Bean Puzzle Tombstone

Bean Puzzle Tombstone

So many old and small cemeteries dot the countryside that when one sees these, it is so easy to simply ignore. Much like most cemeteries, Rushes Cemetery is non-descript and there is nothing to draw attention to itself when you pass by. It is almost literally in the middle of nowhere. Rushes is well-maintained and has a few visitors. And yet this cemetery is unique in that there is a riddle in it that took 125 years to decode.

This is a small stop that is out-of-the-way of everything else.  I happened to make a detour to it since we were driving to another location.  I figured we would be here for ten minutes or less.  When we pulled into the cemetery, Charlene is initially hurt and dismayed that I would bring her here.

Charlene and I have visited many cemeteries before.  There is a reverent beauty to some cemeteries and there is a lot of history hidden among all the monuments.  We are drawn to these places, especially ones that are older or ones filled with beautiful monuments.  For most people, the only proof that they were born, lived and died is because someone placed a marker where they now lay.  Personally, visiting cemeteries is a way of remembering people that I could never meet.

I was only half surprised by Charlene’s reaction.  I thought enough time had passed since her father’s death and that this place looked and felt so differently than where her dad is buried.  She gets out with a hint of anger and sorrow and started exploring the tombstones.  I did not tell her which one we were looking for and found it in the opposite corner of the area.  I bring Charlene there and she spends quite a bit of time looking at it.  Ten minutes, then 15 and then even 30 minutes is spent here.  Charlene is trying to decipher the message and even reads the answer that is posted beside it.  She is very good at puzzles and puts me to shame all the time in her speed and ease.  For me, having the answer, I still could not figure it out.

Charlene reads it to me and it is really a more fitting description of someone on a tombstone than leaving their birth date and their death date.  

I will not reveal the answer but will allow you to try to figure it out on your own.  If you cannot decode it, it can be found in Rushes Cemetery. ******

Back in 1867, Dr. Bean, in homage to his first two wives, erected this tombstone that was in stark contrast to every other tombstone in this cemetery and in almost every cemetery. He had carved a riddle that many could never decipher. Being deeply religious, it is thought that he was inspired by the mystery of life and death and wanted people to think.

His first two marriages were very brief ending in early death.  He would remarry a third time and that one was much longer.  Dr Bean would be lost at sea and one has to wonder what monument he would have had for his own stone.

I left this site thinking how quickly a person’s life is forgotten in the passage of time.  Without a tombstone, who will remember me 100, or 200 years from me?  Who will be visiting my grave even 20 years after my death?  Dr Bean did something great in that he ensured visitors to his beloved wife’s site by placing an enigma.  It got us thinking how we could make our own stones into tourist attractions so we can be remembered for centuries to come.

In the event that you visit this site, there is a replica stone beside the original since it is weathering very badly. Please be respectful and remember that each grave is a life and a story in their own right.

Located near Wellesley, Ontario.  Google Map search Rushes Cemetery .