"Beneath the Stately Pines"

A COLONIAL GRAVE-YARD.

The Burial-Place of Rev. David Mossom and His Wife.

On the south shore of the historical Chickahominy river, near Providence Forge, there is a colonial grave-yard. It is about an acre in area and is covered with forest trees, some of which are very large. In fact, the old grave-yard is overgrown with virgin pines. The undergrowth is so dense as to make it next to an impossibility to discover a grave or grave-stone. The indications go to show that at some remote period a house or building once stood in this locality. Feasibly it was a church. There it only one grave marked, which is a slab of Portland stone, and on which is distinctly discernible the following epitaph:

"Here lyeth interred the body of Elizabeth, late wife of the Rev'd Mr.David Mossom, rector of the parish of St. Peter, in New Kent county, and daughter of Henry Soane Gent. She departed this life April 2, 1759 in the 55th, year of her age."

This was the wife of Rev. David Mossom, who performed the marriage ceremony for General George Washington, in St. Peter's church, New Kent county, January 6, 1759. He was a Cambridge scholar. Starling is the estate on which the old grave-yard is. It has been owned by the Jerdones since 1771 and now includes 3,000 acres of land. John Smith was caught by the Indians in this vicinity, and it is supposed that in the same locality Pocahontas saved the life of the historic John.

It is presumed that Rev. Mossom is buried beside the grave of his wife, and it is a fitting spot- this sanctuary beneath the stately pines- for the last long resting places of the good old divine and hi beloved helpmate.The soughing of the pines chant a continual requiem for the dead and the  still waters of the old Indian Chickahominy sooth the "dull, cold ear of death."

                                                                                                      J.D.T.

-Richmond Dispatch., February 05, 1893