Life and times in Hopkinton, . ere were sometimes attempts at preserving thememories of the dead by rude headstones of unhewn rock,in which were cut the initials of the deceased. A numberof these headstones can be seen in the old cemetery onPutneys hill. Only one of these bears a date. It is inmemory of a child. The whole inscription is 1758, J. C,the initials being cut below the date. As soon as the pros-perity of the local settlement would allow, wrought grave-stones began to be used. These were at first with shape-less sculpture decked, being exceedingly rude. In the oldgraveyard on Put
Life and times in Hopkinton, . ere were sometimes attempts at preserving thememories of the dead by rude headstones of unhewn rock,in which were cut the initials of the deceased. A numberof these headstones can be seen in the old cemetery onPutneys hill. Only one of these bears a date. It is inmemory of a child. The whole inscription is 1758, J. C,the initials being cut below the date. As soon as the pros-perity of the local settlement would allow, wrought grave-stones began to be used. These were at first with shape-less sculpture decked, being exceedingly rude. In the oldgraveyard on Putneys hill are the two oldest artificialheadstones in town. One is a memento of Lieut. AaronKimball, who died July 30, 1760, aged 50; the other, ofJeremiah Kimball, who died May 18,1764, aged 56. Theseheadstones are supplemented by corresponding footstones. The gravestones of the older time sometimes exhibited aprolixity of inscription that was quite noticeable. The mostremarkable case in kind is seen in the lower village Seth Webber. CUSTOMS AND ASSOCEATED EVENTS. 261 On a large slate headstone, finely sculptured on its face, isthe following elaborate inscription : In testimony of sincere affection, This humble monument was erected by E. Darling, to inform the passing stranger that beneath rests the head of his beloved Eliza W. Parker, youngest daughter of Lt. E. P., who died of consumption May 11, 1820, 2Et. 18. Invidious Death! How dost thou rend asunder The bonds of nature and the ties of love. In Coelo optamus convenire. We know that her Redeemer liveth. On the left of this inscription, according to the readersobservation, is the perpendicularly chiselled sentiment, Her Eulogy is written on the hearts of her friends ;on the right, another, Her friends were—ALL, who knew her. The first artificial headstones in the town were of slate-stone, rudely sculptured, with a deaths head and came the improved slab of slate, on which themonument and weeping
Size: 1365px × 1830px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidlifetimesinh, bookyear1890
