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Block Island Cemetery
"A copy of the old epitaphs in the burying ground of Block Island, R.I.
"
by Edward Doubleday Harris
pub. Cambridge; by Press of John Wilson and Son, 1883

[Transcribed and Submitted to Genealogy Trails by K. Torp]


Block Island Cemetery

Located at Latitude: 41.1787144 ; Longitude: -71.5817229
Variant Names: "Island Cemetery", "Block Island Historical Cemetery", "Manitou's Little Island".



BLOCK ISLAND, named for the Dutch explorer, Adrian Block, is in latitude 410 08' North, and longitude 710 33' West. It is distant southwest from Newport about thirty miles, and north of east from Montauk, the easterly end of Long Island, about eighteen miles. It was first described in the year 1524 by the French navigator, Verrazzano. In 1614 it was visited by Block, who gave it its present name. In 1636 the Boston trader, John Oldham, while at anchor in its harbor, was killed by the Indians. Colonel John Endicott was soon afterwards sent by the General Court of Massachusetts to punish the offenders. He landed upon the Island and thoroughly accomplished his object In 1658 the Island was granted to Gov. Endicott, Deputy Governor Richard Bellingham, Major General Daniel Dennison and Major William Hathorne, who in turn sold it in 1660 to Doctor John Alcock of Roxbury and his associates. The year 1662 witnessed the first white settlement of the Island by a company from Boston and Taunton.

The old Cemetery from which the inscriptions on the following pages were taken is situated on the westerly side of a hill overlooking the Great Salt Pond. Many of its graves are marked simply by round field stones gathered from the neighborhood.
Most of the older inscribed stones are of slate, ornamented with the conventional winged skull and scroll borders, precisely like many in the sea-board towns of the mainland. These stones were undoubtedly imported from England already ornamented, and were lettered by a skilled hand in this country. A few of the stones are from the sandstone quarries of Connecticut, and these are generally devoid of ornamentation. It is believed that exact copies of the inscriptions of all the stones antedating 1800 will be found in these pages.
EDWARD DOUBLEDAY HARRIS.
Brooklyn, N. Y., April, 1883.


INDEX TO NAMES:

Name .... Year
BALL, EDWARD.....1796
BALL, SARAH......1747
BRIGGS, JANETTE-SHERRY .. 1804
BRIGGS, MARY ..... 1795
CHAMPLIN, AMOUS .... 1750
CHAMPLIN, PRUDENCE . . 1751
DICKENS, SARAH .... 1733
DICKENS, THOMAS .... 1718
DODGE, ANN .... 1755
DODGE, DARKIS ... 1737
DODGE, JOSHUA ..... 1748
DODGE, TRUSTRUM . . . 1733
DODGE, WILLIAM .... 1739
DUN, WILLIAM...... 1721
DUNN, ABIGAIL..... 1771
DUNN, ELIZABETH .... 1741
DUNN, NATHANIEL ... 1735
GREFFETH, WILLM .... 1755
GRUMAN, SAMUEL .... 1791
GUTRY, MARGRET .... 1687
HAZARD, ALICE......... 1760
HUBBART, ELIZABETH...... 1751
LITTLEFIELD, JOHN....... 1796
LITTLEFIELD, MERCY....... 1761
LITTLEFIELD, PHEBE...... . 1761
LITTLEFIELD, SIMON-RAY .... 1780
LOCK, ANN........... 1755

Name .... Year
LOCK, DOROTHY......... 1749
LOCK, DOROTHY......... 1750
MITCHEL, THOMAS........ 1741
MITCHELL, ABIGAIL....... 1757
MITCHELL, ABRAHAM...... 1751
MITCHELL, SAMUEL-BECKWITH. . 1794
MITCHELL, SAMUEL-GEORGE ... 1759
MOTT, DANIEL.......... 1798
MOTT, JOHN........... 1753
MOTT, NATHANIEL........ 1733
RATHBUN, PATIENCE....... 1747
RATHBUN, SAMUEL....... 1757
RATHBUN, THOMAS....... 1733
RAY, SIMON........... 1737
RAY, SIMON........... 1755
ROCK, MATTHIA......... 1755
ROSE, HANNAH.........1791
ROSE, TORMETT.........1803
SANDS, EDWARD......... 1708
SANDS, EDWARD......... 1778
SANDS, ELIZABETH....... 1765
SANDS, HANNAH........ 1760
SANDS, JAMES.......... 1695
SANDS, PHEBE.......... 1805
SHEFFIELD, JAMES........1736
TOSH, ACKURS......... 1739
TOSH, REBECCA......... 1739
WILLIS, SARAH......... 1738



Block Island Epitaphs


[Transcriber's Note: Original headstone spellings have been kept.
The family notes underneath the epitaphs were added by the original author in 1883]





[Thick sandstone without ornamentation.]
HEARE LIETH
THE BODY OF M
MARGRET GVTRY
AGED 64 YERS WHO
DEPUTED THIS
LIFE APRIL 5 1687


 

[Horizontal sandstone slab.]
HERE LYES IN
TVRRED TE BODY
OF MR JAMES SANDS
SENIOVR ADED 73
YEARS DEPARTED
THIS LIFE MARCH
THE 13 1695

James Sands, with wife Sarah, though not in the first
company, was of the Island early enough to participate in first
division of lands. He was a freeman in 1655, and was Repre-
sentative in 1678,1680, and 1690. He had sons, John, James, and
Samuel, who settled at Cowneck, L.I., Edward, and Job, and
daughters, Sarah (who married Nathaniel Niles) and Mercy
(who married Joshua Raymond). His wife Sarah died before
July 6, 1702.
Captain John Sands and James Sands, Jr., were freemen of
the Island in 1684.


[Horizontal sandstone slab.]
HERE LYETH INTERRED
THE BODY OF CAPTN
EDWARD SANDS WHO
DEPARTED THIS LIFE JVNE
Ye 14 1708 IN Ye [illeg.]
YEARE OF HIS AGE

Edward Sands was the youngest son of James, the first
settler. The figures denoting the age are illegible on the grave-
stone. Livermore deciphers them as 43. He was made free-
man in 1696; left at his decease a wife and daughter Sarah,
but probably no other children.


[Slate-stone.]
Here Lieth ye
Body of Thomas
Dickens who died
Sept ye 4th 1718
Aged 50 Years.

His wife Sarah died 1733.
Nathaniel Dickens was freeman of Providence


[Slate-stone.]
Here lyeth
William Son
of Nathanael
Dun and of
Elizabeth his
wife dyed May
ye 16th 1721
aged 6 years


[Slate-stone.]
Here Lieth ye
Body of Sarah
ye Wife of Thomas
Dickens who
died April ye 3d
1733 aged 59
Years.


Here lieth ye
Body of Truftrum
Dodge died
Augst 18th 1733
In ye 87th year
of his age.

Probably the son of the member of the first company of
the same name, whose name is in the list of freemen with his
father's in 1678, designated respectively as Senior and Junior.
The grave of the elder man is not marked.


[Slate Stone.]
Here lieth ye Body
of Nathaniel Mott
died Septm ye 14th
1733 In ye 26th
year of his age.

Nathaniel and John Mott were freemen in 1678, the for-
mer being Town Recorder or Clerk in 1695, and holding the
office for many years. He was Representative to the General
Court, also, in 1710.
Edward Mott was Constable In 1700.


[Slate-stone.]
Here lieth ye Body
of Captn Thomas
Rathbun died Decemr
ye 26th 1733 Aged
76 Years.

Thomas Rathbone, a freeman of 1678, was probably a son
of John. He was Representative in 1700, and for several years
afterwards.


[Slate-stone.]
In Memory of
Nathaniel Dunn
died Febry ye 28th
1735 Aged
64 Years.

The name does not occur in the early lists of settlers or
freemen.


[Slate-stone.]
Here lieth
James ye Son of
Jeremiah & Mary
Sheffield died
Septr ye 8th 1736
Aged 2 Years
& 6 Mo


[Slate-stone.]
Here
Lies ye Body
of Darkis ye widow of
Truftrum Dodge who
Died Febry ye 18
1737 in ye 74th
year of her Age


[Horizontal slate-stone slab.]
THIS MONUMENT
Is erected to the Memory
of SIMON RAY Efquire
One of the original Proprietors
of this Ifland
He was largely concerned
In setling the Townfhip
And was one of the chief Magiftrates
and such was his Benevolence
That besides the care which he took
Of their civil Interefts
He frequently inftructed them
In the more important Concerns
Of our Holy Religion
He was deprived of his Eyefight many Years
Cheerfully fubmitting to the will of God
His Life being in this trying Inftance
As in all others
A Lovely Example of Chriftian Virtue
He died on the 17th of March 1737
In the 102nd Year of his Age.

Simon Ray, Senior, was the son of Simon of Braintree, Mass who died
there 30 Sept, 1641. He was one of the original proprietors of Block Island,
and was in the Taunton company that arrived there in 1661. In 1676 he was
Deputy Warden and afterward Warden of the Island, was a freeman in 1664,
and for many years represented the colony in the General Assembly.
He married Mary, daughter of Nathaniel Thomas of Marshfield, Mass., and
had issue: Mary, b. May 19, 1667; Dorothy, b. Oct 16, 1669; Simon, b.
April 9, 1672; Sibel, b. March 19, 1675.


[Slate-stone.]
In Memory of
Sarah ye Wife
of Henry Willis
died Sept ye 8
1738 Aged
49 Years.


[Slate-stone.]
Here lieth ye Body
of William ye Son
of Ebenezer &
Ann Dodge died
Janya ye 26 1739
Aged 3 Yrs. 3
M° & 16 Days.

Trustam or Trustarum Dodge (sometimes spelled Daudg
or Daug in the old records) was one of the first company from
Taunton in 1661, was a town officer in 1676, had been ad-
mitted freeman in 1664, was living in 1684, and is thought to
have been the ancestor of the after generations of Dodges
on the Island. John and William Dodge, and a Trustarum,
perhaps sons of the first settler, were freemen in 1678.


[Horizontal slab of slate-stone.]
IN MEMORY OF
Rebecca ye Wife of
Mr Ackrus Tosh died
April ye 15th 1739 In ye
44th year of her age.



[Horizontal slab of slate-stone]
IN MEMORY OF
Mr Ackurs Tosh died
June ye 21st 1739 In ye
54th year of his age.

William Tosh was a passenger in the ship that carried
the first company of settlers from Taunton in 1661. He was
made freeman in 1664, constable in 1676, and died in 1685;
probably the father of Ackurs.
Daniel Tosh, probably a brother of William, was freeman
in 1684. Both seem to have escaped the notice of Savage.


[Slate-stone]
In Memory of
Capt. Thomas
Mitchel Junr. died
March ye 29th 1741
in ye 59th year of
of his age.

Capt Thomas Mitchell, Jr., was probably the son of the
Thomas whose name was enrolled among the Freemen in 1678,
and who is named in Niles's account of the Indian and French
Wars in 1689, Mass. Hist Coll., 3d Series, Vol. VI.


[Slate-stone.]
In Memory of
Elizabeth ye Wife
of Nathaniel Dunn
died May ye 19th
1741 Aged
69 Years.


[Slate-stone]
In Memory of
Patience ye
Wife of Samuel
Rathbun died
Augst ye 3d 1747.


[Slate-stone.]
Sarah Daughter
of Edward &
Mary Ball
died Decemr
ye 23rd 1747
Aged 1 Year
& 1 Month

An Edward Ball was enrolled in the Freeman list as early
as 1678. John and Peter Ball were freemen in 1709.


[State-stone.]
In Memory of
Jofhua ye Son of
Mark & Lydia
Dodge died Jany
ye 1 1747/8 Aged
1 Year & 2 Months



[Slate-stone]
Dorothy ye
Daughter
of Nathanael
& Ann Lock
died Novr 3d
1749 Aged 8 Mo



[Slate-Stone]
In Memory of
Amous ye Son
of Samuel & Prudence
Champlin
died Febry ye 11th
1749/50 in ye 11th
year of his age


[Slate-stone.]
Dorothy ye
2d Daughter
of Nathanael
& Ann Lock
died Novr 16th
1750 Aged
1 Year 1 Mo &
6 Days



[Slate-stone.]
In Memory of
Prudence ye Wife
of Samuel Champlin
died Janry ye
28th 1750/1 in ye
34th year of her age



[Slate-stone.]
Abraham Son
of Jofeph &
Neomy Mitchell
died Novr 9th
l75l Aged 1 Year
1 Mo & 27 Days


[Slate Stone]
Elizabeth ye
Daughter of
Thomas & Judith
Hubbart
died Novr ye
13 1751 Aged
3 Years 8 Mo
& 17 Days

Thomas Hubbard was of Boston, and his wife Judith was the eldest daughter of Capt. Simon Ray.


[Slate-stone.]
In Memory
of John Mott
who died Augst 25
1753 in ye 53d
Year of his Age

John Mott was admitted freeman in 1721.


[Horizontal slate-stone slab]
Beneath THIS STONE
Are depofited the Remains
of SIMON RAY Efquire
Who for many Years
Was one of the chief Magistrates of this Town
He filled the moft important Offices
With honor to Himfelf
And Advantage to his Country.
To fupprefs Vice and promote Virtue
was the fixed Aim of his private Life
And public Authority
He was a Lover of Learning
Justice and Benevolence
A Friend to his Country and ever attentive
to the Interefts of this Ifland
He was a fincere Believer in our Saviour
And by a faithful Obedience to his Precepts
Truly adorned the Chriftian profefsion
He died on the 9th March 1755
In the 85th Year of his Age.

Simon Ray was born 9 April, 1672, on the Island, the only son of Simon,
the first settler, by wife Mary. He had issue: Judith, b. Oct. 4, 1726,
married Thomas Hubbard; Anna, b. Sept 27, 1728, married Samuel Ward,
afterward Governor of Rhode Island; Catharine, b. July 10, 1731, married
William Greene, also a Governor of Rhode Island; Phebe, b. Sept 10,1733,
married John Littlefield.


[Slate-stone]
In Memory of
Ann ye Wife of
Nathanael Lock
who died May
ye 11th A.D. 1755


[Slate-stone]
In Memory of
Ann Daughter of
Nehemiah & Mary
Dodge who died
July ye 29 1755
Aged 39 Years



[Sandstone]
Here Lyeth The Body of
Willm Greffeth Borne Sepr
12th 1715 Drowned at Block
Island October 19th 1755
Aged 40 Years


[Slate-stone]
Matthia Son
of William &
Katharine Rock
died Novr ye 4th
1755 Aged
16 Years.


[Slate-stone.]
In Memory of
Samuel Rathbun
who died Janry 24th
1757 in ye 85th
Year of his Age.

John Rathbone was one of the first company from Taunton
in 1661, and one of the first landholders. The list of freemen
of 1678 includes the names of John, Senior and Junior, Thomas,
and William. The Samuel above was probably a grandson
of the elder John, and was born 3 Aug 1672. His wife,
Patience, died 3 Aug 1747.


In Memory of
Abigail ye Wife of
Jonathan Mitchell
who died April 9th
A.D. 1757 in ye
60th Year of
her Age.

Jonathan Mitchell was admitted freeman in 1728.
James Mitchell is said by Livermore to have been freeman
in 1683. Thomas Mitchell was admitted in 1678, and was
probably the father of the Lieutenant and Captain of the same
name but of later date, and the ancestor of the Block Island
families.


[Slate-stone.]
Samuel George
Son of Jofeph &
Neomy Mitchell
died Novr 10th
1759 Aged 3
Years 11 Mo 5
Days


[Slate stone]
IN MEMORY of
Alice the Wife of
Mr. Carder Hazard
who died Jany ye 1st
1760 in ye 21st Year
of Her Age,

She was a Kind Wife
A Tender Parent
And a worthy Friend.


[Slate-stone.]
IN MEMORY OF
Hannah ye Wife of
Edward Sands Efqr.
who died Janry 18th
A.D. 1760 in the
52d Year of her Age.


[Slate-stone.]
IN MEMORY of
MERCY wife of Mr
CALEB LITTLEFIELD
who died April ye 3d A.D.
1761 in ye 66th Year of
her Age.

Caleb Littlefield was made freeman in 1721. The name,
although common on the Island in later years, did not occur
until that date.


[Slate-stone.]
IN MEMORY of
PHEBE ye youngeft Daughter
of SIMON RAY Efqr & Wife
of JOHN LITTLEFIELD
Efqr was born 27th Sept
1733 & died April ye 30th
1761.


[Slate-stone.]
IN MEMORY of
Elizabeth the Wife
of Mr John Sands
who died Augst. 31st
A.D. 1765 in ye 19th
Year of her Age

Stop Reader spend a mournful tear
Upon the Dust that slumbers Here
And while you Read the state of me
Think on the Glafs that runs for thee.


[Slate-stone.]
In Memory
of Abigail
Wife of
Samuel Dunn
who died
July 17th 1771
in the 29th
Year of
her Age.


[Slate-stone.]
Sacred
to the Memory of
EDWARD SANDS Efqr.
who died October 21ft 1778
Aged 66 Years
Having sustained several
Offices of public Trust
and discharged the
relative Duties of Life
with Credit to his Country
and Honour to himself


[Slate Stone]
In Memory
of
SIMON RAY LITTLEFIELD
Efqr
who departed this Life
March 31st 1780
in the 29th Year of his
Age.


[Sandstone.]
This Stone is Erected
by the Affectionate
and Afflicted parents
of Samuel Gruman 2d
of Norwalk in Connecticut
who was drowned
June 14th 1791 near
Crab-Meadow Long
Ifland in the 27th year
of his age


[Slate-stone.]
In Memory of
Hannah wife of Mr
JAMES ROSE
who departed this Life
december 1st 1791 in the
60th year of her Age

She was a kind wife, a tender
Parent and beloved by all her
Acquaintance.


[Slate-stone.]
In Memory of
Samuel Beckwith Mitchell
Son of Dickens & Sarah
Mitchell, died June 21ft 1794
in the 8th year of his Age.
This lovely youth to death bowed
down
While friend and parents round him
mourn.


[Brown-stone]
In MEMORY of
Mrs. MARY BRIGGS
the Virtuous Confort of
Mr. NATHANIEL BRIGGS
fhe died March 7th 1795
aged 25 years

A Lady highly refpected for
her domeftic virtues and for
her exemplary piety — but!
How lov'd how valued once avails thee not
To whom related or by whom begot


[Slate Stone.]
In Memory of
JOHN LITTLEFIELD
Efqr.
who died June 13th 1796
aged 79 years 3 Mo & 13 days.

John Littlefield was a son of Caleb and Mercy of Block
Island. He was admitted freeman in 1738, was Representative in 1747, and for many following years.


[Brown-stone.]
In Memory of
Mr. Edward Ball
who died June 17th 1796
in the 70th year of his age
A kind hufband tender Father
affectionate friend and well
beloved by all his acquaintance

As you pafs by pray cafl an eye
As you are now fo once was I
As I am now fo muft you be
Prepare for death and follow me.


One Edward Ball was on the freeman list of 1684, but he
was probably a resident as early as 1678. He is supposed to
have been the ancestor of all the later individuals of the name
on the island.


[Brown-stone.]
In memory of
Mr. Daniel Mott
who departed
this life June 14th
1798 in the 57th
year of his age

He was a kind and loving
husband and tender
parent.


[Slate Stone]

In memory of
Mr. TORMETT ROSE,
who died June 1st
1803,
in the 73d year
of his age.

The original settler spelled his name Thormut or Tormot.
He was one of the first company from Taunton in 1661, and
was assigned land there in the first division. He was early
a Town Officer, was made freeman in 1664, and was living
certainly as late as 1684. The same Christian name has been
perpetuated in the family under various spellings, until, according to Livermore, it has assumed the form of Thomas.
William Rose was the captain of the vessel that brought
the first company to the island, but it does not appear that
he remained.


[Slate-stone.]
In
Memory of
Janette Sherry
Daughter of
Burton & Huldey Briggs
who died May 2nd 1804
aged 2 month & 9 days



[Slate-stone]
SACRED
to
the Memory
of
PHEBE
amiable confort of
Mr. TREADWELL SANDS
who died
March 27th A. D. 1805
in the 39th year of
her age.


 



 

 


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