https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog daily 0.75 2026-03-12 https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-98ecx-z38cj-7caae-4a9x8-ywfjy-6ck37-rbew4-7abkp-k8mmb-269lb monthly 0.5 2026-03-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/4c281437-8d7a-4bfd-99b4-194750e923c6/Bespoke+Bubble_ashley.margaret.1791.westfield.great+verse.JPG Blog - Margaret Ashley - Betsy and Al McKee Courtesy of Bob Drinkwater https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-98ecx-z38cj-7caae-4a9x8-ywfjy-6ck37-rbew4-7abkp-k8mmb monthly 0.5 2025-06-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/92a3c605-9406-4e08-b758-e439b985b1f9/amsden.elisha.1806.conway+pumpkin+hollow+%281%29.jpeg Blog - Elisha Amsden - Betsy and Al McKee Courtesy of Bob Drinkwater https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-98ecx-z38cj-7caae-4a9x8-ywfjy-6ck37-rbew4-7abkp monthly 0.5 2025-05-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/3e454391-5b53-4df5-930d-8eb6e6115ec3/IMG_7928.jpeg Blog - Isaac Spofford - Author’s Collection Courtesy of Bob Drinkwater https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-98ecx-z38cj-7caae-4a9x8-ywfjy-6ck37-rbew4 monthly 0.5 2025-01-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/0874d9ac-eed8-4766-9039-b6840f14a197/McKee+Thomson_smith.jonathan.1795.amherst+nh+town+cemetery+%284%29.JPG Blog - Jonathan Smith - Betsy and Al McKee Courtesy of Bob Drinkwater https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-98ecx-z38cj-7caae-4a9x8-ywfjy-6ck37 monthly 0.5 2025-01-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/b282b815-950a-4c5a-8145-87cbaab1a1e8/McKee+Murphy_russell.charles.1802.lincoln+town+hill+%2859%29.JPG Blog - Charles Russell - Betsy and Al McKee Courtesy of Bob Drinkwater https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-98ecx-z38cj-7caae-4a9x8-ywfjy monthly 0.5 2023-11-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/eeb58327-61d3-4856-b583-5dd49e74666e/Clay+children+stone.jpg Blog - Walker Children Courtesy of Bob Drinkwater https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-98ecx-z38cj-7caae-4a9x8 monthly 0.5 2023-11-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/e55a0f81-30c6-4822-8ee3-2a6f48eada19/Classic_Mill+River_AGSrwd+SLIDES+611+%281%29_Bob.jpg Blog - Ebenezer Hall Courtesy of Bob Drinkwater https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-98ecx-z38cj-7caae monthly 0.5 2023-10-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/a60dfb09-0b15-4d54-adeb-9da5f756d3aa/IMG_5567.jpeg Blog - Marcy White Author’s Collection https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-98ecx-z38cj monthly 0.5 2023-06-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/0b39fc14-4b03-4f7f-a360-2d0b4eefa4b2/DSC_2448+%282%29.jpeg Blog - Deacon William Boies Courtesy of Bob Drinkwater https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-98ecx monthly 0.5 2023-03-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/0488a487-8feb-4e3f-9637-9ff6cea9e773/Poet+Rowe+pepper.martha.1793.norwich+oak+street+%2857%29_McKee.JPG Blog - Martha Pepper Courtesy of Betsy and Al McKee https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-m2f5y-g89n6-btb3a-9hrmj-4bamy-bf3ph-whyd8-g4lyw-6w7nf monthly 0.5 2023-01-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/400d8cf4-f49e-4b51-9ab7-ccf78712476b/Spauldin_Sudden_%21%21%21+I+John+15+25_Bowers_Pepperell.jpg Blog - Aaron Bowers American Antiquarian Society https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-m2f5y-g89n6-btb3a-9hrmj-4bamy-bf3ph-whyd8-g4lyw monthly 0.5 2022-12-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/25318dc3-787c-4849-b264-d46a414e3259/IMG_3767.jpeg Blog - Ramick Knowles Author’s Collection https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-m2f5y-g89n6-btb3a-9hrmj-4bamy-bf3ph-whyd8 monthly 0.5 2022-12-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/c44a0637-490d-4d7e-896f-1c9551b5529c/IMG_1522.jpeg Blog - Phinehas Smith Author’s Collection https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-m2f5y-g89n6-btb3a-9hrmj-4bamy-bf3ph monthly 0.5 2022-09-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/6388a35d-1a06-456e-abad-8d41e07384be/IMG_3719.jpeg Blog - Love Wells Author’s Collection https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-m2f5y-g89n6-btb3a-9hrmj-4bamy monthly 0.5 2022-08-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/4aff7fa9-240c-4da3-ad8d-c9a72240a1f7/John+Treat_Wheatley.jpg Blog - John Treat American Antiquarian Society https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-m2f5y-g89n6-btb3a-9hrmj monthly 0.5 2022-07-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/a13e79e6-7c0b-4e01-94b3-6454e7d0870c/Poet_Young_worthington.john.1800.springfield_McKee.jpeg Blog - John Worthington Betsy and Al McKee https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-m2f5y-g89n6-btb3a monthly 0.5 2022-01-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/c9b2c24a-5001-48d0-8f7c-5b92a9460a19/IMG_2923.jpeg Blog - Varney and John Putnam Author’s Collection https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-m2f5y-g89n6 monthly 0.5 2021-11-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/8929918a-f246-4bf3-9d48-0dd70263551a/IMG_2823.jpeg Blog - Caroline Hunt and Mary Mather Author’s Collection https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/994cba3f-7cdc-4e9e-a289-bdebaec3a888/Mary+Mather.jpeg Blog - Caroline Hunt and Mary Mather - Make it stand out Author’s Collection https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-m2f5y-g89n6-s5hep monthly 0.5 2021-11-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/10b712f9-fd06-4b11-9ee6-e5abdbfdb6c5/BLOG+Scripture_Corinthians_gilbert.benjamin.1760.north+brookfield+%289%29_AlMcKee.jpg Blog - Benjamin Gilbert Courtesy of Betsy and Al McKee https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6-m2f5y monthly 0.5 2021-08-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1629322681719-3TZAWW543E0S61KZN5HJ/TBU+Poet+Young+all+on+earth+is+shadow+adams.mehetebel.1787.canterbury+carey+McKee.JPG Blog - Mehetebel Adams Courtesy of Betsy and Al McKee https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw-sr2y6 monthly 0.5 2021-08-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1627323417203-SXKWSTT0CUBBMGRSGL3L/BLOG++Recur+Rachel%27s+Face+Leah%27s+womb+cole.margaret.1792.sutton+center+%2814%29+McKee.JPG Blog - Margaret Cole Courtesy of Betsy and Al McKee https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm-23rxw monthly 0.5 2021-07-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1625165016282-G0C9CDWA0THTNT9S11AM/BLOG+hymns+Mason+Montague+MA.jpg Blog - Asahel Gunn Courtesy of American Antiquarian Society https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4-2t2pm monthly 0.5 2021-06-17 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1623962401017-JDC86TOTQ5MZK4YY7821/BLOG+Recur+Boisterous+Winds+McKee_barnerd.james.1768.sleepy+hollow+%2815%29.JPG Blog - James Barnerd Courtesy of Betsy McKee https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58-3fkb4 monthly 0.5 2021-06-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1622577983527-DYLTU2NNFQY7PZT3Q11U/Poetry_Abiel+Holmes_Death+fair+fabric+overthrows+McKee_work.eliza.1806.eastford+westford+road+%287%29+%281%29.jpg Blog - Eliza Dow Courtesy of Betsy McKee https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket-kjs58 monthly 0.5 2021-04-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1619270920948-2JO0OBTS5CQ9NLDNT0FH/Spauldin_Bespoke_Frail+Man_Hunt.jpg Blog - Rebekah Hunt Courtesy of American Antiquarian Society https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw-d3ket monthly 0.5 2021-03-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1617024266984-0UC3XSC890Q0DPH4GS4N/Recur+flying+sickle+benjamin.esther.1768.griswold+pachaug+%288%29.JPG Blog - Esther Benjamin Source: Betsy and Al McKee https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna-c7ztw monthly 0.5 2021-03-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1614809363400-13RLO5LZOTBUKI4P7H09/Classic_Anne+Williams_Hampden+MA.jpg Blog - Anne Williams Source: Courtesy of American Antiquarian Society https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg-dacna monthly 0.5 2021-03-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1613422527043-128G8Y434NKK5IFABOPW/IMG_1519.jpeg Blog - Nathaniel Ferry Source: Author’s Collection https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz-hh5dg monthly 0.5 2021-02-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1612384366842-Z2DDEWUG2S7ON2CQQGS5/IMG_1521.jpeg Blog - Deacon William Eastman Source: Author’s Collection https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-9n8bz monthly 0.5 2021-02-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1610653390873-0THMHM1JY8MNZ3H5M8G3/IMG_2035.jpeg Blog - Abraham Brown Source: Author’s Collection https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7-2cger monthly 0.5 2021-01-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1609189002576-X5L280I08UJFZJPV9K3W/5+Joseph+Willcockson.jpg Blog - Joseph Willcockson Courtesy: American Antiquarian Society https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92-cjdy7 monthly 0.5 2020-12-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1608239310367-55BDRCFNEX2X48DUBYM7/IMG_1967.jpeg Blog - Ebenezer Whiting Source: Author’s Collection https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5-zsg92 monthly 0.5 2020-12-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1606945310486-E4A18I2UQMNKWU0KM2PB/IMG_1128.jpeg Blog - Jane Sherril Source: Author’s Collection https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63-jzxy5 monthly 0.5 2020-12-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1606590388218-O6LOR60VLIKY2LMNYU1I/IMG_1877.jpeg Blog - Thomas Hamilton Source: Author’s Collection https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc-e7c63 monthly 0.5 2020-12-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1605815633582-CQ8KD4ZLCIK44X16KUJH/IMG_1806.jpeg Blog - Lotan Hiscock Source: Author’s Collection https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2-r4rzc monthly 0.5 2020-12-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1605047150101-N2U2VKAA4MH7AV69A1SI/IMG_1697.jpeg Blog - Sarah Williams Source: Author’s Collection https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/blog-post-one-fkhj2 monthly 0.5 2020-12-18 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1604327840071-Q9PN70MZJJAX8SEYYV82/IMG_1807.jpeg Blog - Amanda Tinker Source: Author’s Collection https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/category/Stone+of+the+Week monthly 0.5 https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/category/Bespoke monthly 0.5 https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/tag/Bespoke monthly 0.5 https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/tag/Latin monthly 0.5 https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/tag/Poetry monthly 0.5 https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/tag/The+Classic monthly 0.5 https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/blog/tag/Locally monthly 0.5 https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/about daily 0.75 2020-11-02 https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/a-guide-to-reading-early-epitaphs daily 0.75 2021-08-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1602721746823-WCTWV1I33118O12TAS3F/Figure+1.+Deacon+John+Jackson+stone.jpeg A Guide to Reading Early Epitaphs Author’s collection https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1602880043259-B89VILN2IQD4IPGUDF38/Figure+21.++Sarah+Hopkins+stone.jpg A Guide to Reading Early Epitaphs Courtesy of American Antiquarian Society https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1602880582090-C2GRNDP077LZPLSV0GYD/Figure+27.++Elizabeth+Sheldon+stone.jpeg A Guide to Reading Early Epitaphs Author’s collection https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1603151051530-AOH1Y79RTEA3IW9UFMNS/image-asset.jpeg A Guide to Reading Early Epitaphs Author’s collection https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1603151519506-XF9DNX0KRUPS8EWEGNW2/Figure+5.++Seth+Hunt+stone.JPG A Guide to Reading Early Epitaphs Courtesy of Betsy and Al McKee https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1603152044823-ZK84OAAU6BWU1XA80V6I/Figure+55.++Anne+Wright+stone.jpg A Guide to Reading Early Epitaphs Courtesy of American Antiquarian Society https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1603152381862-7QEM7ZGYCQ81E9AT81FP/Figure+7.++Susanna+Soule+stone.jpg A Guide to Reading Early Epitaphs Courtesy of American Antiquarian Society https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/home daily 1.0 2020-11-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1602721049303-KILL83TYTHSG1KP9T7FG/IMG_1542.jpeg Home The graveyards of old New England are irresistibly fascinating. They appeal to the eye and the imagination, with their dignified stones standing or leaning in gray ranks, quiet abiding witnesses to the long histories of their towns. They provide a trove of useful information for historians, genealogists, and students of religious art. They also draw in visitors who find spiritual or philosophical comfort in contemplating lives and deaths from centuries ago, memorialized in granite or marble, slate or sandstone. For me, these graveyards hold an absorbing store of poetic messages from early New Englanders. I started collecting interesting epitaphs in these burial grounds when I was a kid, and through the years I keep asking myself “where did these verses come from, and how did they get on these gravestones?” Trying to satisfy my curiosity on those two questions has led me on a personal journey of heart and mind into the literary and spiritual world these people inhabited. Each time I stand in front of a gravestone and read, I hear the sadness, grief, hope, joy, and faith of these ordinary people who lived and died two centuries ago and more. The course of my studies has taken me down pleasantly unexpected by-ways, bringing me into the company of a marvelous assemblage of long-forgotten writers with surprisingly fascinating biographies, and opening a door into vanished but once-bustling scenes of commerce and competition in publishing and stone-carving. I invite you to read and contemplate the words these people chose; admire the hand of the individuals who selected or composed these verses, recalling always that they were intended to be read by posterity – by us; and reflect upon what these very personal choices tell us about early New Englanders’ changing and often conflicted attitudes towards life, death, and eternity. https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/contact daily 0.75 2020-11-03 https://www.johnhansonauthor.com/general-2 daily 0.75 2025-05-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1617139898706-ER13NFO1NOWQOZ6ADMQN/Cover.jpg Further Reading and Resources - Here is a link to order a copy of my book, published in October 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1603844756366-07OZY5YJDTY2M4V3AWHY/Screen+Shot+2020-10-27+at+8.26.01+PM.png Further Reading and Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1604352886780-LCVO5P81XW3EXDO6IOWA/IMG_1840.jpeg Further Reading and Resources A regrettably-named but delightful and instructive book; it has been re-printed under the title Epitaphs to Remember https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1604353284321-DFGWG8JM9VFLNH9BRRG1/IMG_1842.jpeg Further Reading and Resources A very beautifully-designed book of images and epitaphs from old New England graveyards. The author is actually most famous for Spiked Boots, a collection of legends and lore of New England logging men. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f84c42d88d0585290e15224/1604353127368-D2XNR4OZLF1KV4RYG1IY/IMG_1841.jpeg Further Reading and Resources A good, serious, generalist collection that covers a wide range of themes and eras.