic Cross on The South Ridge

The graceful Celtic-style cross of wealthy lumber merchant Dean Sage on a  hillside close to the Angel At The Sepulchre and the large lots of the Corning and Schuyler families.  Another Celtic cross can be seen in the background.

Our Darling Anna

This ornate marble monument for a little girl is part of the large McClelland family lot near the Hallenbeek enclosure on the North Ridge. The centerpiece of this lot is a large, elaborate monument crowned with a flaming urn and will be the subject of a future post.

Anna's grave has both its original headstone and footstone, though the latter was probably topped with a now-missing cross and the base of that missing ornament is now askew.  The curbing of this bed-like monument is still intact and the area enclosed by it was most likely planted with flowers at one time.  The headstone, with some nicely caved drapery over the top features a relief of the little girl as an angel carrying a banner.  The writing on the banner is too worn to read easily.