Tombstone Tuesday: American Patriot Thomas Bent

Tombstone Tuesday: Thomas and Mary Bent (Revolutionary War Family)

Died Wednesday Morning

Photo of the double grave of Thomas Bent and his wife Mary,
North Cemetery, Wayland, 2012. Collection of Midge Frazel

This double stone lies outside of the cemetery proper, along the road, which is clearly eroding it faster, as you can see when you look at the photo by Bill Boyington (Find a Grave Memorial).  Notice the flags and the SAR flag holders next to the stone. At the top it says, "Memento mori", and the two winged effigies are of different styles considering this stone was carved at the same time. The words, "In Memory of" span both sides of the gravestone. 

It was easy to find information about this couple who died on the same day (buried in the same grave), 26th July, 1775. NEHGS has them in a manuscript collection of cemetery transcriptions (2002) which gives their birth dates and her parents first names. The vital records of death Wayland, list this family and this cemetery (GR#1)

But, when I did  a Google Book search, I came up with this source (1907) and the information about WHY they died on the same day!

Google Books, out of copyright.

Google Books, out of copyright, 1907, page 235

It would have taken me a long time to research this gravestone if it wasn't for the easily found information online. I wonder how many people have stood in front of this grave and wondered why they died on the same day? I would have guessed smallpox.

Minuteman in the Lexington Company

Alpheus FAY, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Minuteman in the Lexington Company

Patriot's Day is only celebrated in Massachusetts and it is a good day to go out and photograph gravestones of those who served in the Revolutionary War. I took this photo on a lovely fall day in  a nearby and very ancient cemetery. 

I was intrigued by these two side-by-side gravestone in the Old Burying Ground in Southborough, Worcester, Massachusetts. When I first looked at the stones, I thought they might be husband a wife, which is common for this graveyard. But, they are son and his mother. Please notice the sticker placed on the son's grave that says "Veteran'. The son may have been unmarried.

She was over 95 when she died in 1833 and her son died in 1830. Mary FAY's husband Major Josiah FAY and her son (buried with her) both served in the Revolution.  Josiah is a recognized patriot in the DAR database. (MA SOLS & SAILS, VOL 5, P 578) (from a SAR record)

My husband does have Fay folks in his family so this is a third cousin situation. This is the classic 1830's weeping willow style gravestone. They are quite easy to read. They have lasted quite nicely though the winters and the Hurricane of 1938 which toppled trees and broke gravestones in this graveyard.

Capt. Thomas WHITMAN

Capt. Thomas WHITMAN, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Tombstone Tuesday: 14 Feb 20112

Teaching with Cemeteries: Graves of Veterans 

I am a firm believer that everyone who enjoys taking photo in a cemetery should take a few shots of any veteran graves as they pass by them on the hunt for their ancestors.  If you post any gravestones to Find-a-Grave, these photo should be included. Never forget.

This is the gravestone for Capt. Thomas WHITMAN (Find a Grave post) and his wife Jemima. The gravestone carver chose this ornate script which is quickly becoming unreadable. (except for the huge date!). This is the part of the cemetery map where this family monument is located.

Capt. Thomas Whitman5, descendant of John Whitman of Weymouth, (Zechariah4, Deacon John3, Rev. Zechariah2, Ensign/Rev John1) was probably related to the Whitman family of Bridgewater whose graves I photographed while living there. (The world can be a small place.) (compiled genealogy of John Whitman p. 686)

This is the flag holder to the side of the monument. 


These are the records that I have found about Thomas and his wife all from the VR of Stow to 1850:

Thomas WHITMAN
Thomas and Jamima Portor, int. June 5, 1773.

Marriage, Stow, MA

Thomas WHITMAN
Thomas, Capt., July 27, 1821. [[h. Jemima] a. 70, G.R.2.]

Death, Stow, MA

Jemima WHITMAN
Jemima, w. Capt. Thomas, Sept. 26, 1837, a. 87. G.R.2.

Death, Stow, MA

plus Thomas's birth to Zechariah and Elizabeth (Gates) Whitman.\ on 18 Oct 1751

From the Descendants of John Whitman of Weymouth, MA. p. 686.


I have to investigate the photographs of the other sides of his monument...

Deacon Josiah HAYNES

Deacon Josiah HAYNES, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

In Freedom's Cause

Deacon Josiah Haynes died on 19 April 1775 in the first battle of the Revolutionary War which we here in Massachusetts on the third Monday in April. We call it Patriot's Day to remember those who died in the this war.

Josiah was 79 years old and a farmer in Sudbury, MA when according to the History of Sudbury written by Alfred Sereno Hudson (Google Books) tells the history on page 381. Josiah has an elementary school and a street named in his honor and there is a great synopsis of the history on the school's page. I was inspired by the Find a Grave photo to find this special gravestone.

Josiah has this lovely gravestone with a great epitaph. I love the guide lines and the lettering. It is this stone that I decided to measure the distance between the headstone and footstone.

In Memory of/ Deacon Josiah Haynes/who died/in Freedom's Cause the 19th of April, 1775./ In the 79th year of his Age.

Come listen all unto this call/Which God doth make today/For You must die as well as I/And pass from hence away.

As a member of the DAR, I celebrate the life and service that this man made for our freedom. Thank you Josiah.

Back of Revolutionary War Monument

Back of Revolutionary War Monument, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

This view of the monument is from the Mount Pleasant Cemetery on the hill overlooking the Revolutionary War graveyard.

Stephen AVERY

Stephen AVERY
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

Tombstone Tuesday, 6 October 2009

Stephen AVERY, born 13 Jan 1756 was a Revolutionary War soldier. He served in the 4th Connecticut Regiment 1780.

He died April 1, 1828 and is buried in Great Plain Cemetery in North Stonington, New London, CT. He married twice and had 14 children. His last child, Frances Mary AVERY was the first wife of Judge Richard WHEELER, author of the History of Stonington.

He was the son of the Rev. Nathan AVERY and his wife Hannah STODDARD. They are buried in the same row of gravestones as their son. Rev. Nathan AVERY's gravestone can be found in the Farber Gravestone Collection, which makes it an example of early New England gravestones.

Stephen was "a prominent man in Stonington, and held various public offices of trust, particularly town clerk, which he held a number of years before and at the time when the town was divided and the town of North Stonington was established in 1807, again being elected town clerk of North Stonington, which he held until his death." [Source: Judge Richard Anson Wheeler's History of Stonington #159, p. 207, 208, 209.]

Mr. Stephen Avery, as a justice of the peace, married Edward Stewart and Rebecca Noyes {my 3rd great grandparents] in 1801. It is his signature on the hand written marriage certificate that piqued my interest to seek out his gravestone. His perfect handwriting can be seen in the ledgers for the town of North Stonington. It is a genealogist's dream to have records that are so legible.

Rest in peace, Mr. AVERY

Revolutionary War Patriot

Cuff ASHPORT [Close up]
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

This is the humble grave of Cuff ASHPORT who was also known as Cuff MITCHELL. He is the only person of color buried in this the oldest cemetery (Old Parish Cemetery) in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. [graveyard established in 1717]

According to the research done for his grave listing at Find a Grave, Cuff bought his freedom from Nathan Mitchell in 1775 and enlisted to fight in the Revolution.

He was married and had children and his wife collected his pension. The document is many pages long with many depositions as to his service, his character and to his service in the Revolution.

His grave, now weathered and unreadable, simply said, "Cuff Ashford, 1827. " He was almost 81 when he died.

This is a Patriot of our country and we should be proud of him!

Update! I posted this to Find a Grave and the person who posted all the information about him was delighted. How nice it is to see that!

Learning Footnote

Yesterday, I began to work on the proofs that I will need to prove that my ancestor, Isaac Denison, served in the American Revolution. To do this I needed to spend some quiet time working with Footnote.com where I have a paid, premium subscription.

I found, a few months back, that the book [yes, that's right, a book in print] transcribed the name of my ancestor incorrectly. They list his name as Israel. The material for that book which is called, Connecticut Men in the Revolution, was taken from the images of the handwritten rolls of Revolutionary service records. It did not make sense to me that my direct line ancestor did not serve some time when Grace Denison Wheeler's book lists his service as opening his home in Mystic to the needs of the Revolutionary War men in the area. In the attic of the old Homestead, a cloak was found that is of the right era that was marked as belonging to him.

I learned to read the Revolutionary War Service Records and when I found the right regiment and year, I discovered that I could do a one-to-one correspondence with the names. Footnote has annotated the names, which makes the task easier. Of course, I must print out this information to send to the DAR so I will have to make sure that it is clearly visible to them.

The Footnote blog had a blog entry on how you can put images from these rolls to your Web site or blog so following the information given, I tried it. See my next post down for the clearly visible name.

Col. Bendadam GALLUP

Bendadam GALLUP
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

Col. Benadam GALLUP, my Revolutionary War ancestor that I proved my descent from to join the DAR

He was a member of the Committee of Safety and Colonel of the militia (he declined a regular apponitment and chose to stay in the militia) of Wadsworth’s Brigade at the Battle of Long Island and in the retreat from New York City. In 1777, he commanded a regiment for coast defense. [Commission dated 2 Dec 1776 signed by Governor Trumbull]

Benadam was born 26 Oct 1716 and married married, August 11, 1740, Hannah Avery, of Groton. He died in Groton on 19 May 1800. Benadam and Hannah had 11 children.

His parents and grandparents are buried at Whitehall Burying Ground in Mystic.

Cloak of Isaac DENISON, Sr.

Cloak of Isaac DENISON, Sr.
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel.

This cloak was found in the attic of the Denison Homestead with a note claiming it was the cloak that he wore during the Revolutionary War. (see "If Cloaks Could Talk" in this article)

Since Grace Denison Wheeler's book states that he was too ill to serve, this cloak may have survived because he didn't fight in the harsh outside weather of Connecticut but wore it when he opened his home for those who were fighting.

It is a great treasure. I enjoyed seeing it, touching it (with gloves on, of course) and photographing it. Not every family is so lucky to have such an honored piece of clothing worn by our ancestor.

Isaac DENISON, Sr.

Isaac DENISON, Sr.
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel.

Isaac DENISON, Sr. (Capt. Daniel, Jr. 4, Dea Daniel, Sr. 2, Capt. John2, Capt. George1)
born 20 Dec 1751 in Stonington, CT, bapt. 1777
died 4 Feb 1817 in Stonington, CT

married Eunice WILLIAMS on 10 Nov 1773

Gravestone Transcription:
Sacred/to the memory of /Mr. Isaac Denison/who died Feby 4th 1817 /aged 66 years/

(Revelations 14:13) Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord for they rest from their labors and their works do follow them.

The Homes of Our Ancestors in Stonington, Conn. Grace Denison Wheeler. Salem: Newcomb& Gauss 1903. Chapter Fifth: p.99

"John Denison's great-grandson Isaac, being in poor health, was not able to go into the Revolutionary war, but opened this manion house, in which he lived, for the shelter and care of many refugees from Long Island, when the British held the same, during the war."