Tombstone Iconography: Chariton Fire Department

If you're out and about in Chariton and Chariton-area rural cemeteries --- Waynick, Oxford and Grimes --- as Memorial Day approaches, keep your eyes open for the unique flag holders and flags that mark the graves of Chariton Volunteer Fire Department members.

Marking these graves is among the firefighter's oldest traditions and the early flag holders, like these at Ephraim Badger's grave in the Waynick Cemetery and Elias Wren's, in the Chariton Cemetery, are especially interesting.

The imagery --- wagon wheel, ladder, hook and trumpets --- on the holders recalls the old hook and ladder company; the image of Old Betsy, the department's 1883 Silsby Steamer, on the flag recalls the engine company.

In some cases, these flag holders are the only marker that indicates the location of a grave --- the firefighters have made sure that their veteran members are remembered when, now and then, their families have not.