History of the town of Bernardston, Franklin county, Massachusetts, 1736-1900, with genealogies, Part 25

Author: Kellogg, Lucy Jane (Cutler) Mrs. 1866-
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Greenfield, Mass., Press of E.A. Hall & co.
Number of Pages: 716


USA > Massachusetts > Franklin County > Bernardston > History of the town of Bernardston, Franklin county, Massachusetts, 1736-1900, with genealogies > Part 25


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An antique round topped window sash, now crammed into the gable end of a building at the cutlery works, belonging to E. S. Hurlbert, once shone resplendent behind the altar and sounding board of the Congregational church, while it stood near Rev. Mr. Rogers' homestead, occupied to-day by Irwin Barbar. When the church was taken down and its parts to some extent incorporated into the new church, Unitarian, erected during the pastorate of said Rogers, the old sash was discarded and reduced to less dignified service .- Gazette and Courier, Aug., 1900.


Aug. 15, 1881. Mr. George Wells, ae. 81 years, completed a copy of the old Proprietors' book, having expended two years upon the work. The copy was deposited in the P. V. M. A. rooms at Deerfield. The original is in the town's possession in Bernardston. The copy was made in accordance with a law passed, having in mind the preservation of old town records in more than one place, so that loss by fire would not obliterate the only existing record.


Concerning Mr. Isaac P. Morrison, who was a native of New Hampshire, and at one time kept the hotel. here. At the breaking out of the Rebellion, he was a resident of Georgia, but sympathized strongly with the north. His union sentiments endangered his life there, and after many futile attempts, he succeeded in reaching the sea coast, where obtaining a skiff, he hazarded his own, his wife's and children's lives by boldly pushing out to sea. For seven


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ANECDOTES.


days they floated and rowed about, when they were picked up by a northern bound vessel. Mr. Morrison when rescued had worn the flesh from his hands by his constant endeavors to row to land farther north.


One of the residents of the town, Joseph Warner, died in 1883. There was always an air of mystery about him, and from the fol- lowing provisions of his will it is not to be wondered at that he was not understood by his neighbors:


"First. My will is that whether I have one dollar or a million at my decease there must not one cent go to help along religious craft, that relic of barbarism that Kingcraft and Priestcraft have managed to keep the world in mental slavery enough to torture and put to death millions for their honest opinions.


Fourth. I direct that there must not be a bell struck at my death or burial, and no man or woman acting in the capacity of a priest is to have anything to do with the matter, but my executor is to lay me after death where my niece, Mary E. Kimball shall direct, provided she does not di- rect him to lay me in any cemetery in Bernardston.


Sixth. If at my death, after settling the provisions of this will there is any remainder, the interest of said remainder is to be used for the support of my wife, but not one cent for any religious purpose, and at her decease whether in the hands of my executor or my niece, M. E. Kimball, it is to be used to oppose that horrid old monster of Kingcraft and Priestcraft called Religion."


REMARKABLE LONGEVITY.


Died April 1, 1884, David Pratt, aged 103 years, 4 months, 1 day. He was born in Shutesbury, Mass., November 27, 1780; removed when a young man to Greenfield. He enlisted in the war of 1812, served his time in the Company of Captain Jeremiah Green of Guil- ford, Vt., and was honorably discharged. While in this service he took part in the battle of Plattsburg, also witnessed the naval "fight" between McDonough and Commodore Downey on Lake Champlain. He came back to Greenfield in 1813, and in 1814 mar- ried Lucinda Bertlett, who died in 1878. They had eight children. He had resided in Guilford, Vt., Leyden, and for the last years of his life, in Bernardston.


POSTMASTERS.


The first government postmaster in town was Dr. Gideon Ryther,


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POSTMASTERS.


who had the office located in the south-east room of the house of the late William Eaton Ryther. Here it was kept for many years. Gov. Henry W. Cushman succeeded Dr. Ryther, and during his administration the office was moved to the Cushman hotel.


D. W. Temple was the next postmaster, his location being upon the present site of the Stratton store. He was postmaster for some time, 1861 being one of the years which he served.


By Dr. William M. Dwight it was kept in a building south of the Goodale Academy. He had it moved to the present location, the office building then being new.


For many years Mr. Israel Putnam of North Bernardston was postmaster, he driving to the village to attend to his duties.


He was succeeded by Mr. A. M. Stratton, and he in turn by Mr. Wells Bardwell, the present incumbent.


The town now has rural delivery, a convenience much appreciated by the patrons of the office.


In connection with the office should be mentioned the efficient service which was for so many years so faithfully rendered by Ar- nold Scott. Although blind, he for many years regularly made two trips daily through South street, and rarely did he make a mis- take in the delivery of the mails. His service was rewarded by those whom he served so long and well.


At North Bernardston not far from 1850, the Government ap- pointed Miss Lucy Cutler as postmistress, and as long as health permitted, she distributed the mails at her father's home. Upon her giving up the position, the office was transferred to the store kept by T. K. Horton, where it remained until the decrease in the amount of business caused its suspension.


The officials of a town are usually some of her representative men ; the names of those who have been called upon to take charge of her affairs are, therefore, of both value and interest as showing who the prominent ones were, and to whom the present prosperity of the place is indebted for the former judicious management in municipal matters, while incidentally it gives a clew to whom were the inhabitants.


The first town meeting was held at the house of Lieut. Ebenezer


269


SELECTMEN.


Sheldon, May 11, 1762. At this the selectmen chosen were John Burk, Moses Scott and Remembrance Sheldon.


Those since then have been


Zebulon Allen, Moses Scott, Remembrance Sheldon. 1763


John Burk, Zebulon Allen, Remembrance Sheldon, - 1764


John Severance, Aaron Field, Amasa Sheldon, 1765


John Burk, Remembrance Sheldon, Zebulon Allen, - 1766 - John Burk, Ebenezer Sheldon, Sampson Howe, 1767


John Burk, Ebenezer Sheldon, Remembrance Sheldon, 1768


John Burk, James Couch, John Severance, -


1769


John Burk, Aaron Field, John Severance,


1770


John Burk, Elijah Sheldon, Joel Chapin, -


I771


John Burke, Elijah Sheldon, James Couch, 1772


John Burk, Samuel Hastings, Moses Scott, 1773


Elisha Burnhanı, Elijah Kingsley, Caleb Chapin,


1774


Elisha Burnham, David Rider, Ezekiel Foster, 1775


John Burk, Aaron Field, Jonathan Sheldon, 1776


John Burk, Elisha Burnham, Amasa Sheldon, 1777


Moses Scott, Ezekiel Foster, Samuel Hastings, 1778


Hezekiah Chapin, Hezekiah Newcomb, John Burk, Joseph Slate, Jantes Couch, 1779 Aaron Field, Moses Scott, Elisha Burnhanı, - 1780


Caleb Chapin, Samuel Guild, Daniel Loomis, 1781 Amasa Sheldon, Joseph Slate, Hezekiah Chapin, Jared Crandall, - 1782


David Rider, Hezekiah Chapin, Alpheus Barstow, Hezekiah Newcomb, Charles Packer, - 1783


Aaron Field, Reuben Shattuck, Zebulon Allen, 1784


Job Wright, Jonathan Sheldon, Zebulon Allen, 1785


Job Wright, Asaph Allen, Arteinas Cushman, - 1786


Job Wriglit, Joseph Slate, Hezekiah Newcomb,


1787


Elisha Burnhanı, Samuel Hastings, Artemas Cushman, 1788


Job Wright, Hezekiah Newcomb, Joseph Allen, 1789


Jonathan Sheldon, Artemas Cushman, Seba Allen, 1790


Jonathan Sheldon, Caleb Chapin, Jr., Seba Allen,


1791


Joseph Slate, Artemas Cushman, Seba Allen, -


1792


Joseph Slate, Caleb Alvord, Seba Allen, 1793


Asaph Allen, Caleb Alvord, Samuel Hastings, -


1794


Elias Parmenter, Caleb Alvord, Samuel Hastings,


1795


Elias Parmenter, Caleb Alvord, Seba Allen,


1796


David Severance, Prince Snow, Seba Allen,


1797


David Severance, Stephen Webster, Gideon Ryther, - 1798-9


Samuel Hastings, Caleb Chapin, 2nd, Jonathan Allen, 1800


Thomas Hoseley, Gideon Ryther, David Severance, - 1801


Samuel Flagg, Stephen Webster, David Severance, 1802


Samuel Flagg, Stephen Webster, Samuel Sykes, Jr., 1803


Thomas Hoseley, Gideon Ryther, Jonathan Allen, 1804


-


270


SELECTMEN.


Samuel Sykes, Jr., Gideon Ryther, David Severance, 1805-6 Samuel Sykes, Stephen Webster, Jonathan Allen, 1807


John Hamilton, Stephen Webster, Oliver Cooley, 1808


John Hamilton, Gideon Ryther, George Alexander, 1809


Samuel Root, P. L. Cushman, George Alexander, 1810


Samuel Root, S. Webster, Ezra Purple, Jr., 18II


Jolın Hamilton, Samuel Green, Ezra Purple, Jr.,


1812


John Hamilton, S. Webster, Jonathan Allen, 1813


John Hamilton, S. Webster, Socrates Sheldon, -


1814


Jolın Hamilton, Job Goodale, David Dennison,


1815


John Hamilton, Jonathan Allen, P. L. Cushman,


1816


P. L. Cushman, Jonathan Allen, Rufus Hastings, -


1817


Job Goodale, Ralph Cushman, Orra Sheldon, -


1818


Jonathan Allen, Hatsel Purple, George Parmenter,


1819


Jonathan Allen, Hatsel Purple, Oliver Root, 1822


1821


Pliney Warner, Hatsel Purple, John Hamilton,


1823


George Parmenter, Joseph Connable, Z. C. Newcomb,


182


Hatsel Purple, Elizur Chamberlain, Samuel Root,


1825


Hatsel Purple, Elizur Chamberlain, Jonathan Allen,


1826-28


Hatsel Purple, Isaac Burrows, Joseph Slate,


1829


Oliver Root, Isaac Burrows, Adolphus Hale, -


1830


Ralph Cushman, Isaac Burrows, Hatsel Purple, -


1831


Ralph Cushman, Isaac Burrows, Adolphus Hale, -


1832


Oliver Root, Joseph Slate; Rufus Chase, 1833


1834


Isaac Burrows, Adolphus Hale, Rufus Chase,


1835-37


Ralph Cushman, Adolphus Hale, Joseph Slate,


1838


Luke Gore, Adolphus Hale, Isaac Burrows,


1839


Otis Warner, Adolphus Hale, S. B. Slate, 184


Otis Warner, Adolphus Hale, Isaac Burrows, 1841


1842


A, E. Parmenter, Isaac Burrows, D. W, Temple, -


1843


A. E. Parmenter, A. R. Kingsley, John E. Burk,


1844


D. W. Temple, Rufus Chase, John E. Burk, 1845


D. W. Temple, John S. Allen, John E. Burk, - 1846


D. W. Temple, John S. Allen, A. E. Parmenter, - 1847


D. W. Temple, Isaac Burrows, Richard Montague, 1848


Jolın E. Burk, Samuel I. Green, Ed. H. Snow, 1849-51


John E. Burk, Joel N. Dewey, L. H. Sprague, - 1852


D. W. Temple, Israel P. Hale, R. R. Park, 1853


D. W. Temple, Israel P. Hale, S. B. Slate, 1854


S. B. Slate, Israel P. Hale, Zenas Cutler, -


1855-56


S. B. Slate, S. J. Lyons, I. K. Brown, 1857


Marcus Chapin, P. L. Cushiinan, I. K. Brown,


1858-59


Jonathan Allen, Hatsel Purple, John Hamilton, -


1820


George Parmenter, Joseph Connable, John Hamilton,


Oliver Root, Adolphus Hale, Rufus Chase,


A. E. Parmenter, A. Hale, D. W. Temple,


271


SELECTMEN.


Lathrop Cushman, P. L. Cushman, Samuel J. Lyons, 1860


Imla K. Brown, P. L. Cushman, S. J. Lyons, 1861


J. M. Slate, P. L. Cushman, G. J. Green, I862


J. M. Slate, P. L. Cushman, J. F. Hale,


1863


J. M. Slate, B. S. Burrows, J. F. Hale,


1864


H. B. Butler, B. S. Burrows, J. F. Hale, 1865


H. B. Butler, R. H. Hoyt, Henry O. Root, 1866


Almon Newcomb, R. H. Hoyt. Henry O. Root, 1867-72


E. S. Hurlbert, S. H. Atherton, H. O. Root, 1872-78


E. S. Hurlbert, C. R. Hills, H. O. Root, 1878


H. O. Root, E. S. Hurlbert, C. R. Hills,


1879-81


H. O. Root, E. S. Hurlbert, A. B. Warner,


1882-83


R. L. Crowell, C. R. Hills, John B. Field,


1884-85


H. O. Root, John B. Field, Myron L. Corbett,


1886


A. M. Stratton, Myron L. Corbett, L. H. Gould,


1887-89


O. W. Gray, Myron L. Corbett, E. L. Field,


1890-91


Edwin B. Hale, Charles Bowker, Myron L. Corbett, -


1892-93


Charles Bowker, E. B. Hale, Willis A. Stratton,


1894


Charles Bowker, E. B. Hale, A. S. Atherton, -


1895


E. B. Hale, M. L. Corbett, J. W. Chapin, -


1896-97


M. L. Corbett, E. B. Hale, E. C. Martindale, -


1898


E. C. Martindale, E. B. Hale, L. Dwight Slate,


1899-01


In very many instances, if not at all time, the selectmen have also assumed the duties of overseers of the poor, and assessors.


The town clerks have been :


Major John Burk, 1763-1785


Ralph Cushman, 1822


Job Wright,


1785-1788


Jonathan Allen, 1823


Seba Allen,


1788-1790


Zebina C. Newcomb, 1824


Job Wright,


1790


Jonathan Allen, 1852


Seba Allen, 1791-1798


Ralph Cushman, 1826-1834


Gideon Ryther,


1798-1801


Henry W. Cushman, 1834-1853


Jonathan Allen,


1801


Silas N. Brooks, 1853-1872


Gideon Ryther, 1802-1810


S. J. Green,


1872-1877


Jonathan Allen, 1810-1813


Henry Slate,


1877-1893


Ralph Cushman, 1813-1819


Henry L. Crowell,


1893-1901


Jonathan Allen, 1819-1822


Bernardston sent, in 1764, as her first representative to the Gen- eral Court, Major John Burk. In 1784, Leyden was set off as a dis- trict, and in 1809, became a town. During the intervening years the two places joined in the choice of a representative. In 1857, Bernardston was incorporated as a part of District No. I, and now the representatives are chosen from the towns in the district. Up


272


REPRESENTATIVES.


to this time, those who have gone to look after the town's interests in legislative halls, have been as follows :


John Burk.


P. L. Cushman.


Elisha Burnham.


Hatsel Purple.


Hezekiah Newcomb.


John Brooks.


Alpheus Barstow.


Jonathan Allen.


Caleb Alvard.


Henry W. Cushman.


Jonathan Budington.


Adolphus Hale.


Lemuel Foster.


D. W. Temple.


Gideon Ryther.


Isaac Burrows.


Stephen Webster.


John E. Burk.


George Alexander.


Samuel S. Wright.


John Hamilton.


E. S. Hurlbert.


Since its incorporation into District No. I, the representatives from town have been for the District :


Pliney Fiske, 1858


Richard Hoyt, 1879


Silas Brooks, 1866


Dr. O. A. Wheeler, 1883


Almon Newcomb.


Myron L. Corbett, 1890


CUSHMAN PARK.


CHAPTER XII.


HOMES-PARK-PUBLIC BUILDINGS-CEMETERIES-TOWN FARM- CONCLUSION.


Already have we seen the care exercised over the education of the youth of the place. It remains for us to look for a moment at the homes of education, and not only by this expression is meant the schoolhouses, but as well, the homes from which the young people are sent out. In the different districts are seen comfortable wooden buildings, in good repair and of neat, attractive appearance, wherein are spent the hours set apart for education. They are furnished throughout with the needful appliances for the branches designed to be there taught, and are in keeping with the needs and means of the scholars and town. As we pass through the town on our way from one of these schoolhouses to another, we can but notice the universally neat and comfortable appearance of the homes. Good taste and a spirit of order is the rule, and from such homes, protected by all that quiet, Christian influence can suggest, do the young people go forth to their daily tasks. The schools and the homes alike are of a high order, and most creditable to the place. Thriftiness is plainly inscribed on all sides.


At the village is located the greater part of the town property. Near by the churches stand the library, the Institute and di- rectly opposite the boarding house, Cushman Hall, and adjoining the latter, Cushman Park, a tract of land containing two and one- half acres. This land was bequeathed to the town by Henry W. Cushman and occupies the corner opposite the hotel. Much has already been done toward beautifying and improving this, and in time it is destined to become a most beautiful spot. In the spring of 1877 it was set over with trees of different kinds and the occa- sion was made a gala day. Conspicuous in the history of the day, was the setting of a circle of trees by eight men over 80 years of age, about one tree which was held by Mr. Israel Bagg, a man then in his 101st year. A most impressive sight was this, of the nine


274


PUBLIC PROPERTY.


oldest men in town thus gathered, their heads whitened by the frost of more than the allotted threescore and ten winters, their forms, many of them, bent and withered as if typical of what the young trees they planted might become after exposure to the ele- ments for the number of years represented by the years of their lives. These gentlemen were as follows : David Pratt, ae. 97, Jesse Field, 85, Horace Atherton, 87, Lucius Chapin, 85, Joel Cutler, 82, Silas Fox, 81, Ruggles Bagg, 81.


The Fox brook, so called, runs through the park, and across it there are two neat bridges; paths have been opened, flower beds laid out, a well and well house and band stand constructed, and as the advancing years render the shade greater, and the improve- ments now made annually more pronounced, Cushman Park cannot but become a "Thing of beauty and of joy forever."


On the second lot east of the library stands the town hall, the one place of size sufficient to supply the needs of the town for a place of public gathering. It is a large two-story structure, pro- vided with a large hall upstairs, and a smaller hall below; connected with the latter are dressing-rooms and kitchen, the whole combin- ing to supply the wants of all. The present building was dedicated January 8, 1878. The old hall, which had done duty for so many years, was moved from the lot around the corner to a location north of the postoffice, and is now used as a dwelling house. Recently the town has built near this a brick fire proof vault for the better preservation of the records.


In the spring of 1901 a benefaction came to the town from Mrs. Abbie Burrows Coy (daughter of Isaac Burrows) of Little Rock, Ark. She offered a clock to cost $600 to the town, provided a suit- able tower should be built for its reception. This gift was grate- fully accepted by the town, and measures taken to have the same placed within a tower to be placed upon the town hall.


The town has two cemeteries, the old and the new one. The former is situated about three-quarters of a mile north of the vil- lage, east of the river, on a gentle rise of land. It was laid out at the time of the town's settlement, or soon after, and it is said that Mr. Baily, the first blacksmith in town whose shop was within the


T. P. SLATE.


JASON BROWN. HORACE ATHERTON. JESSE FIELD RUGGLES BAGG.


OTIS WARNER.


MRS. T. P. SLATE.


ISRAEL BAGG, ae. 100.


SILAS FOX.


DAVID STREETER.


I. S. HALE.


GEORGE WELLS.


PHILANDER SLATE. JOEL CUTLER. DAVID PRATT.


LUCIUS CHAPIN. J . F. HALE.


MOSES ALDRICH.


ON CUSHMAN PARK.


.


GROUP OF OLD MEN TAKEN AT THE TIME OF THE TREE PLANTING


-


275


CEMETERIES.


walls of the Burk Fort, was the second man buried in this old cem- etery. The interment took place in 1757. "A soldier was buried before him. Name unknown." [Lieut. Gov. Cushman.]


Dec. 2, 1776, the town voted to fence the burying ground; the posts were to be four and one-half feet high, and there were to be five rails to a length. At present there is no fence about the ground. The space originally allotted for the yard has nearly all been taken up, and many curious inscriptions are here decipherable. The stones are in a fair state of preservation, for the most part of slate, and probably the greater number of them were gotten out by the Chapins from their quarry.


In 1782 it was voted to purchase one-half acre of land of either Lieut. Daniel Newcomb or Selah Chapin for a burial place to accom- modate those in the west part of the town, and this is the yard now known as the Beaver Meadow cemetery. The new cemetery, as the one at the village was designated, was laid out in 1826. Orig- inally it contained one acre and three rods, and was divided into I IO lots measuring 25x7, feet with walks three feet in width. The tomb was built by the town in 1831. the proprietors of the yard giv- ing five lots for that purpose. According to the constitution of the corporation, the association is called the "Proprietors of the Bernardston Cemetery Corporation." By purchase in recent years, the original size of the yard has been doubled. It is kept neatly fenced, and the income of $1,000 bequeathed by Lieut. Gov. Cush- man in 1863, is devoted to its care and improvement. Many hand- some and expensive stones are here to be seen, and the owners of the lots all take a commendable pride in rendering the last resting place of departed friends as attractive as possible. Quite a num- ber of bodies were removed here from the old cemetery when the present yard was laid out.


Let us now pay a short visit to these last earthly resting places of the dead. Do some shrink from entrance, thinking it a gruesome place, and that mournful, melancholy feelings are portended ? Or, perchance, it may seem suggestive of morbidness of spirit. If so, pray you strive to banish the idea, and once within the portals, see if therein are not recorded "Thoughts which fix themselves deep in the heart, as meteor stones in earth, dropped from some higher


276


CEMETERIES.


sphere." By any one who will enter an old yard reverently, and with a mind intent upon gaining some knowledge relative to those whose mortal remains are therein contained, how much may be learned ! To a real lover of history such a place is always attractive. Many and curious inscriptions are found, and it is a noticeable fact that preceding generations were wont to place upon the stones inscrip- tions which should bear to the passerby either a vivid idea of the characteristics of the departed, or an admonition for better prepa- ration for death. Inquiry among those remaining, has served to convince me that in the majority of cases, the epitaphs, seemingly crude and uncouth, or marked for their apparent inappropriateness, in reality reveal beneath the casual reading a hidden meaning in- dicative of the real life passed here. Such seems especially true of many to be found in the burying ground in our town, viewed in the light which the genealogical research expended has revealed. Whether our predecessors were governed by pedantic motives in their choice of inscriptions, or merely conformed to the custom of the times, we can only conjecture.


Not with irreverent feelings, then,-albeit there may be a strong appeal to our sense of the ludicrous at times-let us enter, nor yet with reluctance, but freely, with a desire to study, with all our mind concentrated upon supplementing the delineation of the character of those already referred to in these pages, by such grains of knowl- edge herein obtainable.


As we enter we read of a man who was one of the most promi- nent of his time in both civil and military affairs:


" Were I so tall to reach the pole, Or grasp the ocean with my span;


I must be measured by my soul,- The mind's the standard of the man."


Concerning a good deacon of the place, likewise prominent in town matters, it is recorded :


"He possessed in an eminent degree the social, civil, and moral virtues; his religion was reason, his morality, benevolence and his political senti- ments dictated by a love to his country. His talents were good, his man- ners engaging and his conversation a just mixture of manly sentiments and Attic Humour. His last moments were calm and serene and his exit, dignity in ruins."


277


EPITAPHS.


Was one of the good dames of the town possessed of a shrewish disposition ? Who shall say, when from the grave she says :


"My friends, remember my hard fortune, live in harmony, union and unanimity."


By the widow of one of our early settlers was composed the fol- lowing :


"In justice to his character it may be said, If the profession and visible signs of religion and piety, together with the amiable virtues of sobriety, temperance, truth, economy and discretion, constitute a worthy character, we may place them to his credit."


"While at my calling as I wrought, By God's supreme decree Rapacious death rushed quick as thought And snatched my life from me."


The poetical part refers to the manner of demise, the man dying instantly while sitting, resting on his plow in the field.


The stone erected for the earliest physician bears the following :


"Vain censorious beings little know


What they must soon experience below. Your lives are short, eternity is long,


O think of death, prepare, and then begone. Thus art and nature, powers and charms, And drugs and receipts and forms Yield us at last to greedy worms, A despicable prey."


The tribute paid to the son of a worthy deacon of the place is in part in Latin :


"Quod cuique temporis advidentum datur, es debet esse contentus, Breve enim tempus aetates fatis est, . longum ad bene honesteque vivendum."


"Death's near approach with calmness thou couldst view; And cheerful bid life's many scenes adieu, And feel without a groan thy frame decay, And patient wait the glad expiring day. But while thy earth with native earth combines, Thy mind celestial seeks celestial climes


Where nobler scenes unfold bright proof of poet's rise; And new born beauties charm thy ravished eyes."


Here is a stone simply marked "T. E." As it is near some erected for members of the Edwards family, we conjecture that this marks the resting place of another Edwards.


278


EPITAPHS.


Upon the stone erected to a venerable captain, aged 83, we read : "Tho' age must die, youth also may. O then prepare without delay For death and for the judgment day."


Turning again we encounter the grave of a worthy woman, wife of one of the early deacons of the place. The following exhorta- tion appears :


"Mortals, attend for you must die And sleep in dust as well as I; Repent in time your souls to save. There's no repentance in the grave.




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