Inscriptions in the Oldest Cemetery in Norwalk, Conn.

REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION 3 1833 01151 3444 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 https://archive.org/details/completecopyofinOOvanh A COMPLETE COPY OF THE INSCRIPTIONS FOUND ON THE Monuments, Headstones, &c, In the Oldest CcffletgTy ■ IN NORWALK, CONN SEPTEMBER, 1892. Dedicated to the Memory of Norwalk's First Ancestors BY David H. Van Hoosear,^ WILTON, CONN. {i: O. HUJRLBOTT STItEET, CONN.) BiiiDGEroitT, Conn.: X THE STAND.UUl ASSOCIATION, I'lilNTEUH. Q : 1895. a ? 2 5 6 8 IllK Cemetery from which this copy w;is taken situated at East 1 Norwalk in the okl viHage where the lirst (settlement was made, Home lots laiti out, and a few rods South-east of the site of the lirst C'liurcli, wliieli was on the North corner of East Avenue and Fort Point lload. The Cemetery is triangular in shape, bounded on all sides by highways and enclosed by a picket fence. There are many graves seen which are unmarked by Headstones, and very many more of the early ances- tors remains were deposited in this burial i)lace, of which no mark or tra- dition is left. Here rests one of our Colonial Governors, (Gov. Thomas Eitch) No. 230. Probably the lirst minister He v. Thomas Hanford is buried here, (tradition says near the headstone of his son Thomas,) where is seen a *'llat Brown stone" the inscription is wholly obliterated. The '2d minister Uev. Stephen Thickinghanj, (No. 209) and 8d minister Piev. I\[oses Dickenson (No. 231) a tutor of Yale college. Buckingham St. John (No. 20), a son of the 1st Pastor, Hev. Jedeiah Buckingham. Two deacons; one of 1st church. Q'^^O*^ fcr Five militia Capt , one militia Col . , li" Tte vT' ^fmel",*i#Col . , two Capt., and seven soldiers in late war who have inscribed stones, a Master of Arts, I\r. D , an eminent Dentist, and many whose title has never been chis- eled on the stone marking their grave. The yard contains but one vault; (The Paymond.) In summer the llowers placed in this cemctciy by descendents of deceased friends show that the memory of the dead here are not forgotton. It is well cared for. May this interest continue, and the forefathers be allowed to rest ami remain where they are. The object of the undertaking is to pre- serve definite memory of these early ancestors of Norwalk. ^Tle is a public benefactor who gathers together from the crumbling monuments and preserves in printed form the memorials erected by their cotempoiaries over the early fathers of the country.". [N. L. Collamer, Wash. D. C.] The reader may say where are our Earliest Ancestors? To this the answer nmst be within tlie above enclosure. It is true over fifty years had passed after the settlement of the town before the lirst inscribed headstone ai)pears, yet wo have no record yet found, no tradition still kept or known of, or evidence of the existance of any other. This was for the lirst church in the heait of the ancient settleuicnt. Imported sfones were costly, and in a few Graveyards, stones from held were se- lected, with the initials and year of death roughly chiseled upon ihem. A number appear in Stratheld Cemetery (now Bridgeport, Conn.,) before. 1700, the earliest 1088 and one in Fairfield 1()87. No well inscribed stone appear in either of these before 1700. From the above facts we are led to believe this is the first cemetery in Norwalk. Each »Slone is given a iuimb(;r commencing on the South side, and is copied in six sections between parallel lines from East to West so tho' small nundjors are stones on the south part of the yard and so north- ward. TIIK IISrSCRlPTIONS IN THE Cemetery at ISTorwalk, Conn. As Copied in September, 1892, by David H. Van Hoosear, Wilton Conn. 1- Samuel W, rotter, Died June 15, 18(59, iE. 80 y'rs 8 mo's & 7 days. Also, Sarah B. wife of Sanuid W. PoUtT, Died April 1, 18()4, .E. 70 y'rs k, 12 days. Father. 2- -Charles Dennis. Born July 0, 1820. Died April 14, 1888. At liest. In Memory of 3~ M m. St. John. Who died July, 1805, M. 42 years. lu Memory of 4~ITannahf [St. John] Relict of Wm. St. John, who died JNov. 21, 1810, 50 yrs. 5- James Andrew, Died March 1), 1871. 7E. GG y'rs 3 mo's k 10 days. Elizahetii. his wife, died Feb. 1, 1888, 7G y'rs k 5 uio'n. Mother. G— Elizabeth, [Silvo.x^] Wife of AVilliam Silcox. Died March 7, 1800. .E. 47 y'rs 1 days. A li;.,'ht from our household is guue, A void! we loved is stilled, A pluce is vacaut in our hearts That can uever be fllled. 7 -Delia, [XSt. John) Thorp\ Daughter of William and Han- nah St. John, and wife of David B. riiorp; died June 11, 18-15, ai^ed 50 years, G months aiul 17 day -i. In Memoiy of ^ S -Maria J*. St. John. liorn May 18. 1704, Died De- cember 9, 1873. Here Lies Interred the Body of U — WiUiam St, John, A. JSt. Wiio departed this life Feb'ry 1st. 1800, in the 5Gth year of his age. TreiuendouH death, how awful lb thy Hway, Thy dreadfull Sumuions Mortals uuist obey ; 111 time of Haered ardor, seek the heavi^nly shore Where joys forever bloom, aud death shall bo no more. 10 11 David Burr Thorp. liorn ISIarch G, 1704. Died March IG, 1857, aged G.3 years and 10 days. Our Little Zaydee Thorp. In Memory of 12— Matthew C. St. John, Born i\larch IG, 1702. Died May 0, 185G. In memory of Hi— Mary Esther St, John, Who died April 15. 1850, Jli. 07 y'rs. 5 mo's. A' 2 d's. "Thou shalt comi! to thy grave iji a. full age, like a shock of corn cometh in his season." [Browns'tonc] In Memory of Mrs. Ann St. John, AVife of Col. Stephen St. John, who departed this life Ai)ril 28tl:, 1 707, in her GUh year. 14 X IS -Morris JehiiiNgs, Died Nov. 8. 188:3, Al. r.8 yivs. <) 1110. and *J tl's. Here lies inten'd llie liody of Id— j\[r. Hooker St. Joint, Who (k'part(;(l tliis lit'(! March llio lOlh, 1782, ill llic -lOlIi year of his age. AH you who i)a.s8 by may (\ro\i u tear O'er one who was a.s now you arc But now ho'.s ^'oue ami paid ye debt The lot of all both Kiuall and t,'r( at. Ill ]\renioiy of 17— Ellen St. John. Who died Oct. 27, 181U, M. 1!) y'ls. Cohnircd. IS— Edward F. Jennings. Died Aug. 10, 1885, A'l y'rs, 9 mos, and U Ds. At Kesi. [Marble Tablet.) — d the botly of 1U~S — pheti St. John, Esq., and — of the 9Lh Kegt. of Foot — he State of Coiiiiecticul who departed llii.s May the Dili 1785, ill the 50lli year (if his age. Hark from the tomba a doleful hou — and the ery view the ground muHt Hhortly lie. The Grave of 20— Jiuchinyhani St, John, A. 15.. late Tutor of Vale Col- lege ill New Haven who uas drowned in returning home on the 4lh of May, 1771 in the 2()lh year <if his age. A youth adoriu'd with strong nu'U- tal endowments, cultivated with polite and usefull literature, but a Huddiii gust ))lung'd him in the sea lllastcMl o\ir hone« and L'ft his fi'iendH his country and s-ci- enco to bewail the I.os.-^ : And learn the Vanity of depending uu fleeting dust. [Slate.] Here Lyes Buried ye Dod}'^ of 21— JMr, ^rathuts S(ii nt John, Aged 37 years. Dec'd 17;5-l. [Captain Joseph St. John, s. of Joseph and Sarah (Jietts) St. Jolin and ''probably" grandscni of Mai k Sention was born Nov. 5th, lUiri, married Susannah who was born 17Ui), d. in c. 4, aged 40 yrs, 2 mo., and buried near Jo- Meph's Tomb Table. Her inscrip- tion reads ''ye wiic of Oapt. .)o- seph St. John." He diid Sep. (probably) n,')(i or 1700. aged ,53 or f)? yrs. His residence was where n(»w lives AVm. H. Kark , East av. nearly ojjpositii tha (ioveruor Fiteh place. He was a rich man and large land hcdder, and after bis death there was ereeteil to his nieniory a brownstone 'J'omb Ta- ble simihir to tiie Governor Fitch. Bi-yond tht' nieniiM y ot tliose liv- ing tln' I'utin; inscribed t^late wliieh was plac( d in the to]) of tliis talde, was missing, ami vari- ous truditi(Jiis and rumors have been handed down td' the cause of its removal, wheriabouts and dis- appearan<-e. Tlie author has tlior- oughly traced tluse to establish for whost^ uiemoi'y this table v\as encted. At last he lias in his hands a part of the original slate whii.'h was foiuul wltile excavating a blind drain on tlie Wm. H. Earle's ])lace, l.s'Jj. 'I'hi' St. John coat of arms is a shi( Id, and the uijjier third has two stars and the motto is "Data Fata Secutus," The coat of arms engraved on th(f broken slate (which exactly tits in the socket for it in the tondj ta- ble) bears a part of this motto ("Data Fata ") the "Seoi- tas" being broken oil', k large portion of the shield is Keen. NVhat remains to be. seen (jf the Inscription is as follows :J "The Kema — CAI>t JOSEPH — lies here wditin — Kt^surrectiou of S — He departed SEP. t— .Etat. 5— Hark mortals Hark what vol— Conies echoing from — {> my dear frii iitls be wise Wliile vital spirits animat — " Here lies the body of 22— Mrs. SiisdnnaJi St. John, ye wife of ('apt. Joseph 8l, John, who died December ye 4, 171U, aged 40 years aiul 2 months. She that lies at icst wKhin this tomb H.ul itiU'liels lace inid l.e.ili^s I'l iiitfull womi>, Abigail's svi.sdum, Eydia's I'aitlil'ull lieart With Martlia's cart! we hoiH' Mary's bettei- i>art. [Slate. 1 2,'i—S(ira7i Saint ,/ohn, Dau'r to Mv. Joscjih S: Mr?. Susannah Saint John, tiged 7 years 4 mo cV: 12 Ds. Died April "IS, 1711. I Slate. J Here lies liuiLed the IJody of 24 -Mm. Sai ah St. Jo/iHt Wile of Mr. .Josepl) St. John, who departed this life Aui;'si Sdth 1705 in the DOth year of her age. 1 Slate. 1 Here lyes lUiried the liody of 25— Mr. Kchvmidli Hoycrs, Wiio departed tliis life M;iy ve 'M)\\\, 1700, aged 4'2 years ami 12 days. [Slate.] Here lyes liiiried the l^ody of — J <t)nes Jtofjei Hi Ks<i.^ Ai^ed 58 yearsi\L' 5 luo, De'd, July ye 13th, 1733. [ Brownsloiie.] Here lies the Body of 27— Mm. Freelovc Roy e i s, JJeliet to (;apt. James Kogcrri l*'s([r, who dii'd Jaii'ry ye 2()th, 1731), in ye 40th year of her i\\^v. 2S-Our Little Eddie, Died Feb. 18, 1873, Ai. 1 yr. 7 m's 8 da. [Slate.] Here lyes ye Body of 2*J—S<i rail Suhit tht/tit, ])aut to Josei)h Saint John, aLM;d iilyears. Dee'd l)eerye23d 17 - :tO - At tlnir It. [UiidcrhUl, \