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Published on: 4/28/2008
Last Visited: 4/1/2009
Jim Davenport travels the west in search of grave markers of Woodmen of the World members.
He photographs them, takes measurements, and records the inscriptions.
It's a hobby that has taken him to all over the Western United States.
One summer day while driving through the pine trees on a high mountain side, following what he'd been told was possibly the road to the cemetery in Alma, Colorado, Jim Davenport spotted what he was searching for, a Woodmen of the World tombstone.
He got out his camera and notebook, measured the tombstone, recorded the inscription, and photographed it.
A careful search throughout the cemetery showed there were no other such tombstones.
Then, a year and a half later, a lady e-mailed him asking if he had any information on a WOW member buried at the Alma cemetery.
He sent her the inscription and a copy of the photograph.
The lady was thrilled to learn that her shot-in-the-dark paid dividends!
To Jim, WOW markers are as desired and elusive as truffles are to the French.
Armed with his maps and lists he compiles from the local library, Jim and his wife use their keen eyes to spot the WOW markers as they walk through a sea of tombstones.
It's a hobby that has grown into a passion.
About seven years ago, Jim was visiting a cemetery in Durango, Colorado, when he spotted a tombstone resembling a tall brown tree-stump with the inscription, "Here Rests a Woodman of the World".
"I figured that they were some sort of logging association from the turn of the Century", says Jim.
The death date on the marker was 1907.
Jim visited the local library and learned that there was an insurance company called Woodmen of the World.
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Says Jim, "My wife is used to my crazy ideas, but figured this would be a better hobby than collecting farm implements or old lawn mowers, and it seemed like fun thing to do".
Jim and his wife began searching the local newspaper archives for cemetery locations in their county.
They contacted the local "guru" who gave them a copy of a map showing all of the known burials and cemeteries in the county.
Jim later learned that she belonged to the DAR, was a genealogist, and was a member of the local historical society.
While driving home from a trip to Colorado Spings, Jim and his wife stopped by at a cemetery in Salida, and found a couple of WOW markers.
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When Jim visits a cemetery, the other people nearby are usually curious to see a man taking measurements, jotting something into a notebook, and snapping pictures.
"If they are a groundskeeper, especially the volunteers, they'll want to know what we're doing and many times will help us locate WOW graves", says Jim.
"Sometimes they are a bit suspicious due to the increasing number of grave markers that are being stolen.
But after talking a bit, they are usually most friendly and want to tell you stories about people in the cemetery."
But Jim caused one caretaker in California to become concerned, when he explained that he was "collecting tombstones".
The caretaker reacted by asking Jim if he knew that collecting stones was illegal.
"When I assured him that I only collected the photographs, he became friendly and led me to another small cemetery where I found a dozen more WOW markers".
A WOW marker found in Colorado.
Notice the Axe, Maul, Wedge, and Dove, all indicative of WOW symbolism.
Perhaps the biggest challenge for Jim, it is finding time for his hobby.
Jim has made a career in law enforcement, and is only able to visit cemeteries on vacation time.
"We probably get out about three times a year, and you can bet that those times are packed with cemetery visits".
In 1967 he started out as a patrol officer for the City of Cortez, CO.
Later, he was promoted to Detective, and then Chief of Police.
He currently works as a chief investigator for the District Attorney.
"I have done just about everything there is to do as an investigator but my 'love' for many years has been fingerprint work.
Looking at crime scene fingerprints and trying to match them up with the perpetrators.
It's quite a 'rush' when you find one that matches up."
Jim also served time in the military.
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"This was probably a really good advertising gimmick, but that's just my guess", says Jim.
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Jim gets a couple a queries a week from people asking about a name, and will give them what information he has collected including a copy of the photograph.
Jim has also signed up as a volunteer photographer on Cemetery Photos.
As to what plans Jim has for all the photographs and information he has collected, he does not quite know what he'll do.
Some ask if he plans to write a book.
"I don't know, that might take the fun out of it, and turn it into work", replies Jim.
"I usually tell people that when I am gone it will be up to the kids to do with it as they please, which may mean 'trashcan'".
But for the meantime, Jim does answer e-mails concerning his hobby, and tries to provide scanned photographs to inquiring people.
When asked what other people think about his hobby, he responds, "Some folks think that I'm crazier then a pet coon, but then one day while watching some of the rare TV that I do, I saw them interviewing a fellow who was trying to go to every McDonald's in the USA and eat something there.
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You can contact Jim for any questions and comments about WOW grave markers at: jimjanie@fone.net
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