John Hedge 1782
Tempe Howes 1805
Daniel Hedge 1801
To the Memory
of
CAPT. JOHN HEDGE
Who died in April 1782 on board
A prison Ship New York
AE 46
Of
Mrs. TEMPE HOWES
Who lies beneath this stone
She was the widow of Capt.
John Hedge & late the
Wife of Jere'h Howes Esq.
Obt. May 17, 1805
AE 66
Happy woman She went to meet her God
Of
CAPT. DANIEL HEDGE
Son of John & Tempe
Hedge who died with
His whole crew at Sea
In the winter of 1801
AE 29
The bottom photo shows a letter under a stone on top of the tomb. The letter was found and transcribed by Cynthia Moore January 2010. The letter written in nineteenth century script reads as follows:
Dearest Tempe,
The years have been
cold and long. Yet I
keep your love within
me, and hold your
memory as a talisman
against grief. As the
span of days grow long
and barren, and as my
vision fades and achs
of dying youth hugs
my fading limbs, I
see your face in my
mind and I have my
Spring again. You asked
I not forget our days,
and that I write this
where the frosted
earth lends lovers arms
to your earthly bones.
I have done this and
ask now for freedom
from your wandering
soul. May your spirit
lie in soil once more
and cease to trouble
the living.
James
Clearly ghosts are involved. Cynthia is on the case