Readers of “Dr. Le Baron and His Daughters” will recall the following reference to the graves of the Howland family:—
Consider Howland slept with his fathers on Burying Hill, and Ruth Bryant, his loving wife, had meekly followed him thither. You may see their stones today, in the shadow of that majestic though mistaken monument to the memory of John Howland, the Pilgrim, who married Elizabeth Tilley, and not Ellzabeth, daughter of childless Governor Carver. There too may you see a plaintive little stone to the memory of
Consider son to Mr Consider
and Mrs. Ruth Howland,
Aged 7 years.
The graves of Capt. Abraham Hammatt and Capt. Simeon Sampson, both mentioned in “Dr. Le Baron and His Daughters,” are to be seen here.
Capt. Sampson’s tombstone is referred to among those of the Revolutionary patriots. That of Capt. Hammatt is near the group of Howland graves, and is thus inscribed:—
In This sacred spot Are deposited the remains of Capt Abraham Hammatt who died of a malignant Fever October 12th 1797 Ætatis 47 And of his daughter Sophia who On the fst December following Fell a victim to the same Disease Ætatis 13.
Hers was the mildness of the rising Morn
And his the radiance of the risen day.
The stone of Elder Faunce occupies a prominent position on the hilltop. It bears the figure of a skeleton, seated on an hourglass. The left hand of the skeleton holds a scythe, and wings are attached to the hourglass. Above the figure is the drawing of a scallop shell. The inscription is:—
Here lyes buried the Body of Mr. Thomas Faunce ruling Elder of the first Church of Christ in Plymouth deceased Febry 27th An: Dom. 1745-6 in the 99th year of his Age.