The tree stump motif goes way back in tombstone art and is far too common to
be limited to members of the Woodmen of the World, which started only in
1890.  The Independent Order of Foresters is older, going back to 1874.  It
is a Canadian organization that split from the British Ancient Order of
Foresters.  Both Woodmen and Foresters were fraternal benefit socities
offering insurance to their members.  The emblem for the Woodmen does
include a sawed of tree trunk, along with an axe, a mallet, and a wedge.
 
My point is that tree stump headstones do not indicate membership in such an
order.  In the sewer tile country of southeastern Ohio, sewer tile cemetery
markers and planters are ubiquitous, the cemetery in Uhrichsville containing
hundreds, most made by relatives of the departed who worked in a nearby
sewer tile or brick factory.  Most of these 19th C. workers probably did not
have insurance of any kind.
 
Jim Murphy
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At 12:30 PM 3/14/97 -0500, you wrote:
>In a message dated 97-03-14 12:07:11 EST, you write:
>
><< In reference to the cement tree stump headstones.  It has been my
> experience that those are individuals who were Woodman of the
> World,  a fraternal order.  Many of these organizations originated
> to provide burial insurance, one of the perks being a specialized
> headstone.
>
> Victoria Owens
> Sam Houston National Forest >>
>
>I thought they were called "Foresters".  You are probably right, though.
>
>Mike Polk
>
>