USA > Massachusetts > Suffolk County > Boston > Historic burial-places of Boston and vicinity > Part 2
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Near the centre of the yard rests the body of Paul Revere.2
About sixty feet from the north side of the yard and twenty from the sidewalk were buried the bodies of the men
1
No GS RICHARD CHECKLEY 1737 Hocce meum Corpus, de Funere Viq, Sepulchri Salvator JESUS, Sareiet ille meus CHRISTUS erit pestes, Mors Frigida Tuq Sepulchrum Exitium certum, Mox erit ille Tuum
A modest stone marks the place, inscribed as follows ;-
PAUL REVERE, BORN IN BOSTON, JANUARY 1734, DIED MAY, ISIS.
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killed in the "Boston Massacre." No stone marks the place, although it is said that for a long time a larch-tree served as a graceful monument.
The Franklin monument opposite the entrance is the most prominent monument in the Granary Yard. The in- scriptions tell their own story.1
In connection with the Franklin monument is an interest- ing headstone discovered last spring, when the surface of the Granary Burial-ground was spaded and levelled. This stone was in memory of Josiah Franklin's first wife, two of their children, and one child of Josiah and Abiah.2
1 JOSIAHI FRANKLIN, AND ABIAH IHIS WIFE LIE HERE INTERRED
THEY LIVED LOVINGLY TOGETHER IN WEDLOCK FIFTY FIVE YEARS. AND WITHOUT AN ESTATE,
OR ANY GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT, BY CONSTANT LABOR AND HONEST INDUSTRY, MAINTAINED A LARGE
FAMILY COMFORTABLY, AND BROUGHT UP THIRTEEN CHILDREN AND SEVEN GRANDCHILDREN RES
PECTABLY. FROM THIS INSTANCE, READER, BE ENCOURAGED TO DILIGENCE IN THIY CALLING, AND DIS
TRUST NOT PROVIDENCE. HE WAS A PIOUS AND PRUDENT MAN; SHE A DIS- CREET AND VIRTUOUS WOMAN.
THEIR YOUNGEST SON.
IN FILIAL REGARD TO THEIR MEMORY, PLACES TILIS STONE.
J. F. BORN 1655. DIED 1744, JE. 89. A. F. - 1667, - - 1752, - 85.
THE ORIGINAL INSCRIPTION HAVING BEEN NEARLY OBLITERATED
A NUMBER OF CITIZENS ERECTED THIS MONUMENT.
AS A MARK OF RESPECT FOR THE ILLUSTRIOUS AUTHOR, MDCCCXXVII.
2 The copy given below was made by Dr. Samuel A. Green, and is to be found in remarks on "The New England Courant, | and its | Young Pub- lisher Benjamin Franklin, | 1721-1726." | made by Dr. Green at the meeting of the Massachusetts Historical Society, June 11, 1891. The line through the inscription represents a break in the stone.
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The burial-ground next visited was the Copp's Hill Ground at the North End.1 Copp's Hill and the Granary were first used as burying-grounds about the same time, in 1659 and 1660, respectively. The earliest reference to this burying-ground in Sewall's diary is in 1685/6. February 3d, when Mr Henry Phillips was buried "in the New burial place." This is the name commonly used by Sewall, although he also refers to it as the " North Burial place." (I. Sewall's Diary, p. 484. ) The present enclosure is made of four parcels purchased by the town at different times for
ANN Y WIFE . OF JOSIAH FRANCKLI N
AGED abo! 34 YEARS DIED JULY F.
Y 9 1689 JOSEPH SON
OF JOSIAH & ANN FRANCKLIN AGED 15 DS DIED JULY F.
Y
14 1689 JOSEPH SON OF JOSIAH & ANN
FRANCKLIN AGED 5 DS DIED FEBR Y I[I ?] 1688
EBENEZER ESJON OF JJOSIAH & ABIAII FRANCKLIN AGED 16 Mº. & DIED F.
FEB[R] Ý 5. 170%
1 The tablet at the gate is inscribed as follows :-
COPP'S HILL BURIAL GROUND
1659. Here were buried MINISTERS Increase Mather 1723, Cotton Mather 1728, Samuel Mather 1785, Andrew Eliot ITS and Thomas Lake, David Copp, Nicholas Upshall, John Phillips, Anthony Hayward, John Clarke, and others of the early inhabitants of Boston. On this ground were planted the British Batteries which destroyed the Village of Charlestown during the Battle of Bunker Hill June 17, 1775.
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the purpose of a burial-ground. The oldest portion is the northeast corner. The oldest authentic inscription bears the date 1661. It is found on a stone recently unearthed and is as follows :
David son to David Copp and Obedience his wife aged 2 weeks Dyed Dec 22 1661.
The tomb which has by far the greatest interest is the Mather tomb near the easternmost corner of the yard.1
The reference in Sewall to the death of Dr. Increase Mather is found in Volume III., p. 326, and the date of his death is given as Friday, August 23. The funeral took place the following Thursday, August 29. "Thursday, Aug. 29th, is buried, Bearers Lt. Govr. Dummer, Samuel Sewall; Mr. President Leverett, Mr. Peter Thacher of Milton ; Mr. Wadsworth, Mr. Colman. Was carried round the North Meeting House and so up by Capt. Hutchinson's and along by his own House and up Hull Street, into the Tomb in the North burying place and laid by his first wife. Were a vast number of followers and spectators." (Sewall's Diary, III. 326. ) There is an apparent conflict between the date of his death as given by Sewall and the date on the slab. I have seen no reason to doubt the date given by Sewall, which is confirmed by the Boston News-Letter.
1 There is a plain horizontal stone slab, on which is inscribed :-
MATHER TOMB THE REVEREND DOCTORS INCREASE. COTTON & SAMUEL MATHER were interred in this Vault, "Tis the Tomb of our Father's Mather Crockers I died Augt 27th 1723 ÆE 84 C died Feby 13th 1727 ÆE 65 S died June 27th 1785 Æ 79.
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The death and burial of Dr. Cotton Mather are also re- corded by Sewall. The following extracts are taken from his diary for 1727-8: "Febr. 13 Tuesday Dr. Cotton Mather dies. Monday Febr. 19 Dr. Cotton Mather is in- tombed : Bearers, the Revd. Mr. Colman, Mr. Thacher ; Mr. Sewall. Prince : Mr. Webb, Cooper. The Church went before the Corps. First the Revd. Mr. Gee in mourning alone, then 3 deacons, then Capt. Hutchinson, Adam Winthrop Esqr Col. Hutchinson - Went up Hull Street. I went in a coach. All the council had gloves: I had a pair. It seems when the mourners returned to the House, Mr. Walter said, My Bror. had better bearers : Mr. Prince answered They bore the better part. Mr. Walter prayed excellently." It would seem from this extract that the date of Cotton Mather's death as given on the stone slab is mis- leading, and that the date on the gate represents the true date, after the necessary change from Old to New Style has been made.
In this same tomb, Rev. Mather Byles was probably buried.
The tomb was opened in 1884, on the death of Rebecca Eaton Parker. Edward MeDonald, the superintendent, states that the remains of the Mathers are on the right side of the tomb. It is a large tomb, and undoubtedly contains a score and more of bodies.
The Hutchinson tomb should be mentioned in any ac- count of Copp's Hill burial-ground, however brief. This tomb is marked by a slab on which are the Hutchinson Arms, and the name Thomas Lewis. This tomb seems to have been appropriated, and the original name chiselled off. It is doubtful if the remains of any of the first occupants are there to-day. It is probable that the bodies of Thomas Hutchinson, and Elisha Hutchinson, father and grandfather respectively of Governor Thomas Hutchinson, were placed in this tomb and also the bodies of the wife and son of the Governor, who, after his retirement to England, writes to have them removed to Milton.
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There are several stones that are said to bear the marks of English bullets, having been used as targets by the un- welcome Redcoats. The stone of Capt. Daniel Malcom would seem to be the stone most likely to receive such at- tention from the British soldiers, as the stone records that he was
a true son of Liberty
a Friend to the Publick an Enemy to oppression and one of the foremost in opposing the Revenue Acts on America.
Copp's Hill derives additional historic interest from the fact, as stated on the gate, that there the batteries were placed which were fired upon Charlestown, June 17, 1775. The surface of Copp's Hill probably is the largest area within the limits of the old Boston that can suggest to-day its appearance at the time of the battle of Bunker Hill.
The Phipps-street Burial-ground in Charlestown is older than Copp's Hill and the Granary. When all of the mem- bers of the party had gathered near the Harvard Monument which crowns the hill, Mr. James F. Hunnewell kindly made a statement regarding the burial-ground in substance as follows: "The early settlers generally brought with them the English custom of burying their dead near their places of worship. The Phipps-street Burial-ground is an exception to that custom. It is an early example - proba- bly the first in New England -- of a rural cemetery. The meeting-house was in the market-place, and no time before the Revolution did the town extend above Thompson Square. There were only scattered buildings in this part of the town. It was a retired place in the country, very secluded, and not far from the waters of a bay, across which a person could look to Cambridge and Harvard College.
" The earliest burials in town were very near the market- place. Very early in the history of the town, probably in
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1640, this burial-place was laid out. There is one interest- ing feature about the arrangement of the graves. The early families are all represented and the location and direction of their graves correspond with the relative posi- tions of their houses. For example, here are graves of Russells, Carys, Frothinghams, Samsons, Phippses ar- ranged roughly to correspond with the arrangement of their houses.
" The earliest stone bears the date of 1642, and marks the grave of Maud Russell. Another early stone is that of John Fownell, 1654. There are eight stones in all dated earlier than 1670, and one hundred and fifty-eight carlier than 1701. Not many persons of wide reputation are buried here, but there are very many good respectable people.
" The Harvard monument was placed here by the College in 1828. John Harvard died 1638 and it is doubtful where he was buried. There is a tradition that there was a Harvard stone in this burial-ground which stood until the Revolution." This story is told by Edward Everett in his oration at the dedication of the monument creeted by the college, as follows : "There is a tradition that till the Rev- olutionary war, a gravestone was standing within this en- closure over the spot where his ashes repose. With other similar memorials it was destroyed at that period ; and nothing but the same tradition remains to guide us to the hallowed spot. Upon it we have erected a plain and simple but we trust permanent memorial."
It would seem that the inference from all that can be learned on the subject is that the remains of Harvard are near the top of this hill. The names of the most prominent people are found here. In 1828, Edward Everett was liv- ing in Charlestown and must have been acquainted with persons who could remember how things looked at the Rev- olution.
The celebrated stone of Elizabeth Phillips is found in
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this yard. She was the midwife whose presence at the birth of three thousand children in the course of a busy professional life extending over fifty years is recorded on her gravestone.1
Some mischievous person has changed this most worthy record from 3,000 to 130,000 by prefixing the figure 1 and adding an 0.
The Mather tomb in the Copp's Hill Burial-ground asso- ciates that place with the Old Burial-ground of Dorchester, for in this latter place is buried Richard Mather, the third minister of Dorchester, of whom this Society possesses an original picture. He was the father of Increase and the elder Samuel, and the first of his name in Massachusetts. Richard Mather died in 1669.2 Sewall states that he heard ' The inscription is as follows : -
Ilere Lyes Interred y' Body of M . ELIZABETH PHILLIPS, Wife to M' ELEAZER PHILLIPS; Who was Born in Westminster, in Great Brittain, & Commiflioned by John
Lord Bishop of London, in yr Year 1718, to y" Office of a Midwife; & came
to this Country in yr Year 1719 & by ve Blessing of God has Brought into this world above 730000 Children. Died May 6th 1761, Aged 76 Years.
2 The inscription in memory of Richard Mather is as follows : --
DOM. SACER RICHARDUS DIC DORMIT MATHERUS (SED NEC TOTUS NEC MORA DIUTURNA) LAETATUS GENUISSE PARES INCERTUM EST UTRUM DOCTIORAN MELIOR ANIMA & GLORIA NON QUEUNT HUMANI
DIVINELY RICH & LEARND RICHARD MATHER ther SONS LIKE HIM PROPHETS GREAT REIOICD THIS FA down SHORT TIME HIS SLEEPING DUST HERES COUERD
NOT HIS ASCENDED SPIRIT OR RENOWN
UT D M IN AUG. 16 AN' IN DORC. N A 34 AN OBT. APR 22 1669 ART SUAE 73.
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him preach, presumably at Cambridge, the funeral sermon of John Wilson, in 1667. At the entrance to this burial- place is another of the bronze tablets for which Boston is indebted to Dr. Green.1
The monument of Governor Stoughton is the object of greatest interest in the Dorchester Burial-ground. Sewall refers to the death and funeral of Governor Stoughton, July 13 and 15, 1701, but evidently he did not attend the funeral. Later, however, Feby. 1, 1703/4, he visits Dor- chester, and writes, "Before Lecture, I rid into the Bury- ing place and read Mr. Stoughton's Epitaph, which is very great." (II. Diary, p. 91.)
The epitaph to which he refers was repaired by Harvard College in 1828, and can be distinctly read to-day.2
1 The inscription is as follows:
DORCHESTER BURIAL GROUND
Here were buried GOVERNORS William Stoughton 1701. William Tailer 1732: MINISTERS Richard Mather 1669, Josiah Flint 1650, John Danforth 1730, Jonathan Bowman 1775, Moses Everett 1813, Thaddeus Mason Harris 1542: Major Gen. Humphrey Atherton 1661. William Pole, Schoolnaster, 1674. John Foster, First Printer of Boston, 16s1. Isaac Royall 1739, James Blake, Annalist. 1750, and Ebenezer Clapp 1881.
Gnlielinus Stoughtouns, Armiger, Provinciae Massachusettensis in Nova Anglia Legatus deinde Gubernator; Nec-non Curiae in eadem Provincia Superioris Justiciarins Capitalis. Hic Jacet Vir Conjugij Nescius, Religione Sanctus, Virtute ('larus. Doctrina Celebris, Ingenio Acutus Sanguine et animo pariter Illustris.
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" The monument over Stoughton's grave in the Dorches- ter Burial-ground having fallen, the Corporation of the College, in 1828, caused it to be repaired, and the tablet which was 'cracked in two' cemented. The elegant epi- taph on it, adapted, it is said, by Mather, corresponds nearly word for word with the one by Aimonius Proust de Chambourg, Professor of law in the University of Orleans, which is inscribed on the tomb of Blaise Pascal, who died in 1662." (Sibley's Harvard Graduates, vol. I., p. 207.)
This epitaph was the tribute of the President of Harvard College to the Chief Judge who sat on the trials of the Salem witches, and who, as tradition states, felt no repentance for the deeds of that court, saying he had no confession to make as he had acted according to the best light God had given him. (I. Sewall's Diary, p. 446. )
The tomb of Humphrey Atherton is marked with a large
Aequitatis Amator, Legum Propugnator, Collegij Stoughtoniani Fundator, Literarum & Literatorum Fautor Celeberrimus Impietatis & Vitij Hostis Acerrimus, Hunc Rhetores amant Facundum,
Hunc Scriptores norunt Elegantem
Hunc Philosophi quaerunt Sapientem Hunc Doctores laudant Theologum, Hunc Pii venerantur Austerum,
Hunc Omnes Mirantur; Omnibus Ignotum Omnibus licet Notum Quid Plura, Viator! Quem perdidimus Stoughtonum ! Heu ! Satis dixi, Urgent Lachrymae, Sileo, Vixit Annos Septuaginta ; Septimo Die Julij, Anno Salutis 1701 Cecidit. Heu ! Heu! Qualis Luctus !
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horizontal slab, at the top of which is a sword and below an inscription.1
It is unfortunate that Major-General Humphrey Atherton, whose virtues are recorded in this epitaph, is said to have met his death as he was riding home from a review of his troops in Boston, as his horse came into collision with a stray cow. The manner of his death undoubtedly gave rise to stories not wholly creditable, as we find that "Thomas Maule, Shopkeeper of Salem," was called into Court in 1695 to answer for his printing and publishing a pamphlet "stuffed with notorious Lyes and Scandals." The book was ordered to be burned and the writer acknowledged that what was written concerning the circumstances of Major- General Atherton's death was a mistake. (I. Sewall's Diary, p. 416. )
The epitaph over the tomb of William Pole, school- master, is one of the most remarkable in this burial-ground. It is as follows : -
Y . EPITAPH . OF . WILLIAM . POLE . WHICH . HE . HEMSELF e
MADE . WHILE . HE . WAS . YET . LIVING . IN . REMEMBRANCE. OF HIS . OWN . DEATH . & . LEFT . IT . TO . BE . INGRAVEN . ON . HIS TOMB . Y . SO . BEING . DEAD . HE . MIGHT . WARN . POSTERI t reader OR . ARESEMBLANCE . OF . A . DEAD . MAN . BESPEAKING . Y 110 . PASSENGER . TIS . WORTH . THY . PAINS . TOO . STAY & . TAKE . A . DEAD . MANS . LESSON . BY . Y . WAY 1 . WAS . WHAT . NOW . THOU . ART . A . THOU . SHALT . BE
1
[Sword.]
HEARE . LYES . OUR . CAPTAINE . AND . MAIOR . OF . SUFFOLK . WAS . WITHALL A . GODLY . MAGISTRATE . WAS . HE . AND . MAIOR . GENERALL
TWO . TROVPS . OF . HORS . WITH . HIME . HERE . CAME . SUCH , WORTH . HIS. LOVE . DID . CRAVE
TEN . COMPANIES . OF , FOOT . ALSO . MOURNING . MARCHT . TO . HIS . GRAVE LET . ALL . THAT . READ . BE . SURE . TO . KEEP . THE . FAITH . AS . HE . HAS . DON WITH . CHRIST . HE . LIVES . NOW . CROWNED . THIS . NAME . WAS , HUMPHREY . ATHERTON
ILE . DYED . THE . 1G , OF . SEPTEMBER . 166]
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WIIAT . I . AM . NOW . WIIAT . ODDS . TWIXT . ME . & . THEE
NOW . GO . THY . WAY . BUT . STAY . TAKE. ONE . WORD . MORE
THY . STAF . FOR . OUGHT . THOU . KNOWEST . STANDS . NEXT. Y e
e dore
DEATHI . IS . Y . DORE . YEA . DOR . OF . HEAVEN . OR . IIELL
BE . WARNED . BE . ARMED . BELIEUE . REPENT . FARIEWELL
The Old Roxbury Burial-ground at the corner of Wash- ington and Eustis streets is the last of the more important burial-places of Boston. 1
The Dudley tomb is covered by a perfectly plain slab inscribed with the one word DUDLEY. Yet this tomb approaches most nearly in historic interest the Winthrop tomb in the King's Chapel Yard.
Here are the remains of Winthrop's Deputy, Thomas Dudley, who was also four times called to serve as Gov- ernor. His son, Joseph Dudley, for many years Governor, is buried in the same tomb.2
1 At the gate is the inscription :-
ROXBURY BURIAL GROUND
Here were buried GOVERNORS Thomas Dudley 1653, Joseph Dudley 1720: Chief Justice Paul Dudley 1752, Col. William Dudley 1713 MINISTERS John Eliot, the apostle to the Indians, 1690, Thomas Walter 1725. Nehemiah Walter 1850, Oliver Peabody 1752, Amos Adams 1775. Eliphalet Porter 1833, and Benjamin Tompson, Schoolmaster and Physician, 1714.
2 We have the following account of his funeral :-
" April 3 (1720) Govr. Dudley is buried in his father Govr. Dudley's Tomb at Roxbury. Boston and Roxbury Regiments were under Arms, and 2 or 3 Troops: Bearers, His Excellency Governor Shute, Samuel Sewall; Col. Townsend, Col. Appleton; Mr. President Leverett, Col. Samuel Brown. Scarys, Rings, Gloves, Seutcheons. Counsillors and Ministers had searvs, and Consulary Men. Col. Otis, Thaxter, Quincy, Dows, Norden, Judge Lynde, Col. Pain were there out of Town . . . . were very many people, spectators out of windows, on Fences and Trees like Pigeons. The Bells in Boston were rung for the Funeral; which was finished when the sun was near an hour high." (Ill. Sewall's Diary, p. 249.)
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Paul Dudley, the son of Joseph, rests with his father and grandfather. He was a talented and able lawyer and judge, and served from 1745 to his death in 1752 as Chief Justice, and was the founder of the Dudlejan lect- ures at Harvard.
The Parish tomb' is near the Dudley tomb and is most noted as containing the ashes of John Eliot .?
1
HERE LIE THE REMAINS OF JOHN ELIOT. The APOSTLE TO THE INDIANS. Ordained over the First Church Nov. 5, 1632 Died May 20, 1690. Aged. LXXXVI.
Also, of THOMAS WALTER Ordained Oct. 19, 1718, Died JJan. 10, 1725, Aged XXIX.
NEHIMIAH WALTER Ordained Oct. 17, 1688. Died Sept. 1750. Aged LXXXVII.
OLIVER PEABODY Ordained Nov. 7, 1750. Died May 29. 1752 Aged XXXIL.
AMOS ADAMS Ordained Sept. 12, 1753. Died Oct. 5, 1775 Aged LIV.
ELIPIIALET PORTER Ordained Oct. 2, 1782. Died Dec. 7, 1833. Aged LXXV.
2 Sewall has the following passages relating to the death and funeral of Eliot : " Wednesday, May 21, 1690. Mr. Eliot dies about one in the morning : 1 visited him as I came from New York : This puts our election into mourning." " Friday, May 23. After having sat in Council awhile went to Mr. Eliot's funeral; Governour [Simon Bradstreet] and Dept. Governour [Thomas Dan- forth] &c. there. Bearers, Mr. Allin. Morton, Willard, Fiske, Hobart. Nebem, Thatcher. Mr. Torrey and Danforth not there. Mr. Dumer of York there: He comes lo ask help; Tis doleful news we have to celebrate Mr. Eliot's funeral with. Casteen is said to head about 70 French, and Indians are above Two Hundred. Capt. Willard came away the very day before the attack."
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Another stone which attracted general attention was that which marks the burial-place of " ye herse " 1 of Mr. Benj. Tompson, learned schoolmaster and physician, and re- nowned poet of New England.2
This completes the account of the more prominent graves visited under the circumstances stated. The account is necessarily brief and dry, and cannot express the satisfac- tion and gratification of all members of the party, and their keen appreciation of the kind thoughtfulness of their leader and host.
Later, in July as has already been stated, the same party visited Quincy as guests of Mr. Charles Francis Adams.
The Old Braintrey Burial-ground, or the Hancock ceme- tery of Braintrey, as it was known before there was a town of Quincy, deserves a high place in a list of the historic graveyards of New England. Representatives of many of the leading colonial families were buried there, families which have since become still more eminent by the lives of many honorable and famous descendants.
As in several other burial-grounds already described so here there is a " Ministers' Tomb." In it were placed the bodies of the following ministers of the First Church : -
Rev. Moses Fiske, 3d minister; Rev. Joseph Marsh,
] The use of the word "herse" on gravestones was at that time not un- common, and other instances will be found in Braintree. The original mean- ing was the coffin or vessel containing a body, but now it is applied only to the vehicle for the dead.
2 The inscription on this stone is :-
SUB SPE IMMORTALI, Ye LERSE OF M' BENJ TIONPSON LEARNED SCHOOLMASTER & PHYSICIAN & Ye RENOUND POET OF N. ENGL. : OBIIT APRILIS 13º ANNO DOM 1743 & AETATIS SUAE 72. MORTUUS SED IMMORTALIS, IE THAT WOULD TRY WHAT IS TRUE II PPINESS INDEED MUST DIES.
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4th minister ; Rev. John Hancock, 5th minister : Rev. Anthony Wibird, 7th minister; Rev. Peter Whitney, 8th minister. 1
1 On the face of the horizontal slab is the inscription :-
Mr. Fiske, 3d Minister in this Town dee Aug 10, 1708 in the 36th year of his ministry ÆEt 65. Braintrey ! thy Prophet's gone this tomb inters The reverend Moses Fisk his sacred herse, Adore Heav'ns Praise-ful art that form'd the man Who souls not to himself but Christ oft wan Sail'd thro the Straits with Peter's family. Renowned and Gaius's Hospitality Paules patience, James his prudence, Johns sweet love. Is landed, enter'd clear'd, crown'd above. Obiit August the X MDCCVIII Aetatis suae LXVI Mrs Ann Marsh died May 27, 1773 Age 95. Rebuilt by the Ladies of Quincy, 1812.
Mr Fisk's wives were here entombed viz Sarah dee Dee 2. 1692 Et 39 2nd Anna formerly wife of Dan1 Quincy and mother of Hon John Quincy dee July 21, 1708 /Et [4?]5
On the sides are the inscriptions :-
Here rest the remains of REV. JOSEPH MARSH, 4th Minister of the 1st Cong. Church in this Town, deed March 8. 1725-6, in the 41st year of his age, and the 17th of his ministry; REV JOHN HANCOCK, 5th Minister of the 1st Cong. Church in this Town, and father of JOHN HANCOCK the Patriot, deed May 7, 1714. in the 12d year of his age, and the 18th of his ministry : REV ANTHONY WIBIRD, 7th Minister of the 1st Cong Church in this Town. deed June Ith 1800 in the 46th year of his Ministry, aged 72 years.
Here rest the remains of NORTON QUINCY Esq. deel Sep. 29, 1801. . Et 84 yrs 11 mo 2 d. REV PETER WHITNEY, Sth Minister of the Ist Cong. Church in this Town, deed March 3. 1843. in the 74th year of his age and the 44th of his ministry. and Mr- JANE, his wife, deed Nov. 11. 1832. in the 57th year of her age : ABBY WARREN, daughter of REY W. P. LUNT deed Sept 12, 1841, Et 15 mos. + ds.
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The stone that bears the earliest date is over the first minister, Rev. William Tompson. 1
The earliest interment, however, of which there is rec- ord is that of Mrs. Joanna Hoar, mother of John Hoar, ancestor of the illustrious Massachusetts family bearing this name. The tomb in which she was buried is known as the tomb of her son Dr. Leonard Hoar, President of Harvard College.2
1 It is inscribed :-
HERE LYES BURIED Y BODY OF Y REUERED MR WILLIAM TOMPSON e Y FIRST PASTOR OF BRAINTRY CHURCH WHO DECEASED DECEMBR Y 10 1666 ETATIS SUE 68
He was a learned, solid, sound divine. Whose name and fame in boath England did shine.
2 The inscription which was restored some years ago by the Honorable George F. Iloar, is as follows :-
THREE PRECIOUS FRIENDS UNDER THIS TOMBSTONE LIE, PATTERNS TO AGED, YOUTH, AND INFANCY. A GREAT MOTHER, HER LEARNED SON. WITH CHILD, TIIE FIRST AND LEAST WENT FREE. HE WAS EXILED IN LOVE TO CHRIST, THIS COUNTRY, AND DEAR FRIENDS IlE LEFT HIS OWN, CROSS'D SEAS, AND FOR AMENDS WAS HERE EXTOLL'D, ENVY'D, ALL IN A BREATH, HIS NOBLE CONSORT LEAVES IS DRAWN TO DEATH. STRANGER CHANGES MAY BEFALL US ERE WE DIE. BLEST THEY WHO WELL ARRIVE ETERNITY. GOD, GRANT SOME NAMES. O THOUGHI NEW ENGLAND'S FRIEND, DON'T SOONER FADE THAN THINE, IF TIMES DON'T MEND.
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