ERRATA.
Page 4, fifth line, omit the word u nearly."
Page 5, last eight words at end of first-paragraph, after Abbatimwat, should be omitted.
Page 7, ninth line, and Page 8, third line, Timothy Cutter should
be Timothy Cutler.
'
v '
Page 9, ninth and tenth lines from bottom, Hutchingson should
be Hutchinson.
Page 17, tenth line, for Worthylare read Worthylake. Seventh
line from bottom, for Empress read Empress of China.
Page 20, sixth line from bottom, for Hartts read Hartt.
Page .21, third and fourth lines should read " Deacon Shem
Drowne, who died January 13, 1774, aged 90."
Page 27, third line from bottom, for Mountford read Mountfort.

OLD C O P P ' S H I L L
AND

BURIAL

GROUND;
WITH

HISTORICAL SKETCHES,
BY

E. M C D O N A L D ,
SUPERINTENDENT,
JANUARY

COPP'S

HILL.

1 , 1879.

BOSTON:
W.

F. B R O W N
113

& COMPANY,

PRINTERS,

F R A N K L I N STREET.

OLD COPP'S HILL AND BURIAL GROUND,
„. -

WITH

<^>

HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

S
^

J
>J
4
3
2^
^
^
«y
"^
-5

COPP'S

HILL.

It is a fact not often called to mind, perhaps, that, of the three
hills from which Boston took one of her popular names, and from
which one of her main thoroughfares is named, no one retains its
original form. Fort Hill has disappeared, and the name given to
that locality serves merely to puzzle the young generation. Beacon
Hill has long since lowered its summit, upon which glowed the fires
from which it took its name. And not even Copp's Hill has been
spared : seven feet have been taken from its summit, and Snowhill
street has been cut through its western border. Like Boston, Copp's
Hill has been known by three popular names : the first, Milfield,
or Windmill Hill, was so called because in 1632 " T h e Windmill,
which was used to grind the settlers' corn, was brought from Cambridge and placed upon the summit. This was the first windmill
erected in the town." It was afterwards called Snow Hill, and then
Copp's Hill, which name it bears at the present t i m e ; but it is not
known when the hill first took its present name. It was so called
from William Copp, who owned a house and lot in the south-east
corner near Prince street. Mr. Copp's realty is thus recorded on
page 15, in the "Original Book of Possession" of the town of
Boston, now kept in the archives of the city at the City Hall :
" The possessions of William Copp within the Limits of Boston :
One house and Lott of half an acre in the Mill Pond, bounded with
Thomas Buttolph south-east; John Button north-east, The Marsh on
the south-west; and the River on the north-west." The above is not
dated, but there is reason to believe it was entered in 1644.
In the Probate Office for the County of Suffolk, there is a record
of the will of William Copp, Cordwainer. It was dated October 31,
1662, and proved April 27, 1670. Among the items of bequest are

51986

4

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

Ground.

the following: " I give to my daughter Ruth my great kettle, and
little pot, and chaffen dish." " I give to Lydia my little kettle and
great pot." In the inventory is a line appraising " i hour-glass and
frying-pan, 12 shillings." The amount of the inventory was almost
£110, which was quite a large sum nearly two centuries ago. His
wife's name, Judith, is spelt Goodeth on the grave stone, and also in
his will.
The appearance of Copp's Hill is very different to-day from what
it was at the time of the revolution. At that time the hill terminated
abruptly on the north-west side in a rugged cliff, almost inaccessible
from the water side. Southerly, the ground fell away in an easy
descent to the foot of North Square and the shore of the Mill Pond,
while to the eastward a gradual slope conducted to the North
Battery. The beach at the foot of the Headland, opposite Charlestown, was made into a street with earth taken from the summit of
the hill, which was where Snowhill street crosses it. This made
Lynn street, our Commercial street extension, and afforded a continuous route along the water. Going north, the rising ground at
Richmond street indicates the beginning of the ascent. The foot of
the hill, at the north-easterly side, went in old times by the name of
New Guinea, on account of its having been exclusively inhabited by
the colored people.
Copp's Hill in 1630 is thus described by Dr. Snow in the History
of Boston, p. 105: " T h e hill at the north, rising to the height of
about fifty feet above the sea, presented then on its north-west brow
an abrupt declivity, long after known as Copp's Hill steeps. Its summit, almost level, extended between Prince and Charter streets towards
Christ Church; thence south, a gentle slope led to the water, which
washed the south side of Prince street below, and the north side
above Thacher street as far as Salem ; eastward from the church, a
gradual descent led to the North Battery, which was considered the
bottom of the hill. South-easterly the slope was still more gradual,
and terminated at the foot of North square, leaving a knoll on the right,
where at present stands the meeting-house of the Second Church."
HUDSON

POINT.

Copp's Hill rose gradually from Hudson's Point (which was at the
north-east corner of the Hill,) so called from Francis Hudson, the
Ferryman. The Ferry was between Gee's noted Ship Yard and

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

Ground.

5

Hudson's Point. The Ship Yard, was owned by Mr. Joshua Gee,
who also owned the land where the Gas House is, and nearly all the
land on Copp's Hill between Charter, Prince, and Snowhill streets.
At this Point, Annie Pollard, the first white woman who landed in
Boston, jumped ashore. She lived to be nearly 105 years old. It is
also noted as the place where the British landed their wounded at
the Battle of Bunker Hill. It was afterwards used as a fortification,
and called the North Battery. The work erected by the British on
Copp's Hill,—from which the British opened a tremendous fire on the
Americans, which, with the fire that came from the fleet, was enough
to appall even veteran troops, and from which the shells came that
set Charlestown on fire,—was on the summit of the eminence which
was some seven feet higher than at the present time, and was located
near the south-west corner of the Cemetery, nearly opposite the Rev.
Mr. Ede's Tomb. " W h e n visited in the year 1776, it was found to
consist of a few barrels of earth which formed parapets, and three
Twenty-Eight Pounders mounted on carriages, were found spiked
within. The Battery was covered with a small earth-work to the rear,
designed for the infantry." (An old engraving, which the writer has
seen, represents a row of tents covering the side of the Hill between
the summit and Charter street.) All traces of these works were removed in 1807, when the summit was lowered. Copp's Hill was visited
by Christian people nine years before the settlement of Boston. The
first visit of the Plymouth Company to Copp's Hill was in 1621, and is
thus referred to by Prince, in his chronology, 1621. " T h e Governor
chuses 10 men with Squanto and two other savages, to go in the
shallop, Tuesday, Sept. 18 ; at midnight, the tide serving, we set sail;
next day got into the bottom of Massachusetts Bay, about 20 leagues
north from Plymouth, and anchor next morning, we land under a cliff
(Copp's Hill.) The sachem of this place is Abbatimwat, whereof
the present sachem is Josiah Qunicy, Junior."
From Copp's Hill, Burgoyne and Clinton witnessed the fight on
Bunker Hill, and directed the Battery.
After the surrender of Quebec, the North Enders made an unexampled bonfire on Copp's Hill,—"45 Tar Barrels, 2 Cords of Wood,
a mast, spars, and boards, with 50 lbs of powder were set in a blaze;
this, with a similar illumination on Fort Hill, was paid for by the province, together with 32 Gallons of Rum, and much Beer." Nov. 5th,
1765, the celebration of Pope's day was celebrated by a union of the

6

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

Ground.

rival factions, who met in amity, and refreshed themselves under
Liberty Tree, before proceeding to Copp's Hill, as was customary.
A portion of Copp's Hill, before it was so densely built upon, was
used as a Promenade Ground, and a place of recreation, by the
North Enders. On Charter street, opposite the gate of the Cemetery,
still stands one of the old houses, belonging to Mr. John B. Johnson,
which not only has celebrated its Centennial, but still retains the
marks of the British bullets. Paul Revere lived and died on Charter street, at the west side of Revere Place. On the corner of Sheafe
and Salem streets, still stands the house where Robert Newman lived
at the time that he hung the signal from the steeple of the North (or
Christ Church.)
On Hull street still stands the Old Hart's House, and also the Galloupe House. The Galloupe House was erected in the year 1724,
about 154 years ago, by a Mr. Clough; it was purchased by Mr. Benjamin Gallop (afterwards called Galloupe) in 1772 ; he died in 1776,
just after the Declaration of Independence. The Estate afterwards
became the property of his youngest son, Richard, and, at his death
it descended to his youngest daughter, who married Mr. William
Marble, a well known decorator of Boston, and it was sold by him in
1877, a short time after the death of his wife, to the present owner.
This house was occupied by British Troops in 1775. Its timbers
were cut in the vicinity of Copp's Hill.
At the foot of Hull street, stands the North Church (or Christ
Church,) from the steeple of which were shown the Signal lights of
Paul Revere, by Robert Newman, to notify Colonel Conant and
others, who waited on the Charlestown shore, as to which way the
British would go, by land or sea. The church was erected in 1723,
and is the oldest public building in Boston, with the exception of the
old State House, which, however, has been very much altered. The
Bible, Prayer Books, and Communion silver, were given by King
George the Second, in 1733, and are now in use. The Chime of
Eight Bells connected with the Church is the oldest Chime in America. They were brought from England in 1744. They may still be
heard on each Sunday in the year, as in ye olden time. When Charles
River bridge was opened on the 17th of June, 1786, they joined
with the guns on Copp's Hill and on Bunker Hill, in celebrating
the union of the two towns. The figures of the Cherubim in front
of the Organ and the Chandeliers were taken from a French Vessel

T H E O L D CHRIST CHURCH.

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

Ground,

7

by the Privateer " Queen of Hungary," and presented to this Church
in 1746, by Captain Grushea. The Church also contains a Bust of
Washington, which was the first that was ever made of the Father of
our Country
The first Sunday School in America was established in connection with this Church in 1815, in the old Academy next north of the
Church, by the Rev. Asa Eaton and Shubeal Bell. The tombs under
the Church number thirty-three. In one of them were interred Rev.
Timothy Cutter, D.D., the first rector of the Church, and his wife
Eliza, both of whom died at the good old age of 81 years. In tomb No.
20, once rested the remains of the gallant Major Pitcairn, but they
have long since been transferred to Westminster Abbey.
The following anecdote was related by the Rev. Dr. Eaton, in his
Centennial sermon delivered Dec. 28th, 1823. " T h e following fact,
which in some ages would have excited the superstitious veneration
of ignorance and bigotry, may be worth recording. Some years since,
in 1812, while the workmen were employed in the Cemetery (under
the Church) building tombs, one of them found the earth so loose
that he settled his bar into it the whole length with a single effort.
The Superintendent directed him to proceed till he found solid
earth. About six feet below the bottom of the cellar he found a
coffin covered with coarse linen cloth sized with gum, which on boiling became white, and the texture as firm as if it had been recently
woven. Within this coffin was another, protected from the air in a
similar manner, and the furniture was not in the least injured by time.
The flesh was sound, and somewhat resembling that of an Egyptian
Mummy. The skin when cut appeared like leather. The sprigs of
evergreen, deposited in the coffin, resembled the broad-leafed myrtle;
the stem was elastic, the leaves fresh, and apparently in a state of
vegetation. From the inscription it was found to be the body of Mr.
Thomas, a native of New England, who died in Bermuda. Some of
his family were among the founders of Christ Church. His remains
when discovered had been entombed about 80 years. They were
placed in the north-east corner of the Cemetery, and the stone so
long concealed from observation was placed over them, but has since
been lost or stolen. One of the tombs was built soon after the
Church, in the year 1732. It is said that Gen. Gage witnessed the
burning of Charlestown and the battle of Bunker Hill from the steeple of this Church. " Rev. William Montague, rector of this Church

8

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

Ground.

was the person who received the ball taken from the body of General
Warren, who was killed at the battle of Bunker Hill." The first
rector of the Church, Rev. Timothy Cutter, lived on the corner of
Tileston and Salem Streets. The spire rises to the height of 175
feet.
On the 17th, of October, 1878, a Tablet with the following inscription was placed on the Tower of this Church :
T H E SIGNAL LANTERNS OF

PAUL REVERE,
DISPLAYED IN THE STEEPLE OF THIS CHURCH,
APRIL, 18,

1775,

WARNED THE COUNTRY OF THE MARCH
OF THE BRITISH TROOPS
TO LEXINGTON AND CONCORD.

The Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company used this Hill on one
occasion for parade and drill during the Revolution, having been
refused admittance to the Common, the place, in which, according to
their Charter, they had a right to drill. During the Revolution it is
"In 1775, "before the Artillery Company suspended its meetings, the Common
was occupied by the British army, and the Artillery Company were refused
admittance. Capt. Bell, therefore, marched to Copp's Hill. Soon after the
hridge over Charles River was huilt, there was a complaint against the street
at the foot of this hill. It was supposed the proprietors of that part of the
hill enclosed from Snowhill Street, ought to repair the wharf and street at
their own expense. This led to inquiry, in town meeting, to whom it belonged ;
some one said it belonged to this Company. Col. Jackson, their Treasurer,
was sent for, and declared that he considered it their property, a mortgage
upon it to them having long since run out, and that Capt. Bell, with the Company, had taken possession of it in 1775. Capt. Bell was then interrogated by
Col. Dawes, the Moderator : Why did you march your Company to Copp's
Hill ? Answer : I was prohibited from entering the Common ; conceiving this
hill to be the property of the Company, I marched them there, as a place no
one had a right to exclude them from. Question by Moderator: supposing a
party of British troops should have been in possession of it, and should have
forbidden you entrance, what would you have done ? Answer: I would have
charged bayonets, and forced my way as surely as I would force my way into
my dwelling house, if taken possession of by a gang of thieves. The late Col.
Wm. Tudor, who was then present said : " Mr. Moderator, the hill clearly belongs to that Company, and I wish they would execute a quit claim deed of it
to me for a fair price." The mortgage was discharged afterwards, and the
street repaired by the town."

I

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

Ground.

9

said a cordon of troops ranged from Copp's Hill to the South Battery.
Salutes were fired from Copp's Hill at the completion of the Charles
River Bridge to Charlestown, in 1786. It is said that on Jan. 24, 1793,
an ox was roasted on this Hill for the feast in honor of the French
Revolution, and the horns were taken and placed on top of a pole
some 60 feet high before raising it in Liberty Square. Sir William
Phips, who lived on the westerly corner of Salem and Charter streets,
and for whom Phips' Place was named, arrived at Boston on the 14th
of May, 1692, with the new Charter for Massachusetts, and a commission constituting him Governor. It is said that on this corner
Major Pitcairn breathed his last, at the residence of Gov. Phips. On
Charter street was born the hero of the Essex, who took such an
active part in the Revolutionary War.
On the corner of Prince and Salem streets, stands what is said to
be the oldest apothecary shop in the city: it was erected by Robert
Fennelly, in January, 1797, and has been occupied for the past thirtyfive years by the well-known druggist, Henry D. Fowle.
The British in 1775 had a battery on the corner of Prince and
Salem streets. In Salem street was the printing-office of Zachariah
Fowle; in which was printed the Old "Massachusetts S p y " in 1770.
The Second Baptist Society held their first services in a house on
Sheaf street; in 1743 the first services held by the Methodist Society
in a hired room in Boston, was held on the south side of Sheaf
street.
John Hull, the coiner of the first New England shilling, is said to
have coined it at his house in Sheafe street. The Old North Meeting House, the second Church built in Boston, erected in > North
Square, was erected in 1650, destroyed 1676. In North Square was
the mansion of the Clark family (afterwards occupied by Sir Harry
Vane) and that of the Hutchingson family, built by the Father of
Governor Hutchingson about the year 1710. The first Universalist
Church was built on the corner of Bennett and Hanover streets.
" The remains of an arch was found while laying the foundation
of a house on the east side of Henchman street, some forty years
ago, and may still be seen in the cellar of the house opposite Henchman's lane. It was part of a Brick arch of large dimensions that,
at the time of the French wars, was built by Capt. John Grushea,
who commanded the British Privateer " Queen of Hungary," and
was used for a place of deposit for captured goods. The opening

io

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

Ground.

was at the water edge, and was discovered about the time that Lynn
street was filled in ; at this point there was originally a high bank." On
Unity street still stands the Brick Mansion House bequeathed by Dr.
Franklin to his dear sister, Jane Mecam, and by her in trust, to Rev.
John Lathrop, D. D., and Benjamin Summers, for her daughter, Jane
Collis, and at the death of her daughter, Jane Collis, to her grandson,
Josiah .Flagg, and great-grand-children Franklin and Sarah Green.
On Prince street, opposite the Gas House, stands a brick mansion
(now owned by John Gourly,) that has passed its centennial. This
house was claimed erroneously to have been the house in which
Major Pitcairn died; it was afterward occupied by the father and
uncle of our present City Clerk.
COPP'S H I L L BURIAL GROUND.

Copp's Hill Burying Ground was the second place of interment,
(King's Chapel being the first.) This ancient Cemetery is by no means
a unit, although it appears so to a visitor at the present time. It is
made up of four tracts of land, purchased at four different times, and
was formerly known by distinct names for its different parts as follows : The Old North Burying Ground, Hull street, or the Old North
(the Cemetery where the Gasometer now stands was also called the
Hull street Burying Ground; Charter street Burying Ground, and
the New North Burying Ground.) The Cemetery is bounded on the
north-east about 314 feet by Charter street. This street has been
known by that name since 1708, and took its name from the Charter
of King William 3d, under which Maine, Plymouth and Massachusetts
formed but one Colony.
On the north-west it is bounded by Snowhill street about 324 feet,
above which the Cemetery rises some twenty feet, being buttressed
by a heavy wall of masonry. On the south-west about 330 feet it is
bounded by Hull street, which derived its name from John Hull, the
famous mint-master, through whose pasture it was laid out; on the
north-east, it is bounded by Marshal place, about 120 feet, on the
north-east'again, about 127 feet, by private property; and lastly, on
the South East, about 123 feet, also by private property, and the
Hull street Primary School. The oldest portion, that which has been
generally called the North Burial Ground, is situated at the northeasterly part of the present enclosure, and is the ground concerning which the following order was passed, Nov. 5th, 1660. " It is

OLD COPP'S H I L L BURYING GROUND.

Old Copp^s Hill and Burial

Ground.

• n

ordered that the old Burial place be wholly deserted for some convenient season, and the new place appointed for burying only made
use of, and was recorded Sufi. Deeds, lib. 53, fol. 153, as follows :
' John Baker and Daniel Turell, sell to the selectmen of Boston, a lot
of land, 294 feet on the northerly side, 252 feet on the southerly
side; in breadth on the easterly end, 126 feet. Butting on the way
that leadeth from the new meeting-house in Boston towards Charlestown Ferry, on the n o r t h ; on the land of Wm. Phillips, southerly;
on the land of John Baker and Daniel Turell, easterly; and on the
way that leadeth from Senter-haven to Charlestown Ferry, westerly :' "
and was dated Feb. 20th, 1659-60, and was not recorded until seventy-six years afterwards. The south-easterly of this part was that
chiefly used for the burial of the Town's people, while that near
Snowhill street served for the last resting-place of the slaves and
freed persons. The date of the first interment is unknown ; it was
probably used soon after it was purchased. The oldest inscription
is dated 1661 and 1678. It is a double stone, which was recently dug
out of the earth by the present Superintendent of the ground, and had
probably been covered over with the washings from the hill more
than a century ago, and is six months older than any other original
inscription in the ground.
The only entrance to the enclosure was then from Charter street,
for, to the south-west of it, was situated the pasture of Judge Sewall,
which really belonged to his wife, Hannah (the daughter of John
Hull) as part of her inheritance. "Mrs. SewalPs father, the famous
mint-master, where the New England shillings were coined more
than two centuries ago, his daughter Hannah is said to have had
for her marriage portion her weight -in silver shilling pieces struck
from the New England die." When this piece of land was conveyed to the Town, the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company
advanced a claim upon it under a mortgage held by that organization ; but the dispute was adjusted in a satisfactory manner, and the
Town proceeded to use the land for the purpose for which it had
been purchased. Some forty odd years after the first purchase of
land, it was found necessary to enlarge the Burying Ground, and the
tract of land adjoining it and fronting on Hull street, was purchased
by the Town, of Judge Sewall and his wife. (Sufi. Deeds, lib. 25, fol.
97. The Deed is dated December 17th, 1707; in consideration of
^ 5 0 . paid and the release from payment of an annual quit-rent of 40

12

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

Ground.

shillings for a certain cedar swamp in Brookline, Samuel Sewall and
wife Hannah, sold the Town of Boston, land for enlarging the north
burying place. It adjoined said place, northerly, measuring 250 feet;
southerly it bounded on Hull street, measuring across, in a straight
line to the burying place, 140 feet. On Hull street it measured 180
feet; westerly on Snowhill street, 170 feet. These purchases comprise what is now called the Old North Burying Ground. The northwesterly side formerly communicated with Lynn street by a steep and
very abrupt bank, which will be well remembered by the boys of
fifty years ago, who used to claim that territory for their play-ground ;
and perhaps the memory of the boys and girls of that date may carry
them back to the wishing-rock, which stood so conspicuously at the
corner of Snowhill and Charter streets, and the time when they
formed in groups, wished, and then went round the rock singing. It
is related that on one occasion while the children were going round
the rock, as usual singing, the ground suddenly gave way, and several
of them were precipitated into a well underneath their feet, which
no one remembered anything about, and was rescued by some men
standing on the street near by.
The portion of Snowhill street, now leading from Hull to Charter
street, was merely a foot-path, or private passage, until some forty
years ago. In the year 1832, Mr. Jacob Hall and others, purchased
a portion of land bordering on the north-west side of the old ground,
and by permission of the city authorities, established the Hull Street
Cemetery (on the site of the gasometer,) and erected rows of t o m b s ;
at the same time relinquishing their right to the above-named portion of Snowhill street, and making an arrangement with the city
that the street should be a public walk or mall $5 ^ e e t m width.
This Cemetery was discontinued in 1853, and the remains were removed to Mount Hope Cemetery, in Feb. 1861. Where Snowhill
street now is, there was formerly a row of tombs with steps at each
end of them, and a walk from one end to the other over the tombs ;
when the street was cut through, these tombs and tablets were removed inside of the fence. In 1809 another addition was made by
the purchase of land known as Jonathan Merry's pasture, and called
the New North Burying Ground, and is now known as the Small
Ground. The deed was dated Dec. 18, 1809, and was recorded in
lib. 231, fol. 199, and is as follows: For $10,000, Benj. Weld and
wife Naby sold the town of Boston a parcel of land, bounded south-

Old Copp^s Hill and Burial

Ground,

13

west on Hull Street 148 feet; north-west on the burial ground, 148
feet and 6 inches; north-east on land of Goodwin and others, 153
feet; south-east on land of Jonathan Merry, 123 feet: being land
conveyed to Weld by Merry, October 21st, 1809, recorded lib. 230,
fol. 191." On the south corner of the same fronting on Hull street,
stood the old Gun House of the Columbian Artillery. 55 tombs were
built in 1814, around the sides of this new enclosure, by Hon. Chas.
Wells, and, after the removal of the old Gun House, Edward Bell
built 15 tombs on its site in the fall of 1827. This yard was laid out
in ranges, and several bodies were allowed to be interred in the same
grave. The first person interred in this Small Ground, was John Richardson, a person drowned a few days before, on July 6th, 1810. The
old Gun House was removed to this lot by vote of the town in 1810,
soon after the purchase of the land. In 1819, Hon. Charles Wells was
allowed to build 34 tombs in a small grave-yard bounded by the old
and new burying grounds and Marshal place, and fronting on Charter
street, and was called the Charter Street Burying Ground, and was
recorded as follows: (Suff. Deeds, lib. 262, fol. 296) : "June 3d, 1819,
John Bishop, of Medford, sold to Charles Wells, for $1,051.30, land
in Charter street, bounded north-east on said street 20 feet; northwesterly, 70 feet on the burying ground 20 feet wide ; then continuing
50 feet more, 28 feet wide ; south-west 28 feet on land formerly of Dr.
Wm. Clark, but now a burying-ground: then south-east 50 feet, 28
feet wide, then continuing 70 feet more 20 feet wide, on land formerly owned by William Fowle. It was land which Stephen Gorham as
administrator of Nathaniel Holmes, sold to said Bishop, Dec. 14th,
1791, recorded lib. 184, fol. 59. It has now become part of the Cemetery, the fence dividing the two grounds having been taken down
some twenty years ago. The eastern limit is overlooked by a block of
houses which separated the Cemetery from Salem street and its outlying courts. Everywhere the enclosure rises above the surrounding
territory ; and the remainder of the ground is surrounded by a smooth
granite wall topped by a neat iron fence. The houses which surround the ground are mostly owned by those living in them, and
with few exceptions, are kept neat and clean. The surrounding
streets are so little used that the grass grows among the paving stones
and in some parts it nearly covers them. At the north and northwest boundaries there is an open space, through which part of
Charlestown Heights and the Navy Yard are visible ; and by taking

i4

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

Ground.

a stand near the centre of the hill the monument on Bunker Hill
becomes visible, looming up in solitary grandeur, and bringing to mind
the words of the great orator, when the corner-stone of this monument was laid by the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, June 17th,
1825 : " Let it rise ! let it rise ! till it shall meet the sun in its coming
— let the earliest light of the morning gild it, and the parting day
linger and play on its summit!" In the centre of the ground is a rod
square of land which was conveyed by Samuel Sewall and his wife
Hannah, to Joshua Gee, the noted ship-builder (who was the father
of the distinguished Clergyman who was the assistant and successor
of the famous Cotton Mather (from 1723 to 1748,) in consideration
of two and thirty shillings paid them, being part of their pasture adjoining to the north burying-place, in which parcel of ground Mrs.
Mary Thatcher now lyeth buried ; bounded northerly by said buryingground, and on all other sides by the land of said Samuel and Hannah Sewall. Said Joshua Gee was to make and maintain one half
the fence, and have no right of way except through the North burying-ground. This Mrs. Thacher was the wife of Judah Thacher of
Yarmouth, and died on Nov. 30th, 1708, aged 68 years. Her gravestone still stands in the north-east corner of said rod of land. There
were no restrictions in regard to its use, and it was bought by Mr.
Gee, because of a request of his wife that she might be laid away from
the multitude, and the said deed is recorded with Suffolk Deeds,
lib. 25, fol. 174. About four generations ago, it fell into the hands
of old Deacon Moses Grant, of Revolutionary fame, who was one of
those who helped to throw the tea overboard; and, at the risk of
his life helped to take two pieces of cannon away from the British
lines. This enclosure now holds the remains of three generations of
the Grant family, and is now owned by the family of Deacon Moses
Grant, the great temperance lecturer. As said before, there are no
restrictions with regard to its u s e ; a dwelling-house or blacksmith
shop could be erected on the spot, and the right of way across the
cemetery is construed by common law to mean a path broad enough
for cart wheels to pass over. There is within the enclosure two
hundred and thirty tombs, two of which belong to the city. The
one near Charter street was fitted and prepared for children in June
1833. On the 27th of May, 1833, f^ty dollars was appropriated by
the city authorities towards purchasing trees for ornamenting the
ground, and from that date the whole appearance of the hill began

" Old Copp's Hill and Burial

Ground.

15

to assume a change, and the hill resumed its ancient popularity.
Those trees have all been removed, and others of more appropriate
character, numbering one hundred n d eighty, have taken their
places, which make a very agreeable shade on a sultry day to the
visitor, as well as to the children who come there to play; the hill is
visited not only by residents of the city, but by persons from all
parts of the globe.
In the year 1838, new avenues and walks were laid out, and gravestones were removed for that purpose, thus affording opportunities
for pleasant promenades, which are by no means neglected. Considerable care was used when laying out the paths to place the
tombstones as near as possible to their original positions. During
the past few years the Hill has been very much neglected, and boys
have been allowed to run wild through the grounds during six .months
of the year. No one having had charge during the winter months,
the West and North End Boys used to meet and imitate the North
and South End's on Pope-day, it frequently requires a squad of police
to drive them away; but this has changed. The Board of Health to
whom was gi^en the charge of the cemetery, have appointed a man
to take charge of the grounds during the whole year; because of the
numerous complaints made by the neighbors and old residents of the
North End. They have also concreted the down grade paths, which
was very much needed, as the rain had gullied out the paths in some
places to the depth of a foot, and in others had laid bare the top of
the tombs which run beneath the paths; the appearance of the
grounds is now very much improved.
The oldest stone placed originally in the ground was dug up during the past summer by the present Superintendent, where it had
been covered by the washings from the hill, and is to be found near
the Shaw monument, and was erected in memory of the grandchildren of William Copp, and is older by six months than any stone
previously found in the ground. Upon it is the following inscription,
"David, son to David Copp, and Obedience, his wife, aged 2 weeks ;
Dyed Dec. 22, 1661." Also, "Thomas, son to David Copp, and Obedience, his wife, aged 2 years and 3 Quarters ; Dyed July ye 25, 1678."
On another stone recovered at the same time, may be found the following inscription : "Jonathan Copp, son of David and Patience Copp,
aged 12 years and 2 months; Died Ocr. ye 22d, 1721." The Superintendent, in Dec. 1878, on opening an old tomb, discovered the fol-

16

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

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lowing headstones which were not mentioned in any of the catalogues
published. "Recompense Wadsworth, A. M. First Master of the
Grammar Free School at the North End of Boston. Aged about 24
years; Died June the 9th, 1713." The tomb had not been opened
for eighteen years, and it seems that the undertaker who last closed
it, instead of using the old plank covering, which was probably rotten,
and rather than renew it, took standing gravestones to close the
aperture before filling in the top earth. On searching the records, he
found the following entries: "March 11, 1711-12. At Town Meeting — Voted, That there be a free grammar school at the North End
of Boston; and Voted, That Captain Thomas Hutchinson, Colonel
Adams Winthrop, Mr. John Ruck, Captain Edward Martyn, and
Mr. Samuel Greenwood be the committee relating to building said
schoolhouse. Voted, That the selectmen be requested to procure a
suitable master for said school. March 9, 1712-13. Voted, That it
be left with the selectmen, and they are empowered to introduce Mr.
Recompense Wadsworth at the North, and to allow him sixty pounds
for one year." .(This building was erected on Bennett street, in 1713.
Master Wadsworth died six months after receiving his appointment.)
Four more headstones were required to make the tomb entrance
secure. They were deciphered with some difficulty, as follows : —
"Here lyes ye body of Mrs. Mary Welch, wife to Mr. Eben'r
Welch, aged 21 years. Dec'd Septr ye 5th, 1730."
"Ebenezer Welch, son to Ebenezer and Mary Welch. Aged 3
week and 2 days. Deceased Septr ye 6th, 1730."
"Here lyes ye body of Sarah Goldthwait, wife to John Goldthwait,
aged 35 years and 2 months. Dec'd Octr ye 31st, 1715."
"John the son of John and Hannah : Ruck, aged 18 days. Died
the 4th day of Septr. 1701." This makes 10 Tablets which the
present Superintendent has recovered since his appointment in May,
1878.
The next oldest stands on the centre of the hill. It was found in
a tomb some years ago, and although somewhat chipped upon its
edge, there can easily be read upon its surface: "Mary Rind, aged
died ye 15 August, 1662," and "William Rind, aged about one
year, died ye 14 February, 1666, the children of Arthur and Jane
Rind." But these slabs are not the oldest in the enclosure. There
is one finished on the edges with ornamental curves and crowned
with two cherubs of the Angel of Death, that is sacred to the memory

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

Ground,

17

of Grace Berry, wife of Thomas Berry, who died at Plymouth, May
17, 1625, aged about 58 years; and whose body was removed to
Boston in the year 1659, when Copp's Hill was first opened as a
place of burial. This stone is supposed to be the oldest in New
England. It bears a coat of arms, and is marked with the contact
of British bullets fired at it during the Revolutionary War, when it
was used as a target.5* On the highest point of the hill is a stone
bearing the name of John Milk, for whom Milk street was named.
H e died in 1756, at the age of about 47 years. Near by rest the
mortal remains of George Worthylare, together with those of his
wife and child. H e was one of the first keepers of Boston light,
and he with his wife and child were drowned in the harbor while
sailing, on the 3rd of November, 1718. H e was 45 years old, his
wife was 40, and his daughter 13, and upon a triple stone, of very
curious design and elaborate workmanship, the above facts are recorded. It is said that Franklin wrote a poem on this event, which
was so severely criticised by his father that he never again attempted versification. Not far away, down the northern slope of the yard,
is the tomb of Chief Justice Parker, a plain brick vault, covered with
a heavy brown stone slab, and near by is the monument of Major
Samuel Shaw, erected by Robert G. Shaw, his grandson, in 1848.
Upon this shaft is inscribed a record of the events in the life and
career of the Major. It would seem that he served throughout the
Revolution as an officer; that on the 22d of February, 1781, he
sailed from New York for Canton on the ship Empress, the first to
sail from the United States for that port, as part owner and supercargo ; that he was appointed Consul, by Washington, and that he
died in 1794. Between this shaft and the Grant family tomb is a
stone only a few inches in height, and so sunk into the ground that
it almost escapes notice until one stumbles over it. It bears the
name of Goodeth (Judith ?) Copp, who died on the 25th of May,
* There has been considerable doubt as to the correctness of the date on
this stone. In the month of July 1878, an old gentleman from the west, with
his daughter and granddaughter, visited the hill for the purpose of rinding
the tombstone of one of their ancestors. In their possession was an old memorandum book, yellow with age ; on the first page was a fac-simile drawing of
this stone with the coat of arms, (without the bullets marks), and on the first
and second page was an exact inscription of that on the Grace Berry slab,
with a foot-note, stating when it had been removed from Plymouth. No
record of this person's death can be found at City Hall.

i8

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

Ground.

1670, at the age of 65 years. She was the wife of William Copp,
for whom the hill was named. While this memorial of her former
existence still remains, and seems able to defy the elements for centuries to come, that which recorded the decease of her husband has
disappeared, although stones sacred to the memory of other members of the Copp family are scattered about in several places.
The tomb always first inquired after is that of the Mathers; it is
near the Charter street gate, and is a simple vault of brick, upon
which rests a heavy slab of brown stone, into which two separate
squares of slate have been s e t ; one of recent date, and the other
bearing the marks of age, with the following words, which are almost
illegible:
"Reverend Drs. Increase, Cotton and Samuel Mather were interred in this vault.
' T is the tomb of our fathers, Mather — Crockers.
I. died Aug. 27, 1723. MX. 84.
C. died Feb. 13, 1727. MX. 65.
S. died June 27, 1785. MX. 79."
In addition to these clergymen the vault contains the bones of
many of their descendants. It was last opened about twelve years
ago, when the mortal remains of one of the Crockers were deposited
under its arch, and at that time the relics of these ancient worthies
were mingled in inextricable confusion. There is an air of quiet
decay about the spot that is very suggestive of the transitory nature
of all that is mortal. Over it large trees cast a semi-gloom that dis-'
courages the growth of grass or shrubbery; and the tooth of time
has gnawed deeply into both stone and brick. It is surrounded by
a neat iron fence that has recently been painted, and stone curbing
has been placed underneath, and inside the fence the ground has
been newly sodded. By the mutations of family descent, the tomb
is now owned by Miss Rebecca E. Parker, who wishes to maintain it
in as good condition as possible, and at the same time to do nothing
to destroy the sacred character of the property. This and the Ellis
are the only tombs thus cared for, as far as can be seen, during the
last forty years. The famous Napoleon Willow (grown from a slip
brought by Captain Joseph Leonard from the tree at the grave of
Napoleon at St. Helena, and transplanted here by Roland G. Ellis
of Boston,) now shades another burial plat, and covers the monument
and tomb of the Ellis family at the Charter Street Gate.

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

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19

Just where the older portion of the cemetery adjoins the newer,
are the Greenwood tomb, in wThich lies the body of the eccentric
Francis W. P. Greenwood, D. D., who, in the early part of the
present century, was rector of King's Chapel, and who was in the
habit of putting on his robes at his house on Portland Street, and
proceeding to church in grand state, to the dismay of the old ladies
and the amusement of the boys; and the Dupre tomb, the most
ornate in the enclosure, yet bearing so enigmatical an inscription
that there are few who know what it means. On the main walk,
near the front gate, is a broken slab, upon which the following is to
be read : —
"JAMES SEWARD, grandson of

JAMES and

CATHERINE

SEWARD,

died Sept. 27, 1792, aet. 6 months.
He bore a lingering sickness with patience, and met the King of
Terrors with a smile."
There are several stones in this neighborhood bearing the name of
Seward, one of them commemorating Major Thomas Seward, who
was an officer in the Continental army. Upon this is carved a cinerary urn, a cannon, with cannon balls, and a setting sun. Another
slab is ornamented with the angel of death bearing an hour-glass,
and a skeleton seated on a skull, and carrying a scythe. On the slab
covering the vault of Major John Ruddock, Esq., who died in 1772,
at the foot of a long record of his work and worth, were once the
words :
"Time may oface this monumental stone,
But time nor mallice can his worth dethrone
For Villians living oft may buy a name,
But virtue only swells posthumous fame."
They contained a prophecy that has been fulfilled. A few indentations are all that remain of the words of praise and affection, nor
would any one know what they had been, had they not been copied
for preservation long years ago, by the late Thomas Bridgeman.
Towards the north-west angle of the enclosure is a stone commemorating the virtue of Capt. Thomas Lake, of whom it is inscribed
that he was an eminently faithful servant of God, and one of a public spirit; that he was perfidiously slain by ye Indians at Kennebec,
Aug. 14, 1676, and interred here ye 13 October following." A curi-

20

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

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ious reminder of the fate that overtook the worthy captain is a slit
sawn deeply into the heavy slate, into which the bullets taken from his
body were poured after they had been melted. Sacrilegious knives
have hewn away the metal, so that there are only faint traces of it
remaining; still one can easily determine with what material the
fissure had once been filled.* In the same locality is a stone, a
huge block of slate, with one side smoothed, bearing the name of
Nicholas Upshall, and also the information that he departed this life
in August, 1666, aged 70 years. Among the early citizens of Boston, he was a man of note, mainly for his charitable conduct. Because he opposed the course pursued towards the Quakers, and did
all he could to alleviate the distress of those of that persuasion who
suffered persecution, he in turn became a martyr. His crowning
offence was the bribing of the keeper of Boston jail to supply with
food two Quaker women who were imprisoned, and who would otherwise have starved to death. For this act he was fined ^ 2 0 , no inconsiderable amount two centuries ago, and banished from the colony.
H e went to Rhode Island and remained for six years, until Gov.
Endicott had ceased to rule. Returning to Boston he furnished a
room in his house for the free use of Quakers, and many were the
Friends who enjoyed his hospitality. H e was a man possessed of
quite a large property, his real estate covering in 1637 the territory
now bounded by Hanover and Richmond streets and the old water
line, joining the terminus of the two thoroughfares. On this territory
was his house, long known as the "Old Red Lyon " inn. His name
stands twenty-third on the original list of the members of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company; he was a member of the
church, and, as might be expected, he exerted considerable influence
over the affairs of the infant town. In the northwest angle of the
grounds is the tomb of Edmund Hartts, the builder of the old frigate
Constitution. The spot is marked by a plain white stone, upon
which is simply the name of him who sleeps below. Near by is the
vault formerly owned by Christopher Gore, who was Governor of
Massachusetts in 1810. On the other side of the walk is the monument of Charles Jarvis, a physician who died in 1807. This memo*Captain Lake was commander of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery
Company in the years 1662 and 1674; among other Past Commanders interred
in this ground, may be mentioned the following : Captain Ralf Hart, Lieut.
Colonel John Carnes, Captain Caleb Lyman, and Captain Edward Martyn.

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

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21

rial is remarkable for the highly eulogistic epitaph which nt bears. It
might have been written by Sir Charles Grandison. Upon the western rise of the hill is a memorial of Shem Drowne, Jr., who died
May 6, 1770, at the age of 29 years. H e placed the grasshopper on
Faneuil Hall as a compliment to Faneuil, who had a grasshopper
and vane similar, on the top of his summer-house, which stood on
the summit of the hill (Pemberton hill), in the rear of his mansion, which with the mansion and grounds were destroyed in 1835.
Near the Drowne slab is a stone bearing the following words : " I n
memory of BETSEY, wife of DAVID DARLING.

Died Marten 23, 1809.

Aged 43. She was the mother of seventeen children, and around
her lie twelve of them. Two were lost at sea. Brother sextons,
please to leave a clear birth for me near by this stone." Tradition
has it that David Darling was at one time grave-digger here ; he was
also sexton of the North church, and lived on Salem street. H e
died on the 10th of September, 1820, and no regard was paid to his
wishes, as he was buried in a Tomb in the same yard, and no one
raised a monument to his memory. Near this spot was erected
the Battery from which was fired the first shot at the Americans
at Bunker Hill, and the shell that set Charlestown on fire. A stone
that has withstood the assaults of wind and weather much more successfully than the imprint of British bullets, bears the following
words : — " Here lies buried in a stone grave, ten feet deep, CAPTAIN
DANIEL MALCOM, who departed this life October 23, 1769, aged 44
years. A true son of Liberty. A friend to the public. An enemy
to oppression. And one of the foremost in opposing the revenue
acts of America." In February, 1768, Captain Malcom had a
schooner arrive in the harbor, and as the story goes, he was determined that his cargo, consisting of wines, should escape the unpopular duties. Consequently, the vessel was detained and anchored
about five miles from the town, among the islands in the harbor, and
the wine, of which there were sixty casks, was brought up under
cover of the night, guarded by parties of men armed with clubs. A
meeting of the merchants and traders was subsequently held, at
which the Captain presided, and it was determined by them not to
import any English commodities, except such as should be required
by the fisheries, for eighteen months. This incensed the officers and
menials of the government very m u c h ; but it was persisted in, and
hence the remarkable inscription which was placed a little over a

22

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

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year afterward upon the large memorial stone erected over his grave.
This stone particularly attracted the attention of the British soldiery,
and the marks of their bullets are very perceptible on its face. The
stone marking the tomb of Andrew Eliot, D.D., bears his name, his
age, 60 years, and the date of his death, Sept. 13, 1778, on one side,
and a beautiful coat of arms on the other; and the next prominent
object is the large tomb once used for the reception of the bodies of
infants — a reminder of an age of intolerance. At the base is the
entrance to the Sigourney tomb.
Near the .southwest corner of the burying ground is a slab, upon
which is the following inscription: " In memory of CAPTAIN ROBERT
NEWMAN, who died March 23, 1806, aged 5 1 . "
Though Neptune's waves and Boreas' blast
Have tossed me to and fro,
Now, well escaped from all their rage,
I'm anchored here below.
Saftely I'll ride in triumph here,
With many of our fleet,
Till signals call to weigh again,
Our Admiral, Christ, to meet.
O, may all those I 've left behind
Be wash'd in Jesus' blood,
And when they leave this world of sin
Be ever with their Lord."
Nearly opposite on the Snowhill street side is the Peter Thomas
Tomb. In this tomb is all that remains on earth of him who hung
the lights in the steeple of the North Church, on the night of the
ever to be remembered 18th of April, 1775. Paul Revere, for whom
the signal was set, does not lie within these grounds, but the remains
of Mrs. Mary Baker, a sister, are here interred.
The following pathetic lines are appended to an inscription which
tells the passer-by that Miss Hannah Langford died Nov. 19, 1796,
aged 15 years and 6 months:
"Nor youth nor innocence could save
Hannah from the insatiate grave:
But cease our tears, no longer weep,

Old Copp^s Hill and Burial

Ground.

23

The little maid doth only sleep,
Anon she'll wake and rise again,
And in her Saviour's arms remain."
On a stone bearing the name of Mrs. Ammy Hunt, who died in
1767, is the following stanza, evidently penned by some amatory
swain : —
"A sister of Sarah Lucas lyeth here,
Whom I did love most d e a r ;
And now her soul hath took its flight,
And bid her spightful foes good-night."
Burials have ceased, but interments in the vaults are of frequent
occurrence ; about twenty have taken place within the present year;
among them was that of John Somes, a veteran North End lamplighter, whose body was placed near the Charter street side, in a
tomb bearing the names of Ephraim and Larkin Snow. The interior
of these places of sepulture are by no means cheerful, but they are
not nearly so repulsive as might be expected. Raised as they are
above the surrounding territory, they are as dry as the cellar of a
well-drained house. A body deposited in one of them soon loses all
offensive odor, and until the inevitable crumbling of the coffin occurs,
there is nothing to offend either sight or smell.
The date of five tombstones were altered by George Daracot when
a boy, so as to make 1690 read 1620, 169^ read 162^. Similar acts
of vandalism were performed in other burying grounds in Boston
and vicinity. The tombstones removed from where the paths were
made, were placed in other parts of the ground near by, — thus
utterly failing to accomplish their true end. Before this grand act
of vandalism was perpetrated, petty deeds of the same character
were very frequent. Stones were taken away to be used in the construction of chimneys, to build drains, to cover the mouths of tombs,
and to place in the bottom of vaults for coffins to rest u p o n ; a great
many stones, however, have been recovered, and have been placed
in the ground among their fellows. But the work of desecration has
extended to the tombs; several of which have at some time been
controlled by enterprising undertakers, who have removed the remains once deposited to await a resurrection of a totally different
character, and used the space thus obtained for the prosecution of a

24

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

Ground,

traffic, that of letting out temporary burial space, that at one time
was far more lucrative than it is now. Among those thus rifled, is
that of the Hutchinson family, situated near the southeast corner of
the older portion of the cemetery. A square slab of sandstone covers its mouth, and upon it is still to be seen the beautiful coat of
arms with which the members of this high-bred race emblazoned their
belongings. But the name of Hutchinson has been cut out, and that
of Thomas Lewis put in its place, so that to the casual observer, or
to one who knows nothing of Heraldry, this memorial conveys an
idea that is entirely false. In the vault beneath this tablet once
rested all that was mortal of Thomas Hutchinson, father of the
Governor, and of Elisha Hutchinson, grandfather of His Excellency,
the latter having fallen in an attack made by the Indians at Quaboag in Brookfield, descendants of the famous Ann and her husband,
Governor William. Now no one can tell where these sacred relics
are, as they were removed long ago. To Thomas Hutchinson the"
North End is indebted for its first school-house; he first proposed it
at the Town Meeting, and afterwards paid for it out of his own
funds. How grateful we have been for his generosity is shown from
the fact, that the house now erected on the same lot is called the
Elliot School-house, in honor of a former pastor of the New North
Church.
Another vault, that has been misused in the same manner, bears a
coat of arms that is remarkably well carved, and beneath this is an
inscription apparently as legible as it was when it came fresh from
the chisel. This memorial stone, like nine-tenths of all the others,
is of slate, and, like them, it shows but little of the wear of the elements, or of the lapse of time. It stands a short distance away
from the main entrance towards the west, and is about three feet
by two in size, with a thickness of less than two inches. Its armorial
bearings are a coat of chain-mail, upon which is a breast-plate, surmounted by a helmet with its visor down. Upon the top of this is a
swan crowned, and having a chain around its neck, and thence over
its back. Ornamental scrolls surround this device, and on either
side are clusters of domestic fruits, including apples, pears, peaches,
corn, wheat, grapes, plums and cherries, all of which are to be recognized at a glance. Within a space of less than two square feet is
the following inscription :
" H e r e lies the mortal part of WILLIAM CLARK, ESQR., an emi-

Old Copfts Hill and Burial

Ground.

25

nent merchant of this town, and an honorable councillor for the
province, who distinguished himself as a faithful and affectionate
friend; a fair and generous trader; loyal to his prince, yet, always
zealous for the freedom of his country, a despiser of sorry persons
and little actions, an enemy to priestcraft and enthusiasm ; ready to
relieve and help the wretched, a lover of good men of various denominations, and a reverent worshipper of the Deity."
Deterred by neither the beauty of the sculpture nor the eloquence
of the epitaph, Samuel Winslow, who was at one time sexton of Rev.
Dr. Neal's church, obtained possession of the vault, caused his name,
with sublime coolness, to be inscribed above that of him for whom
it had been prepared, ousted its original occupants, used the tomb
for the temporary resting-place of those for whom he was performing
a portion of the funeral rites, and now it is supposed that he reposes
there, awaiting his turn to again come to the light, brought thither
by mortal or immortal hands. William Clark met with reverses in
the French wars, losing forty sail of vessels, which so impaired his
fortune and depressed his spirits tjiat he died soon after. H e was
one of the original attendants of Christ Church, his dwelling on the
corner of Garden court and Prince street was built of brick, and said
be the finest of the clay. Next is the tomb of his brother, Dr. John
Clark, whose family gave seven generations of physicians in a direct
line bearing the same name.
Near the centre cf the hill, is the tombstone of William Mumford,
who died Nov. 21, 1718, aged 77 years. H e was one of the most
prominent members of the Quaker society. H e was a stone-cutter
and builder by trade. On July 10, 1694, he purchased a lot of land
in Brattle Square, and built a brick meeting-house. This is said to
have been the first brick church erected in Boston, and also the first
Quaker Meeting-house in Boston. It was conveyed to trustees, with
a part of the land, for the Quaker society of which he was a prominent member. H e afterwards bought another lot in Congress street,
on the 5th of January, 1707-8, on which he built another meetinghouse, to which the society removed when they sold the one in Brattle Square. They used part of this same lot of land for a Burial
Ground. Near by is the stone of John Soames, (a cooper,) who
was one of the Trustees to whom Mumford conveyed the first meeting-house, and he was also a prominent member of the Quaker

26

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

Ground.

society. H e died November 16th, 1700, in the fifty-second year of
his age, and nine years before the society sold the first meetinghouse. To the left of this stone, at a short distance, is a stone in
memory of Captain John Pullin, for whom the headland at the
northwest of Chelsea, fronting westerly on the harbor, was called.
The first stone on the right as you go up the Hull street steps is a
stone bearing a coat-of-arms, and is in memory of Edward Martyn,
who, with Timothy Thornton and Thomas Hutchinson, was the committee appointed to purchase the second addition to the cemetery.
H e was Captain of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company
At the southwest angle of the enclosure is the Mariner's Tomb,
which was bought, and the monument erected in 1841, by the Rev.
Phineas Stowe, mainly by money contributed by sailors. The crew
of the United States Sloop of War, Albany, contributed fifty-two
dollars, and Martin Woodward, a sailor, collected some three hundred
dollars from the merchants of Boston, for that purpose; many a
storm-tossed waif has found within its walls his last resting place.
In the centre of the ground stands a building now used as a toolhouse, which was built some thirty-five or forty years ago, for a
chapel and receiving tomb ; at the north-east corner of this building
may be found the tombstone of a well-known silversmith, upon
which are the following lines : —
"Death
While
When
'Twas

with his dart hath pierced my heart,
I was in my prime;
this you see grieve not for me,
God's appointed time.

On Hull street side is the tomb of Colonel John Mountfort, who
was breveted for gallantry at Plattsburgh, and was distinguished in
the Florida wars. Next to the Hutchinson tomb is the tomb of
Jonathan Mountford, (a brother of John,) who was a physician and
apothecary. H e resided at "Mountford's corner," and was one of
the founders of the new brick church. The Mountford Coat of
Arms, as represented on the family tomb, belonged to Hugo de
Mountford, a Norman, who in 1066, commanded the cavalry of
William the Conqueror, at the Battle of Hastings. Near this tomb
is the tomb of Edward Carnes, who lived on Hull street, opposite
the Small Ground; Mr. John Weir presented to Mr. Carnes a Flag

Old Copp's Hill and Burial

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27

which he had worn on the occasion of Washington's visit to Boston,
in 1789, thinking he was a suitable person to have the s a m e ; Mr.
Carnes wore it on the occasion of the great Jubilee, in 1851, in
presence of President Fillmore. It is now in the possession of his
son, Captain Edward Carnes of Charlestown.
Among the names that are apt to attract the attention of the close
observer, are the following:
John Milk and Mary F a r m e r ;
William Beer and John Water;
Samuel Mower and Theodocia H a y ;
Elizabeth Tout and Thomas Scoot;
Marcy White and Mary Black ;
Timothy Gay and Daniel Graves;
Charity Brown and Elizabeth Scarlet;
Ann Ruby and Emily Stone.
On the tombstone of Eliza Swift are the following lines:
" A witt's a feather, and a chief's a rod;]
An honest man's the noblest work of God."
Near the Parker tomb is the slab of David Copp, who was a son
of William Copp, and an Elder in Dr. Mather's Church. Near the
Hull street gate, is the tombstone of Capt. Edward Rumney and
wife. Captain Rumney served with distinction in the Revolutionary
War. H e was a member of St. Andrews Lodge, and charter member of St. Andrew's Royal Arch Chapter of Boston. His son Edward, was Sailing Master in the U. S. Navy, and is honorably mentioned in the official report of the capture of the English Sloop of
War, Penguin, by the Hornet. Congress voted him a medal, March
23d, 1815.

It is estimated that over eight thousand persons have been buried
in this ground. Too much praise cannot be given to Mr. Michael
Dalton, who lives opposite the ground, for the great interest he has
taken in the preservation of these Historical Grounds.
The writer takes this opportunity of thanking Messrs. John L.
Stevenson, Roland Ellis, Albert # Folsom, Benjamin Parks, and George
Mountford, for the favors received.
The following are among the authorities consulted: Shaw's History of Boston, Shurtleff 's Topographical and Historical Description

28

Old Copfts Hill and Burial

Ground.

of Boston, Drake's Landmarks of Boston, Shaw's and Bowen's History of Boston, and Dr. Eaton's Centennial Sermon.
Copp's Hill Book of Epitaphs, prepared by W. H . Whitmore, containing two thousand Epitaphs may be found at the store of A. Williams & Co., booksellers, No. 283 Washington street.