Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-10-20

hind the old Center church on Main
street and other high buildings in the
neighborhood A high brick wall in
closes the acre and a half of ground.
The huge elms and naples with which
the plot abounds have grown both
WAYS In some instances the roots of
these trees have broken through the
ground and wrapped themselves tightly
around the crumbling 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
to Hartford with about 100 persons, where
he planted ye first church in Connecticut.
An eloquent, able and faithful minister of
Christ He 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 ye 6lst year of his age,
July 20, 1879
New England's glory and her radiant
crowne
Was he who now in softest bed of downe,
Till glorious resurrection morn appears,
Doth safely, sweetly sleep in Jesus here.
In Natures solid art and reasoning well
IT'S knowing beyond compare he did e1-
Gel.
Connecticut'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" 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, sick, dead in one hours space. En-
grave the remembrance of death on thine
heart, when as thou dost see now swiftly
| hours depart.
Born at Saybrook
April 20. 1916.
| The first white child born in Connecticut.
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 90,
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
latter part of 1900. No headstones
mark their graves, however The old
cemetery is cone shaped and has q
single tree growing from its summit.
The ridges of the ground which marked
the graves have long since become lev.
eled. The ancient burying ground is
inclosed with crude stone fence, how
ever, and is kept sacred spot.
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 iona
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 chiselec
SO long ago that they can scarcely be
deciphered now.
On the old post road between Daniel
sonville and Providence are number
of burial grounds where the same
headstones have stood for two cen
turtles or more. Bethels old buryine
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 a small
triangular plot extending from the
church to the town hall The oldes
; grave is marked by stone which sim
} ply bears "1765 R. B." in old-fashionet
letters. Nobody now knows who "R
B." was.
Milford has a very 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 Chvrch of Windsor
Who Died Septr. 4th, 1914
Who, when hee lived, wee drew ovr vital
breath;
Who. when hee Dyed. his Dying was ov
l Death;
I Who was We stay of State ye churches stat
Alas the times forbid an epitaph.
f Ephraim was the first person burie'
!, in this graveyard. The interment 90
r Cured seven years after the town o
= Windsor was settled. and five years be
r fore the beheading of King Charles L
e Among the rows of crum bling stone
s in the old Wethersfeld burying grount
i is this one:
Here lyes the body of Leonard Chester:
Armiger,
t late of the town of Blady,
: and several other Lordships in Leicester
shire
| Deceased in Wethers1eld. Ammo Domini I6ll