I found a very familiar West Virginian

 

A visit to Central West Virginia always has me stopping by the Weston Masonic Cemetery (now Lewis Memorial Garden) in Weston, WV. This is where my Dad is buried. The conditions of this cemetery really are not great.  One day, my husband, son and I decided that we should not only clean up my Dad's memorial but also his "neighbors."  The Weston Masonic Cemetery is truly a random mix of citizens.  And, this is how I came to know Paul Ebbert, Sr.

There are times that I am surprised that I come across a grave of a familar and/or famous person whose tombstone appears to be so "normal".  After getting home and processing the photographs and researching the person, I find out little tidbits about a person's life.

I was surveying and photographing the cemetery and noticed Paul Edward Ebbert, Sr's marker.  If you are an old-timer from West Virginia, you might recognize the name. You might even put the face to the name. If you have watched American Pickers, you might also put the face to the name. Paul Ebbert was the WV State Policeman that posed for the "SLOW DOWN" school zone sign that was used throughout the Elementary schools in West Virginia.

​Article from Vintage West Virginia - On June 13, 1938:

West Virginia State Police Trooper Paul Ebbert was told to go home, put on a dress uniform and return to the Capitol as soon as possible. He thought he was to escort Governor Holt on an out of state trip. Instead, because at 6'3", he was West Virginia's tallest trooper, he was to be photographed.

From this photo image, plywood troopers were made, painted and distributed in pairs to elementary schools in all 55 counties of West Virginia. These wooden troopers had lettering on the front that said, "SLOW, SCHOOL ZONE" 15 m.p.h.. The back had black and white stripes and said, "RESUME SPEED, THANK YOU, THE STATE ROAD COMMISSION OF WV."

Morning and evening, and sometimes at noon, a wooden trooper was placed by a Patrol Student at each end of the school zone facing upcoming traffic. These wooden sentinels stood guard, advising motorists to drive slowly and with caution. When not in use, the troopers were stored in the school house, usually in what was called the "cloak room".

Trooper Ebbert patrolled Rt. 21 from Charleston to the Jackson County line and made friends, especially with children.

In 1957, Trooper Ebbert was promoted to First Sergeant and transferred to Company A, Shinnston, WV, where he had a massive heart attack and died at the age of 50.

His legacy remains and in the hearts of countless children and thankful parents.

See his profile and meet his ancestors on WikiTree.

Originally blogged on Ancestry Journey Cemeteries.