Verbal/Material Lore – Gravestone Epitaph
“The Smith Family”

English

Informant Data

Henry Leavitt Smith was born on February 19th, 1848, in New York City, and died September 7th, 1918. Smith was a graduate of the Dartmouth College class of 1869. His wife was Jane Isabelle Noyes, who was born January 18th, 1848 in Concord, New Hampshire, and died May 22nd, 1935 in New York City. This marriage appears to be the reason that the plot is shared with the Noyes family, whose epitaphs and names are inscribed on the reserve side of the same gravestone.

Contextual Data

The Smith epitaph is taken from Revelation 22:3-4, as written in the King James Bible. Born to Asa D. Smith, a Review Doctor and President of Dartmouth College, and his wife Sarah Ann (Adams) Smith, there is no indication that Henry Leavitt Smith was an especially religious man. However, his wife’s father, Daniel James Noyes, was a Pastor of the South Congressional Church in Concord, New Hampshire. Thus, his daughter, Jane Isabelle (Noyes) Smith, was also likely religious, and it is thus well within the range of possibility that she would want a religious epitaph inscribed on her gravestone.

Text

“And his servants shall serve him, and they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads.”

Verbal/Material Lore – Gravestone Epitaph
“The Campbell Family”

English

Informant Data

Gabriel Campbell was born on August 19th, 1838,  and died October 19th, 1923. He is listed as “Minister and Teacher,” and served in the 17th Michigan Infantry Regiment as a captain for the Union Army during the civil war., The dates of his service are unclear. He was also a professor at Dartmouth College from 1883-1910. He is buried with his wife, Louise McMahon Campbell, who was born on September 9th, 1844, and died February 9th, 1927. The Campbell parents are buried with their 5 children, whose names are listed on the reverse side of the headstone.

The Campbell children were Anne Louise (July 24th, 1866 – July 22nd, 1867), Robert Argyle (April 23rd, 1873 – April 17th, 1897), Harriet Lee (April 18th, 1870 – February 17th, 1901), Elizabeth (October 14th, 1879 – August 28th, 1901), and Edith Celeste (June 16th, 1877 – May 18th, 1933).

Contextual Data

It is worth noting that the only Campbell child to outlive her parents was their 5th: Edith Celeste. Given that Gabriel Campbell was a minister, it is likely that he and his wife would take solace in God and in “God’s perfect plan,” as many ministers and their families do when tragedy such as the death of their children befalls them. Thus, though not a bible verse, the epitaph chosen (likely by the Campbell parents) for their children would only make sense, given the grief they surely experienced.

Text

“God’s love is perfect, His will is best.”

Verbal/Material Lore – Gravestone Epitaph
“Theodosia Stockridge”

English

Informant Data

Theodosia Stockridge was born September 20th, 1819 in Bath, Maine, and died April 10th, 1904 in Utica, New York. She was the daughter of John and Theodosia Stockridge. Her grave stands alone – it does not appear to be part of a family plot. Given that she was neither born nor did she die in or near Hanover, the reason for her burial there is unclear.

Contextual Data

Given that her gravestone lists her as “The daugher of John and Theodosia Stockridge,” one might at first guess that she was buried there by her parents. However, according to the birth and death dates listed, she died at the age of 84. Average life expectancy at the time was 49.1 years, so it is unlikely that her parents outlived her. It is possible that she was never married, and was thus buried as “ daughter of” identifier, instead of the “wife of” identifier seen with many female names in the Tuck Drive Graveyard.

Theodosia’s epitaph is taken from Revelation 14:13, as written in the King James Bible.

Text

“And their works do follow them.”

Verbal/Material Lore – Gravestone Epitaph
“The Tilden Family”

English

Informant Data

Timothy Tilden Jr. died September 22nd, 1870. Inscribed below his surname on the Tilden headstone is his full name and his epitaph, as well as the name of his wife, Marcia A. She died April 29th, 1896. Also buried in the Tilden plot is Geo E. Lewis, and his wife, Annie H. Dudley. There is no epitaph associated with their names.

Contextual Data

The Tilden epitaph is not a bible verse, and appears to be a generic phrase. Who gave the epitaph to Tilden and why is unknown.

Text

“Died in hope.”     

Verbal/Material Lore – Gravestone Epitaph
“The Cobb Family”

English

Informant Data

Samuel W. Cobb was born on May 2nd, 1822 in Strafford, Vt. He died February 28th, 1895. The Cobb plot incorporates the graves of Samuel Cobb, and his three wives: Almira W. Ripley, Luella C. Hutchinson, and Caroline E. Davis. There is one large headstone for the family, and the graves of Cobb and his three wives lie along its west face, each marked with a small tablet. Ripley was born on September 10th, 1828 in Barre, Vermont, and died April 1st,1862. Davis was born on October 4th, 1833 in Boston, Massachusetts, and died May 16th, 1879. Hutchinson was born May 3rd, 1840 in Norwich, Vermont, and died July 26th, 1909.

Furthermore, inscripted below S. Cobb’s name is the name Walter D. Cobb, died December 25th, 1946. Given the dates, it would make sense that Walter was Samuel’s son. Inscripted below Davis’ name is that of “Leola A.,” wife of Walter Cobb. She died December 6th, 1944. There is no epitaph associated with either name, and their graves do not appear to be in the Cobb plot.

Contextual Data

Cobb’s epitaph is Micah 6:8, as taken from the King James Bible. The epitaphs of his first and second wives appear to be given to them by Cobb and/or his or their families, and are not bible excerpts.

From the death dates, in can be inferred that Cobb’s first wife was Ripley, followed by Davis, then Hutchinson. Furthermore, from the epitaph inscribed beneath Ripley’s name, it can be inferred that she, along with the child, died in childbirth. Cobb’s third wife outlived him, and is the only name of the four that does not have an epitaph inscribed beneath it. This would make sense, since it appears that Cobb gave epitaphs to his two first wives, but was not alive to give an epitaph to his third. Who gave Cobb his epitaph, be it himself or his family, is unclear.

Text

Cobb: “And what doth the lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy god.”

Ripley: “With an infant enriched in her arms, he buried you in sorrow and hope.”

Hutchinson: “She made the home happy.”