Melvin Memorial - Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord, MA

"Mourning Victory," commonly known as the Melvin Memorial was and commissioned by James Melvin in memory of his three brothers who died during the Civil War, was created by his boyhood friend, Daniel Chester French. Mr. French who also designed the Minuteman Statue at Concord's North Bridge and the Lincoln Statue in Washington's D.C.'s Lincoln Memorial. French is himself buried nearby, on the ridge directly behind the monument.

The Sprague Children at Swan Point

One of my favorite stops when I visit Swan Point is the touching memorial to the two Sprague children:

Mt. Auburn - Maria Coppenhagen by Martin Milmore

Martin Milmore (1844-1883), the noted 19th century sculptor, executed this wonderful sculpture of an angel holding the trumpet. Milmore also designed the American Sphinx located directly across from the Bigelow Chapel at Mt. Auburn as well as the Soldiers' & Sailors' Monument on the Boston Common.

Susannah Hatch - Mt. Auburn

"Mother and Daughter. . . ."

Grave Carvings, Symbols and Epitaphs - Old Hill Burying Ground, Concord, MA

Sarah Wheeler

Here lies buried

the Body of Mrs. Sarah Wheeler

Wife of Ens. William Wheeler 

who Departed this Life 

Sept 23 A.D. 1744

Age 75 years 7 M & 1 Day

Mary Chandler

In Memory of

Mrs. Mary Chandler

Consort of Mr. James Chandler

who died

May 4th 1746

Aged 26 years

3 months & 4 days

Mary Minot

Erected 

in memory of Mrs. Mary Minot

consort of

Capt. Jonas Minot

who was virtuous and exemplary

in life manifested a steady hope

in the mercy of God through a redeemer

and died in the 34th year of her age

Ephraim Whittaker

Sacred 

to the Memory of

Mr. Ephraim Whittaker

who departed this Life

on the 3rd day of June 1799

AE 79

Diseases fore long time I bore

Physicians proved in vain

Till Death did seize and God did please 

to ease me of my pain

As you are now once was I

Reader As I am now so you must be 

Prepare for death and follow me

Charlestown 1792

Mary Ingraham

Here lies the Body of

Mrs. Mary Ingraham

wife of Duncan Ingraham

who died the 15th of Nov 1794

in the 64th year of her Age

Esther Buttrick

Here lies the Body of Mrs. Esther Buttrick

wife of Mr. Willard Buttrick

who died Nov 3, 1775 n the 27th year of her age

She was a loving wife, a desirable 

Companion, a tender & loving mother, 

A peaceable, kind & good Neighbor. 

Insomuch that she gained a good report

& love of all her Neighbors, in Many

Things she was Exemplary.

Being in her a Meek & humble Sperit

Given to acts of Charity & kindness;

Liberal to the poor, in her Life she

Seemed to behave like a Christian; &

towards her latter end endured long 

Sickness with Remarkable patience;

At last with a Resigned will to God's 

will laid down her Life with hopes 

That through Christ she might

Obtain Eternal Life.

Job Brooks

In

Memory of

Mr. Job Brooks

who departed this life

Oct 26 1788,

In the 91st year of his age

He lived in the belief of the truths

of the Gospel of Christ,

and died in the hope of salvation

through his merits,

and was considered by survivors

as coming to the grave in a full age

as a shock of corn cometh in

in his season

______________________

"Now let my death be all serene

Exclaimed the ancient saint

Since thy salvation I have seen;

I die without complaint"

H. P. Lovecraft at Swan Point

Mt. Auburn - Earle family

This is an odd pair of stones -- apparently the same family but set in such a way as to keep the two as far apart as possible and yet still remain in the same plot.

Both are heavily weathered and Caroline's has probably been in place since early 1885.

"My John" - John Earle Jr.

Caroline Earle Crose - "born into the other life March 28 1885"

Eleanor H. Porter - Mt. Auburn

Located along the shore of Halcyon Lake, a stone's throw from Mary Baker Eddy is this dramatic and inspiring monument to Eleanor Porter. That's right, the Eleanor Porter who wrote Pollyanna. (My first serious crush was on Hayley Mills who starred in the title role circa 1960-61.  But this was before I discovered Annette Funicello.)

William Emerson - Old Hill Burying Ground, Concord, MA

William Emerson

"Erected by this town

in memory of their pastor

Rev. William Emerson

who died at Rutland, VT, 1777

aet. 33

on his return from the American Army

of which he was a chaplain

Enthusiastic Eloquent

Affectionate and Pious

He loved his family his people

his God and his country

and to this last he yielded 

the cheerful sacrifice 

of his life"

Burial Hill in Plymouth

Aside from being one of the oldest cemeteries in New England Burial Hill offers the visitor today nearly the same view the first pilgrims had.

Mt. Auburn - Charles Turner Torrey

This small, unassuming stone set in the middle of the intersection of Fir and Spruce avenues tells a very large tale.

Ch's. T. Torrey.

Born at Scituate Nov. 21 1813,

Graduated at Yale College Aug. 1833.

Ordained at Providence March 1837

Arrested at Baltimore June 24, 1844.

Died in the Penitentiary of that city May 9, 1846.

The friends of the

American Slave

erect this stone

in his memory,

a martyr for Liberty

"It is better to die in prison with the peace of God in our breasts, than to live in freedom
with a polluted conscience."

Torrey's Letter, Feb 7, 1846

Long before the Freedom Riders of the 1960s hit the Deep southern US in busses, there were abolitionists like Torrey who also pursued the cause of Freedom at the risk of their own life. According to his epitaph:

"Charles Turner Torrey was arrested for aiding slaves to regain their Liberty. For this humane act he was indicted as a Criminal, convicted by the Baltimore City Court and sentenced to the
Penitentiary for six years.

While on his death bed he was refused a pardon by the Governor of Maryland, and died on consumption after two years confinement, a victim of his sufferings."

"Where NOW beneath

his burthen

The toiling slave

is driven.

Where now a tyrant's

mockery

is offered up

to heaven.

THERE shall his praise

be spoken,

redeemed from

falsehood's ban.

When the fetters shall

be broken,

And the slave shall

be a MAN."

It is unknown where Torrey's body actually lies today.

Charles and Fern Bedaux - Mt. Auburn

I first came across Charles Bedaux (1886-1944) in Charles Glass' illuminating study of Americans in Paris: Life and Death under the Nazi Occupation. In fact, Bedaux, a French-American, is one of central and perhaps most controversial characters in this fantastic peek into a corner of WW2 history that few have discussed until now. Collaborator? Traitor? Or something more complex and complicated?

We'll never know since Bedaux committed suicide in Miami, Florida, in 1944, shortly after his arrest for treason.

May Day in Mt. Auburn

These were taken last Sunday. . . .

Blackburn

Clark

Miss Elizabeth Blood - Old Hill Burying Ground, Concord, MA

Elizabeth Blood

 Here lies the Body

of Miss Elizabeth

Blood daughter 

of Cornet Stephen

Blood & Mrs. mary

his wife who de-

parted this Life

Oct 19 1775 In the 34

Year of her age

Affliction fore long time I bore

Physician  was in  vain

Till God did please & death did seas

To ease me of my pain.

Ho all you who passeth by

As you are now so once was I.

As I am now so you must be

prepare for death and follow me.

Josiah Blood - Old Hill Burying Ground, Concord, MA

Josiah Blood

Here Lyes Buried

the Body of

Josiah Blood

who Departed this

Life July 2 A.D. 1731 in

the 68th Year of His Age.