A Visit to Old York Village Cemetery

Long time readers will know that one of my guilty pleasures is visiting cemeteries and looking at the artwork on the stones. On the way home from Camp Ogunquit, Teague and I stopped at the York Village Museum and visited the cemetery across the street.

The museum docent had said the cemetery had some fine examples of funerary art and the cemetery also had its own witch! The witch's name was Mary and her stone had her portrait on it. Very intriguing.

Beautiful marble stone with two weeping willows, a symbol for the sorrow of those left behind..

Elizabeth,

Relict (archaic form for Widow) of 

David Sewal L.L.D

The three stones at the base of the monument indicate someone stopped by to visit.

Mary, (but not the one I was looking for.)

instead of wife of her stone reads consort of David Sewall

 Her slate headstone is adorned with an urn (a symbol for death) and a lovely border of twisting acanthus leaves as well as a vertical border of diamonds.

William Frost, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War has a plaque that lists his genealogy and curriculum vitae

To the left is the smaller marker for his wife, Elizabeth. She's a mere footnote to his life.

Two similar headstones featuring "Winged Death" meaning life is fleeting

These two headstones are of siblings (my guess) who died as children.

The slate stones weather badly.

An urn with a Weeping Willow

Urn with bunting

Another Mary, but not the one I was looking for

And then I saw her face, carved like a Greek or Roman goddess

Here rests quite free from Lifes

Distrefsing (the f is actually the long s, or double s) care

A loving wife

A tender parent, dear

Cut down in midst of days

As you may see

But - stop - my grief

I soon shall equal be

When death shall stop my breath

And end my time

God grant my dust

May mingle then with thine

Sacred to the Memory of Mrs 

Mary Nasson, wife of Mr. Samuel

Nasson who departed this life

August 28, 1774

Age at (I think) 29

So how did this beloved soul get labeled a witch? According to the docent, in the 1850s or so some man decided Mary must have been a witch because her grave had a 

stone slab. This man thought the slab was meant to keep Mary from rising from the dead! The slab was a common practice an meant to keep animals from digging up the grave. If the idiot really thought about it, why would a witch be buried in consecrated ground?

Those that visit Mary's grave leave her a token. I had a dime in my pocket so left that for her along with an apology for people thinking she was a witch.

The docent said when the grave is full of trinkets, someone from the church across the street disposes of the items and any money left is collected for the church.

Another urn and weeping willow

In memory of my Elizabeth

She died suddenly on a visit to her friends

June 1808

Age 46 years

She needs no storied urn

to record her worth

for she lives in the memory of those

who loved her

and who mourn her.

another Winged Death

Hannah

wife of 

Timothy Grow

died

Aug. 5, 1807

Age 30 years

This unusual stone

has a stylized Winged Death

This Winged Death looks more like an angel or a cherub

Another urn

Under this sod lies

Edward Emerson, Esq.

The mortal part of a man

Who when a child was dutiful

A man honourable A husband affection

ate A parent indulgent A christian hum

ble In age resigned in death believing

Born at Malden AD 1727

Died at York AD 1806

Although Maine started as a separate colony in the 1620s, from 1650s until 1820, Maine was part of Massachusetts. After the Revolutionary War, people in Maine began a 35 year campaign for statehood. With political battles Maine finally became a state in 1820 from: https://www.massmoments.org/moment-details/massachusetts-loses-maine.html#:~:text=Although%20it%20started%20as%20a,35%2Dyear%20campaign%20for%20statehood.

This looks like a happy angel or cherub

In memory of Mrs. Mary Emerson

wife of Mr. Edward Emerson

died 14 May 1793

in the 65th year of her age

Ye weeping friends fupprefs (suppress spelled with the long S) your tears

Her ravifh'd (ravished with long S) Soul now lives above the Stars

Happy Halloween

Blessed Samhain

Happy Monday

Happy Birthday to Ink who would have been 25 years old today