Woodmen of the World (WOW) is a fraternal organization founded by Joseph Cullen Root in 1890 in Omaha, Nebraska. Root had earlier founded another fraternal organization known as Modern Woodmen of America (MWA). The organization offers insurance to its members and helps those in need.
In cemeteries you will sometimes see gravestones with “Here Lies a Woodman of the World” engraved on them. Usually these will be accompanied by a symbol like the example below. Logs, along with axes and other woodworking tools, are common motifs. Sometimes the grave markers themselves will be in the shape of logs or tree stumps. These are called “treestones.” The symbol below includes the Latin Woodmen phrase “Dum Tacet Clamat,” which means “Though Silent He Speaks.”
Photo: from the headstone of James Stewart (1856-1908), Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, Colorado
September 1, 2006 at 12:18 am |
Since my hometown cemetery has such boring Woodmen of the World tombstones–nothing fancy–I had a friend photograph one of the ones in the Creede cemetery so I could show it on my cemetery tour. Let me know if you’d like a copy of the Creede photo.
September 1, 2006 at 12:28 am |
If you have the picture on the web feel free to post a link to it here in a comment. I was thinking about adding a section where visitors could add pictures, but I’m not sure how to do that and it might get out of hand
Thanks.
I plan on adding more Woodmen symbols as time goes on. They have some fascinating grave markers.
September 1, 2006 at 10:29 pm |
I placed the photos of one of the Creede Woodman of the World tombstones online at
http://www.jlcrook.com/creedewoodman/
Some of the photos are details of the larger photograph. These are all of the same tombstone.
October 16, 2006 at 1:51 pm |
My grandfather died in the very early years of the century just passed. I believe he was a Woodmen of the World, but I am not sure. His grave marker is 2 or 3 short logs; his obituatary was couched in Native American terms, (though he was an Irishman). I’ve always wondered if his lodge had anything in common with the Freemasons. Could you tell me? Thanks. Carol Oden
October 20, 2006 at 1:35 pm |
there is a symbol on this gravestone that i have not been able to figure out its meaning. it is the indian head. any thoughts?
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=81&GScid=7891&GRid=16256245&
thanks, you have a really nice blog!
lara
January 28, 2007 at 1:47 am |
My great, great uncle has the WMA symbol on his tombstone. He was 5 days shy of being 18 when he died… How old does one have to be to join? Are there any death records for members? He is the only one of 5 children that we don’t know about… He died in 1918…
Thanks!
January 2, 2008 at 12:28 pm |
It has just come to my attention that my father was a WOW. My questions are, how old do you have to be, and how do you join? I believe he said that he joined young while living in Chattanooga TN. I currently live in Greenbrier TN. Are there any lodges around Greenbrier? Thank you for your help.
Heath
January 2, 2008 at 1:21 pm |
Julie and Heath,
You might try searching for Woodmen of the World in Google – you might find some websites in Google that will help with your questions.
January 27, 2008 at 1:56 am |
Check Wilbur Chenoweth, my grand-father, who died on Dec. 8, 1898, and is buried in Tecumseh, NE with a WOW sponsored headstone.
Robert Chenoweth
May 1, 2008 at 6:42 pm |
I just found out that my grandfather was a member of the Woodmen of the World c. 1929 – 1933. His name is Jesus Cadena and my mother believes he was an officer or on the board of directors or something in Hondo, Texas. I was wondering if there is any way that I could get any information as to his membership. If anyone could point me in the right direction I would be very grateful. We are having a family reunion in July 2008 and I would love to be able to take this information with me. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
May 30, 2009 at 8:37 pm |
My father gave me a saw that belonged to my grandfather — he said he did not know why, but his father told him that his grandfather had given him a saw, so, he considered it a family tradition. Then I located my gg-grandfather, Stephen Jackson Jones’ “tree stone” in the Bazette Baptist Cemetery in Bazette, Navarro County, Texas. Stephen Jackson Jones was born Dec. 1, 1849 in Ackerville, Wilcox County, Alabama, and died June 8, 1916 in Bazette, Texas. It had the Latin words: “Dum Tacet Clamat,” which mean “Though silent, he speaks.” Likewise, my g-grandfather’s brother, John Bruner Jones, b Sept. 6, 1872, in Snow Hill, Wilcox County, AL, and died July 30, 1906, in Bazette. John Bruner Jones played baseball, according to news clips in 1892. My g-grandfather, Clarence Andrew Jones, born abt May 9, 1870/3, in Snow Hill, Wilcox County, AL, died Jan. 12, 1964 — he migrated with his father’s and grandfather’s families to Bazette and Kerens, Texas about 1875 via wagon train.