HEADSTONE OF JOHN SEYMOUR, 2d (1666-1748) OF HARTFORD

Grandson of Richard the Colonist. The following is an excerpt from the report of the Committee which had the restoration of the old First Church Burying Ground in hand: (For a full text of the report, see the Hartford Daily Courant of Tuesday, November 21, 1899.)

The Seymours were the first to respond to the appeal. There were fifteen memorials to them. The eastern part of the ground is largely a family plot, including, besides the Seymours, the Wattles, Watsons, and Merrills. Its situation is unfortunate, for the high buildings and dense shade of trees has made it very damp. The stones, some of which have been cared for in quite recent times, were in bad condition. They have been the target for ink and refuse, causing the cherub's heads to assume characteristics not intended by the sculptor. The descendants are numerous, and prominent among them are our late Governor Thomas H. Seymour, Governor Horatio Seymour of New York, and Origen S. Seymour of Litchfield. Richard Seymour, the first here, lived in 1639 on the east side of Main street. He moved in '55 to Norwalk, a pioneer of that town. His son John married 1664, Mary Watson. He was an original member of the Second Church. Died 1713, leaving a large family. The records of the Second Church, as well as those of the town, show the Seymours to have been strong men, trusted in affairs and looked to for counsel in times of trouble. The family have raised a large sum of money, but there remains one hundred dollars yet to be subscribed. The whole plot is in as fine condition as the state of the stones made possible. The removal of trees lets in the afternoon sun. The contributors are Mrs. Nathaniel Shipman, Mrs. J. Hammond Trumbull, Miss Annie Eliot Trumbull, Mrs. Lewis Cheney, Miss Eliza S. Robinson. Mrs. Archibald Loomis, Miss Mary K. Talcott, and Mr. Henry C. Robinson and Mr. Charles Gross of Hartford; Mrs. Maria Watson Pinney, Derby: Professor Thomas Day Seymour, New Haven; Miss Katharine S. Day, Hartford; Mrs. William Blair, Chicago; Mrs. Henry T. Bulkeley, Southport; Rev. Storrs O. Seymour, Litchfield; Miss Emily Seymour, Hartford; Mr. William H. Seymour, New York; Mr. Charles F. Brooker of Ansonia; Hon. Julius H. Seymour, N.Y.; Bishop George F. Seymour, Springfield, Ill.

(<-- Silver Seal of Thomas Seymour, Esq. (1705-1767) of Hartford) (Back to Start) (Arms displayed in the home of Thomas Seymour (1735-1829), the First Mayor of Hartford -->)