HEINRICH KELL (1831 - 1891)

An elaborate stone tree trunk marks the Kell family plot. The graves of Heinrich Kell and his wife, Cora (1831-1910), have stone logs as headstones, and the boundaries of the plot are marked by small stone log sections bearing the family name. "Henry" Kell and his wife farmed 120 acres in the Town of Caledonia. The German heritage of their family is displayed by the German inscription on the tree trunk, "Ruhestatte der familie" ("Resting place of the family). Stone tree trunks were used by the Victorians to represent life cut short, the size of the trunk often representing the length or brevity of that life. The oak leaves which decorate the trunk were sometimes used on men’s graves to symbolize the strength of their faith. The ivy along the right side represented steadfastness in faith.

Submitted by Deborah Crowell