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Tombstone Tuesday: John Springsteen

Headstone of John Springsteen at Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana. Used with kind permission of Find A Grave photographer.
Headstone of John Springsteen at Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana. Used with kind permission of Find A Grave photographer.

Springsteen Family (Click for Family Tree)

This headstone is between those of Jefferson Springsteen and George Springsteen in the beautiful Crown Hill Cemetery of Indianapolis, Indiana. Only “J. Springsteen” is carved on the stone, but the cemetery records note this headstone as being for a “John Springsteen.” It is one of the many Springsteen headstones in the family plot.

We know that Jefferson Springsteen was the son of a John Springsteen; George Springsteen was the son of Abraham, another of this same John Springsteen’s sons. (See “Sunday’s Obituary: John Springsteen.”)

Thus this headstone may be for the same John, the father of Jefferson, Abraham, Sarah Emily, Missouri E., and Eliza/Anaeliza Springsteen, and husband to Mary Logan. It could be logical that he is buried between his son and grandson.

Springsteen Family Plot at Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana. The J. Springsteen marker is the tall stone at the center of the second row from front. Via Find A grave, with kind permission.
Springsteen Family Plot at Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Indiana. The J. Springsteen marker is the tall stone at the center of the second row from front. Via Find A Grave, with kind permission.

There is a bit of another question here though: the cemetery states that the John Springsteen under this stone was buried 11/22/1876.

HOWEVER…

The obituary mentioned above states that ‘our’ John Springsteen died 19 March 1867.

SO…

** Could there be an error in the date from the cemetery? The last two digits, ’67’ could have been transposed and become 1876.

BUT…

John died on Tuesday the 19th, and was buried on Thursday, the 21st. The date from the cemetery is the 22nd.

THE KICKER…

The month: the obituary states March, Crown Hill records state November. Big difference- hard to confuse a 3 with an 11.

** Or could this be a different John Springsteen?

** Or could John have been buried in one spot, then re-interred in the family plot? The first Springsteen burial in the family plot was 04/15/1873, Laura Springsteen. Possibly the family did not own the large plot until after John’s death?

The obituary suggests that his death occurred at his home in Indianapolis, as he was sitting in “his chair.” The funeral took place from the residence of his son, Jefferson Springsteen, who lived in Indianapolis. It does not seem logical that John died and was buried in one place- especially a far place- and then reinterred in the family plot. It could have happened, though it seems there might be a note in the cemetery records as they do sometimes note removals.

John Springsteen’s wife Mary Logan Springsteen is not buried in the family plot- at least, there is no record of it. (The Mary A. Springsteen buried in the family plot is Mary Anita Willet, wife of Abraham Springsteen.) John’s wife Mary is not mentioned at all in his obituary, nor are any children other than Jefferson & Abram.  Had Mary passed away before John, were they estranged, or did she survive him?

More information would be appreciated, if anyone out there has found some verification.

 

Notes, Sources, and References: 

  1. Sunday’s Obituary: John Springsteen“- http://heritageramblings.net/2016/01/31/sundays-obituary-john-springsteen-2/
  2. Crown Hill Cemetery, Burial Locator- http://www.crownhill.org/locate/. Enter “Springsteen” and John is listed in Section 14, Lot 67, buried 11/22/1876.

 

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