Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Molly Fowler Gravestone Stolen?

 Thanks to Fritz for pointing me toward this story in the comments.

On Saturday, Richard Platt, the city historian for the town of Milford, Connecticut, noticed that one of Milford's most famous gravestones was missing. The stone, dedicated to Mary Fowler (d. 1792), is famous for its epitaph:

Molly tho pleasant in her day
Was sudd'nly seiz'd and sent away
How soon shes ripe how soon shes rott'n
Sent to her grave, & soon for gott'n

A picture of the full stone is available in the Farber Collection.

Thankfully, the stone was recovered today. It seems that someone may have dragged it into the woods before abandoning it. Those things are heavy.

This is just another reminder to be vigilant when you're in your local cemetery/graveyard. If you see something amiss or can't find a beloved stone, report it! Also, if you ever see a gravestone (or part of a gravestone) in an antique store or gallery, try to find out if it's a reproduction. If you're not sure, call your local historical society, preservation organization, cemetery commissioner, or police and ask them to check it out.

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