Over Their Dead Bodies: Yankee Epitaphs & History

by Thomas C. Mann, Janet Greene

Three centuries of highly personal comments on religion, politics, death, love & social change are carved on markers in thousands of New England cemeteries. This intriguing collection of epitaphs gives substance to ``last words.''

Genres: History, Nonfiction

103 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1962

Reviews

[Ruth York · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a genealogist, the premise of this book intrigued me. The many epitaphs highlighted within were interesting, humorous, informative and poignant. It was interesting to see how the trend of epitaphs changed over the years. A quick, interesting book.

[Jimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some interesting samples of New England epitaphs. As a lover of cemeteries, I've explored many of them around these six states. Here are some samples:

1. He that was sweet to my Repose
Now is become a stink under my Nose.
This is said of me
So it will be said of thee.

2. Molly tho' pleasant in her day
Was suddenly seized and went away
How soon she's ripe, how soon she's rotten
Laid in her grave and soon forgotten.

3. Here lies our darling baby boy
He never crys nor hollers.
He lived for one and twenty days
And cost us forty dollars.

4. Here lies the body of Susan Lowder
Who burst while drinking a Sedlitz Powder.
Called from this world to her heavenly rest,
She should have waited till it effervesced.

5. This blooming Youth in Health most fair
To his Uncle's Mill-pond did repaire,
Undressed Himself and so plunged in
But never did come out again.

6. In a moment he fled;
He ran to the cistern and raised the lid--
His father looked in, then did behold
His child lay dead and cold.

7. Oh fatal gun, why was it he
That you should kill so dead?
Why didn't you go off just a little high
And fire above his head.

8. He sowed, others reaped.

9. Engraved on four sides of a monument in Lyndon Center, VT. It was engraved by the deceased himself. Mr. Gratis B. Spencer in 1908 age 83 before his death. It has been defaced since then:

Science has never killed or persecuted a single person for doubting or denying its teaching, and most of these teachings have been true; but religion has murdered millions for doubting or denying her dogmas and most of these dogmas have been false.

All stories about gods and devils, of heavens and hells, as they do not conform to nature, and are not apparent to sense, should be rejected without consideration.

Beyond the universe there is nothing the supernatural does not and cannot exist. . . .

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve always been intrigued about what headstones, tombstones, graves say. I always liked reading the ones that said how the person died because it’s sort of like being able to see into the past, to see how things have changed and to also see how similar we really still are. They help make a connection with the past. The ones for children are always particularly difficult to read and I get teary eyed. Like the one about a child being run over by a carriage, it shows how some things haven’t changed. The only way this would have been better is if there were photos of the ones that can still be read.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some quaint selections of epitaphs from New England graves—a novelty book which should fascinate but mostly leaves this reader hungry for more history regarding the evolution of memorials and grave-sites in New England.

[Addison Thumann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting to see how people viewed crossing over back then. A unique perspective with some brief history to give context to the themes present. Fun to pick up and glance over here and there. Some real gems in there.

[NK · Rating 2 out of 5]

I take an interest in gravestones from an ancestry and historical perspective. I wish that I liked this collection more than I actually did.

[Owl · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting. there were a few amusing anecdotes, but I guess I thought there would be more humor in it. For such a short book, I didn't think it would take so long to read.

[Gato Negro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for those interested in New England cemetery history.