This is a very fine example of an old New England tombstone photographed and sent to me by my friend, Paul E. Sanderson. It is located in the Thirty Mile Island Plantation Cemetery, the oldest burying ground in Haddam, Connecticut. The website for the Haddam Connecticut Historical Society states that,”… the earliest remaining stone dates from 1711.”
In Memory of Mrs.
Silence Huntington
Wife of Mr. Jonathan
Huntington & only
Daughter of Capt
Joseph Selden who
Departed this Life
Sept 22 nd AD 1788 in
40th year of her Age
who Died with a Comfortable
Hope of a Happy
Immortality
I was thrilled when my college roommate, Anne, found Paul on Facebook. We are all members of the Boomer generation and spent our last college year in sociology classes and participating in peace marches together…..it was the late 60’s. Paul and I have been sharing what we have been doing for the last four decades and lo and behold, he also photographs old tombstones.
I am jealous. Paul lives in what has to be one of the best places to view some classic examples….grave markers that are hundreds of years old and artwork worthy of rubbings....NEW ENGLAND. He has a good eye for the unusual and the beautiful and I am grateful that Flipside has been tapped to display his photography. There will be more! Thank you, Paul.
Photography and Research: Paul E. Sanderson
Unfortunately most of the tombstones in that graveyard have lost much definition to mother nature. I haven't been there in years, but visited many times as a child and young adult. It was nice to see a photo of one of the best preserved stones. Paul Selden (grandson by five or six generations).
ReplyDeleteNice work Paul, perhaps you've found your photography niche? A new goal for your next visit to CT's 'western reserve'? Yvonne (sis in law)
ReplyDelete