Epitahs - Headstone Poetry

I have always been interested in headstone art and epitaphs. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines an epitaph as “an inscription on or at a tomb or a grave in memory of the one buried there.” Additionally, it is defined as “a brief statement commemorating a deceased person.”  Here are some epitaphs I recently came across in my research which speak to character and death.  

Robert W. Oliver

Robert W. Oliver (1768-1829) is the 6^th great uncle of my sons. He was born in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and died in the state of New York. He was a veteran of the War of 1812. He is buried in the Ingraham Cemetery in Ingraham, New York. His headstone reads as follows:

In Memory of

Robert Oliver

who departed this

life Dec 30^th 1829

Tis finished tis done the spirit is fled,

The prisoner is gone the Christian is dead.

The Christian is living through Jesus’ love,

And gladly receiving a Kingdom above.

Samuel Swift

Samuel Swift (1683-1747) is the 1^st cousin 10x removed of my sons. He was born and died in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Samuel was one of the wealthiest and most influential men in the town of Wilton: He was a Colonel in the militia, a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas (trial court), and moderator of town meetings. He is buried in the Milton Cemetery in Milton, Massachusetts. His headstone reads as follows:

Here lies Inter’d the Remains of SAMUEL SWIFT Esq who departed this Life Oct 13 1747 age 64 years.

Who never did a Slander forge

His Neighbour’s Fame to wound;

Nor Hearken to a False Report

By Malice whispered round.

Who to his plighted Vows and Trust

Had ever Firmly stood,

And Tho’ he promis’d to his Loss

He made his Promise good.

  

Anna Swift

Anna Holman Swift (1680-1769) is the wife of the above Samuel Swift. She was born and died in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Anna was the mother of 11 children. She is buried in the Milton Cemetery in Milton, Massachusetts. Her headstone reads as follows:

Her lie inter’d the Remains

of Mrss. ANN SWIFT the

virtuous Consort of

SAMUEL SWIFT ESQ.r

SHE exchanged this life for

A better MAY 19^th 1762 in the

82d Year of her Age.

Reader remember thou art born to die,

Hark from the Grave to you this is my Cry;

Withdraw, prepare, think, Act Accordingly.

Luke, XVI 31.

Sarah Swift Adams (1711-1774) is the daughter of the above

Sarah Adams

Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Swift.  Sarah was born and died in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Like her mother, she was also the mother of 11 children. She is buried in the Milton Cemetery in Milton, Massachusetts. Her headstone reads as follows:

In memory of

MRS. SARAH ADAMS

late Consort of Mr. John Adams

who died Nov. 16^th, 1774

aged 63 tears

Death is a debt to nature due,

As she has paid it so must you.

As she has paid it so must you.

In life then strive to get prepared,

To fly with her to meet the Lord.

All of the Swift headstones have a winged head. The head is referred to as the “death head.” Adding the wings, signifies that life is a fleeting thing.

Note:  All images are from Find A Grave website.

The Battle of Saratoga and a Great-uncle

Battle of Saratoga - Andy Thomas, Artist - Google Image

John Oliver (1725-1811) is the 7th great-uncle of my sons. He was born in Northern Ireland and immigrated with his parents in 1736 to the Province of Massachusetts Bay. He lived in Athol, Worcester County, Massachusetts; had a wife, Mary L. Beaman (1728-1810); and together, they had 11 children. John was also a Captain of the Massachusetts Militia at the Battle of Saratoga from 19 September 1777 to 17 October 1777 – also known as “The Burgoyne Alarm.”  The Battle of Saratoga is considered by many historians to be a turning point for the Americans during the American Revolution.

John Oliver was one of four captains in Col. Nathan Sparhawk’s 7th Worcester Company of the Massachusetts militia; specifically, captain of the Third Company. John was commissioned a captain on 5 April 1776.  This particular militia was sent to reinforce the American troops “at the time of reduction of General Burgoyne,” the British commander. [1] As a captain, it was John’s responsibility to teach the soldiers how to work together and how to survive on the battlefield. The illustration to the left shows the standard captain insignia for the Continental Army during this war. These would be worn attached to the shoulders of the individual uniform.

Massachusetts Militia

It was not easy being an American soldier at this time. The death rate was high because of battles, espionage, and disease. The British has the best weapons, best commanders, and trained killers. The Americans were barely trained and had few supplies. [2]  However, the Battle of Saratoga changed everything. According to author Dean Snow, showed that “an improvised army of amateurs could take on the best army in the world and force it surrender.” [3] Because of the American success at Saratoga in defeating the British, the French started providing troops and supplies to the Americans. All in all, this win was a boost to the American spirit.

When John Oliver died in 1811, his tombstone was inscribed as follows: Capt. Third Co. Mass./1777 The Burgoyne Alarm ~ John is buried in the Old Pleasant street Cemetery in Athol, Massachusetts.

Photo from Findagrave.com

 

[1] “Participants in the Battle of Saratoga.” Saratoga County NYGenWeb Project – Saratoga County, New York, Heritage Hunters of Saratoga County, 15 Oct. 2015, saratoganygenweb.com/batlo.htm.

[2] “Life of an American Soldier in the Revolutionary War.” Infogram, infogram.com/life-on-an-american-soldier-in-the revolutionary-war.

[3] Snow, Dean. 1777: Tipping Point at Saratoga. 1^st ed., Oxford University Press, 2016

He wore copper-toed shoes and a lace collar

Cooper-toed shoe

Thomas James Llewellyn (1877-1949), the great-grandfather of Melissa Murphy Oliver (my daughter-in-law), arrived as an immigrant from Wales in 1888 at the age of ten. When his mother, Mary Jane Hayden Llewellyn (1858-1901), recently widowed, and he and his three brothers arrived in America, she dressed up the boys for their arrival in New York.  According to Barbara Jeanne Weyant (1929-2017), one of Thomas’ daughters, Mary Jane dressed the boys in Buster-Brown brown-colored suits with tan lace collars, copper-toed shoes, and black bowler hats. I am sure she, and the boys, were excited about their arrival to America and wanted to make a good impression. However, as Barbara relates, “When they stepped out on the dock, some boys who were there made fun” of them. Thomas “clenched his fists and knocked the boys who made fun of them down on their behinds.” John, Thomas, Wyndom, and William “came to America smiling, making a victory for themselves” in the new homeland.

Buster-brown Suit

Typical lace collar

It is not known what caused the death of Thomas’ father, John Llewellyn, in 1887, but shortly before his death, he asked his good friend Edward W. Jones (1855-1937) to take care of his family, which Jones agreed to do. John and Mary Jane married in 1887 and then emigrated to America with the four boys.

The family ended up in Garrett, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, for employment in the Ponfey Coal Mine. The Welsh were well-known for their mining skills, and they readily found employment in the coal fields.  In fact, by 1890 more than 100,000 Welsh-born immigrants resided in the United States. As skilled laborers, the Welsh miners had been recruited by American mining companies. According to Ronald Lewis, author of “Welsh Americans: A History of Assimilation in the Coalfields,” the Welsh immigrants, unlike the Irish and Eastern Europeans, were readily accepted and assimilated into the culture of America.

PA child coal-miner

Thomas joined his step-father in the coal mines when he was 12 years old and stayed until he was 19 years old at which time, according to his daughter, he struck out on his own.  According the U.S. census, in 1920 Thomas was a foreman in a glass factory and in 1930, a stationary engineer.* In 1942, according to his World War II draft registration card, he was an employee of the Monessen Lumber & Supply Company. He lived in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, about 34 miles south of Pittsburgh and directly west of Somerset County where he worked in the coal mines.

*A stationery engineer operates industrial machinery and equipment that provides energy in various forms. 
Note: All images are Google images