Farewell Messages: A Tour of the epitaphs at St. Paul's

Map and guide for the epitaph tour of the historic cemetery at St. Paul's.

NPS

This is a self-guided tour that explores the historic cemetery at St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site, located in Mt. Vernon, New York. The tour takes approximately 45 minutes. Specifically, the tour focuses on 11 of the more interesting and meaningful epitaphs that memorialize those people who are buried within the cemetery. The epitaphs vary in content and significance, although in a churchyard, religious faith is perhaps the dominant theme. Use the attached map to locate the points of interest. The tour begins at the gravesite of Mary Smalls, and then moves counter-clockwise.

1. Mary Smalls:

1790-1820“Affliction sore long time she bore, physicians aid was vain; till God pleased to give her ease, and free her from her pain.” This epitaph clearly displays suffering. Smalls appears to have suffered for an extended period of time before being given God’s grace and was “allowed to die.” The physician’s treatment proved to be ineffective for Smalls. Religiously, the author may have felt that God was testing Smalls’ willpower and strength. Smalls’ ailment at the time may have been unavoidable due to the limits of the medical field. Today, Smalls may have been able to survive with the advances in medicine.

1. 2. John Ward:

1778-1806“In this dark tomb remains my partner dear. So much esteem’d and lov’d by me while here; I hope and trust to see thee as thou art, in heavenly glory never more to part.”This epitaph, which appears to have been written by his wife, signifies his wife’s love for her husband. Although a death before thirty was not extremely uncommon during the early 19^th century, it still proved to be agonizing and gloomy. This is shown through her description of the “dark tomb.” The wife’s words have religious significance as she suggests that they will later reunite in heaven

1. 3. Joshua Pinkney:

1809-1867“Deprived of sight in early manhood, he ever bore his loss with Christian resignation.” This epitaph relates to blindness in the 19^th century. Pinkney was blind throughout most of his life and apparently was able to live his life as a “good” Christian while accepting his health condition. By the early 19^th century, there was a greater focus on the needs of blind individuals. Louie Braille’s writing system as well as the first publically funded school for the blind, were created in 1834 and 1837, respectively. These advances did take place during Pinkney’s lifetime, but their effects on his life are unknown.

1. 4. Aaron Ogden Price:

1806-1845 “An honest man is the noblest work of God.” This epitaph originates from a quote by the English Poet, Alexander Pope, who lived between 1688 and 1744. Pope is perhaps best known for his translations of Homer’s two epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey. The quote suggests that an individual of high moral standards best reflects God. An honest man is able to serve God in the most ethical way. This epitaph was meant to teach Price’s visitors about having good and respectable values. The author wanted to make it known that Price lived a moral life and that the visitors should as well.

1. 5. Elijah Townsend:

1786-1807“I’ve paid the debt to nature due.” This epitaph simply describes death. Paying a “debt to nature due” describes the act of dying. Different variations of this epitaph were very prevalent during the 18^th and 19^th centuries throughout the United States. Another variation that was common during this era includes the poetic verse: “Death is a debt to nature due, which I have paid and so must you.” Death, in this case, is inevitable and is designated as a natural part of life that each and every individual must encounter. The verse does have religious significance as it most likely relates to God ending an individual’s life when it was deemed best. The individual contributed their role to nature or society, and thus was deemed “ready” for death. The epitaph does not describe a depressing moment; but rather a natural part of life.

1. 6. Susannah Meyers:

1828-1858“Farewell dear wife, thou art gone. To fairer worlds on high. Thy soul has gained a happy place with Jesus in the sky.” This epitaph appears to be written by Ferdinand Meyers in reference to the death of his wife, Susannah. Ferdinand appears to have had great affection for his “dear” wife and appears to have found comfort in believing that her soul would be with Jesus. Susannah is also buried with her son, William, who had died at the age of three months. Susannah may have died due to complications from childbirth, which was not uncommon during the 19^th century. In only a short period of time, Ferdinand had been left widowed and had experienced the loss of a child.

1. 7. Phenihas Rich:

1771-1810“Reader, behold and drop a tear. Here lies a tender husband, an affectionate father, and a dear friend.” This epitaph is memorializing Phenihas Rich. Described as a tender, affectionate, and dear, the writer of the epitaph encourages the reader or a visitor of the gravestone to outwardly display their emotions through crying. There is no need, according to the writer wanted the reader to be well aware of the characteristics that this individual displayed throughout his lifetime. It can be assumed that Phenihas Rich was well-respected by his wife, his family, and his friends.

1. 8. Thomas:

1792-1813“Well done thou good and faithful Servant: enter thou into the joy of thy reward.” In this epitaph, Thomas was thanked for his work as a servant to Philip and Deborah Rhinelander during his lifetime after a brief, 21 year life. “Enter thou into the joy of thy reward,” suggests religious significance, signaling that he would be rewarded for his faithful work in heaven. Bondage was abolished in New York in 1827, roughly 14 years after Thomas’ death. During Thomas’ lifetime, enslaved Africans or “servants” as they were known represented 10 to 15 percent of Eastchester’s population. Servants like Thomas would have been used as farm hands, domestic servants, or as apprentices to craftsmen.

1. 9. Edward Gay:

1837-1928“[Tomorrow] to fresh woods and pastures new!” This epitaph originates from John Milton’s poem “Lycidas,” which had been written in 1637. Milton’s “Lycidas,” which is often regarded as Milton’s best work, was written as a pastoral elegy. The poem memorializes Milton’s friend, Edward King, who had drowned in the Irish Sea in 1637 after his boat sank. The use of this line may refer to death and the afterlife, suggesting that life does not necessarily end and that the fresh woods and pastures new could be new opportunities. Gay was known for his work as a landscape painter. The use of this particular line could also signify Gay’s emigration from Ireland to the United States in 1848.

1. 10. Mangle Minthorne Pell:

1788-1805“Died at East Chester the 16^th day of August 1805 of the Epedemic prevailing in the City of New York Aged 16 Years 10 Months and & 5 days.” This epitaph relates to the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1805. This epidemic was one of many Yellow Fever outbreaks that struck the United States during the late 18^th and 19^th centuries. The epidemics claimed the lives of many young individuals. Pell’s death in the year 1805 coincides with New York City’s creation of the Board of Health. New York City spent more than $25,000 trying to fight Yellow Fever in 1805, yet the budget dramatically decreased after the outbreak until the next one had struck the city in 1819. At the time, New York City paid little attention to health and often took reactive stances in response to outbreaks and epidemics.

1. 11. Lewis Rich:

1822-1892“We meet upon the level and we part upon the square.”This epitaph originates from the Masonic poem, “The Level and the Square.” This poem was written in 1854 by Brother Robert Morris, the Poet Laureate of Freemasonry. Freemasonry was created as a fraternal organization or a brotherhood and it has an extended history. This work by Morris is symbolic of the system of morality that was created by the Freemasons. “Meeting upon the level” suggests that all Freemasons are of equal stature. “Part upon the square” represents advice that Freemasons state to one another, in order to remember the ideals of honesty and morality; key to Freemasonry. Rich appeared to have been a proud Freemason who believed in and upheld the ideals of the organization.