A walk through community cemeteries can be quite interesting.

This writer recently spent an afternoon strolling through the Montevallo Cemetery visiting &8220;old friends and neighbors.&8221;

The site has been used as a cemetery since the very early 1800&8217;s.

The earliest grave is that of Jane McQuirtes, a twenty year-old who died in 1820.

The second oldest is that of fifteen-year-old Elizabeth Wilson who died in 1822.

From that day forward many of Montevallo&8217;s leading citizens were buried there.

We found familiar names:

Lyman, West, Meroney, Reynolds, Wyatt, Brown, Acker, Sears and many, many more.

The cemetery is a virtual record of clues to the history of the town.

Epitaphs on the earlier graves tell us something about the deceased.

Many express love and appreciation for their lives, such as: &8220;Living in my father&8217;s mansion, busy in another room,&8221; &8220;Her own works praise her,&8221; and &8220;Kind father of love, thou art gone to thy rest.&8221;

Then there are predictions as, &8220;No pains, no griefs, no anxiety can catch our loved one here.&8221;

Some of the epitaphs reveal much about life in the 1800&8217;s.

One is the grave of Doctor Joshua West, one of the earliest settlers of the area.

DOCTOR JOSHUA WEST

Was born in Rockingham, Va., 1771. Was licensed a Methodist preacher, Oct. 17, 1792. Was ordained Deacon by Bishop Asberry, 1800. Was licensed to practice Medicine, 1812. Was ordained Elder by Bishop Asberry, Oct. 20, 1813.

He was a man of prayer and praise, having served his generation faithfully as a preacher for nearly 68 years. He died Jan. 8 1860.

Believing in every one of the doctrines of the Methodist Church.

The graves of all his saints he blest,

And softened every bed; where should the dying members rest,

But with their dying head

To him that overcometh will I give to eat

Of the tree of life that stands in the midst of the paradise of God.

And on his wife&8217;s monument:

Sacred

To the memory of

HANNAH WEST

Consort of

Dr. JOSHUA WEST

Was born in Rockingham Co., VA. Died October 8th, 1845. Aged 70 years and eight months

She died in the faith.

&8220;Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.&8221;

The use of the word consort would be unusual today, but one definition is &8220;spouse of reigning monarch.&8221;

Our walk through the cemetery is best described as a satisfying way of reminiscing and inspirational in tweaking our curiosity about &8220;the rest of the story.&8221;