The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-11-03
Our DEAD PRESIDENTS.
Brief Record Of Their Deaths, and
the Scenes at Their Funerals.
[Ben: Percy Poore, in Boston Journal

the scenes at Thelf Funerals.
[Ben: Percy Poore, in Boston JournalI
George Washington died at Mount
Vernon, of infammatory quinsy, Dec.
IA, 1899. His coffin was of lead, in
closed in mahogany shell, with orna-
ments inscribed. Surge ad judiciuns
and {" Gloria Deo," and silver plate,
on which was engraved: General
George Washington, departed this life
on the 14th of December, 1893 Ht. 68.
There was an escort composed of caval-
ry and infantry, with band of music
next was led the Generals horse, with
his saddle, bride and pistols; then
came the body, on bier, with Coils.
Simms, Ramsay, Payne, Gilpin, Mar
steller and Little rs pall-bearers the
Freemasons followed. bearing the great
er and the lesser lights, and citizens
closed the procession. When the pro-
cession moved, minute-guns were fired
from vessel at anchor in the Potomac
On approaching the family vault the
cavalry halted, the infantry marched to
the door, halted, opened ranks and
faced inward the clergy and the Ma
sonic brothers preceded the remains to
the vault and the funeral services were
performed. The infantry then fred
three volley, and eleven pieces of artil-
lery near by paid the last tribute to the
ex-President and General of the army.
Washington had directed in his will
that new family vault should be
built at Mount Vernon at the foot of
what is called the vineyard inclosure."
This request was not complied with un-
til 1881, when q new tomb was erected,
of brick, arche3, and with stone panel
over the door, inscribed: "I am the
resurrection and the life. He that be-
ieveth in me, though he were dead, yet
shall he ive." A brick wall, twelve feet
high, surrounds the vault, with an iron
gate opening in front of the vault door,
fanked with pilasters and surmounted
by cornice. Over the gateway is in
scribed: within this inclosure rest
ton." In 1887 Philadelphia marble
worker was permitted to furnish sar-
cophagus, cut from Pennsylvania mar
which the arms of the United States
were cut in relief. The Ieaden coffin
containing the remains of the i1lustrious
hero was placed in this sarcophagus,
and the remnants of the mahogany shell
were distributed among those present.
The body of Martha, the wife of Wash
ington, is incased in another sarcopha-
gus, and they occupy the right and left
sides of the entrance to the tomb and
are visible through the iron gateway.
Congress proposed at one time to have
Washington's remains removed to the
crypt prepared for them beneath the ro-
tunda of the Capitol, but the Legislature
of Virginia protested.
John Adams died at Quincy July
4, 1926, of old age, having lived al
most ninety-one years. An immense
concourse of people attended his
funeral and escorted his remains
to their resting place beneath the Uni
tartan Church. Soon afterward, when
the society was about to erect stone
portico to its church, John Quincy Ad-
ans received permission to construct a
vault beneath it and to erect monu-
ment within the building at the side of
the pulpit The remains of John Adams
and his wife were placed in the vault in
sarcophagi of stone, and the monument.
which bears long and fulsome inscrip-
ton, was surmounted with bust of the
deceased President by Horatio Green
ough.
Thomas Jefferson died at Monti.
cello, his Virginia homsteead, of a
complication of diseases attendant
upon old age, on the 4th of July,
1926, the same day on which John Ad-
ANS expired. 1t was his wish that his
interment should be private, and accord
ingly no public notice was given of the
time of his funeral. His body was borne
on O bier down the mountain side by his
slaves, and followed by his relatives, to
the family burial ground, where his wife
reposed. On arriving at the grave II
was found that concourse of his neigh
bors had assembled, although the rain
| poured in torrents, and the burial serv-
ice of the Episcopal church was read. A
monument was erected in accordance
with drawing found among his papers,
with an inscription in which he styled
| himself "Author of the Declaration o.
American Independence, the Statute oi
Virginia for Religious FIeedom and Fa-
ther of the University of Virginia" Hi
monument was gradually carried away
by relic hunters until but little of it re
NAMED, and Congress last year made ar
appropriation to replace it. The marble
|
Jefferson has disappeared, and the small
burial place has dilapidated, neglected
appearance.
James Madison died at Montpelier,
his rural home, at the base of the ALE
gheny mountains, 1877 miles southwes
from Washington, at the advanced ag'
of 81 years, on the 23d of June, 1886
He had large funeral, and he was IN
tered in private burial ground on tn
estate, with naught but tradition t.
mark the spot. After repeated unsuc
cessful efforts to raise, by subscription
a sum for the erection of q monument
some gentlemen of Orange county col
lected 800 in 1887. It was with SOM
difficulty that the exact location OF tn
grave was identified, but in digging TO
q suitable foundation the coffin wa
found. 1t was of black walnut, in per
feet preservation, and the interior wa
nearly filed with a species of moss
amid which were the skull and few
the larger and harder bones. 49,.
James Monroe, Revolutionary soldier
diplomat, Senator, Secretary OF Stat
and President, died poor man, at tn
house of his son-in-law, Postmaste
Gouveneur. in the city OF New York
July 4, 1881, aged 70. There was a
imposing funeral, old Gen. Jacob MOI
ton commanding the military escort, an
the remains were deposited in sma
cemetery in Second street, just belo
Third avenue, in the vault of Thoms
| Tillotson. In 1868 the State Of Virgini