“The workmen engaged in demolishing the old Kerr residence on East Second street made a curious discovery this morning. They came across an old tombstone that had evidently been put there when the house was built and used as a hearthstone.”
“On the outside the, the tombstone was lettered as follows: Ella, daughter of HH1 and MK Fosdick2, died July 16, 1851, aged 2 years, 10 months and 20 days.”
“Below this was the following poetry:”
Farewell, my gentle girl,
Soft by thy gentle bed;
And soft the winds that sigh,
At eve around thy head.
Sweet the early flowers,
That spring upon thy breast;
And kind and true the angel hand,
That guards thy lonely rest.
“The makers of tombstones in those ante-bellum days were evidently believers in advertising for at the bottom of the poetry, it is shown that it was made by AC and CJ Smith of Chillicothe, Ohio.”
“How the tombstone came to be used in the construction of the house no one seems to know. No one could be found either who knew anything of the Fosdick family or what had become of them. Mr. Thomas S. Hall is of the opinion that the house was built by Colonel Row3, grandfather of ex-Mayor VR Row4. Colonel Row was then in the commission business, the firm being Row and Dean and they held forth where the Legler house now stands. Mr. Hall’s theory is that the stone was sent from Chillicothe through Row and Dean and the Fosdick’s did not take it. Then when Colonel Row built the house he used it as a hearth stone.”
“A curious part of the story is that for many years, according to popular report, the house was haunted. People who lived there told of hearing queer sounds and noises, of doors flying open, etc. Finally it became impossible to secure a tenant for the house and it was unoccupied for a long time. It was purchased a few days ago by WA Hutchins5 and he decided to entirely demolish it. It is now being torn away and soon will be replaced by a handsome modern house. Superstitious people now say the house was haunted by the spirit of the little girl whose tombstone was used. Now that it is removed it is presumed the spirit will be satisfied and haunt no more.”6Ghost story revived by the finding of an old tombstone. (1901, April 13). Portsmouth Times, p. 6.7
