Epitaphs, Lynn, Mass., from the History of Lynn by Alonzo Lewis & Newhall Date: Friday, August 17, 2001 10:16 PM Subject: Epitaphs, Lynn, Mass Source: History of Lynn, Massachusetts by Alonzo Lewis & James R. Newhall 1865 p.226 John Henry Burchsted, a native of Silesia married Mary, widow of Nathaniel Kertland on April 24, 1690. Henry, his son was born Oct 3, 1690. They were both eminent physicians and lived on the south side of Essex street, between High and Pearl streets. There were two sons, both physicians. One was a surgeon in the British Navy; the other was Dr. Henry Burchsted of Lynn, who also had a son Henry, a physician. Dr. John Henry Bruchsted died Sept. 20, 1721 aged 64. The following is his epitaph: "Silesia to New England sent this man, To do their all that any healer can, But he who conquered all diseases must Find one to throw him down into the dust. A chemist near to an adeptist come, Leaves here, thrown by, his caput mortuum. Reader, physicians die as others do; Prepare, for thou to this art hastening too." p.490 Mr. John Burill died of small-pox on the 10th of December, 1721, leaving no children. His grave stone may still be seen in the Old Burying Ground near thw west end of the common; and it bears these lines: "Alas! our patron's dead! The country - court The church - in tears, all echo the report; Grieved that no piety, no mastering sense, No counsel, gravity, no eloquence, No generous temper, gravitating to These honors, which they did upon him throw, Could stay his fate, or their dear Burrill save >From a contagious sickness and the grave. The adjacent towns this loss reluctant bear, But widowed Lynn sustains the greatest share! Yet joys in being guardian of his dust Until the resurrection of the just." The Boston News Letter of Monday, December 18, 1721, contained the following notice, under date Lynn, December 11: "The last night the Honorable John Burrill, Esq., one of his Majesty's Council and one of the Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas for the County of Essex, died of the small-pox, in the 62nd year of his age. He had been for many years Speaker of the House of Representatives and behaved himself in that chair with great integrity, modesty and skill; having a just and equal regard to the honor of the government and the liberty of the people; so that he was highly esteemed and beloved by both. He was a man of true and ex- emplary piety and virtue, endowed with a very clear understanding, solid judgement, and sound discretion. And God made him a great blessing not only to his town and county, but to the whole province. Isaiah III. 1: 'For behold, the Lord God of Hosts doth take away from Judah the stay and the staff - the Judge - and the prudent - the honorable and the counsellor." p.299 The oldest grave stone in the burying ground near the west end of Lynn Common bears this inscription: "Here lyeth ye body of John Clifford. Died June ye 17, 1698 in ye 68th year of his Age." It is on the west of the foot path leading from the front entrance, and, unlike the other old stones, faces the east. The 9 in the date has been altered, in a rough way, so as to resemble a 2, and hence some have been deceived into the belief that there was a burial here as early as 1628. Mr. Lewis declared the alteration to have been made in 1806 by a pupil at Lynn Academy. This John Clifford appears to have been the same individual who owned lands in the vicinity of Mineral Spring. He was made a freeman in 1678 and is sometimes called of Salem; which would be natural enough if he lived anywhere about Spring Pond. I think he married Elizabeth Richardson, perhaps as a 2nd wife on Sept 28, 1688, he being then some 58 years of age. p.236 1656. This year Rev. Thomas Cobbett relinquished his connection with the church at Lynn and removed to Ipswich. He was born at Newbury in England 1608. He came to Lynn in 1637 and was welcomed by Mr. Whiting with whom he had commenced a friendship in England. Mr. Mather says, "they were almost every day together, and thought it a long day if they were not so; the one rarely travelling abroad without the other." Mr. Cobbet preached at Lynn nineteen years and 29 years at Ipswich. In 1666 he preached the election sermon. He died on Thursday November 5, 1685 and was buried the next Monday. Mr. Cobbet appears to have been much esteemed. The following epitaph to his memory is one of the best of Mr. Mather's productions: Sta viator; thesaurus hic jacet; Thomas Corbetus; Cujus, nosti preces potentissimas, ac mores probatissimos, Si es Nov-Auglus. Mirare, si pietatem colas; Sequere, si felicitatem optes. Stop, traveler, a treasure's buried here; Our Thomas Cobbet claims the tribute tear. His prayers were powerful, his manners pure, As thou, if of New England's sons, are sure. If thou reverest piety, admire; And imitate, if bliss be thy desire." p.333 The following epitaph was written for Rev. Nathaniel Henchman, son of Mr. Nathaniel Henchman, a bookbinder and deacon of the church in Boston. He was born on the 22nd of Nov 1700 according to a statement on the Lynn Records. His residence was on North Common street between Mall and Park streets. "Three times aloud the summons hath been blown, To call Lynn's watchmen to the highest throne. First Whting left the church her loss to weep; Then Shepard next resigned his peaceful sheep; Our other shepherd now gives up the trust, And leaves his charge to slumber in the dust. A few fleet years, and the last trump will sound, To call our Henchman from the silent ground. Then we who wake and they who sleep must come, To hear the Judge pronounce the righteous doom. Mr. Henchman had two wifes; (1) Deborah Walker in 1727, and (2) Lydia Lewis in 1734. He had five children: 1. Dr. Nathaniel b. April 1, 1728, grad. Harvard Univ in 1747, town clerk of Lynn 2 yrs; died May 30, 1767 aged 39. 2. Daniel. 3. Anna 4. Lydia 5. Anna 2d. p.314 Rev. Jeremiah Shepard was the 4th son of Rev. Thomas Shepard, minister at Cambridge, who came from Towcester in England in 1635. His mother who was his father's 3d wife, was Margaret Boradile. He was born at Cambridge Aug 11, 1648 and grad. Harvard in 1669. He was the 1st minister of Lynn who was born and educated in America. His brother Thomas Shepard was minister at Charlestown and his brother Samuel Shepard was minister at Rowley. He came to Lynn in 1679 during the sickness of Mr. Whiting and ordained Oct 6, 1680. He was admitted freeman in the same year. He resided 1st in the street which has been called by his name; and afterward built a house which was burnt down on the north side of the common, between Mall and Park streets. The following epitaph was transcribed from the grave stone of Mr. Shepard with much difficulty having become nearly obliterated by the dilapidations of time: "Elijah's mantle drops, the prophet dies, His earthly manson quits, and mounts the skies. _____________ So Shepherd's gone. His precious dust, death's prey, indeed is here. But nobler breath 'mong seraphs does appear; He joins the adoring crowds about the throne, He's conquered all and now he wears the crown." p.426 The first burial in Pine Grove Cemetery took place on Sunday October 13th, 1850. It was on Myrtle path and is in lot number 212. The stone bears this inscription: "Harriet Newell, wife of George W. Stocker, died Oct. 11, 1850 aged 27 years. Faithful while below, she did her duty well. The first interment and the First stone erected in this Cemetery." p.339 Mr. Daniel Townsend. He was born December 26, 1738. A stone has been erected to his memory, at Lynnfield, with the following inscription: (died April 19, 1775) "Lie, valiant Townsend, in the peaceful shades; we trust, Immortal honors mingle with thy dust. What though thy body struggled in its gore? So did thy Saviour's body, long before; And as he raised his own, by power devine, So the same power shall also quicken thine, And in eternal glory mayst thou shine." He left a wife and five young children. The obituary notice and lines were probably written by some patriotic friend, the latter being tranferred to the stone when it was erected. The Essex Gazette of May 2nd says: "he was a friend to his country, a blessing to society and an ornament to the church of which he was a member" In the number of the wounded, was Timothy Munroe of Lynn. He was standing behind a house with Daniel Townsend, firing at the British troops as they were coming down the road, in their retreat toward Boston. Townsend had just fired and exclaimed, "There is another redcoat down," when Munroe looking round saw to his astonishment, that they were completely hemmed in the the flank guard of the British army who were coming down through the field behind them. They immediately ran into the house and sought the cellar; but no cellar was there. They looked for a closet but there was none. All this time the balls were pouring thru the back windows making havoc of the glass. Townsend leaped thru the end window, carrying the sash and all with him and instantly fell dead. April 19th, 1775 p.270 Rev. Samuel Whiting. Mr. Whiting made his will on the 25th of Feb. 1679. "After my committing my dear flock unto the tender care of that great and good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ." He gave his son Samuel of Billerica his house and fourteen acres of marsh at Lynn; and his son Joseph his dwelling house, orchard and eight acres of marsh at Lynn. And he remembered his other children. His money and plate amounted to 77 pounds 2 shillings; and his whole estate to 570 pounds 15 shillings and 6 pence. He died on the 11th of December 1679 at the age of 82; having preached at Lynn, forty three years. The following epitaph has been applied to him by Mr. Mather: In Christo vixi morior, vivoque, Whitingus; Do sordes morti, cetera, O Christe, tibi, do. "In Christ I lived and died, and yet I live; My dust to earth, my soul to Christ I give." Rev. Samuel Whiting married two wives in England. By his first wife he had three children. Two of them were sons, who, with their mother, died in England. The other, a daughter , who came with her father to America, married Mr. Thomas Weld of Roxbury. His 2nd wife was Elizabeth St. John of Bedfordshire to whom he was married in 1630. She was a dau of Oliver St. John, Chief Justice of England at the time of Oliver Cromwell. She came to Lynn with her husband and died on the 3rd of March 1677 aged 72 years. Author's note: Mrs. Whting was a sister not a dau. of Chief Justice St. John. Her pedigree as given by Clifford Stanley Simms, of Philedelphia may be found in the NEHG Register, v.14, p.61. It is there stated that Elizabeth St. John Whiting was 6th cousin to King Henry VII. By his 2nd wife Rev.Samuel Whiting had six children: four sons and two daughters. One dau married the Rev. Jeremiah Hobart of Topsfield; and one son and one daughter died at Lynn. The other three sons received an education at Cambridge: Rev. Samuel Whiting Jr. b. in England 1633, studied with his father in Lynn and grad at Cambridge 1653. Ordained at Billerica Nov 11, 1663; the name of his wife was Dorcas and they had ten children: 1. Elizabeth. 2. Samuel. 3. Rev. John, minister at Lancaster, where he was killed by the Indians, Nov 11, 1697 aged 33 yrs.; 4. Oliver. 5 Dorothy. 6. Joseph. 7 James. 8. Eunice. 9. Benjamin. 10. Benjamin, again. p.275 Of the descendants of Rev. Samuel Whiting now (1844) living are the Rev. Samuel Whiting, minister of Billerica and Henry Whiting, an officer in the service of the United States and author of a beautifil Indian tale entitled "Ontwa, or the Son of the Forest." Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth ______________________________