玉泉寺 Seaman George W. Parish 1832-1854
[ Gyokusenji American Cemetery No.2 ]
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[ from an newspaper article ]
From the Japan Squadron -- China
The following letter from Mr J. A. HALSEY *, of this city, now attached to the Japan Squadron, though it goes over ground hitherto noticed, contains some facts as to the country and habits of the people, which will be raid with general interest;
U. S. Steam Frigate Powhatan,
Hong Kong, China, Aug. 8, 1854
...
A sad accident occurred on board on the 5th of May, which resulted in the death of a young man named George W. Parish, aged about 21. He fell from the fore topsail yard to the deck, breaking his collar bone, and crushing his arm and leg, so that the bones came out in pieces. He belonged at New London, Conn., and joined this ship in Cape Town. He was interred in the American burial ground at Simoda, a place set apart and enclosed by a neat fence, expressly for the interment of citizens of the United States. A handsome marble monument, with an appropriate inscriptions, was erected to his memory by his shipmates.
― Newark Daily Advertiser, Nov 21, 1854, p.2.
* Joseph Armstrong Halsey, Purser's Clerk of the Powhatan
son of Havilah Smith Halsey (1788-1868) of Newark, NJ
born 03 November 1830; killed in action at Kulan Bay, near Hong Kong on 04 August 1855, aged 24.
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[from the journal of the interpreter]
Saturday, May 6th. [1854] —
One of the men fell from the foretopsail yard about noon yesterday and was so dreadfully bruised that he died about sunset, having his reason to the last, for in his fall his head was untouched. This morning the officials, came off to inquire respecting the casualty, and our wishes in respect to the funeral and burial. Mr. Portman and I accompanied them ashore after breakfast, and they stated the matter to the prefect, who said that at present only temporary arrangements could be made for a burial ground, and he must await the arrival of the commissioners before definitively setting apart a spot of ground for a foreign cemetery. He and the others decided on burying the body at Kakizaki, and a place was cleared in the cemetery attached to the Yoku-zhen zhi 玉泉寺 in that village, and the funeral took place about five P.M., the whole population being present to see the ceremonies. At the same time the Commodore was entertaining the townsfolk at Simoda with the band.
...
The grove of pines on the hill renders the spot a sheltered one, and it is a more desirable place than one in Simoda. Here, surrounded by Japanese, lies the body of poor Parish who had run away from his parents in Hebron, Connecticut, and had given them no notice of his course since, an instructive commentary on the rashness of disobedience to parents.
— S. Wells Williams, A Journal of the Perry Expedition to Japan (1853-1854), 1910, pp. 180-81.
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[yc]
玉泉寺／静岡県下田市
撮影：河野利彦（2018/12）
玉泉寺 Seaman George W. Parish 1832-1854
[ Gyokusenji American Cemetery No.2 ]
===================================
[ from an newspaper article ]
From the Japan Squadron -- China
The following letter from Mr J. A. HALSEY *, of this city, now attached to the Japan Squadron, though it goes over ground hitherto noticed, contains some facts as to the country and habits of the people, which will be raid with general interest;
U. S. Steam Frigate Powhatan,
Hong Kong, China, Aug. 8, 1854
...
A sad accident occurred on board on the 5th of May, which resulted in the death of a young man named George W. Parish, aged about 21. He fell from the fore topsail yard to the deck, breaking his collar bone, and crushing his arm and leg, so that the bones came out in pieces. He belonged at New London, Conn., and joined this ship in Cape Town. He was interred in the American burial ground at Simoda, a place set apart and enclosed by a neat fence, expressly for the interment of citizens of the United States. A handsome marble monument, with an appropriate inscriptions, was erected to his memory by his shipmates.
― Newark Daily Advertiser, Nov 21, 1854, p.2.
* Joseph Armstrong Halsey, Purser's Clerk of the Powhatan
son of Havilah Smith Halsey (1788-1868) of Newark, NJ
born 03 November 1830; killed in action at Kulan Bay, near Hong Kong on 04 August 1855, aged 24.
===================================
[from the journal of the interpreter]
Saturday, May 6th. [1854] —
One of the men fell from the foretopsail yard about noon yesterday and was so dreadfully bruised that he died about sunset, having his reason to the last, for in his fall his head was untouched. This morning the officials, came off to inquire respecting the casualty, and our wishes in respect to the funeral and burial. Mr. Portman and I accompanied them ashore after breakfast, and they stated the matter to the prefect, who said that at present only temporary arrangements could be made for a burial ground, and he must await the arrival of the commissioners before definitively setting apart a spot of ground for a foreign cemetery. He and the others decided on burying the body at Kakizaki, and a place was cleared in the cemetery attached to the Yoku-zhen zhi 玉泉寺 in that village, and the funeral took place about five P.M., the whole population being present to see the ceremonies. At the same time the Commodore was entertaining the townsfolk at Simoda with the band.
...
The grove of pines on the hill renders the spot a sheltered one, and it is a more desirable place than one in Simoda. Here, surrounded by Japanese, lies the body of poor Parish who had run away from his parents in Hebron, Connecticut, and had given them no notice of his course since, an instructive commentary on the rashness of disobedience to parents.
— S. Wells Williams, A Journal of the Perry Expedition to Japan (1853-1854), 1910, pp. 180-81.
===================================
[yc]
玉泉寺／静岡県下田市
撮影：河野利彦（2018/12）