Silas Whitcomb

Silas Whitcomb was born in Bolton, MA on September 22, 1787 to Asa and Sarah (Whitcomb) Whitcomb. He was the oldest of their eight children, and was baptised on November 20, 1791. His father was a Lieutenant and later a Colonel in the local militia.

Silas died on April 9, 1795 in Bolton, and is buried near other family members in the Old South Burying Ground.

What makes this gravestone unique is the composition. Suns in and of themselves are not rare on gravestones. They represent the sun setting on ones old life on Earth and rising in the new one in Heaven. Many carvers in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts incorporated suns on the gravestones they carved. This stone, carved by the Park family from Groton, MA, has a full sun setting towards the west at the top of the gravestone. The Parks were not known for carving suns, but they were known for their "portraits".

In Memory of

Silas Whitcomb

son of Lieut. Asa &

Mrs. Sarah Whitcomb,

who died April 9th,

1795 aged 7 years,

6 months & 18 days.