The dauntless heart yet touched by human woe
A Friend to man to vice alone a Foe.
Not far away is the stone of Gen. Nathaniel Goodwin, a well-known military character of the last century. His house was where the Baptist church now stands. He had charge of the enlistments for the Revolutionary army in this quarter of the State. On the surrender of Burgoyne and his men, Gen. Goodwin was placed in command of the guard over them at Somerville. Burgoyne’s sword fell into his possession. He died in 1819.
Just across the path from the grave of William Crowe is the tombstone of Capt. Jacob Taylor, another of Plymouth’s Revolutionary patriots, who died in 1788. Beneath the name and date we read these quaintly worded lines:—
Through life he brav’d her foe if great or small
And march’d out foremust at his country’s call.
On the southeasterly hillside we catch sight of the name of Capt. Nathaniel Carver, beneath the weeping-willow and urn, the common mortuary emblems of those days. Capt. Carver commanded a vessel which was captured by the famous Admiral Nelson. The Yankee captain was enabled, however, to do the great naval officer a good turn by piloting him out of a place of danger; and the following document, in possession of Hon. William T. Davis, the historian of Plymouth, explains itself:—
These are to certify that I took the schooner Harmony. Nathaniel Carver, master, belonging to Plymouth, but on acc’t of his good services have given him up his vessel again. Dated on b’d His Majesty’s ship Albemarle, 7 Aug., 1782, in Boston Bay.
Horatio Nelson.
On the west side of the hill are the graves of Dr. William Thomas, a surgeon in the expedition against Louisburg in 1745; and his sons Joshua, who was on the staff of the Revolutionary Gen. Thomas; Joseph, a captain of artillery in the Revolution; John, a surgeon’s mate under his father; and Nathaniel, who was also engaged in the struggle for independence.