The Rose Hill Record - May 2025 - Volume, 1 issue 1

From the Hilltop

Dear friends and stewards of Rose Hill Cemetery,

Spring has sprung, and with it, a renewed sense of purpose here at RHC1840. The flowers are in bloom, trees budding, and volunteers are hard at work both in the cemetery and behind the scenes on preservation efforts. With your continued support, we’re restoring not just monuments, but memories, stories, and lives long since past.

Thank you for taking this journey alongside us!

--The RHC1840 Team

Sponsor Spotlight: Lover’s Leap and Garden Delights!

This month we thank Ms. M, whose generous Lover’s Leap level donation will assist in many of our upcoming projects!

We would also like to thank Minton Lawn and Garden for sponsoring our first annual Rose Hill Cemetery Plant Sale. The plant sale took place on April 19th, 2025 and was a huge success and contributed to many donations. We couldn’t have done it without you, Minton!

Interested in becoming one of our sponsors? Learn more about our sponsorship levels here.

This Month at Rose Hill

On April 19th, 2025, we hosted our first annual plant sale to raise funds for RHC1840. Various annuals, perennials, and vegetables were sold, in addition to RHC coffee, shirts, stickers, and maps. This first sale was a huge success and there will be many to come. Thank you to the hard work of members Joey, Betsy, and Maria for making it happen, and to Minton Lawn and Garden for sponsoring this event!

In a unique partnership with fellow nonprofit The Cemetery Angels, Rose Hill Cemetery hosted the Symbols and Angels Tour on April 19th, 2025 at 10 am and 6 pm. This tour is a free educational series that teaches the community about cemetery symbolism, floriography, and the funerary arts. Rose Hill is the second cemetery to join in this series, which originated in sister cemetery Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, GA. The first pair of tours was a great success in bringing donations and involvement into RHC, and will be monthly offerings for the public starting on May.

Soon, fans of Little Martha and other famous Rose Hill sculptures will be able to bring home a small part of the magic. Thanks to grant funding, we are excited to announce our 3D printing project that enables us to scan and reproduce all of the monuments that are near and dear to RCH1840. Not only does this open up more fundraising opportunities for us, but it also allows monuments to be scanned digitally for preservation and restoration purposes. Stay tuned as we add these keepsakes to our store in the coming weeks!

Memories From Marble: Elia Goode Byington -- A Voice for Women in Southern Journalism

Elia Goode Byington (1856-1936) was a trailblazing journalist and editor who left her mark on Georgia’s media landscape. Born Elia Virginia Warren Goode in Thomaston, Georgia, she hailed from a distinguished family. Her father, Col. Charles T. Goode, and her grandfather, Gen. Eli Warren, were prominent figures in the state. Her father died when she was just 16 years old, leaving much of the family management to her. Her knowledge of music allowed her to obtain a teaching position to assist the family.

Elia, pictured in 1893 as featured in "A Woman of the Century" by Charles Moulton

Educated at Furlow Female College in Americus, and Georgia Female College in Madison, Elia initially pursued a career in music education to further her career. However, her path shifted after marrying Edward Telfair Byington in 1877. Together, they co-founded the Columbus Evening Ledger, a progressive southern daily newspaper. Elia served as joint proprietor, editor, and manager -- a remarkable achievement for a woman in the 19th century. 

Under the Byingtons’ leadership, the Evening Ledger became known for employing women in the newsroom in various roles. In fact, with the exception of the carrier boys and four landscapers, all of the employees of the Evening Ledger were women. Elia’s commitment to advancing women’s presence in journalism extended beyond her newspaper work; she served as president of the Georgia Women’s Press Club, advocating for greater opportunities for women in the field. She was also secretary and treasurer of the local Art Club, a member of the Daughters of the Revolution, and served as Recording Secretary for the Oglethorpe Chapter of Columbus. Notably, she was featured in “A Woman of the Century,” a compendium of biographical sketches of American women published in 1893 by Charles Wells Moulton.

Elia Goode Byington passed away in 1936 and is buried in the Holly Ridge section of Rose Hill Cemetery. Though she is gone, her legacy for pioneering journalism for women lives on through her indomitable spirit.

Preservation in Progress

We are pleased to announce that thanks to two generous donations, two collapsing walls will be completely restored using the original bricks that were used in the initial construction of the plots. The mortar mix that will be used will also be matched as close as possible to the original 19th century mortar to ensure that the walls will be as close to complete as they were the day the families originally built them. Projects like these serve to illustrate why preservation of old methods is so important when it comes to repairing history.

Many thanks also go out to the community foundation for another retaining wall that was rebuilt properly recently as work nears completion for that project.

Lastly, you may notice new signage on the gates when visiting these days! Though it took several years to get the gates locked and monitored, we have finally placed iron latch locks on all gates. All gates also now properly display signs stating that the cemetery closes at dark. With the new locks and cameras, you definitely don’t want to get caught jumping the walls at RHC1840!

Upcoming Events

Symbols & Angels: Rose Hill Evening Tour

May 24th, 2025 - 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | RSVP early as spots are limited!

[Learn More and Sign Up Here]

From the Archives

The Macon Melody reported on last year’s vandalism of the Woolfolk Plot. “It looked like a car ran over it,” Joey Fernandez, president of Rose Hill Preservation & Restoration, Inc. said. “There’s no way to get in there with a car, so somebody did this with their hands.” [Read Full Article Here]

Parting Thoughts From The Mourner’s Bench

We hope you’ve enjoyed this month’s newsletter. As we make our departure, we leave you with the following inscription from Little Martha’s grave:

“We will meet again in the sweet bye and bye.”

If you are interested in ways to join and help keep RHC1840 preserved for future generations to come:

Donate

Volunteer

Sponsor

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