Archive for the ‘St. Josephs No. 1 & 2’ Category

St. Joseph’s Cemetery primarily served the German population of Central City, and the Schmuckers were, like most of their neighbors, first generation American when they commissioned their tomb:

Given the amazing state of the ironwork and the remnants of the traditional white paint, we can assume that the Schmuckers either have or recently still had family in New Orleans. Someone has certainly taken excellent care of the tomb.

Also fairly unusual is the placement of the family names along the outter edges-even along the top of the tomb, as if they were huddling together as a family.

Records show no details for the family’s patriarch, but his son, George Washington Schmucker, died at the age of 2yrs, 11mos of Scarlet Fever and was interred on the bottom level of the family tomb for a cost of $3.00.