Do travelers visit Queen Cleo's grave?

Radio host to stake out cemetery to prove myth

By JESSICA CUFFMAN • The Marion Star • March 20, 2010

MARION - A local radio host will stake out a local cemetery to determine whether legends surrounding a part of Marion history are true.

Scott Spears, WMRN 1490 personality, has been interested in the story of the "Gypsy Queen" since hearing former WMRN host Madge Guthery talk about it at a Capture the Moment dinner a few years ago.

Now, on the 105th anniversary of the death of the queen, he plans to stake out St. Mary's Cemetery to see if the legends that gypsies still visit her grave are true.

The Gypsy Queen was a woman named Ann Judge, called Queen Cleo by her people, who she was traveling with through Marion in 1905 when she died in childbirth, Spears said.

Read More: http://www.marionstar.com/article/20100320/NEWS01/3200307

Woodland Cemetery

Propeller
Nick Iannarino - Propeller Editor
February 20, 2009

Beyond the Romanesque chapel and wrought-iron gateway which rest at the end of Woodland Avenue like a deserted fortress breathes a hidden trove of history, nature, art and architecture.

Founded in 1841, Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is 200 acres of green hills, glacial boulders and floral oasis which would easily remind visitors of the eternal beauty of life if, well, they weren't surrounded by dead people. Over 105,000 to be exact.

Before rushing to prepare UD for a massive zombie invasion, take a second to consider the educational value and serenity a place like this can provide. Many of the people buried at Woodland helped shape a young nation and a developing community.

Some were inventors and entrepreneurs like James Ritty, owner of the Pony House Saloon & Restaurant and creator of the first "incorruptible cash register." Others were combat veterans and government officials like Major David Zeigler, who fought in the Revolutionary and early Indian wars and served as the first mayor of Cincinnati. Still more created modern name brands like Huffy Bikes (George Huffman) and Mead Paper Company (Daniel Mead). Even a handful, like Daniel C. Cooper, actually founded this fair city.

Among the cemetery's 3,000 woody plants are 165 types of trees, some of which are over 200 years old. Nine of the largest trees of their species in Ohio reside here as well.

"This place is so special because of the historical value it provides

to the Dayton community," Woodland Customer Service Manager Debra Mescher said. "It would be tough to find a more beautiful, peaceful area of the city."

The next time a funeral procession passes by, perhaps led by a horse-drawn hearse or hundreds of members of the Dayton Outlaws motorcycle gang, know that a new chapter's being added to the legend of a silent community.
Top 5 Graves of Fame

1. The Little Boy & Dog Johnny Morehouse (1855-1860)

One of the more sentimental monuments at Woodland is dedicated to the memory of a cobbler's 5-year-old son who drowned in a canal. It's rumored that the boy's dog also perished while trying to rescue him. The detailed sculpture portrays a sleeping child being protected by his canine friend. Also visible are little Johnny's toy top, ball, mouth harp and cap. Current visitors still decorate the monument with plastic toys fit for a little boy - racecars and action figures of The Incredible Hulk, Mr. Incredible and SpongeBob Squarepants. For almost 150 years, this heartfelt monument has symbolized the brief life of Johnny Morehouse, provided comfort to grieving parents and served as a cautionary tale to children.

2. The Boulder Erma Bombeck (1927-1996)

It might be difficult for first-time visitors to locate the UD alum and famed humorist's final resting place. Situated across from the Mausoleum and behind a sculpture of the Wright Brothers' workbench, Bombeck's lot has no traditional headstone markings. Instead, a distinctly foreign 29,000 pound rock was chosen as a unique monument for her grave. Bombeck's renowned books and nationally-syndicated newspaper column often analyzed suburban life with a comedic bent. Her family is still active in the UD community.

3. The Gypsy Queen Queen Matilda Stanley (1878)

One of the coolest aspects of Woodland's extensive history was its importance to local Gypsy clans. Gypsies were a group of nomads whose ancestors are said to have originated in Eastern Europe. Guided by King Owen Stanley and his wife, Queen Harriet, many large Gypsy camps, most of English ancestry, prospered as agriculturalists in the Dayton community during the mid- to late-1800s and early-1900s. Because Owen and Harriet were eventually buried in Woodland, common practice suggested that the Gypsies always bring their deceased to Dayton for burial, no matter where their deaths occurred.

When a later queen, Matilda, was mourned in 1878, an international audience of 25,000 converged upon Woodland. Allegedly, 1,000 additional carriages were turned away at the gate. So many people gathered around the gravesite that the minister had to deliver his sermon while standing on a wooden plank resting across the open grave.

Woodland houses a total of three Gypsy kings and two queens. As a result, the cemetery is one of the few places in the U.S. proclaimed by Gypsy tribes to be hallowed ground.

4. The Weeping Willow Paul Lawrence Dunbar (1872-1906)

The son of former slaves, Dunbar overcame poverty and racial barriers to become one of the first and most beloved black poets in American history. Growing up in Dayton, Dunbar was the only black student in his graduating class at Central High School. His measured use of Southern Negro dialect to convey everyday life in verse is still studied and deeply appreciated. Taking a cue from Dunbar's famous poem "The Death Song," his grave - marked with a granite boulder and bronze plaque cast by Tiffany Studios in New York - is flanked by a weeping willow tree.

The opening stanzas are etched onto the plaque:

Lay me down beneaf de willers in de grass,

Whah de branch'll go a-singin' as it pass

An' w'en I's a-layin' low,

I kin heah it as it go

Singin' "Sleep, my honey, tek yo' res' at las."

5. The First In Flight Wilbur and Orville Wright (1867-1912, 1871-1948)

The Wright family gravesite is marked by a modest platform which rests beneath three flags representing America, Ohio and the 100-year anniversary of the birth of aviation. A thin stone path borders a rectangular dirt plot sprinkled with small plants and headstones. Wilbur and Orville's mother, father and younger sister Katherine are buried along with them.

Other note-worthy graves

The Seated Man, Adam Schantz Jr. (1868-1921)

Real estate developer and community leader. The famous sculpture also represents his father (1839-1903), a brewer and for many years the largest holder of real estate in the city - most of it downtown and in Oakwood. Also developed land in Daytona, Fla.

The McMillan Angel, Asa McMillan (1797-1855)

Famously beautiful Italian marble angel standing before a large granite cross. The book is blank to signify a new beginning in death.

The Ultimate Obelisk, John Alexander Collins

Woodland is littered with obelisks - tall, tapered, four-sided shafts of stone whose pyramid tops point toward Heaven. shape was used in ancient Egypt and during the 19th century to mark the grave of a hero or important person. Collins was an engineer who built the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad, which eventually became part of the famed Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The granite figure is the tallest monument in Woodland at 46 feet.

The Patterson Family Arch

Granite monument dedicated to the Patterson family, whose names are etched along the inside. John H. Patterson (1844-1922), the grandson of a Revolutionary War veteran, founded National Cash Register (NCR) in 1884. During the devastating floods of 1913, Patterson's company served as the focal point for rescue teams and built boats for victims.

James M. Cox (1870-1957)

Founded Dayton Daily News, along with other newspapers and television and radio stations. Served three terms as governor of Ohio. With Franklin Dd. Roosevelt as his running mate, he campaigned against Warren Harding for U.S. President in 1920, but lost in a landslide. His concession speech took place at Dayton Fairgrounds.

Charles F. Kettering (1876-1958)

Famous inventor of the electric automobile self-starter and ignition system, which replaced unsafe and inconvenient manual cranks. Kettering also developed other inventions and improvements for General Motors, founded Dayton Engineering Laboratories (DELCO) with friend and fellow Woodland resident Edward Deeds (1874-1960) and was a noted philanthropist. His remains are located in the Mausoleum.

Dr. Joseph E. Lowes (1848-1905)

Former Surgeon General of Ohio and founder of Dayton Electric Light Company. Built and owned many traction and trolley lines throughout the state of and Dayton.

Harry C. Kiefaber (1852-1928)

Vice President of Dayton's Savings Bank and Director of Dayton Power & Light Company. Along with his brother, William, opened a popular grocery store on Third Street.

Robert W. Steele (1819-1891)

Lawyer and educator who inspired name of Steele High School. Large lion sculpture which currently guards entrance of Dayton Art Institute originally stood in front of school until razed in 1955.

Over 600 Civil War and 18 Revolutionary War veterans

Woodland features an entire section devoted to Union and Confederate soldiers. The Civil War deeply divided the Dayton community. Many poor laborers and farmers actually switched sides along the way for extra enlistment bonuses and better pay.

Athletes

At least one Harlem Globetrotter ("Slick" Al Tucker Sr.), NBA professional ("Twiggy" Tucker Jr.), legendary UD basketball coach (Tom Blackburn) and an early pioneer of auto racing (Earl "The Little Dayton Demon" Kiser).

Gypsy Queen Mable dies, 99

A gypsy queen has died in Wigan only a few months before her 100th birthday.
Great-grandmother Mable Knight died at Wigan Infirmary after becoming ill when she broke a hip.

The 99-year-old was a hugely respected member of the gipsy community and thousands of mourners from as far away as Italy, America, Ireland, Germany and Switzerland have been coming to Wigan to pay their respects.

Her granddaughter Margaret Peroni, of Collette Close, Scholes, said her grandmother was part of a disappearing way of life and, as a younger woman, had gone "duckering" – earning money by predicting the future.

Margaret, whose dad is a gypsy king, said: "We're all heartbroken. If I live to be as wise and as good-hearted as she was, I'll die happy. She was a true queen and an absolutely beautiful woman and a great grandparent.

"She always said she was waiting for her telegram from the Queen on her 100th birthday and she almost made it.
"She'd been given the last rites three times before she died, but she pulled through.

"She was born in a horse drawn wagon and had lived through some tough times. Some of the stories she used to tell us would make your hair stand on end."

Her funeral was held at St Edward's Church on Scott Lane yesterday.

Rose Hill, where kings and queens rest

By Brian Livingston

— The idea of leaving an offering on a grave hoping a problem will be solved with the next rising sun may seem foreign to many. But the evidence of such beliefs is very apparent on a grave in Rose Hill Cemetery. Trinkets, or offerings, have been left there for the sake of hope.

Walton Moore Jr. is a member of the Masons who are in charge of taking care of Rose Hill and Magnolia Gardens cemeteries in Meridian. He is also the historian and tour guide for Rose Hill. It was a special tour Tuesday night that Moore led through the many old headstones. To most people, being in a cemetery at night would not be their first choice. But the long shadows cast on this night, coupled with Moore’s seemingly infinite knowledge of the people now resting there, yielded more of a treat than a trick.

Of course the site that drew the most questions from the group concerned the “Gypsy Queen,” Kelly Mitchell, who died in 1915 from childbirth in Demopolis, AL. Beads, jewelry, coins, polished rocks, baby toys, candy bars and many other items cover her grave. It is said if you have a problem, you bring an offering, ask the queen to help you solve it, and she will come in your dreams that night with the solution.

“Every so often I have to clean some of the items off the cover stone,” said Moore, now in his 80s. “I still see gypsies who come to the grave every so often. I talk to them a great deal to learn as much as I can. These are very smart people. They’ve had to be in order to survive this long.”
One of the myths, that there is treasure buried with the queen, is totally false, Moore said. The cover slab of stone laid over the grave to protect the casket and the queen has been broken many times. Moore has to glue it back together whenever that happens as he does with other monuments that are broken by falling tree limbs or jealous wives. Finally, a concrete slab had to be poured years ago because the break-ins became so prevalent.

The placement of the gypsy graves also is curious as it is next to the ornate monument and resting places of one of Meridian’s most famous families — the Ragsdales.

“The gypsy lineage is a popular part of Meridian,” Moore said. “Some are still living here and many more pass through here to pay their respects to the queen.”

Or to offer up their problem to Kelly Mitchell in hopes she will lead them in death as she did in life.