The Broken Stone

The mystery of how a centuries-old tombstone from North Haven wound up in the basement of the former Clinton Police Department remains. But through modern-day communication and some old-fashioned research, the burial plot where the stone belongs has been identified.

Members of Clinton's highway department were working at 48 E. Main St. — the building that housed the police department from 1971 to 2005 — when they found the 214-year-old relic on Jan. 4. The headstone, which is in three pieces, is gray slate inscribed with "In Memory of Mrs. Ruth Sackitt wife of Mr. Solomon Sackitt who died March 27, 1796 in the 41st year of her age." And at the bottom: "Death is a debt to nature due that I have paid and so must you."

Sgt. Joe Flynn keeps track of property and evidence that comes through the police department, now at 170 E. Main St. He said he checked with Clinton's town clerk to determine whether Ruth Sackitt's name was listed in the town's records.


http://articles.courant.com/2011-01-12/community/hc-clinton-tombstone-0113-20110112_1_headstone-burial-plot-death