The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1911-04-13
OLD CRAVEsTONES.
One at Castine Marking Soldiers Burial
Was an English Officer Who Destroyed


Was an English Officer Who Destroyed
Himself.
| No summer resort town on the coast
of Maine abounds with more historic in
1 terest, whose foundation travels through
/ Indian, French and British warfare, than
| the little settlement of Castine. on the
Bagaduce river, where tourists gather
| Tor summer recreation.
I Naturally one of the points OF attrac-
ton is that of the little cemetery on the
hillside lust back of the town. History
/ and tradition have taught that this set
Element of Castine comprised part of the
| ancient land of the Etchemins. 1t was
occupied before the arrival OF Europeans
by numerous and powerful tribes of
Tarratines.
| The cemetery was established in the
year 1907, when the town voted to pur-
chase one acre of land for cemetery
from Capt. Mark Hatch for 500, one-half
of which Capt Hatch RENTED. The
town agreed to fence the land and hang
a gate near the windmill. 1t also agreed
to give Capt. Hatch his choice of a burial
lot. In 1923 the town voted to purchase
hearse house. Whether the hearse
had been allowed to remain exposed to
the weather all this time, or had been
stored in some barn, the early history
has not recorded.
The town early received the gift of
tomb, in the year 1852, when the follow
ing letter, donating the last resting place
before burial was received by the select
men:
Bangor, October IA, 1852.
To the Selectmen of the Town of Castine
Gentlemen - Being the owner of a
tomb in the cemetery at Castine. pro-
prose to give it to the town, to be used
as receiving tomb If they accept the
giftit is my wish that it be always in the
care OF the selectmen Of the town, and
that once a year-say in the month of
May should be cleaned of all the dead
bodies that may be deposited there. With
a lively recognition of the many favors
bestowed on me while | was a citizen Of
your town, and with my wishes for the
welfare and happiness of the inhabitants
of the town, | remain, respectfully. your
obedient servent. JOSEPH BRYANT.
This gift was accepted in a formal
manner at the first town meeting after
the coming of the letter.
In this old cemetery are to be found
some graves which are certainly old in
date, though very few of them contain
upon their headstones any epitaphs of
peculiar interest Among the notable
stones is one marking the first burial,
British officer named Charles Stewart,
whose interment was made in 1888, some
years before the cemetery had been pur-
chased by the town.
Tradition has it that this soldier killed
himself with his own sword, on account
OF his modification at being placed under
arrest by his commanding officer, for
having sent challenge to another Off
Ger with whom he had quarrelled. For
some years the grave was marked with
a rough bit of ledgestone, but through
the exertions of the late William With
erie and Dr. Joseph L. Stevens, in 1849,
the following tablet was erected to his
memory:
In memory of
CHARLES STEWARD,
The earliest occupant of
This Mansion of the Dead,
a native of Scotland, and LIST. Lieut..
Comm of His B. NJ 74th Regt
of foot. or Argyle Highlanders.
Who died in this town while it
was in possession of the Enemy,
March. A. D., 17s3 and was in
tered beneath this stone.
Acl dUOuL ~ years.
This tablet was inserted A. D. 1849
On another of these ancient tomb
stones reads the following:
CAPT. ISAIAH SKINNER
Died Aug. II, 1887,
Aged Y years.
'He chose the post of duty in which he could
do most good, and filled long life with Skill
fidelity and usefulness. The first to sail a
packet between this and the opposite shore,
he daily risked his health and life for the sa-
fety of others. Honest without pretension
and firm without rashness; he was known
throughout the State for his civility as well as
care; for the good fortune with which, in his
well managed boat, he 10000 times braved the
perils of our bay, and for the admirable union
of the frankness of sailor with the constancy
and method of man of business"
The epitaph on the tombstone of an
other reads:
Thousands of journeys, night and day,
I've travelled, weary on my way, to
heal the sick; but now I'm on jour-
ney, never to return.
All through this cemetery are seen
quaint old stones, many of them telling
but brief story of the occupant of the
ground beneath.