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| Detail
of the Angel in the Hill Family plot, Glenwood
Cemetery, Houston. TE Photo May 2003 |
| When
we first published a photo of a weeping angel monument in Houston's
Glenwood Cemetery, we were notified that the statue's location
was misidentified. The writer had seen it just a week before in Scottsville,
Texas (just east of Marshall). Although no photo was furnished, we
remembered his letter and two years later on a trip to NE Texas, we
went to investigate. |
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| A
view of the Scottsville cemetery and chapel. The Youree angel is visible
just left of center. TE Photo October, 2001 |
The
Scottsville
/ Youree Cemetery can be found on FM 1998 about 12 miles East
of Marshall.
Indeed, there is a near-identical twin to the Houston weeping angel
- complete with severed arm. Only the names and the statues bases
are slightly different. The inscription on the Glenwood angel is the
simple surname of Hill while the one in Scottville bears the name
Youree. |
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The
Glenwood Angel (left) and the Scottsville Angel
showing the vandalism to both left arms. TE Photos |
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Youree monument is named Grief and it is credited to scuptor Frank
Teich. According to the text in A Comprehensive Guide to Outdoor
Sculpture in Texas by Carol Morris Little, the author states
that this statue is considered to be Teich's most artistic creation.
The ten-foot statue is carved from Carrera marble and reportedly cost
$40,000 in 1904. It is the centerpiece of the cemetery and sits just
behind the stone chapel - also constructed in memory of William Scott
Youree, the only son of banker Peter Youree and his wife Elizabeth
Scott Youree. (Elizabeth's family are founders of Scottsville.)
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The inscription: "Born at Scottsville, Texas November 29th
1872 - died at Monterey, Mexico January 15th 1904.
TE Photo |
The cemetery
is said to be the largest collection of Teich's work in one place
in Texas. Several other angels stand very near "Grief" and for its
size, the Scottsville/ Youree cemetery is probably the most picturesque
in the state, despite being heavily vandalized in the late 1980s.
A
comparison of the two works was in preparation when we received photos
of a third "sister angel" from contributor Justin Parson of McKinney.
In Mr. Parson's photos (from the Calvary Cemetery in Grayson County)
the angel has her arm intact - an important clue in case the other
two statues are ever restored. |
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Grayson
County's Weeping Angel
Photos Courtesy Justin Parson 2005 |
We have been
told by monumentalists (the proper name for people who make monuments)
that in the case of statuary like this, apprentice stonecarvers learned
their craft by making copies of the master's original. Knock-offs
were possible, but when one examines the quality of the work on all
three statues - it's obvious that no one was cutting corners when
these sister angels were carved. The Youree monument, which received
huge regional newspaper coverage, is said to have generated $40,000
in orders for the Teich monument works.
See
Glenwood
Cemetery, Houston, Texas
Scottsville
Cemetery, Scottsville, Texas
Denison,
Texas
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Hotels
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Forum
Subject:
Dallas Texas
There is a Fourth angel---In the Grove Hill Cemetery off of Samuell
Blvd, 5 miles east of downtown. She is perfect and her hand is still
intact. You should visit her. - Amy DeWitt, March 09, 2006
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Anyone
with information on the Texas angel sorority or anyone who has information
on stonecarver apprenticeship procedures in early 20th Century Texas,
please contact
us.
More
Texas Cemeteries
Statues
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Hotels
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Recommended
Book
Order Here
A Comprehensive Guide to Outdoor Sculpture in Texas |
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