TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTIONS FROM GORHAM page 13 SPRAGUE'S JOURNAL OF MAINE HISTORY Tombstone Inscriptions From Gorham Collected and Contributed by Edgar Crosby Smith Among the many interesting and historical old burying grounds scattered through the older towns of Maine, "The Old Yard" at Gorham is prominent. This cemetery is situated on South Street in Gorham Village, and was donated to the town in 1770 by Jacob Hamblen. It was originally a part of lot 16, his homestead farm. The following are copied inscriptions from some of the tomb- stones and monuments: 14 SPRAGUE'S JOURNAL OF MAINE HISTORY In Memory of Hon. David Harding Born in Wellfleet, Mass. March 14, 1762 Died in Gorham January 10, 1831. He was one of the founders of the Gorham Academy, and for many years represented the Town in the General Court of Massachusetts, enjoying the confidence and respect of all who knew him Temperance Harding wife of Hon. David Harding Born in Barnstable, Mass. November 11, 1760 Died in Gorham Aug. 29, 1810 They were descended from the Pilgrim Fathers of the May Flower in memory of the Hon. William Gorham Esq. Obt. July 22, 1804 age 61 Beloved in life as a man of strict integrity warm & generous benevolence, unshaken friendship: as a Magistrate, inflexibly just: as a husband & parent, tender & affectionate: as a Christian, meek lowly. TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTIONS FROM GORHAM 15 Mrs. Temperance Gorham the virtuous consort of the Hon William Gorham Esq. was interd here April 14, 1788. ,Et 43. Sacred to the memory of The Hon. Stephen Longfellow who was born August 13, 1750 and died May 28, 1824 As a man, a christian and a judge, he was highly respected for his intelligence, integrity and independence. Sacred to the memory of Mrs. Patience Longfellow wife of the Hon. Stephen Longfellow She was born December 5, 1745 and died August 12, 1830 Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord (Note. The two foregoing were grandparents of the poet Longfellow.) Sacred to the memory of Col. Samuel Longfellow who was born July 30, 1789 and died October 13, 1818 "Our hearts are fastened to this world By strong and numerous ties: But every sorrow cuts a string, And urges us to rise" 16 SPRAGUE'S JOURNAL OF MAINE HISTORY In memory of Dr. Nathaniel Bowman Who was Killed on the 18th day of June A. D. 1797, by the falling of the Meeting House of the 1st Parish in Gorham. ae 30 yrs. In memory of Edmund Phinney who was a Col. in the revolutionary war died Dec. 15, 1815 -/Et 85 I know that my Redeemer liveth Reader, this marble speaks no common loss, it guards the remains of one, whose day closed in its dawning. Sylvester, son of Solomon and Joanna Reynolds, of Southport, Tioga Co. N. Y. b. Sept 4, 1826, ae 29. By Foreign Hand thy dying eyes were clos'd. By foreign hands thy decent limbs compos'd By foreign hands thy humble grave adorn'd By strangers honored, and by strangers mourn'd (Note. Reynolds was a clown with a circus which was exhibiting at Gor- ham in 1826, at the time of the accident which caused his death. He was performing a burlesque trapeze act, and fell, receiving injuries from which he died four days later. The circus sent back a delegation to attend the funeral and burial, and a subscription was taken among the members of the troupe to defray the expenses and erect this tablet. He was a young man, well known and esteemed in his profession and his tragic death was the cause of circuses cutting Gorham off their routes for about thirty years. The memory of Reynolds is still kept green among the people of the sawdust ring, and today a circus rarely visits Portland that does not send a delegation to Gorham to decorate the grave, and at times quite an extended memorial service has been held at the cemetery.) Here lies Neptune Stephenson a pious man, died Aug. 9, 1824 ,Et 44 17 (Note. He was a freed slave who settled in Gorham after the emancipation of the Massachusetts slaves.) * * * I subjoin the following inscription taken from the "New Yard," now called the Eastern Cemetery, situated on Main Street, in Gorham Village. Prince A slave, whom the first William McLellan of Gorham bought in Portland, Me. and paid for in Shooks. Prince drove the team to draw them. He ran away and enlisted on Capt. Manley's Privateer and was discharged in Boston, came back, was freed, given 10 acres of land, and a pension. Died 1829, over 100 y's old. His Wives Dinah Chloe died died 1800 1827 - forgotten fact that slavery at one time (Note. This calls tO mind the almost been one of the very existed in the State of Maine. Prince's grave must have until about the first in the yard, as the land was not used for cemetery purposes time of his death.) Enjoy David C. 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