Chapter M: A R Y,

widow of Elder Cushman, and daughter of Isaac Allerton,
Died -XXVIII- November, MDCXCIX, aged about -XC- years,
The last survivor of the first comers in the Mayflower.

East side:—

Erected by
The descendants of
Robert Cushman
In memory of their Pilgrim Ancestors,
XVI- September, MDCCCLVIII.

The stone originally erected over the grave of Elder Thomas Cushman was removed in 1858 to make room for this memorial, and now stands a little distance from its first position. It is of purple Welsh slate, and is in a remarkable state of preservation. The inscription is as follows:—

Here lyeth buried ye body of that precious servant of God, Mr.
T H O M A S C U S H M A N, who after he had served his generation
according to the will of God, and particularly the church of
Plymouth for many years in the office of a ruleing elder fell
asleep in Jesus Decmr. ye 10, 1691 & ye 84. year of his age.

There is always eager inquiry from the visitors to Burial Hill for the grave of the “Nameless Nobleman,” the hero of Mrs. Jane G. Austin’s famous historical novel of that title. We find it near the Cushman monument. The stone has the small figure of an hourglass at its top, under which appears the winged cherub, the sculpture being better defined than is usual in such old work. The inscription reads:—

Here lyes ye body of Mr. FRANCIS LE BARRAN phytician who departed
this life Augst ye 18th 1704, in ye 36 year of his age.

Dr. Le Baron was the surgeon of a French ship which was wrecked in Buzzard’s Bay in 1694. With the officers and crew he was taken prisoner and sent to Boston. On their way a stop was made at Plymouth, where the doctor had occasion to perform a surgical operation. This led to a request, made by the citizens to the lieutenant-governor, and granted, that he be allowed to remain in the town. From him the numerous Le Barons in America are descended.

By the side of Dr. Le Baron is buried his wife Mary, who after his death married a Wait. Near by is the grave of their son, Dr. Lazarus Le Baron, who also figures in Mrs. Austin’s writings; and in the rear of these graves is seen the tombstone of Nathaniel Goodwin, the great-grandfather of Mrs. Jane (Goodwin) Austin, who married Lydia, daughter of Lazarus Le Baron.

Various other people mentioned in Mrs. Austin’s novels are buried in this ground. Among them is Ansel Ring, who, as we are told in “Dr. Le Baron and His Daughters,” was cursed by the old witch, Mother Crewe. He lies with the sixty seamen who perished on board the “General Arnold.” A marble shaft on the extreme southwesterly edge of the hill marks the place of their interment. The inscription on the northeasterly side is:—

In memory of Seventy two Seamen who perished in Plymouth harbour
on the 26, and 27, days of December 1778, on board the private
armed Brig, Gen. Arnold, of twenty guns, James Magee of Boston,
Commander, sixty of whom were buried on this spot.

On the northwesterly side:—

Capt. James Magee died in Roxbury, February 4, 1801; aged 51 years.

On the southwesterly side:—

Oh! falsely flattering were yon billows smooth
When forth, elated, sailed in evil hour,
That vessel whose disastrous fate, when told,
Fill’d every breast with sorrow and each eye
With piteous tears.

On the southeasterly side:—

This monument marks the resting place of sixty of the seventy two
mariners, “who perished in their strife with the storm,” and is
erected by Stephen Gale of Portland, Maine, a stranger to them, as
a just memorial of their sufferings and death.

Another of Mrs. Austin’s characters is Hannah Howland, who is said to have died of a broken heart on account of Ring’s sad end. Her stone is to be found on the crown of the hill, not far from the Le Baron graves. Its inscription reads:—

_Sic Transit Gloria Mundi_
To the memory of Miss Hannah Howland, who died of a
Languishment, January ye 25th 1780 Ætatis 26.

For us they languish, & for us they die
And shall they languish shall they die in vain.

Readers of “Dr. Le Baron and His Daughters” will recall the following reference to the graves of the Howland family:—

Consider Howland slept with his fathers on Burying Hill, and Ruth
Bryant, his loving wife, had meekly followed him thither. You may
see their stones today, in the shadow of that majestic though
mistaken monument to the memory of John Howland, the Pilgrim, who
married Elizabeth Tilley, and not Ellzabeth, daughter of childless
Governor Carver. There too may you see a plaintive little stone to
the memory of

Consider son to Mr Consider
and Mrs. Ruth Howland,
Aged 7 years.

The graves of Capt. Abraham Hammatt and Capt. Simeon Sampson, both mentioned in “Dr. Le Baron and His Daughters,” are to be seen here.

Capt. Sampson’s tombstone is referred to among those of the Revolutionary patriots. That of Capt. Hammatt is near the group of Howland graves, and is thus inscribed:—

In This sacred spot Are deposited the remains of Capt Abraham
Hammatt who died of a malignant Fever October 12th 1797 _Ætatis_ 47
And of his daughter Sophia who On the fst December following Fell a
victim to the same Disease _Ætatis_ 13.

Hers was the mildness of the rising Morn
And his the radiance of the risen day.

The stone of Elder Faunce occupies a prominent position on the hilltop. It bears the figure of a skeleton, seated on an hourglass. The left hand of the skeleton holds a scythe, and wings are attached to the hourglass. Above the figure is the drawing of a scallop shell. The inscription is:—

Here lyes buried the Body of Mr. THOMAS FAUNCE ruling
ELDER of the first Church of CHRIST in _Plymouth_
deceased Febry 27th An: Dom. 1745-6 in the 99th year of his Age.

The Fathers, where are they?
Blessed are the dead who
Die in the Lord.

Near by are entombed the remains of Dr. Chandler Robbins, and on the stone we read:—

This Stone Consecrated to the memory Of the Revd Chandler Robbins D
D was erected By the inhabitants of the first Religious Society in
Plymouth As their last grateful tribute of respect For his eminent
labors In the ministry of J E S U S C H R I S T Which commenced
January 30th 1760 And continued till his death June 30th 1799
Ætatis 61 When he entered into the everlasting rest Prepared for
the faithful ambassadors Of the most high God.

Ah come heaven’s radiant Offspring hither throng
Behold your prophet your Elijah fled
Let sacred symphony attune each tongue
To chant hosannahs with the virtuous dead.

A few feet away is the white marble slab erected to the memory of another noted divine, Dr. James Kendall, of blessed memory, who for more than half a century served the First Church as its pastor. It is thus inscribed:—

Rev. James Kendall, D.D. Ordained 1 Jan. 1800. Died 17 March 1859.
Aged 89 years. For sixty years Minister of the First Parish in this
town.

Plymouth played her part in the Revolution, and of her soldiers and sailors who fought in that memorable struggle a number are buried in this historic ground.

Near the site of the old fort an iron fence encloses the Warren lot. Within it stands the monument of Gen. James Warren, president of the Provincial Congress and major-general of the militia. He died in 1808. His wife, Mercy Warren, sister of James Otis, the patriot, lies in the same enclosure. She was a woman of marked literary ability, and the author of several works. Their son James, who served with Paul Jones on the “Bon Homme Richard,” and who lost a limb in one of the naval engagements, is said to have been buried in this lot, but there is no stone to indicate the grave. It is quite probable that the body was laid away in the Warren tomb, at the foot of the hill.

Capt. Simeon Sampson was another Revolutionary hero of renown. His stone is to be seen on the northerly side of the hill, near the path leading from School to Russell Streets. In 1762 he was taken prisoner by the French and held for ransom, but escaped from his captors by assuming female attire. At the outbreak of the Revolution, when a marine force was deemed necessary to protect our commerce from depredation by British cruisers, he was the first naval captain in the continental service to be appointed by the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts. He died in 1789 at the age of fifty-three, and his epitaph tells us:—

O ye whose cheek the tear of pity stains
Draw near with pious reverence and attend
Here lie the loving Husbands dear remains
The tender Father and the courteous Friend
The dauntless heart yet touched by human woe
A Friend to man to vice alone a Foe.

Not far away is the stone of Gen. Nathaniel Goodwin, a well-known military character of the last century. His house was where the Baptist church now stands. He had charge of the enlistments for the Revolutionary army in this quarter of the State. On the surrender of Burgoyne and his men, Gen. Goodwin was placed in command of the guard over them at Somerville. Burgoyne’s sword fell into his possession. He died in 1819.

Just across the path from the grave of William Crowe is the tombstone of Capt. Jacob Taylor, another of Plymouth’s Revolutionary patriots, who died in 1788. Beneath the name and date we read these quaintly worded lines:—

Through life he brav’d her foe if great or small
And march’d out forem_u_st at his country’s call.

On the southeasterly hillside we catch sight of the name of Capt. Nathaniel Carver, beneath the weeping-willow and urn, the common mortuary emblems of those days. Capt. Carver commanded a vessel which was captured by the famous Admiral Nelson. The Yankee captain was enabled, however, to do the great naval officer a good turn by piloting him out of a place of danger; and the following document, in possession of Hon. William T. Davis, the historian of Plymouth, explains itself:—

These are to certify that I took the schooner Harmony. Nathaniel
Carver, master, belonging to Plymouth, but on acc’t of his good
services have given him up his vessel again. Dated on b’d His
Majesty’s ship Albemarle, 7 Aug., 1782, in Boston Bay.

HORATIO NELSON.

On the west side of the hill are the graves of Dr. William Thomas, a surgeon in the expedition against Louisburg in 1745; and his sons Joshua, who was on the staff of the Revolutionary Gen. Thomas; Joseph, a captain of artillery in the Revolution; John, a surgeon’s mate under his father; and Nathaniel, who was also engaged in the struggle for independence.

Other soldiers of our first war who are buried here are Dr. James Thatcher, a surgeon in the American army, and an early historian of Plymouth; Col. Ben Warren, a brave officer, whose grave is unmarked: and Capt. William Pearson, who, as his epitaph informs us, was “a true patriot and a hero of the Revolution.” Col. Warren, by the way, has some claim to distinction from having married four wives, the last marriage taking place fifty-eight years after the first—a circumstance which for a time puzzled the searchers of genealogical records. Speaking of “men of war,” mention should be made of Caleb Cook, whose place of interment is near the Le Baron graves. He was with Capt. Church at the battle in which King Philip was killed. There are known to be graves of at least twenty-two Revolutionary patriots on the hill, and 193 who served in the late Rebellion are buried here.

Many visitors to Burial Hill, particularly those of the Baptist faith who hold in reverence the name of its great missionary, find more than a passing interest in the white marble slab which stands as a memorial to the Judson family. It is near the site of the watch-tower, and is enclosed by white wooden palings. It bears the following inscription:—

Sacred to the memory of Rev. ADONIRAM JUDSON, who died Nov. 28,
1826, Æ. 75. A faithful and devoted Minister of Christ. ELNATHAN
JUDSON, M. D. who died at Washington City May 8, 1829, Æ. 34 years.
ANN H. JUDSON, his dau. died May 30, 1832, Æ. 7 years. ELLEN YOUNG,
his wife, died Nov. 25, 1832, Æ. 30 y’rs. ANN H. JUDSON, Missionary
to Burmah, who died at Amherst, B. E. Oct. 24, 1826, Æ. 37 y’rs.
ROGER W. JUDSON, died May 4, 1816, Æ. 8 mo. MARIA E. B. JUDSON,
died April 24, 1827, Æ. 2 yrs. 3 mo. SARAH B. JUDSON, Missionary
to Burmah, who died in the port of St. Helena, Sept. 1, 1845, Æ.
42 y’rs. ADONIRAM JUDSON, D. D. Missionary of the American Baptist
Missionary Union to the Burman Empire, who died at Sea, April 12,
1850, Æ. 62 years. EMILY C. widow of Adoniram Judson, D. D. &
Missionary to Burmah, died June 1, 1854, Æ. 37 y’rs. ABIGAIL BROWN
JUDSON, born in Malden, March 21, 1791, died in Plymouth, Jan. 25,
1884.

In the same enclosure is a stone inscribed as follows:—

Sacred to the memory of MRS. ABIGAIL widow of the late Rev.
Adoniram Judson who died Jan. 31, 1842, aged 82 years.

Her hope was in the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
She felt the balm and efficacy of those leaves which are for the
healing of the nations.

A guilty weak and helpless worm,
On thy kind arms I fall
Be thou my guide and righteousness
My Jesus and my all.

A few steps along the path northward from the Judson lot, and we come to a rough boulder on which is carved the name of Thomas Russell, and the dates Sept. 26, 1825, and Feb. 9, 1887. Judge Russell was for many years president of the Pilgrim Society and took an active interest in the history of the old town. It is fitting that his earthly remains should find a resting-place in this ground.

Under the shadow of the Bradford monument, not many feet away, is a blue slate stone with this inscription:—

Here lies the body of ye honorable Major William Bradford, who
expired Feb. ye 20th 1703-4, aged 79 y’rs.

He lived long but still was doing good
& in his country’s service lost much blood;
After a life well spent he’s now at rest,
His very name and memory is blest.

The stone of Nathaniel Morton, which we see a little way beyond, is chiefly interesting from its figure of a man rising from the tomb, emblematic of the resurrection.

Let us take a turn on this part of the hill where we are now standing, and note some of the quaint epitaphs. Beginning with a low, moss-covered stone just across the path from the Russell boulder, we find the following worthy of our attention:—

To the memory of
Mr John Rider who
Dec March the 11
1756 aged 47
years Wanting
4 days.

In memory of William Drew Tufts Son of Jona & Priscilla Tufts, Born
Nov. 9 1791 Died at the Island of Cuba March 29 1811 aged Nineteen
years.

Green as the bay tree, ever green,
With its new foliage on,
The young, the healthful have I seen,
I pass’d, and they were gone.

Sacred to the memory of MISS SALLY C. ROBBINS dau’r of
Capt. Samuel & Mrs. Sarah Robbins. She deceased by a fall from a
chaise, Aug. 14, 1828, aged 25 years, 5 mo’s and 10 days.

Our home is in the grave;
Here dwells the multitude; we gaze around,
We read their monuments, we sigh and
while we sigh, we sink.

* * * * *

Here lyes ye body of William Ring who decd sum time in April 1729
in ye 77th year of his age.

* * * * *

Samuel H Josiah ye n John Cotton Josiah Anonymus
Edward Josiah Edward Richard Roland 7 sons of Josiah
Cotton who died between ye year 1712 & 1734

* * * * *

To the memory of the amiable Mrs. JANE DOGGET Consort of
Mr. SETH DOGGET who died May 31 1794 in the 26th year of
her age also an infant Daughter by her side

Come view the seen twill fill you with surprise
Behold the loveliest form in nature dies
At noon she flourish’d blooming fair and gay
At evening an extended corpse she lay.

* * * * *

Here lyeth buried ye body of Joseph Bartlett who departed this life
April ye 9th 1703 in ye 38th year of his age

J. B.

Thousands of years after blest Abell’s fall
Twas said of him being dead he speakth yet
From silent grave methinks I hear a call
Pray fellow-mortall, don’t your death forget
You that your eyes cast on this grave
Know you a dying time must have.

On the easterly slope the following greet the eye:—

This Stone is erected to the memory of twin children of Ephraim
Finney and Phebe his wife who were born Octr 27, 1822, Elizabeth
died March 10, 1823, Ezra died September 14, 1823.

My friends behold what death has done
Taken these babes when they were young
Prepare to live prepare to die
Prepare for long Eternity.

James Jordan. Drowned in Smelt Pond, June 25, 1837, aged 27 y’rs.

Buried on the day he was to have been married.

* * * * *

Near this is a stone which is sometimes called the “Masonic stone.” It bears the name of Nathaniel Jackson, and the date 1743. Above the lettering the sculptor has engraved a death’s-head, a tomb, an hourglass, cross-bones, an urn, a rose-tree, and the figure of a skeleton seated on a globe.

Departed this Life
June 23, 1796,
In the 90th year of her Age
Madam Priscilla Hobart
Relict
of the Revd Noah Hobart
late of Fairfield in Connecticut
her third husband
her first and Second
were
John Watson Esq
and
Honble Isaac Lothrop.

* * * * *

This Stone is
erected to the memory of
that unbiased Judge
Faithful Officer, sincere Friend
and honest Man
Coll Isaac Lothrop
who resigned this Life
on the 26th day of April 1750
in the 43 year of his age.

Had Virtues Charms the power to save
Its faithful Votaries from the grave
This stone would neer possess the fame
Of being marked by Lothrop’s name.

* * * * *

Continuing our search along the southeasterly slope we find these three. The first two quoted are near the tombs at the foot of the hill:—

In memory of John W. Howard Son of Capt. James Howard & Mrs. Hannah
his wife born March 20, 1815 died April 2, 1815

He glanc’d into the world to see
A sample of our misery.

In memory of Four Children of Mr Zacheus Kempton & Sarah his wife
viz Sally aged 36 years Charles aged 21 years Woodard aged 17 years
Robinson aged 2 years They died between 1802 & 1820.

Stop traveller and shed a tear
Uppon the sod of children dear.

* * * * *

In memory of Thomas Paty son of Mr Thomas Paty and Mrs Jorusha his
wife who departed this life Oct 7th 1802 aged 2 years 10 months and
20 days.

And must thy childrin Dye so soon.

Passing around the southerly edge of the hill, we pause a moment to read these words:—

To the memory of Isaac Eames Cobb who was born Jany 19, 1789, and
died Jany 14, 1821.

Possess’d he talents ten, or five or one
The work he had to do that work was done
Improv’d his mind, in wisdom’s ways he trod
Reluctant died, but died resigned to G O D.

For quaintness of diction this is well matched by the two following headstones, which are close at hand:—

To the memory of Thomas Bartlett son of Mr. Thomas & Mrs. Ruth
Bartlett who died Septr 9th 1802 aged 1 year 2 months 11 days.

That once loved form now cold & dead,
Each mournfull thought imploys
And nature weeps his comforts fled
And withered all his joys,

But ceas fond nature dry thy tears
Religion pints on high
And ever lasting spring appears
And joys that never die.

* * * * *

Here lyes buried ye body of Mr. Thomas Little Practitioner in
Physick & Chyrurgery Aged 58 years Decd Decemr ye 22 1712

As we turn thence westerly we pass these inscriptions:—

Erected to the memory of Mrs. MEHITABEL, wife of Capt. Thos.
Atwood, who died Jan. 11, 1809, In the 58 year of her age. In
early life her feeble constitution gave painful premonition of her
early exit. She however unexpectedly passed the meridian of life,
discharging in a very laudable manner, filial parental & conjugal
duties. At length the seeds of death were planted in her vitals—she
sickened, languished & expired in hopes of a blessed immortality.

Short is our longest day of life,
And soon its prospect ends
Yet on that day’s uncertain date
Eternity depends.

A N D R E W F A R R E L L, of respectable connexions In
I R E L A N D Aged 38 years, Owner & Commander of the Ship Hibernia,
Sailed from Boston Jany 26, And was wrecked on Plymouth Beach Jany
28 1805. His remains With five of seven seaman Who perished with him
are here interred.

O piteous lot of man’s uncertain state!
What woes on life’s eventful journey wait—
By sea what treacherous calms; what sudden storms;
And death attendant in a thousand forms.

* * * * *

In memory of Mr Benjamin Harlow who died November 18th 1816 aged 34
years.

Friends and physicians could not save
My mortal Body from the Grave
Nor can the Grave confine me here
When Christ the son of God appears

The westerly side of the hill abounds in curious inscriptions, and among them we note the following:—

Here lies Interrd
The Body of Ms
S A R A H S P O O N E R
who deceased
January
Ye 25th AD 1767
In ye 72d year of
her age. She was
widow to ☞

(The hand points to the next stone, which marks the grave of her
husband.)

* * * * *

Sacred to the memory of Phebe J. Bramhall, A native of Virginia &
wife of Benjn Bramhall Jun who died August 27, 1817, aged 21 years.

Possess’d of an amiable disposition, She endeared herself to
all around her
“but”
Weep not for her in her Spring time she flew
To that land, where the wings of the soul are unfurl’d
And now, like a star beyond evening’s cold dew
Looks radiantly down on the tears of this world.

Consecrated to the Memory of Mrs Mary Dyer who died April 17th 1805
aged 47 years

One thing is needfull And Mary hath chosen that Good part which
shall not be taken away from her.

Fanney Crombie daughter of Mr Calvin Crombie & Mrs Naomi his wife
Departed this life June 25th 1804 in the 8th year of her age.

As young as beautiful! and soft as young!
And gay as soft! and innocent as gay!

Erected in memory of Mr. William Keen, who died February 18, 1825,
aged 69.

This modest stone, what few vain marbles can,
May truly say, Here lies an honest man.
Calmly he looked on either life, and here
Saw nothing to regret, or there to fear.
From Nature’s temperate feast rose satisfied,
Thank’d Heav’n that he had lived and that he died.

* * * * *

Here lies inter’d the body of _Miss Hannah Symmes_ eldest Daughter
of _Mr Isaac and Mrs Hannah Symmes_ who at the early period of 28
years after being long exercis’d with bodily pain with christian
fortitude yielded her spirit to its benevolent Author. Born Jany
30, 1766, Died March 27, 1794.

* * * * *

To the memory of THOMAS JACKSON _Esqr_ This Monument is
erected Obiit September 19, 1794, Aged 67 years

The spider’s most attenuated thread Is cord, is cable, to man’s
slender tie.

* * * * *

Consecrated to the memory of Mrs P E G G Y H O L B R O O K wife of
Mr Jeremiah Holbrook who departed this life August 28th 1811 aged 26
years

Her amiable Disposition endeared her to her friends and died
lamented by all who knew her

Though harsh the strike and most severe the rod
Cease mourner cease it was a strike from God

* * * * *