The True Image

Gravestone Art and the Culture of Scotch Irish Settlers in the Pennsylvania and Carolina Backcountry

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Folklore & Mythology, History, Americas, United States
Cover of the book The True Image by Daniel W. Patterson, The University of North Carolina Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Daniel W. Patterson ISBN: 9780807837535
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press Publication: October 8, 2012
Imprint: The University of North Carolina Press Language: English
Author: Daniel W. Patterson
ISBN: 9780807837535
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press
Publication: October 8, 2012
Imprint: The University of North Carolina Press
Language: English

A thousand unique gravestones cluster around old Presbyterian churches in the piedmont of the two Carolinas and in central Pennsylvania. Most are the vulnerable legacy of three generations of the Bigham family, Scotch Irish stonecutters whose workshop near Charlotte created the earliest surviving art of British settlers in the region. In The True Image, Daniel Patterson documents the craftsmanship of this group and the current appearance of the stones. In two hundred of his photographs, he records these stones for future generations and compares their iconography and inscriptions with those of other early monuments in the United States, Northern Ireland, and Scotland.
Combining his reading of the stones with historical records, previous scholarship, and rich oral lore, Patterson throws new light on the complex culture and experience of the Scotch Irish in America. In so doing, he explores the bright and the dark sides of how they coped with challenges such as backwoods conditions, religious upheavals, war, political conflicts, slavery, and land speculation. He shows that headstones, resting quietly in old graveyards, can reveal fresh insights into the character and history of an influential immigrant group.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

A thousand unique gravestones cluster around old Presbyterian churches in the piedmont of the two Carolinas and in central Pennsylvania. Most are the vulnerable legacy of three generations of the Bigham family, Scotch Irish stonecutters whose workshop near Charlotte created the earliest surviving art of British settlers in the region. In The True Image, Daniel Patterson documents the craftsmanship of this group and the current appearance of the stones. In two hundred of his photographs, he records these stones for future generations and compares their iconography and inscriptions with those of other early monuments in the United States, Northern Ireland, and Scotland.
Combining his reading of the stones with historical records, previous scholarship, and rich oral lore, Patterson throws new light on the complex culture and experience of the Scotch Irish in America. In so doing, he explores the bright and the dark sides of how they coped with challenges such as backwoods conditions, religious upheavals, war, political conflicts, slavery, and land speculation. He shows that headstones, resting quietly in old graveyards, can reveal fresh insights into the character and history of an influential immigrant group.

More books from The University of North Carolina Press

Cover of the book Pickett's Charge in History and Memory by Daniel W. Patterson
Cover of the book Singing in My Soul by Daniel W. Patterson
Cover of the book Divine Hierarchies by Daniel W. Patterson
Cover of the book Lynching and Spectacle by Daniel W. Patterson
Cover of the book The Armchair Birder's Omnibus Ebook by Daniel W. Patterson
Cover of the book Upbuilding Black Durham by Daniel W. Patterson
Cover of the book Builders of Empire by Daniel W. Patterson
Cover of the book Cinema in Democratizing Germany by Daniel W. Patterson
Cover of the book Herodotus and Religion in the Persian Wars by Daniel W. Patterson
Cover of the book Mountain Nature by Daniel W. Patterson
Cover of the book The Historian's Eye by Daniel W. Patterson
Cover of the book The Crisis of Argentine Capitalism by Daniel W. Patterson
Cover of the book Simone Weil by Daniel W. Patterson
Cover of the book A Refugee from His Race by Daniel W. Patterson
Cover of the book Jim Crow Wisdom by Daniel W. Patterson
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy