Reading Early Epitaphs in the Amherst West Cemetery

The graveyards of old New England are fascinating; they appeal to the eye and the imagination, with their dignified stones standing or leaning in gray ranks, quiet abiding witnesses to the long histories of their towns.

Mr. John Hanson has been collecting and studying early New England epitaph verse for years.  In this talk, he will share some outstanding verses on old stones in the West Cemetery and discuss their sources, including Scripture, hymnody, poetry, and original poetry composed for a particular individual.

This lecture will take place at noon, in the Woodbury Room at the Jones Library.

John Hanson is a Williamstown native, now living in Cambridge and the Berkshires.  He received his AB in English and American Literature from Harvard; when not exploring old burial grounds he is an executive at an Internet services company.

He is the author of Reading the Gravestones of Old New England (McFarland, 2021), and has published and spoken extensively on the topic.