Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-25
FINDS OlO GRAVE IN ORCHARD
RECTOR UNEARTHS
TOMBSTONE OF VIRGINIAN.
Cousin Of Famous Rebel and Presl-
dent Of His Majesty's Council.
Echo of Colonial Life.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
BALTIMORE Md. October 2J.-ReV
DR.. George W. Dame. rector OF HOLY
lnnocents Church, has returned IRON
Yorktown, Va. where he took a promi-
nent part in the celebration OF the Iotr
anniversary of the battle of Yorktown
In an interview here he gave details OIL
the discovery of the tombstone OF Ma
thaniel Bacon, the elder, cousin of the
noted Virginia rebel.
The rebel Bacon in 1915, just 100 years
before the Declaration of Independence
openly defied the royal authority OF
Great Britain in defense of popular
rights. Mr.. Dame said:
Mrs. Margaret Judith Bisland. owner
of the famous colonial plantation. Car
ters Grove. Yorktown, in a conversation
with me Monday mentioned that about
two years ago she was passing through
the field of farm owned by Gustave
Helm. on Queens creek. the origina
home of the Bacon family, when She
accidentally struck her foot against d
stone lying neglectedly out in the grass
With a little scraping she saw the name
the moment called her away and the in
cident was forgotten. to be recalled only
at that moment.
Found Stone in Orchard.
1.-THE next day, Tuesday, Mrs. Bisland
Miss May Nicholson of Baltimore and
myself drove to the old farm. and, after
some searching. found the stone in the
orchard. After some brushing we read
the following words:
Here lyeth inferred ye body of Ma
thaniel Bacon. Esq, whose descent was
from the ancient house of ye Bacons zone
of which was Chancellor Bacon and LORD
Verulum). who was auditor of Virginia
and president of We Honorable Council
of State and commander-in-chfef for the
county of York. having been Of the COun-
cell for above 80 years and having al
ways discharged We offices i'm which he
served with great fidelity and loyalty to
his Prince-who departed this life We six
teenth day of March, 1882 in ye sew
enty-third year of his age
Hog Surmounts Coat of Arms.
Above was the Bacon coat Of arms
surmounted by hog or wild boar. The
stone had been removed from the grave
by Gustave Helm, owner of the ancient
Bacon cemetery, who with great courtesy
consented to let me have the stone con-
veyed to Yorktown. which was promptly
done Thursday, October y.
THE Nathaniel Bacon of this stone
was cousin of the rebel Nathaniel
Bacon. He was so devoted to this rela-
tive that when the man was tried by
Gov Berkeley for treason he persuaded
him to confess his crimes against the
state in the presence of the council and
procured his pardon.
Moreover, in order to win him to ac-
ceptance of the laws of the state he
offered to make him heir to all his vast
estate. He was born in 16oO in England
and emigrated to Virginia in 1850
DR.. DANES little party of explorers
also discovered the Bacon burial ground
1t is proposed at an early date to thor
oughly go over this historic resting place
in search of the body of the young rebel
1t is considered very probable that after
his death in the rebellion of 1876 his
friends quietly buried him in this Sc
questered spot, and no trouble or ex'
pense will be spared to bring his grave
to the light of day.
Stone Now at Yorktown.
THE stone now rests. said DR.. Dame
| Gin Grace Episcopal Church, Yorktown
| by the beautiful York river and under
| the shadow of the imposing monument
| of four generations of famous men O
the Nelson family. 1t is in reach O.
the long procession of sightseers who
annually make a pilgrimage to yorktown
to gaze upon the Nelson house and tho
graves of Thomas Nelson, Gov. William
Nelson and Gov. Thomas Nelson, jr., Z
signer of the Declaration of Independ
ence, and 1t will doubtless add increased
interest to the locality.
THE epitaph will throw some addition
al light, perhaps, upon the life of a mar
who, in the dawn of American liberties
occupied a position between loyalty tC
his country and love for his own blood
who yet. at last had the testimony
Of those he left behind him that he dis.
charged ye offices in which he served
with great fidelity and loyalty to his