In an earlier post, I discussed the various funeral customs of the Caton community. This post will detail one of those customs that still occur in the neighborhood, the digging of the grave. This is one event that amazes many once they hear that the community men still dig graves in the local cemeteries. According to various funeral directors as late as this year (2015), only two neighborhoods still dig graves for their deceased citizens: Lowland and Caton. The photos for this blog post were taken by me during the grave digging for my grandfather, Fred T. Jones, in February 2005. During the days between the death of a family member and the funeral, members of the family must decide in which cemetery and at what location within that cemetery to bury the dearly departed. Once the general area of the plot is located, someone probes the ground to locate the vault of the neighboring grave plot.
Once the neighboring grave is located, someone measures one foot distance so the grave form can be secured and squared.
After the form has been correctly positioned, someone takes an axe or shovel and cuts the sod on the inside of the form. The sod is then removed and placed to the side of the grave site in the order it was removed from the grave.
When the sod is completely removed from the grave, the digging can begin.
Dirt is first thrown to the side of the grave for the wrapping up process. Once it has been determined that enough dirt has been left beside the grave, wheel barrows are used to haul the dirt to a pile on the outer edges of the cemetery. As the diggers near completion, a few wheelbarrows of dirt are kept in reserve.
During the digging process, two sticks are used to check progress. One is 42 inches long, the other 48 inches. The shorter stick is used to make sure there is clearance from side to side of the grave, the longer stick to make sure the hole is deep enough.
After the proper depth has been reached, sometimes a small mound of dirt is placed near each end of the grave, to help when the vault is lowered so the cables used to lower the vault can be easily removed.
All during the grave digging process, the men are socializing, remembering the deceased and retelling favorite jokes and stories from years gone by.
After the grave has been dug, cleanup begins around the grave by removing clumps of clay and grass left when digging. When cleanup is completed, most of the men leave to get prepared for the funeral proper. Others wait for the vault to arrive.
After the funeral service, the men complete the grave digging process by the “wrapping up” or “covering up” process of filling in the grave. If figured correctly, the pile of dirt left beside the grave will fill the grave, if not, the wheelbarrows of dirt in reserve are used. In the event that does not cover the grave, more wheelbarrows of dirt are filled from the pile of reserves near the cemetery’s edge.
When the grave is covered up, the sod is replaced and flowers placed on the grave site.
