Thursday, October 16, 2008

101 Ways, Part 56: Was Found Lashed to the Mast of His Sunken and Ill-Fated Vessel

For a brief intro to the "101 Ways to Say 'Died'" series, click here.

Continuing on with the drowning theme, here we have Captain Thomas Green Hull of Providence, RI, whose epitaph gets downright graphic:

CAPT.
THOMAS GREEN HULL
BORN AUG. 17, 1832.
LEFT NEW YORK FOR BALTIMORE
DEC. 21, 1864,
AND ON DEC. 30, 1864, WAS FOUND
LASHED TO THE MAST OF HIS
SUNKEN AND ILL-FATED VESSEL
AGED 32 YEARS, 4 MONTHS
AND 4 DAYS.

The top of the monument has broken off, but it looks to me like it might be part of a ship. The capstan, perhaps? I don't know. Any pirates out there who can help me out?

4 comments:

Robert J. said...

"Who will dance
The mast-lashed master of Leviathans
Up from this field of Quakers in their unstoned graves?"

Anonymous said...

I know this post is a couple years old, but I'd say that broken off piece was a capstan:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capstan_(nautical)

Fascinately blog btw the way! I've admired New England tombstones for a while and I have to say, though I have only just discovered your site, it's already become my favourite on the topic.

- Jacobea.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the picture. This grave is that of my great great uncle. The story of his being lashed to the mast has come down in our family, the tradition being that he wanted the family to be able to find his body. I have never been to the grave site. I'm assuming it is the Old North Burial Ground in Providence?
--Mary Elizabeth Hull

Glenys knight said...

Salvation Army people usually put " promoted to Glory ".