virginia bed and breakfast history

Inscriptions on the Warner Hall Tombstones

Located just south of the Warner Hall Plantation lies the Warner Hall Graveyard. It is the site of the tombs of Augustine Warner, founder of Warner Hall, and members of the Warner and Lewis families.

These fourteen inscriptions are taken from Lyon G. Tyler’s 1894 article in the William and Mary Quarterly.

There is some confusion about the tombs, since Mildred Reade Warner has no legible inscription, and the stone of James J. McClanahan was moved to Abingdon Parish Church.

Included in our book, Warner Hall: Story of a Great Plantation, by Dave Brown and Thane Harpole, images of the stones, the layout of the graveyard and these inscriptions. We’re sharing the inscriptions here, too. Enjoy the history (and when you come to visit, let us know if you’d like a copy of the book, which we gladly sell on site).

1.

Mary Warner ye wife of Augustine Warner Esq. was

Born the 15th of May 1614 And

Dyed ye 11th Day of August 1662.

2.

Augustine Warner Deceased

ye 24th of December 1674,

Aged 63 Yeares 2 Mth 26Ds.

Thos dead whilest most men live he canot dy

His name will live fresh in their memory

True worth is highly shown in liveing well

When future ages of his praise sheall tell

3.

Here Lyeth the Body of

Coll Augustine Warner

who was born ye 3d of

June 1642 and Died

Ye 19th of June 1681.

4.

Mildred Reade Warner.

No transcription.

5.

Here Lyeth interred

Augustine Warner

Son of Coll Augustine &

Mildred Warner born ye

17th of January, 1666/7, And

deceased ye 17th of March, 1686-7.

6.

Here Lyeth Interr’d ye Body

of Elizabeth Lewis the

Daughter of Col Augustine

Warner and Mildred his

Wife and late wide of John

Lewis Esq  She was Born at

Chesake the 24th of November,

1672 Aged 47 yeas 2 Months

And 12 Days, and was a Tender

Mother of 14 Children.  She

Departed this Life the 5th

Day of February 1719/20.

7.

Here Lyeth Interred

The Body of Collo John Lewis

Son of John and Isabella Lewis,

and one of his Majestys Honble

Council for this Colony who was

born  ye 30th of November 1669 &

departed

this Life on ye 14th of November 1725.

8.

Mary Lewis first Wife of Warner Lewis Esq

Daugher of John Chiswell

of Williamsburg,

and Elizabeth Randolph

of Turkey Island

Died the first of November 1776.

Aged 28 Years.

9.

Warner Lewis

Eldest son of Warner Lewis Esq

and Eleanor Gooch

Widow of William Gooch

and Daughter of

James Bowles Esq od Maryland.

Died the 30th of December 1791

Aged 44 years.

10.

Here Lyes the Remains of

Juliana Clayton ye only Daughter

of Thomas Clayton and Isabella his

Wife  She was born May ye 17th 1731

*****ye 12th of May 1734

11.

Here Sleeps the Body

of Isabella Clayton While

her Soul is gone in Triumph to

meet the best of Husbands

and never more to be Devorced

by him to be taughter to Sing

Eternal Praises of God & ye Lamb

For Ever.

12.

Hic Subter Suae Sunt reliquae D.

Thomas Clayton M.B. Johannis Clayton

Arm.  Filii natu minimi Aulae pembrochianae

Cambrigiensis olim Alumni qui studiis

et labore professions fractus postquam

aetatis suae annum XXXVIII attigisset XVII

die Octobris anno nostrae salutis a Christo

MDCCXXXIX pie et suaviter in Domino

Obdormivit cujus vidua Isabella pientissima

hoc marmor pro munere extreme uberibus

cum lachrymis devotissime posuit.

Magnificas nullas cernes his suae columnas.

Saxa nec artifices vivere jussa manu

Pyramides celsa laetor nec surgere in

illis in campis Isidis arter pares.

Scilicet hanc speciem mentorum quaerat

Famam qui metitus conciliare nequit.

13.

Sacred to the Memory

of Caroline Barret wife of Charles Barret

Esq and eldest

Daughter of Warner Lewis by his

Second wife Mary Flemming.

She was born June 28 1783,

and Departed this vale of tears April 6th

1811.

No language can explain what she was

Her Eulogium is where she liveth,

In the heart of her sorrowing h**.

14.

This is to the Memory of

James J. McLanahan

Eldest son of

John and Elizabeth McLanahan

of Franklin County

Pennsylvania Born November 15, 1791

Died October 16, 1838.

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