The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1922-07-06

granite and about by In dimensions,
points to the handsome marble monu
ment towering Is feet above the
ground and bearing the name of David
f. and Sarah E. GrifHths Beside the
hand IS the inscription in large CAPT
tails: "A Suitable Monument and Fit
Up the Lot" 1t was the manner in
which this provision in the will Of his
sister, Sarah, was carried out that
angered Samuel and caused him to
take such a novel means Of perpetu-
ating the memory of a fancied in
! justice,
Left Strange VIII.
The story begins with the marriage
Of Sarah b. Joy to David f. Grifiths
on February IL, 1886
There were two children from the
marriage, both of whom died in in
fancy, and David also died at the age
Of thirty-six years and was buried in
the lot Of the Griffiths family in Dur
ham. 1t is not clear whether there
was any ill-feeling between Sarah and
her husband, but after his death she
moved to Manchester, and in her will
she requested that she be buried in
the Joy family lot and not with her
husband.
Sarah survived her husband by 80
years, dying in 1887. She left an es-
tate of about $4,0O0-and a will. Her
immediate heirs were Nancy s. Fesler,
her sister and Samuel, her brother.
Apparently Nancy was not avaricious,
but the $4,000 would have been Of
more qualification to Samuel had 1t
not been for the will.
The stumbling block in the will was
the provision that a suitable monument
be erected to the memory of Sarah and
the burial lot fitted up Nancy and
Samuel the administrators, differed as
to how this provision should be con-
strued; Nancy insisting that an i'm
posing monument be erected, while
Samuel held that a suitable monu-
ment" meant merely a simple head
stone such as had been erected at the
graves Of other members Of the Joy
family buried in the lot.
Nancy however, was firm for the
"suitable monument" and insisted that
her sister deserved a more imposing
commemoration than a mere head
stone.
After this controversy over the suit
ableness Of the monument had gone on
for some time, Samuel became bitter.
Deciding it was time to let the world
know the folly Of his sister, Sarah, in
.feaving such a will he erected about
her grave which was stu without a
stone board fence on which he
painted the words, "a $1,000 Grave"
Taken Into Court.
Up to this point the nephews of Da
yid f. GrifiitAs, Edward and Arioch,
had taken no part in the quarrel, feel
ing that the affairs of their uncle's
wife did not concern them. But at
this overt act, Arioch decided that it
was time for him to take a hand in
the proceedings, and one dark night
he removed TIE fence with its sarcastic
legend and lett the grave once more
bare
Samuel was not to be thwarted in
his purpose however, and his next
move was to put UP Il small stone bear
ing the words, II Am a Socialist"
What became Of the stsne remains a /
mystery. However, the son Of Nancy
Fesler had ta6en sides with his mother
and with the Graiths brothers and its
disappearance is credited to him.
Three or -four years had now passed !
since Sarahs death and the terms of
her will had NOT yet been carried out.
1t was hope S deadlock, and after |
many fruiGess conferences between /
Nancy and Samuel, the case was final
IL taken to court George w. Sanborn /
Of Kingston Was appointed to execute /
the will, which he did without delay. |
His action must nave given gratiaea- 4
ton to Nancy for he caused to be
erected a huge monument costing 3d.
500. and spent the remainder Of the !
money on a fence to surround the lot.
Samuel, defeated on all sides, was
still determined on revenge. Deprived /
Of. any participation in the estate Of /
his sister and seeing his opponents
victorious in the end. he hired stone
cutter to carve the hand and the words
from the will on the block Of granite
and set it up IN the burial lot about
% feet from the marble shaft over i
which there had been such bitter feel
ing.
~