The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-07-13

vines, and o'erhung by the branches of the
alder; past gardens of flowers, and happy
homes embowered in living green, by the
winding road, up to the gateway of Radnor
Church>yard, guideth his steeds, Uncle Van
our charioteer; and, from our chariot alight.
ing, Radnor Church. yard entered we. And
where. pray, is Radnor Church-yard? You,
oh, courteous reader! (say l, after the manner
of De Quincy whose geographical know
ledge is somewhat confined and limited, will
not be angry with me for telling you. Just
fifteen miles northwest from the city of Phil
adelphia, near the line of the great Penn.
sylvania railroad, in the county of Chester,
in little quiet, unobtrusive valley, it lieth.
And what is there about this Churchyard
that should attract attention? I will VEN
ture to tell you that, too. 1t contains a
quaint old church, older far than our Inde-
pendence, and tombs old as the church, with
the curious epitaphs Of the ancient times
upon them, and contains, besides, the ashes
and the monument of one of the Revolutions
most gallant heroes, MAD ANTHONY WAYNE.
The church is of the Episcopal denomination,
and is called st. David's Church, and was
erected between the years 1714 and I'LL,
under the patronage of the Society for the
propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.
1t is composed of grayish stone and is some
twenty-five feet wide by forty long, and be-
tween thirty and forty feet hi gh. The
churchyard is about an acre in extent, and
has been buried over several times. Many
of the graves are marked only by the COM
mon rough stones of the neighborhood, for
in the early days marble was not used in the
country.
In one corner Of the yard, we found a
soap-stone, probably imported from Wales,
some three feet by five, with this inscription
upon it:
Here lieth ye body of Edward Hughes
entered ye l6 day of December l7l6 age
Sc yeares months"
This is probably one of the oldest graves.
Upon stone erected in 1874, there is an
epitaph which attracted my attention, from
its peculiar punctuation and use of capital
letters, as we'll as containing perhaps the only
good reason which can be given for the erec-
tion of a tombstone. Here it is, capital
letters, stops and all
"My: Pilgrim race: ran: Pace:
Ny: Resting Place: Is: here:
This: stone Is got to: keep: ye SPOT:
That: men: dig: not too: near"
Upon another stone, erected in 1736, an
hour glass and cross bones are rudely carved,
and under them, encrusted with moss and
almost illegible, is this inscription:
"From dust l came, to dust am gone,
Now in the dust do lie Alone
And from dust shall be raisd again
In endless state then to remain
am not dead but sleep from home
Until reserection morning come"
The ideas contained in the last two lines,
it will be observed, are decidedly poetical.
Wayne sleeps in the northwest corner of
the yard. His monument is marble, square
in shape, with cone, and is about eight
feet high. One side bears this inscription /:
Major General
Anthony Wayne
was born at Waynesborough
In Chester County
State of Pennsylvania
A. D. l745.
After life of
Honor and usefulness
In December 1896
At military Post
On the shore of Lake Erie,
Commander in Chief
ofthe army of
The United States.
His military achievements
are cOnsecrated
in the history of his country
and in
The hearts of his countrymen.
His remains
are here deposited"
On the reverse side is the following:
"In honor of the distinguished
Military services of
Major General
Anthony Wayne,
And as an atfectionate tribute
of respect to his memory,
This stone was erected
by his companions in arms,
The Pennsylvania
State Society
Of the Cincinnati
July 4th, A. D. 1909.
Thirty fourth anniversary
Of
The independence of
The United States of America,
an event
which constitutes
The most
appropriate eulogium
of an American
Soldier and Patriot"
His remains were not placed here until
some time after his death, but his death is
chronicled upon large fiat stone covering
the grave of his wife on the eastern side ol
the church. The inscription upon this stone
is as follows:
MARY Wayne
ConsOrt of the late
Major Gen. Anthony Wayne
died April 18th, 1898,
Aged A years.
Major Gen. Anthony Wayne,
late commander in chief of the
Army of the United States.
He died at Presqu lille
December 18th, 1896,
Aged 81 years.
His body inferred
within the Garrison"