Endangered Gravestones: Edward, son of Frederick Stevenson (1795) Union Cemetery, Greenwich

When I first transcribed the inscription on this brownstone marker in Union Cemetery it was in much better condition. That was in the early 1990s.

Sure, I remember a few cracks developing on the face of it. But since then the marker has seriously deteriorated as you can see.

The stone marks the final resting place of Edward Stevenson. He was from "West Chester" county in New York. He was quite young at age twenty. Why did he die? There are no records specifying this, at least that we know of.

Here is the inscription together with photos of the stone and the epitaph:

Edward, son of Frederick Stevenson of West Chester,

died September 15, 1795,aged 20 years.

Beneath this stone in solemn silence

Th' remains of him who all goodness possess

Dismiss'd from his tenement of clay

With God he lives in one eternal day

death's unrelenting hand cut short his time

Yet willingly he did his soul resign

In life belov'd in death bemoan'd tho' blest

Peace to thy gentle shade and endless rest.

Photo taken August 14, 2014. Jeffrey Bingham Mead

Photo taken August 14, 2014. Jeffrey Bingham Mead