Who was James M. Ranson, and why does his tombstone look like a tree? | https://www.facebook.com/ransonwv/?fref=ts
Who was James M. Ranson, and why does his tombstone look like a tree? | https://www.facebook.com/ransonwv/?fref=ts
Who was James M. Ranson, and why does his tombstone look like a tree?
As you might've guessed, he owned much of the land that makes up present day Ranson. Charles Town Mining, Manufacturing, and Improvement Company bought a significant tract of land from the Ransons in 1890 adjoining Charles Town. This area supported an increasing number of manufacturing businesses, and in 1910, the town was incorporated and named for Ranson's son, James M. Ranson, Jr--a local dentist.
"Treestones" like Ranson Sr's were popular in the late Victorian era, when the funerary style shifted from monumental and serious to more romantic and naturalized. Stones like this one were often purchased through fraternal clubs and organizations, and the stump-like design with chopped branches was meant to symbolize mortality.
Original source can be found here
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