Creator of unusual grave markers from Greenville

By MOLLIE S. WATERS

The Greenville Standard

His name has not gone down in history, but for residents in the Greenville area, his creation is one that can be seen throughout many of the county’s cemeteries.

His name was Joseph R. Abrams, and he invented the cast iron grave cover. Even more interestingly, he was living in Greenville when he patented his creation.

According to an article on AL.com, Abrams patented the cover design in 1873.

His purpose for the grave cover was to prevent erosion, but he also believed the cover should look decorative, even suggesting the use of cockleshells, which were widely used on graves during that time.

Abrams’ design allowed the pieces of the cover to fit together in a fashion that would be similar to how the plates of a stove joined during that time. Once he completed his design, he needed to find a suitable material to use for the cover, and in the end, cast iron was selected.

The AL.com article, written by Kelly Kazek, said the cover looked “something like intricate roasting-pan tops or large oblong gelatin molds,” and her description is quite accurate.

Many of these cast iron grave covers can be found throughout the cemeteries of Butler County. In fact, quite a few of them can be seen in Pioneer Cemetery in downtown Greenville.

Unfortunately, the cast iron grave cover never really caught on.

One of the main reasons it was unsuccessful was due to the fact that the graves did not prove durable.

They rusted and became brittle. Oftentimes when that happened, the name plates and other pieces of the grave would simply break off.

While Abrams did hold other patents, including one on how to improve pavement, his most remembered invention, especially in the southern part of this country, is the cast iron grave cover.

This article originally appeared in The Greenville Standard Newspaper in September 2018