Oft’ have I stood on Plymouth’s sacred hill
That overlooks both harbor and the town;
Its first laid street, a Pilgrim mecca still,
Steeped in historic precept and renown.
Where bay in iridescence greets the eye,
Flecked by ocean breeze and white-winged sail.
While in the foreground looking toward the sky
Are silent emblems of a past travail.
Hallowed the ground whereon they humbly dwelt,
Where now in honor sleep our reverend sires;
Where once in life they oft’ devoutly knelt
And asked for guidance only faith inspires.
What wealth of legend, yea, what wealth of lore,
Abounds along this tranquil Pilgrim shore!
The oldest stones in order of dates on the hill are those of:
Edward Grey 1681
William Crowe 1683-4
Hannah Clark 1687
Thomas Cushman 1691
Thomas Clark 1697
The children of John and Josiah Cotton 1699
The stone of Nathaniel Thomas 1697
[Illustration: ONE OF MANY OLD STONES ON BURIAL HILL]
There is a doubt concerning the last named as the inscription is now
illegible, but his death is supposed to have occurred in 1697.
Near the northwest entrance through which we entered is the replica of
the old Powder House built in 1770 and later demolished. The present
structure was a gift of the Massachusetts Society of the Sons of the
American Revolution.
Burial Hill was well chosen as the site of the first fort. As it was
easily approachable from First Street (now Leyden) and commanded the
surrounding territory for some distance in all directions, it served as
an excellent defense against attack by Indians. The locations of the
fort and watch tower are marked by appropriately inscribed tablets.
But a few steps away to the north is the grave of Gov. William Bradford
(numbered 32) over which stands a marble shaft erected in 1825, bearing
the Latin inscription, the free translation of which is: “What our
Fathers with so much difficulty attained, do not basely relinquish.”
The inscription on the south side reads:
H. I. William Bradford of Austerfield, Yorkshire, England. Was the son
of William and Alice Bradford. He was Governor of Plymouth Colony from
1621 to 1633, 1635 to 1637, 1639 to 1643, 1645 to 1657.
The inscription on the north side follows:
Under this stone rest the ashes of William Bradford, a zealous Puritan
and sincere Christian Gov. of Ply. Col. from 1621 to 1657, (the year
he died, aged 69) except 5 yrs. which he declined.
There is also a text in Hebrew, now almost obliterated, which has been
translated,
“Let the right hand of the Lord awake.”
Descendants of Governor William Bradford are buried in the immediate
vicinity.
No. 33—Major William Bradford, Dep. Gov. of Plymouth Colony, and a son
of Gov. Bradford. The inscription on this stone is as follows:
Here lyes ye body of ye honorable Major William Bradford who expired
Feb’ ye 20th. 1703-4 aged 79 years.
He lived long, but still was doing good,
And in his country’s service lost much blood,
And a life well spent, he’s now at rest,
His very name and memory is blest.
At the grave of Joseph Bradford, another son, the inscription on the
stone reads as follows:
Here lyes ye body of Joseph Bradford, son of the late Honorable
William Bradford, Esq., Governor of Plymouth Colony, who departed this
life July the 10th, in the eighty-fifth year of his age.
No. 35—Stone over the grave of John Howland, the last of the Mayflower
passengers who lived in Plymouth. The inscription on this stone reads as
follows:
Here ended the Pilgrimage of John Howland, who died February 23,
1672-3 aged above 80 years. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John
Tilley, who came with him in the Mayflower Dec. 1620. From them are
descended a numerous posterity.
“He was a godly man and an ancient professor in the wayes of Christ.
Hee was one of the first comers into this land and was the last man
that was left of those that came over in the Shipp called the
Mayflower that lived in Plymouth.” (Plymouth Records.)
No. 44—Stone at grave of William Crowe bearing dates 1683-84.
For complete story of Burial Hill and detailed guide map showing name
and location of all the graves the reader is referred to The Pilgrim
Guide to Burial Hill and Its Epitaphs, available at most Plymouth
stores. The map is indispensable in locating the graves.
No. 40—Stone to Thomas Clark 1697.
Stone to Hannah Clark 1697.
Near the stone of Thomas Clark is stone to Nathaniel Clark, his son. The
latter was a councilor to Sir Edward Andros, Governor of New England.
No. 38—Stone to John Cotton 1699.
Graves of the Cottons. Three sons of Rev. John Cotton and seven sons of
Josiah Cotton.
The Cushman gravestone 1691. This noted gravestone is one of the six
bearing date in the seventeenth century. This ancient landmark was
removed by the descendants of Elder Thomas Cushman to make room as they
say “for a more enduring memorial.”
The Cushman monument on the north side of the hill was erected in 1858
in memory of Robert Cushman, his wife Mary, and Thomas Cushman, the
latter for many years a ruling elder in the First Church.
The foregoing are the oldest stones on the hill.
Others are: No. 31—Thomas Faunce 1646-1745. Elder First Church
1699-1745. Town Clerk 1685-1723.
No. 36 is the grave of Nathaniel Jackson. The stone is the oldest
Masonic stone on the hill. It is dated 1743.
No. 37—Stone over the grave of Francis LeBaron 1704. The “Nameless
Nobleman.”
No. 41—Grave of sailors from brig Gen. Arnold who perished in Plymouth
Harbor. James Magee of Boston was the unfortunate commander of this
ill-fated ship. The site is marked by a monument erected through the
generosity of Stephen Gale of Portland, Maine. This is on the west side
of the hill.
No. 42—Tabitha Plasket, June 10, 1807. (Epitaph on following page).
No. 43—Gen. James Warren lot. Patriot and Soldier.
No. 45—Site of fort built in 1622; the lower part was used for a church;
also fort built in 1675—100 ft. square with palisades 10½ ft. high.
There are many peculiar epitaphs, some in prose and some in verse, and
expressive of about every shade and degree of sentiment. A few of these
follow:
(Blue stone, slate. Top and right-hand corner gone) Capt. Ellis Brews——
and Nancy —— wife died Dec. 13, 189— aged —4 years (where lines appear
letters and figures are obliterated). The name, however, is Brewster,
and originally read—Son of:
“He listen’d for a while to hear
Our mortal griefs then turned his ear
To angel harps and songs and cried
To join their notes celestial sigh’d and dyed.”
(Low blue slate. Sound and compact. Symbol). In memory of Frederic, son
of Mr. Thomas Jackson and Mrs. Lucy, his wife who died March 15, 1788,
aged 1 year and 5 days.
O! happy Probationer! accepted, without being exercised!—It was thy
peculiar Privilege not to feel the slightest of these Evils, which
oppress thy surviving kindred.
(Blue slate; pyramidal; good condition. At top bust of female under
curtain drapery. The epitaph is from Young’s Night Thoughts,
“Narcissa.”)
Fanny Crombie, daughter of Mr. Calvin Crombie and Mrs. Naomi, his wife.
Departed this life June 25th, 1804, in the 8th year of her age.
As young as beautiful and soft as young
And gay as soft and innocent as gay.
Note: In quoting these epitaphs the writer has referred to book compiled
in 1894 by the late Benjamin Drew of Plymouth.
(Blue slate. Good condition. Weeping willow and urn.)
To the memory of ISAAC COAL, son of Mr. Isaac Coal and Mrs. Sarah, his
wife, who died Aug. 28, 1825, in the 17th year of his age.
Friends and Physicians could not save
His mortal body from the grave
Nor can the grave confine him here
When CHRIST shall call him to appear.
(Blue slate. Good condition. Weeping willow and urn).
In memory of Mrs. Tabitha Plasket, who died June 10, 1807, aged 64
years.
Adieu vain world I have seen enough of thee
And I am careless what thou say’st of me
Thy smiles I wish not;
Nor the frowns I fear
I am now at rest my head lies quiet here.
(Stone of blue slate. Moss grown. Defaced. Cleft Broken Symbol.)
—ere lyes Buried—body of Mrs. Sarah Atwood, wife of Deacon John ——
died Jan. ye 22d 1725 in ye 37th year of her age.
(Purplish blue slate. Nearly covered with moss. Symbol surrounded with
blossoms.)
The memory of the Just is Blessed.
Here lyes the Body of Mr. John Atwood who died on the 6th of August A
D 1754 AEtatis 70 years. He was a Man of Piety & Religion Adorned with
every Christian grace & virtue & therefore well qualified for ye
office of a Deacon which he discharged in ye first Church of Christ in
this Town for about 40 Years with Honesty & uprightness and in the
Course of his Life adorned the Doctrine of His Saviour by a well
ordered Conversation.
Some are truly inspirational as shown by the following:
(White marble, fair condition, Urn.)
Patience C. Holmes, Daug. of Nathan and Ruth Holmes. Died April 1,
1845, in her 24 y’r.
“Shed not for her the bitter tear
Nor give the heart to vain regret,
’Tis but the casket that lies here;
The gem that fill’d it sparkles yet.”