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Patience Dent 1782-1853
Tuesday, April 12, 2011 at 09:44PM 
A couple months back I was out in the sticks at my hairdresser's, when for some unknown reason the subject turned to tombstones.
Before you could say afterlife, Alan was telling me about an unusual stone just up the road a piece from where we stood.
"It's growing out of a tree," he said.
What self-respecting taphophile could resist that kind of throwdown?
Of course I'd packed my camera!
I had to drive up and down the road several times, but at last I found it: the grave of one Patience Dent (don't you love that name?) who was born May 15th, 1782, and died April 16th, 1853.
The only word for what I had to do in order to get close to the forlorn three-stone sylvan cemetery where Patience lies, was clamber.
I parked my car on a dirt side road, took a deep breath, and carefully picked my way through major woodsy undergrowth along a steep embankment to Patience's resting place.
As it turned out, a more correct description of the marble stone's situation is that the tree has, over time, grown around it.
Either way ... Patience has been patient.
And for all she's been lying there these one hundred fifty-eight years come this Saturday, Mrs. Dent hasn't made so much as a wee dent in eternity.
Apologies. The pirate graver in me couldn't resist.
Two graves lie deeper into the woods than that of Patience.
They are occupied by her husband, John Dent (1770-1848) and their son, Thomas Dent (1802-1825).
I stood silently beside Patience's grave and thought about what a nice name she had. I believe she was a nice lady. A patient lady.
At any rate she was a lady who buried her son -- who died on Christmas Day -- when he was only twenty-three years old.
She then had a wait of nearly twenty-eight more years before she was interred beside him, and beside his father.
Such is life. Rest in peace, Patience.
Reader Comments (9)
I have to admit that I don't really "get" your fascination with graves. But, you know what? I just decided that it's really nice that you care enough to ruminate on the lives of the people who lie in these graves. That, all these decades later, someone cares about the lives that have been so long laid down. So keep doing it, Pirate Jenny.
Patience would have been amazed to think that she would be written about many years after her death! Glad you clambered around to get these pictures to share with us!
@ Hobbit ... Don't worry 'cause I don't even "get" my own fascination with graving! For years I subdued the impulses for fear of being thought weird. Now I don't care who thinks I'm weird ... there is a reason for everything and we just follow, don't we? Follow the instincts and obey the impressions the Lord gives us. So even if I wanted to stop, I doubt I could. Just like a pirate ...
@ Mari ... You're right, she probably would have been amazed! So I'm glad too, that I had the opportunity to remember and memorialize her. I hope someone does the same for me ... and for you!
Now there is "one for the books," as they say!!!
.♥.
lovely name too Jen..and your photos capture the essence of life so guess what..whatever your'e fascinated with..you make it 'come to life'..Hugssssssssssss
Ahhhhh....Mother Nature soon overtakes us all.
Bless her heart...
Thanks for bringing us her sad story sweetie!!
hughugs
Wow, that is very interesting. Looks like the tree grew right into and over the tombstone. Imagine the topic of tombstones coming up when you are around, hee hee.
Even though I 'm not sure I could do all this, I'd love to join you. And yes I'm sure Patience would be thrilled to know that so many people (those who read your blog) admire her, even though they didn't have the privileged of knowing her. Imagine burring your child, that's the one time I think I would not want to carry on. I think your middle name should be perseverance.
Of course you'd packed your camera. ;-)
Lucky for the rest of us.
Oh and the name rocks.