of the Declaration of Independence, wrote
the first draft of the epitaph for the tomb of Captain Barry. It read:

[Illustration]

LET THE PATRIOT, THE SOLDIER AND THE CHRISTIAN
WHO VISITS THESE MANSIONS OF THE DEAD
VIEW THIS MONUMENT WITH RESPECT

BENEATH IT ARE INTERRED THE REMAINS OF

JOHN BARRY

HE WAS BORN IN THE COUNTY OF WEXFORD IN IRELAND
BUT AMERICA WAS THE OBJECT OF HIS PATRIOTISM
AND THE THEATRE OF HIS USEFULNESS.

IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR WHICH ESTABLISHED THE
INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATES HE
BORE AN EARLY AND AN ACTIVE PART AS A CAPTAIN IN THEIR
NAVY AND AFTER BECAME ITS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.

HE FOUGHT OFTEN AND ONCE BLED IN THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM.

HIS HABITS OF WAR DID NOT LESSEN HIS
VIRTUES AS A MAN NOR HIS PIETY AS A CHRISTIAN.

HE WAS GENTLE, KIND AND JUST IN PRIVATE LIFE,
WAS NOT LESS BELOVED BY HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAN BY
HIS GRATEFUL COUNTRY.

THE NUMBER AND OBJECTS OF HIS CHARITIES WILL BE
KNOWN ONLY AT THAT TIME WHEN HIS DUST
SHALL BE REANIMATED AND WHEN HE WHO SEES IN SECRET
SHALL REWARD OPENLY.

IN THE FULL BELIEF IN THE DOCTRINES OF THE GOSPEL
HE PEACEFULLY RESIGNED HIS SOUL INTO THE ARMS OF HIS
REDEEMER

ON THE 13TH OF SEPTEMBER, 1803, IN THE 59TH YEAR OF HIS AGE.

HIS AFFECTIONATE WIDOW HATH CAUSED THIS MARBLE TO BE
ERECTED TO PERPETUATE HIS NAME AFTER THE HEARTS OF HIS
FELLOW-CITIZENS HAVE CEASED TO BE
THE LIVING RECORD OF HIS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE VIRTUES.

As cut on the tombstone after revision the epitaph was substantially the
same. "Interred" was changed to "deposited"; "theatre" was stricken out
and "aim" inserted and "honor" added after "usefulness"; "became" was
changed to "was"; "Virtues as a Man" was made to read "the power of the
virtues which adorn private life"; "charitable" was added after "just"
and the sentence relating to the number and objects of his charities
stricken out; "in the 59th year of his age" was omitted.

[Illustration: TOMB OF COMMODORE BARRY, ST. MARY'S GRAVEYARD,
PHILADELPHIA]

In 1876, the original tomb having fallen into decay, a new tomb--the
present one--was erected by contributions of the members of St. Mary's
Church. The epitaph having become illegible the compiler of this record
supplied a copy of the epitaph as it had been cut on the first stone.
But Rev. Wm. F. Martin, the Pastor of the church, had the epitaph cut so
as to read, and now may be seen, as follows:

SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF COMMODORE JOHN BARRY, FATHER OF
THE A