Clasped Hands on headstone in a cemetery

Clasped Hands on a cemetery headstone can have several meanings. Most often, it represents an enduring marriage, especially if two graves are near the monument.

Matfield Green cemetery

On a trip up Highway 177 from El Dorado to Strong City, I stopped at Matfield Green, the population of which is 119 (year, 2010). Just to the south of town is the Matfield cemetery. These headstones caught my eye.

John and Mary Lansbeurg are, most likely, husband and wife. John died November 28, 1873, at the age of 77 years, 11 months, and 8 days. The Grand Army of the Republic star can be seen to the left in the photo, marking the grave of a Union veteran of the Civil War.

John was born in 1796. In 1861, the first year of the Civil War, he would have been 65 years old.

A search of the Roster of the Grand Army of the Republic did not reveal the name, John Lansbeurg.  The name should not appear here as this roster is as of the year 1894, 21 years after John's death. Kansas Skyways' list of Kansas Veterans for Chase County does not include John Lansburg, but does include John Bansbury in the Matfield Green cemetery. (possibly a misspelling?)

John Lansbeurg

Mary Lansbury is buried next to John. She was born May 13, 1898 (sic, 1798). She died February 11, 1885. Mary was two years younger than her husband John. After searching the United States for the surname "Lansbeurg", I came up with only a single match. "Lansbury" is more popular as a surname.

Mary Lansbury

Chase County Probate Department includes a will filed by John Lansbury in 1873, naming a wife Mary K. Lansbury and five children.


The answer to John Lansbury's Civil War service and to his name change may exist in the Chase County Historical Sketches, Landsbury John, pages 150,151,354. vol. II.

Matfield Cemetery, Matfield Green