Daily AncestorEastern Star emblem
The Eastern Star emblem, a five-pointed star with one point down, on a gravestone marks a member of the Order of the Eastern Star.
The Order of the Eastern Star was developed from 1850 by Rob Morris, a Mason, so that women related to Masons could share in its principles; its first grand chapter was organized in Michigan in 1867. The emblem is a five-pointed star pointing down, often with small symbols in the points and the letters F.A.T.A.L.
It is usually on a woman's stone, sometimes beside her husband's square and compasses. Membership points to chapter records and suggests a Masonic relative.
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Daily Ancestor. "Eastern Star emblem." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/gravestone-symbols/eastern-star-emblem. Last checked 2026-10-15.