The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-22
bogus TOMBsTONEs.
They Occupy Prominent Places in
Trinity Church Yard.
From the New York Times.

They Occupy Prominent Places in
Trinity Church Yard.
From the New York Times.
1t may be a trif1e startling to out-of-
town visitors as well as to many ma
tive New Workers whose interest in
matters historical has led them to in
spect the old tombstones in Trinity
churchyard, bearing names of prom
inence and power in earlier years, TO
learn that two of the most famous
stones there are simply fakes"
The tombstenes- referred 70 are these
of William Bradford, New York's ilrst
printer, and Capt. James Lawrence.
the hero of the naval fight in 1913, be-
tween the Chesapeake and Shannon,
and who died with the words, Don't
give up the ship" upon his lips.
There is also a third stone which
shares with these in being a copy. This
stands near the door of the north
transept, having the inscription, be-
meath a rudely carved angel head, IN
memory of Michael Cresap, first cap
tain OF, the Rifle Battalion, and son
to Col. Thomas Cresap, who departed
this life October the 18th, 1775. -
This man, whose name the majority
of visitors pass by without glance,
was Otlly Till ~ -liICS years VI dSC
when he died, yet he had seen service
in Indian warfare of such character
as to make him the object of interest
ing comment by two Presidents of the
United States. Thomas Jefferson, in
his Notes on Virginia. painted Gre
sap as a ruthless Indian butcher, call
ing him "a man infamous for the many
murders he had committed upon these
injured people," On the other hand,
President Roosevelt, in his book, 1.-The
Winning of the West" awaiting him
self of later historical research, shows
Cresap in a kindlier and more humane
light.
This young rifle captain is usually
described in biographical dictionaries
as "a trader and Indian fighter" He
was a hardy pioneer as well, pene-
trating nearly as far as Kentucky be-
fore the Revolution. The. odium cast
upon him by Jefferson-and which it
has 1al1en more than three-quarte tiers Of
a century to erase-was occasioned
by the belief that Cresap was respon-
sible for the massacre of the family
OF the friendly Indian chief Logan
This atrocity occurred in 1774, dur
ing border war on the Upper Ohio,
which broke out near Pittsburg. The
name "Cresap's War" has sometimes
been given to this conflict, because
ONCE and killed what later proved
to be number of friendly Shawnees.
His force did start for Logan's camp,
but remembering the chiefs former
friendliness. desisted.
The truth of the story, as brought
out in 1851, was that Logan's family,
nine members in all, became drunk
in the hut of a dram seller named
Greenhouse, and when in a helpless
state that william, with a few kim
dred spirits, slew every one of the
intoxicated Savages. Cresap got the
blame, and was deposed from his COM
mand by Lord Dunmore's agent but
was later retnstate
Cresap was an ardent patriot, and
when the Revolutionary War broke out
he marched to Cambridge to join
Maryland rifemen. He became seri-
ously i'll while there, and started for
his Western home, but died in New
York city and was buried with mill
tary honors in Trinity churchyard.
If one desires to see the original
stones placed over the graves of Brad
ford, Cresap, and Lawrence, he must
go to the New York Historical Society,
at Second avenue and Eleventh street.
They occupy positions of honor among
other notable relics in the vestibule.
the original Bradford stone to the So
ciety in 1863, that of Cresap in 1867, and
the Lawrence stone about the same
time.
The latter is the single slab bearing
the inscription to Lawrence's memory,
for his remains repose under a more
elaborate monument. The large slab
is of white marble, and in excellent
condition, barring a few deep scratches
-
caused by vandals.
The tombstone of Bradford and
Cresap are of the old-fashioned va
riety, with crude angles heads in
the scalloped top. The stones
are of the ordinary brown sand
stone so common in all old cemeteries,
and both show evidences that long
exposure to the elements was work.
ing toward their destruction.
In fact the Bradford stone is al
ready badly mutilated. 1t is cracked
diagonally from left to right through
the center, and a small section near
the center has been lost. The stone
has been carefully repaired, being now
encased in a stout wooden border like
a frame. The inscription mentions
both the names of William Bradford
and his wife, Elizabeth. The latter
died in 1881, at the age of 6S, while the
veteran printer lived until 1852, reach
ing the ripe old age of 92 years. The
inscription to Bradford is thoroughly
in keeping with old-fashioned NOR
tuary memorials. 1t is
Here lies the body OF Mr.. William
Bradford, Printer, who departed this
life May %, 1852, aged so years. He
was born in Leicester Shire, in old
England, in 1860, and came over to
America in 1880, before Philadelphia
was laid out. He was Printer to the
Government for upward of fifty years,
and being quite worn out with old age
and labor, he left this mortal state in
the lively hopes of a blessed inmor-
tally.
Reader, reflect how soon you'll quit
this stage.
You'll find but few attain such an
age.
Life's full of pain. 10, here's a place
of rest,
Prepare to meet your God, then you
are blest.