The Portland daily press., 1889-05-28

years, ana MS n0n0red name has been repre-
sented in town by worthy and influential
families. The old burying place has an in
teresting history, for its use commenced only
thirty-four years after the first settlement of
the town, when the entire population of the
town did not exceed five hundred citizens
and beneath the shade trees which album
dainty beautify the ground quietly sleep
many of its earliest and most distinguished
inhabitants. Captain John Phinney, the first
settler of the town, honors this burial spot as
mis- last resting place, and the inscription
upon his modest stone of slate shows that he
died one hundred and ten years ago. Near
by is the grave of his beloved
wife Martha Coleman, also the grave of his
son, Col. Edmund Phinney, distinguished
and brave officer in the Indian and Revolu-
tionary wars, and here and there are the final
resting places of many of this numerous and
illustrious family. The Longfellow family
are here represented by many graves: and
the early history of the town is honOred by
the distinguished public and private services
of this family, Hon. Stephen Longfellow,
senior, died in Gorham in 1890 and was
buried in this yard. He was the father of
the distinguished jurist and statesman Judge
Stephen Lon gfellow who died in 1924, after a
residence in Gorham of nearly fifty years.
The latter was the father of the late Hon,
Stephen Longfellow, an honored citizen of
Portland who died in that city in 1S49. The
latter was the father of Americas greatest
poet. Henry W. Longfellow. The large
group OF graves of this illustrious family in
this old burying place is yearly visited by
many strangers. The tomb of the Hon.
Josiah Ihacher is now probably closed for
ever, and within its sacred enclosure are
deposited the remains of ailarge and distin-
gulshed family, who added much to the early
moral, intellectual, political and social life of
Gorham. But the name and blood of this
family ceases to exist among us. Hon.
Josiah Thacher graduated at Princeton
College and was Congregationalist minister
and preached in Gorham from 1767 to 1881.
fourteen years, but in consequence of an I'M
friendly personal and sectarian warfare In
bis parish he resigned his charge, abandoned
the pulpit and entered the field of politics.
and at the time of his death in 1899 was
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas. The
graves OF Judge William Gorham and family
are held in high respect by the natives of this
town. Judge Gorham was near descendant
OF the celebrated Gorham family of Barn
stable, Mass, who won distinction in the
Narragansett war and afterwards in the war
Of the Revolution. This gave the town its
incorporated name. The Judge was one of
the early and strong advocates of the separ-
alton of the District of Maine from the Slate
Of Massachusetts. He was Judge of Probate
also Judge of Common Pleas, both of which
offices he held at the time of his death. His
grayestone bears the following inscription:
"Hon. William Gorham.
Died July 22nd, 1904. Aged 81.
Beloved in lfe man OF strict integrity warm
and generous benevolence and unsh9ken friend
amp ist s MAGISTRATE nex6y Just as husband
meek and lowly."
DIR. Nathaniel Bowman, a Young phvsician
OF much promise lost his life in 1897. bv an
unfortunate accident occasioned by the fall
ing OF a portion of the frame work of the
present congregational meeting house. A
simple marble slab marks his grave. and
from the sunken mound of earth over his
remains tree of large dimensions has grown
up and casts its gloomy shadow upon the
history OF his melancholy death. Many of
the representatives of the old families have
their names recorded upon what now seem
humble stones, but the significant imprint of
the cherub, or the dropping willow upon
unpretentiouS slate or marble, was considered
equal TO the ability and demands of those
early times. In this yard are found the
graves OF many of our Revolutionary heroes,
for at one time every third male inhabitant
OF Gorham capable of bearing arms was In
the Continental Army. In this honored list
are the names of Alden, Chadboune, Darling
Bacon, Phlnney, Mcclellan, Jennings,
Harding, Irish and Lombard, and others
whose graves are unknown and unmarked.
Many are the graves scattered over this old
cemetery that are unknown to the present
generation. There are also graves of those
VINO passed over the great river, representing
the more humble walks of life. Among that
number is that of Neptune Stephenson. who
was once owned in Gorham as a negro slave
lie died In 1874 and 1t is written upon his
gravestone that "he was pious man" In
September 1926 Sylvester Reynolds. aged 20
circus, fell from his horse and died in Cor
ham In consequence of a broken back, and
was buried here. his sister kindly erected a
stone over his grave with this inscription:
"Reader
This marble speaks no common loss.
BY foreign hands thy dying eyes were closed.
by foreign hands thy decent limbs were composed
BY BY foreign tore hands thy humble grave adorned,
by strangers honored, by strangers mourned,"
The Mcclellan tomb has been repaired the
past week, sealed up, and probably closed
forever. This remarkable and influential
family has been closely identified with the
progress OF the town from its earliest history.
Many are Its representatives reposing in
TINS yard. The grave stone of Capt Alex
ander Mcclellan was taken from his tomb.
which shows that his death occurred one
hundred and ten years ago. 1t will here
after be exposed to public view. 1t bears
the following inscription:
Here lies the body of the brave Alexander
Mcclellan. who departed this life Oct. lth I779
he was Kind husband, a tender father, friend
10 me poor and good friend to We Common
Capt. Mcclellan raised and commanded
company OF sixty-four officers and men in
l779 all inhabitants of Gorham. He marched
through wild country that was compare
lively wilderness to what is now known as
the town OF Castine This expedition against
the. British was a sad and disastrous one.
and on account of exposure and fatigue
Captain Mcclellan contracted disease. by
which ne lost his life few days after his
return. His sword is still preserved with
great pride by the representative members
OF his family name. The family of Major
George Lewis who came from Barnstable.
Mass, as was the case of many of the early
settlers OF Gorhaln, occupy many graves,
Hon. Lothrop Lewis was his first son. He
married into the Longfellow family. and
was ever held in the highest estimation i'm
public, military and social life by the
citizens OF Gorham. He was Land agent of
the State of Maine at the time of his death
in 1922. The graves of Hon. Samuel Prentiss
a graduate of Harvard University in 177l who
died in 1915, his son Captain William Prem
tiss and other members of the family are
marked by the ordinary head stones Of
earlier tunes. The former was the first post
master Of Gorham, the latter a faithful and
successful sea captain: The late Hon. Ser
geant S. Prentiss of Mississippi, wonderful
In eloquence and powerful and influential in
law and national politics, was the son of
William and Abigail Lewis Prentiss. He
well, but the devoted friends and relatives
OF his adopted State, also honor his grave.
The name of Gen. James Irish, who was
more recently buried in this yard beside
his illustrlous ancestors, is deserving of
gratitude for the labor he bestowed in set
ting out shade trees and otherwise beautifv-
ing this yard. He was once Land Agent of
the State, and always worthy and public
spirited citizen. The grave of Stephen Larry
who died in 1776 shows an age Of lO2 wears.
This, long. life is but a little in advance in
number OF years, OF that reached by many of
the old inhabitants Of Gorham. The graves
Of the young and talented Samuel Whitmore.
who was graduate of Harvard University
and died in 1903, also, of the family of Rev.
Asa Rand, of Rev. Caleb Jewett, of Rev.
Jere N0yes, former Congregational minis |
ters OF 0lden times; also of Hon. Charles |
Hunt a respected and honored citizen ,Iof the |
present period; also the family burial |
places Of the old families of Rolfe, Crockett, |
Gould, Harding, Mosher, Towle, Edwards, |
Elder, Hatch, Burnell, and many others |
equally respectable are worthy of more ex- |
ended notice, but we will close this COM |
which affords ample oppor- |
unity for careful thought with the words of |
he Poet Longfellow.
The trees are white with dust, that DER their
Wave their broad curtains in the south-wind's
breath,
While underneath these leafy tents they keep
lhe long, mysterious Exodus of Death"
And these cpnulohral otonac on ola aud l.o,,,,