6. James Leeson’s grave in Trinity Church Yard has a mysterious cryptogram
As one of New York City’s oldest churches, Trinity Church is bound to have its fair share of secrets. Aside from the fact that it was once the tallest building in the city, it also boasts a graveyard that serves as the final resting place of Alexander Hamilton, steam engine pioneer Robert Fulton, and a man named James Leeson, who was buried in 1794.
Leeson’s grave might be the most interesting of all, as it’s decorated with a mysterious cryptogram. When deciphered, it reads, “Remember death,” a common warning found on 18th-century headstones. Underneath the cryptogram, Masonic symbols — an hourglass, a compass, and a flame rising from an open vessel — are engraved.
