Verbal/Material Lore – Gravestone Epitaph
“Mayrant Moody Crosby”

English

Informant Data

Mayrant Moody Crosby died on December 28, 1867 at the age of 4 years old. He is interred with various members of his family. Among them are his father Alfred Harrison, a member of the Dartmouth College class of 1848 (died 1886), and his sister Dixi (died 1878). Other unidentified members of the Crosby family buried there are the two wives of Asa Crosby; Betsy Hoit (died April 2nd, 1804 at the age of 34) and Abigail Russell (died December 21st, 1856 at the age of 80), as well as Josiah Crosby (1794-1875) and Nathan Crosby (1798-1885).

Contextual Data

Mayrant’s epitaph is in latin, and translates directly to “Extinguished in the other will be the same,” but holds little meaning in the original translation. As is often the case with Latin, the figurative translation holds more relevance: “The same man will be loved after he dead.” The phrase is a quote from Horace, an ancient roman poet. The epitaph is not literally applicable, given that Maryant died as a small child, not as a “man.” However, it does seem like a fitting epitaph to be given by the grieving parents of a dead child.

Text

“Extinctus Amabitur Idem”