Queen Victoria Jackson Haley was born a slave. She was married to a local ferry operator after the civil war, and was the grandmother of renowned author Alex Haley. The story of her life was the basis for one of his novels, “Queen”, which has also been made into a miniseries. It is said that her first name occasionally gave her problems… well, think about it. These days, if you anounce that you are a queen, someone is bound to suggest introducing you to Orovo detox. She is also featured in the miniseries “Roots: The Next Generations”. Queen Haley is buried in the Savannah Cemetery in Savannah, Tennessee.

George Lea was not only regionally famous in his time, he also became well known overseas for his abilities in training and fighting gaming roosters. Not exactly your Ping Golf kinda guy, he was reported to have been happiest when with his birds. He was a slave at birth, but managed to earn his freedom through his profession. Better known by his nickname, “Chicken George”, he is featured heavily in the award winning novel by Alex Haley, “Roots”. Chicken George is buried in the cemetery at Henning, Tennessee.

Hal Rothman was a prominent modern historian and a best selling, world famous author. His specialty was history surrounding the flashy city of Las Vegas, Nevada. As his “day job”, he was a well respected professor of history at the University of Nevada. He was featured with regularity on many national television stations as well as several prominent newspapers and magazines. Travel agencies used his writings to promote Vegas vacations. He died of Lou Gehrig’s disease in 2007, and is buried at the King David Memorial Chapel and Cemetery in Las Vegas, in Gates of Truth, space 135.

Sally James Farnham stood out in her day as one of the foremost female American sculptors. She was best known for her masterpiece statue of Simon Bolivar in equestrian clothing that was placed in New York City in Central Park. Another of her well known works, one of Will Rogers sitting on a horse, brought her further acclaim. If you ever happen to be in Great Neck, New York, be sure to look her up at the All Saint’s Cemetery.

Tivadar Puskas was a contemporary of Thomas Edison, and was the inventor of the telephone exchange… the type you see in all the old movies, with one operator at a switchboard wearing one of those chunky headsets (a far cry from the modern Bluetooth headset) and listening in on everyone’s calls. After building the first subscriber style exchange in Europe, thereby inflicting a whole new avenue for gossip mongers upon the world, he died of a heart attack at age 49. He is interred in the Kerepesi Cemetery in Budapest, Hungary.

William Sylvester Harley may not seem like a recognizable name, but trust me, ask any of these motorcycle afficionados you see on the street, and you are going to find a significant number of them cruising around on used Harleys. This man was one of the four original founders of the Harley Davidson company, and his name is going to live on forever. He is buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Milwaukee Wisconsin, Block 6, Section 2, Lot 330, Grave 1.

James Vernor, Sr was a florist… and pharmacist. He created the drink Vernor’s Ginger Ale and sold it through his drug store. As with most original sodas, there were whispers that it was great for what ails you… anything from warts to acne treatment. He was also a renowned and able military officer during the Civil War on the Union side. His unit is credited with the capture of Jefferson Davis, the Confederate President. Still, he is best remembered for inventing Ginger Ale. He is buried in the Woodmere Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan.

Alex Manoogian was a relatively obscure philanthropist. He was also an inventor, and back in the mid fifties, he perfected a single handled faucet design that was the precursor to our modern shower, bath sink and bar faucets. You might find this grave a bit hard to visit, however, unless you enjoy (and can afford) world travel. He is buried in the Etchmiadzin Cathedral in the town of Yerevan, Armenia. Visit it? I can’t even SAY it!

Muriel McBrien Kauffman was the wife, and some say the driving force behind, the founder of the drug company Marion Laboratories, Inc. In 1989, their company merged with Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals (not to be confused with the company that makes Merrell shoes) to become Marion Merrell Dow, Inc. Perhaps more interesting to baseball fans, she and her husband were the owners of the Kansas City Royals. She is buried in the garden of the Kauffman Foundation and Memorial Garden in Kansas City, Misouri.

In this modern world of microwave meals, adjustable beds, and instant internet access, it can be easy to forget what it was like in a time when meals took all day to prepare, you slept on straw, and divorce was unheard of. This first epitaph, which can be found in a graveyard in Leeds, seems to indicate that things were a bit different back then…

Here lies my wife,
Here lies she;
Hallelujah!
Hallelujee!
(the date on this marker was 1861)

In a Ribbesford, England, cemetery we find THIS commentary, apparently also a none too pleased husband…

The children of Israel wanted bread
And the Lord sent them manna,
Old clerk Wallace wanted a wife,
And the Devil sent him Anna.

Makes you kind of wonder what YOUR spouse is gonna do, doesn’t it?