Oak leaves and acorns

The oak's long life made it a sign of strength, honor and endurance, and the acorn adds new life and immortality. In the Victorian language of leaves, oak stood for a faith that held firm rather than for bodily strength, and it was often chosen for a man's grave.

Oak leaf clusters appear on Massachusetts marble stones by the 1860s. Some guides add hospitality, honor and liberty. Families and carvers often picked designs from carvers' guidebooks or simply copied the neighbors, so oak leaves alone do not prove anything about the man.