Jared Mead, Who Perished on the Hudson River, October 14, 1852: New Burial Grounds Greenwich

Jared Mead,

who perished on the Hudson River in the sinking of

his Schooner the JONATHAN BORAM by the steamer

Francis R. Skiddy.

Died October 14, 1852,

aged 36 years & 3 months.

Husband thou art gone to rest

Thy toils and cares are o'er

And sorrow pain and suffering now

Shall ne'er distress thee more.

*Please click this link to a similar blog post I authored for Hallowed Grounds, the news-blog of the Historic Mead Family Burying Grounds Association. 

This story appeared on the first page of the New York Daily Times, dated Saturday, October 16, 1852:

Collision on the Hudson River-Supposed Loss of Life

Verplanck’s Point, Friday, Oct. 15

A schooner, supposed to be the Jonathan Booream, belonging to AUGUSTUS STEDWELL, of Brooklyn, Captain JARED MEADE, was run into and sunk last evening by the steamerFrancis Skiddy, when opposite this place. The schooner was broken in two, and the stern floated ashore with the compass and a box containing the schooner’s papers, with the captain’s coat and hat. The fate of those on board is not known, but they are supposed to have been all drowned.

I was at the Hawaii State Library I ran across this article in, of all places, The Pacific Commercial Advertiser, published weekly in Honolulu by Henry M. Whitney (today known as the Star Advertiser). The following appeared on the first page of the July 1, 1865 edition. It focuses on the fate of the Frances Skiddy in Spring, 1865:

Letter from New York

(634 BROADWAY,) New York,

March 28^th, 1865.

MR. EDITOR: - A few days since I left Troy in the beautiful steamboat Frances Skiddy. I chose this boat in preference to the cars, because of the greater comfort and finer view of the Hudson River scenery, to say nothing of the satisfaction of knowing that I was in no danger of one of those railroad “smash-ups” which have become so fearfully common within the last month or two.

The boat was heavily laden with merchandise and the spacious saloons full of passengers. When about ten miles below Albany we heard a sudden crash of timbers accompanied by a heavy jar. The boat began to tip and soon the decks stood at an angle of forty-five degrees to the horizon. Men shouted, women shrieked and fainted, and children cried, while the steam-whistle screamed shrill and clear above them all. For a few minutes the scene of wild confusion and dismay was indescribable. Just at this crisis something about the engine gave way and a volley of steam rushed into the main saloon filling it in a few seconds. Strange to say no one was badly burnt.

We had struck a rock, tearing a large hole in the bottom of our craft. She was rapidly sinking, slowly righting as she sank. In less than ten minutes the dining-saloon was full of water. Tables, chairs, dishes, and burning lamps were floating about. There was great danger that the lamps would set the boat afire, but no one dared venture in to get them.

In five minutes more the water was a foot deep on the next deck. The baggage-master was not to be found, so we broke into the baggage room with axes, got out our carpet-bags and retreated to the upper decks, where we were rejoiced to see that a steam-tug. Which was going down the river with a number of canal boats, had just come to our rescue.

By the time we had handed the ladies, children and personal baggage over to these, the Skiddy had sunk seven or eight feet more and grounded. After waiting there a half an hour, the Hendrick Hudson, on her way from Albany to New York, picked us up. We were happy to have escaped without the loss of a single life, and concluded that it was not unreasonable to expect entire freedom from accidents either by land or water. The dangers encountered in trusting your life in your little inter-island coasters, (to say nothing of the Kilauea,) are perhaps no greater than the perils of travel in this most civilized and christian land.

Miss Sarah Lewis, daughter of Rev'd Dr. Isaac and Mrs. Hannah Lewis, died 1860: Lewis Family Cemetery, Greenwich

The Lewis Family Burying Ground is one of the most fascinating family cemeteries in the Town of Greenwich. 

This plot is located off Lafayette Place in central Greenwich adjacent to the offices of the First Presbyterian Church. A walled-in access way connects the plot itself to the street, an iron gate stands guard at the entrance. The cemetery is maintained by the Second Congregational Church. 

Lewis Street is named for this family, whose extensive land holdings included the surrounding area.

Sarah was the daughter of Rev. Dr. Isaac Lewis of Greenwich's Second Congregational Church. Her life was spent by being deeply involved in church affairs. Besides serving as the treasurer of the Stillson Benevolent Society, Miss Lewis organized the Sunday School and held the post of its first superintendent. 

A well-preserved quilt featuring the signatures of prominent members of the Stillson Society and the church -as well as inspirational quotes from the Bible- is kept in the archives of the Greenwich Historical Society. 

Dr. Lewis is without doubt the most famous member of this family. 

He was born on February 1, 1746 in Stratford, Connecticut and attend Yale College in New Haven. In 1768 he became pastor of the Wilton Congregational Church where he preached for 18 years. 

In December of that same year he married Hannah Beale, daughter of English lawyer Matthew Beale of New Preston. The young Lewis newlyweds went on to have nine children. 

During the Revolution, Dr. Lewis was appointed chaplain to  the regiment under the command of Col. Philip B. Bradley. He was also present with the American patriots at the burning of Norwalk and preached a sermon at the only house left standing after the British attack. Lewis was a member of what the British dubbed the Black Robe Regiment. 

Dr. Lewis's career was a brilliant one, especially after he was settled as minister of the Second Congregational Church in 1786. His first year salary was one hundred pounds. 

Dr. Lewis acquired the land around the cemetery and erected a commodious home for himself and family, since the church did not have a parsonage at the time. The Lewis homestead was demolished many years ago.

* * * * * ** * ** * *

Miss Sarah Lewis, 

daughter of 

Rev'd Dr. Isaac & Mrs. Hannah Lewis,

who died 

November 14, 1860, 

aged 76 years.

For more than Fifty seven Years she was united

with the CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH in this place

and was actively engaged in the works of Faith

and in the Labours of Love in connection

with its members.

Blest is the memory of the Just.

Jonathan Knapp, died June 8, 1796: Burying Hill Cemetery, Round Hill

Jonathan Knapp, 

died June 8, l796, in his 44th year.

Tho all created light decay

And death close up our eyes

Thy presence makes eternal day

Where clouds can never rise.

This historic community burying ground is the oldest graveyard in Round Hill. It is located on the road that bears the same name at the top of a very steep hill. This burial site was set aside by the original settlers for the common use for all in need.

The earliest known carved gravestone is a small fieldstone that bears the date 1762 May 3 AD. Most of the tombstones here are ma of blank fieldstones, however there are a few that are crudely inscribed with names and dates. Family names found here include Knapp, Brown, Rundle and Palmer. There are several later marble tombstones in the cemetery. The burying ground has not been in use since the early 19th century. 

The center area of the cemetery has a large number of rows of fieldstones. It is thought that these may mark the grave sites of British soldiers who were led by General Tarleton, who were ambushed by the locals during the Revolution. The battle took place off John Street, about half a mile away.

Rachel Rundle, died July 25, 1806: Burying Hill Cemetery in Round Hill

This historic community burying ground is the oldest graveyard in Round Hill. It is located on the road that bears the same name at the top of a very steep hill. This burial site was set aside by the original settlers for the common use for all in need.

The earliest known carved gravestone is a small fieldstone that bears the date 1762 May 3 AD. Most of the tombstones here are ma of blank fieldstones, however there are a few that are crudely inscribed with names and dates. Family names found here include Knapp, Brown, Rundle and Palmer. There are several later marble tombstones in the cemetery. The burying ground has not been in use since the early 19th century. 

The center area of the cemetery has a large number of rows of fieldstones. It is thought that these may mark the grave sites of British soldiers who were led by General Tarleton, who were ambushed by the locals during the Revolution. The battle took place off John Street, about half a mile away.

Rachel, wife of Phineas Rundle, 

died July 25, l806, aged 44 years & 1 month.

Hark from the cold tomb a doleful sound. 

J. Randolph Merritt (1906) Merritt Family Cemetery, Glenville

A section of a stone rubbing from the gravestone of J. Randolph Merritt. 

J. Randolph Merritt, Master Mariner

died August 21, 1906

"His course was o'er the mountain wave

His home was on the deep."

This moderate sized cemetery is located next to the Old Baptist Society Cemetery on Glen Ridge Road in Glenville. An iron gateway marks the entrance to this family plot, and a stone wall borders this graveyard from surrounding residential properties. The markers themselves are most in sign and are carved from brownstone, marble and granite. The Merritt homestead is located off King Street where many of those interred here probably lived.

The most celebrated member of this family interred here is Joseph Randolph Merritt, "Master Mariner."  Though he was only aged 59 years, 2 months and 11 days when he died, this man had a remarkable life-long passionate concern with the sea which took him to many other parts of the globe. 

Captain Merritt was the son of Selectman Jotham Merritt and was born at the family home off King Street. Of him it is said that his love for the sea began in boyhood, and at the age of 19 years he set sail on some of the old Clipper ships that plied the oceans. 

When the Spanish-American War broke out he was a commander of a steamship between New York and Galveston, Texas for the Pacific Mail Main Steamship Company, and became a mate on one of the American government transports. 

In the Philippines he helped lay phone cables connecting the islands, and his transport Hooker was wrecked on an unmapped reef. When the war was over so was the transport service. 

Captain Merritt went to Colombia, where the President appointed him Admiral and thusly took control of the naval forces of the republic. He participated in several clashes with revolutionary units. He was highly celebrated and respected by the Colombians. American recognition of the secessionists of Panama would cause Admiral Merritt to tender his resignation in light of presidential orders to destroy five American war vessels at Carthagena, stating that if the warships were of any other nation he could carry out his orders but would not fight against America. 

Merritt returned to American waters to become captain of the Chalmette, of the Morgan Steamship Line. He died at Sailor's Snug Harbor, Staten Island, New York of cancer.

Mrs. Helen Binney Kitchel's Report on Tomac Cemetery, October 1953

Tomac Cemetery, Old Greenwich, Connecticut. August, 2014. 

No progress can I report, 

and grieving ask your pardon,

For hopes and plans come to naught

Sad cemetery garden.

Grandmother nature shares the blame 

for all the years excesses

Too much rain, too much heat,

The weatherman's poor guesses.

The church has tried to do its share, 

Trim shrubs pull weeds, cut grasses.

We still can find the dogwoods there,

with laurel greens in masses. 

But lawn and trees no longer shine, 

Weeds, vines have taken over 

The deadly-night-shade shrouds the pine 

Bold sumac hides the clover.

But weep not, bless winter's snow 

and springtime's glad emergence. 

Another year our plants shall grow.

We promise there resurgence!

An excerpt of a report on the condition of Tomac Cemetery 

by Mrs. Helen Benny Kitchell 

to the Garden Club of Old Greenwich.

October, 1953

Thankful Lockwood, Wife of Daniel Lockwood, died September 3, 1798. Tomac Cemetery, Old Greenwich

Thankful Lockwood

Wife of Daniel Lockwood

died September 3, 1798

in 64th year.

Pray look at me as you pass by,

As you are now so once was I.

This is to let you see

What care my child as took for me.