Old Dutch Church Burying Ground, Sleepy Hollow, New York

The Old Dutch Church Burying Ground in Sleepy Hollow, New York, is one of the oldest graveyards in America.  Though it was established in 1685, some say that the first burials were much earlier than that.  The cemetery has many examples of gravestones carved out of red sandstone, like the gravestone of Susanna Paulding.  Her gravestone is embellished with a winged face wearing a crown.  The winged face represents the flight of the soul after death.  The crown in this case most likely represents victory over death.  Her epitaph is interesting because it implies while she is among the dead, she is not one of them–she is merely resting.

In Memory of

Susanna Paulding, sen.

who died Nov.r 13th

AD 1790.

Aged Years 8 Months

and 28 Days

Suffic’d with life

My spirits fled,

And I’m at rest

Among the dead.