The Small Tomb – 89.9.740

[The following document primarily relates to a tomb located in Limington; however, is a part of the Small Surname files at the Scarborough Historical Society and  is included here as part of the collection. It has been corrected as far as minor OCR errors and had spacing corrected to modern. The original words were included regardless of spelling. The original typed documents in PDF format is HERE. – Ed. ]

In the Autumn of 1848, Humphrey⁷ and his brother Major Henry⁷, together with their brother-in-law, William Thompson and Mr. Thompson’s sons, Henry⁸ and Sewall, built a family tomb in what had once been the cellar of Henry’s⁶ second house in Limington, situated a few rods north of his last house, and in a private road leading from the main road to the Thompson house. In consideration of a fifth interest in the tomb, Elmira, widow of Humphrey’s⁷ brother Joseph⁷, gave the triangular bit of ground of perhaps one-third of an acre upon which the tomb is built. This land has been in the family since 1668, and as it now can never be sold it will remain in the family for ever. Amen and Amen.

Thus the five original owners of the tomb were: 1.Humphrey⁷; 2.Major Henry⁷; 3.Elmira, widow of Joseph⁷; 4.William and Sewall⁸ Thompson; Henry Thompson⁸.

June 5, 1849, the bodies of the following named persons were disintered in the field where they had been buried and removed to the new tomb.

1. Mary McKenney, the fairy born widow of Major John⁵ Small and of Mr. Haskins, 1731-1323, aged 92.
2. Henry⁶ Small, son of Maj. John⁵ and Mary, 1757-1326, aged 69.
3. Elizabeth Dam, wife of Henry⁶ Small,1753-1841, aged 8
4. Mary⁷ Small, of Henry⁶ and Elizabeth, and wife of Wm. Thompson, 1780-1846, aged 66.
5. Joseph⁷ Small, son of Henry⁶ and Elizabeth,1806-1838, aged 32.
6. Freeman⁸ son of Wm. and Mary⁷ Thompson, 1813-1824, aged 11.
7. 0rinda Higgins, wife of Henry⁸ Thompson, 1802-1841, aged 39.
8. Ann Maria⁸, dau. of Maj Henry⁷ and Eliza Small, 1834-1835.
9. William, son of Henry⁸ and Orinda Thompson, 1823-1824.
10. William’0.⁹ son of Henry⁸ and Orinda Thompson, 1827-1829.

[Page] 2

The bones of all save Elizabeth Dam Small; Mary⁷ Small Thompson and Orinda Higgins Thompson were placed in the stone vault, as their coffins were decayed. The coffins of the three women before named were in fair condition and were placed in the tomb in the above named order commencing at the inner end.

The bodies of the following named persons have since been placed in the tomb in the order here given, commencing at the inner end next to those afore named:

1. Theodosia⁷ Small, Dau. of Henry⁶ and Elizabeth, wife of Hugh Libby, 1801-1850,aged 49.
2. Mary L.⁸ Small, of Humphey⁷ and Sarah, 1817-1853, aged 36.
3. Statira Libby, Dau. of Harvey and Sarah, wife of Sewall⁸ Thompson,l807-1855, aged 43.
4. Humphrey⁷ Small, Son of Henry⁶ and Elizabeth, 1787-1863, aged 76.
5. Hugh Libby, Died 1372.
6. Sarah Libby, wife of Humphrey⁷ Small, 1792-1873, aged 81.
7. Henry⁸ Thompson, Son of Wm. and Mary⁷, 1802-1873, aged 71.
8. William Thompson, 1775-1876, aged 101.
9. Sewall⁸ Thompson, Son of Wm. and Mary⁷, 1805-1888, aged 33.

Eighth Generation.

Lauriston⁸ Ward Small, son of Humphrey⁷ and Sarah, is the writer of these hasty sketches.

(This material was copied from a small booklet that Anna Larrabee let me copy from. Miss Larrabee and others have had the tomb door cemented up, after putting some of the stones inside.)

I called on her the first week in Nov. 1954.

(Eddie Emery owns Old Dundee now.)