PARKER COUNTY — A circle within a six-point star appears to contain the letters M and A partially surrounded by either the letter O or an oval. The star sits in front of an open picket fence, which likely represents the gates to heaven.

Cleburne resident Eunice Parker is on a quest to decipher the so-far mysterious symbol, which is carved into the marble gravestone of her grandfather, S.B. Frost. Unable to find an answer in her hometown as to what the symbol represents, Parker is asking for help from residents — especially those who may have genealogical knowledge — to identify the symbol.



Frost’s life

Frost (1845-1901) lays buried in Oak Glenn Cemetery in Jack County. Parker uncovered quite a bit of information on her grandfather’s life, none of which, so far, sheds any light on his gravestone carving.

Born in Chatham, New Brunswick, Canada, Frost’s parents named him after the Rev. Samuel Bacon, who performed their wedding, according to family history and records tracked down by Parker.

Born April 19, Frost was baptized Nov. 4 of the same year in the Chatham Anglican Church.

Frost’s father Shepherd Johnson Frost, born in New Hampshire, listed himself as English and his occupation as millwright in the 1851 Canadian Census. Shepherd Frost died in 1853.

Frost’s mother, who was Shepherd’s third wife, Jane McRae Frost was Scottish, Parker said.

Two of Frost’s sisters later married in Boston. Daughters of the American Revolution records of one indicate that Jane McRae Frost died Aug. 15, 1867 in Boston, but Parker said she has been unable to find any official record of such.

At least two of Frost’s brothers served in the Civil War, Parker said. Prosper Frost, two years Frost’s senior, joined the war in Boston. A younger brother joined in New Hampshire.

Frost apparently joined the Union Army as well — this according to Parker’s father, Sterling Johnson Frost — although Parker has so far been unable to find any official records of his enlistment.

Frost later married Laura Wampler in Texas, Parker said. Frost purchased 160 acres of land in 1873 initially granted to Mathias Caraker by Texas Gov. R.B. Hubbard. The sale of that land, since referred to as the Frost Farm, was later recorded in Jack County.

Laura Wampler Frost birthed two sons and died in childbirth in 1883. Parker said.

Frost remarried in 1885 to Parker’s grandmother, Martha Elizabeth “Bettie” Cooper. They had seven children, the youngest of which was Parker’s father, Sterling Frost, born Dec. 1, 1900.

Frost had little time to enjoy his youngest son as he died several months later on May 2, 1901.

Frost along with both of his wives and his brother, Prosper, are buried in Oak Glenn Cemetery, which is near Frost Farm.

In addition to the gate and star carving, Frost’s marker lists his birth and death dates. An open Bible sits atop the marker. Parker said one man told her that Frost’s stone is made of Vermont marble.



The search

Several months ago Parker approached Johnson County Cemetery Association President Doris Lanfear with rubbings and photos of Frost’s gravestone. Lanfear, who said she had never seen such an emblem, initially thought it might be a Masonic emblem. Such is apparently not the case, however. Stumped, Lanfear invited Parker to the JCCA’s meeting last Thursday to seek input from other members.

JCCA members present were unable to provide any additional information that night, but appeared interested and eager to help solve the mystery behind the emblem’s meaning.

Crosier-Pearson Cleburne Funeral Home directors Jimmy and Carol Wray searched several websites containing tombstone images without luck.

“I even did a search of Canadian gravestone emblems, which brought up some, but nothing matching this,” Carol Wray said. “Though Mrs. Parker said her grandfather was born there, but probably didn’t grow up there.”

JCCA board member Bob Force swore the symbol looked familiar while scanning the gravestone rubbing, but couldn’t put his finger on it.

“Somewhere I’ve seen this online when I was looking something else up, but don’t remember when,” Force said. “I don’t remember if it was some kind of religious meaning or what, but I intend to look around.”

Parker said she remains determined to find out and hopes somebody can shed some light on the emblem’s meaning.

“I think maybe it might have something to do with insurance in some way,” Parker said. “He was a carpenter, maybe it has something to do with that. As far as I know he wasn’t a Mason or with Woodmen of the World. But, right now, it’s a total mystery to me.”

So far though, Parker said she’s shown the emblem to several people all of whom said it is unrelated to any organization they know of or belong to.

“It’s got to mean something,” Parker said. “It’s elaborately hand chiseled, not something pre-prepared. It’s just too detailed where it looks like feathers or something [on the tips of the letters].”