The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1891-10-23
CONNECTICUT oRAveYARps.
Epftaphs 1850 Years Old That May Still rs
Read ID Them.


Epftaphs a5O Years Old That May Still Tse
Read Ia Them.
One cannot go very many miles in
Connecticut without stumbling upon
come little graveyard, where the
crumbling headstones are covered with
moss and the grass runs riot In some
instances the names and dates on the
tombstones have been obliterated by
the hand of time. while in others they
can be just barely made out. Most of
the burial grounds are the same to-day
that they were half century ago.
During these years they have been UNI
touched Only in rare instances have
lnterments4 been made since the first
decade of the present century.
The quaintest and quietest burying
ground IN the state, and in all New
England for that matter, is situated al
most in the very heart of the city of
Hartford. 1t is completely hidden be-
hind the old Center church on Main
street and other high buildings in the
neighborhood A high brick wall in
closes the acre and half of ground.
The huge elms and naples with which
the plot abounds have grown both
y
these trees have broken through the
ground and wrapped themselves tightly
around the crum bling headstones. If
it were not for this support the head
stones would have tumbled over long
ago. The Oldest grave is that of Thomas
Hooker This is what his epitaph says:
In memory of Thomas Hooker, who in
1886 with his assistant Mr.. Stowe, removed
10 <xv-l n xrllnY-a
he planted ye first church in Connecticut
An eloquent. able and faithful minister of
Christ lie died July Z, 1647, Act. LXL
Assistant Stowe is buried few steps
away. His moss-covered stone bears
this encomium:
Mr. Samuel Stowe.
Deceased in We 6lst year of his age,
se July 20. 1873. So
New Eneland's glory and her radiant
H crowne
Was he who now in softest bed of downe,
Til glorious resurrection morn appears,
Doth safely, sweetly sleep in Jesus here.
In Natures solid art and reasoning well
IT'S Knowing beyond scomparehe did ex-
eel
Connectieut,s first governor is also
buried here in tomb betting his
rank He died on March 1, 1858. No
praises are sung to his. memory on
stone. Beyond the line: "First gov
ernor of We colony of Connecticut in
New England, p there is nothing out of
the ordinary about this inscription.
The first child born in Connecticut
after the colony had been settled was
David Gardiner. He lived to be fifty
four years old. He was buried with
the rest OF the celebrities in the little
walled plot. His memory has been
favored with the following lines:
Well, sicx, dead in one hours space. En-
grave the relneinbr NICE of death on thine
heart, when as thou dost see now swiftly
hours depart E4KN E "a
Born at saybrook
April 20 Is 6.
The1irst white child born in Copnecticnt
Another historical Slab is that which
marks the grave of Capt Thomas Bull.
"He was one of the first settlers of
Hartford" the crude inscription reads,
"a lieutenant in the decisive battle
with the Pequots, at Mystic, May 20,
1887, and commander of the fort at
Saybrook in July, 1875, when its sur
render was demanded by Maj. Andre.
This battle, in which Capt. Bull was
a lieutenant, insured the peace of New
England. Capt. John Mason, with
ninety men, surprised and slaughtered
seven hundred Pequots in their fort
near Mystic and burned the defenses.
Capt. John Mason, the leader of that
famous Indian campaign, is buried in
the old Post and eager burial ground
in Norwich, together with about thirty
other original settlers of that town.
These interments all occurred in the
IL l-4~
mark their graves, however. The old
cemetery is cone shaped and has a
single tree growing from its summit.
che ridges of the ground which marked
Inc grave have long since become lev
oled. The ancient burying ground is
ihclosed with crude stone fence, how
ever, and is kept sacred spot.
A dozen miles from there is the old
Lebanon burying ground, where more
illustrious dead are buried. The Trum-
bull tomb is its chief attraction. This
tomb contains the ashes of Connecti-
cuts war governor, ''Brother Jona-
than" as Washington used to call him,
and the other members of his family,
all of whom were renowned. The
tomb was wofully neglected for many
years The Sons of Revolution have
recently taken up the matter, however,
and it will be repaired. All around
this tomb cracked and moss-covered
headstones rise above the wild grass
and bramble bushes. These stones
bear inscriptions which were chiseled
so long ago that they can scarcely be
deciphered now.
On the old post road between Daniel
sonville and Providence are mum Der
of burial grounds where the same
headstones have stood for two cen
turtles or more. BethePs old burying
ground is still open for use. Only one
has taken place in ten years. The
graveyard is in the rear of the Congre-
gational church. 1t comprises 4 small
triangular plot extending from the
church to the town hall The oldest
grave is marked by stone which sim
ply bears ''1765 r. b. in old-fashioned
letters. Nobody now knows who, '.R
IL" was
Milford has avery old graveyard and
Windsor has one, too. On one of the
stones in the latter is this inscription:
Here Lyeth Ephraim Hvit
Sometimes Teacher to- Ye Cnvrch of Windsor,
Who Diei Septr 4th, 1914
Who when hee lived. wee drew ovr vital
breath;
Who, when hee Dyed, bis Dying was ovr
Death.
WHO wa ye stay of state ye chvrches staff;
Alas! the times forbid an epitaph.
Ephrazzn was the first person buried
in this graveyard. The interment oc-
ouTrad 81 he If