First posted December of 2012.
Last fall I went to the Rockville Union Cemetery to take some pictures of Walter Johnson’s grave site for a future story. This was the first time in forty years I visited the site where Walter Perry Johnson and his wife Hazel Lee Johnson are buried.
During my visit at the cemetery I noticed a small marker that was next to Walter’s and Hazel’s markers. In fact I was standing on this small marker that was covered by leaves. I brushed the leaves away from the white marker. As I uncovered the marker I was able to read the words Our Babe.
At first I thought the marker was referring to a baby. But if that was the case the marker would have probably said Our Baby. My second thought was the marker was referring to Walter Johnson as Our Babe Ruth.
In attempt to try to learn more about the Our Babe marker I did many Google and Yahoo searches on the internet. I was not able to find anything about the marker. My next step was to send an e-mail to Walter Johnson’s grandson, Hank Thomas. I was thinking if anyone could tell me more about the Our Babe marker it would be Mr. Thomas.
Mr. Thomas replied back to me and said that he was not aware of the marker. So here I am a month later and I am still trying to find out more about the mysterious Our Babe marker. I would really like to know who put the marker at Walter’s grave site. Please leave me a comment if you know anything about the Our Babe marker.
This past Sunday I was able to get the answer to my question from Walter Johnson’s 93 year-old son Ed Johnson. Ed told me the Our Babe marker was in memory of his sister Elinor Lee Johnson. Little Elinor died on December 18, 1921 from influenza when she was only two years-old.
