J. L. BELL is a Massachusetts writer who specializes in (among other things) the start of the American Revolution in and around Boston. He is particularly interested in the experiences of children in 1765-75. He has published scholarly papers and popular articles for both children and adults. He was consultant for an episode of History Detectives, and contributed to a display at Minute Man National Historic Park.

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Wednesday, July 31, 2019

“While on the tree the summons came”

Eleven years ago, Caitlin G. DeAngelis shared images of a gravestone that was lying on the ground and slowing sinking into the soil of Bristol, Rhode Island.

It reads:

ALLEN WARDWELL
son of Mr. Peleg
Pitman & Mary his
wife; who lost his
life by a fall from
a tree April 13th
1799, in the 11th
Year of his age.
While on the tree
The summons came
And call’d me
to my GOD.
The stone includes not only a carving of a droopy tree, not unlike those one sees on mourning embroidery of this period. But in this case the art also includes a picture of young Allen falling to his death, broken branch clutched in his hand.
Photos at Find a Grave suggest that this stone has been stood up again. Let’s hope it will be looked after.

2 comments:

Charles Bahne said...

Alas, if you look closely at the photos on Find A Grave, you'll see that someone is holding the stone upright so that it can be photographed. It also looks as if it's broken off at the base, just below ground level, not leaving enough stone to support a normal reinstallation.

J. L. Bell said...

Yes, I did see the person in the Find a Grave photo. I hoped that meant the stone was in the process of being cared for.