University of Maryland in Baltimore, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Sleep of Young Innocents
Our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever, Amen.
The Lord's Prayer from The King James Bible (1611)
Infant and childhood mortality took a gruesome toll on families in early Baltimore. Sophie and Walter Anderson honored the memory of their only child, Sophie, with a marble carving of a lamb curled up on a Bible. Despite its popularity as a symbol of the sleep of young innocents, the lamb is not found on any other grave at Westminster.
The Anderson's borrowed a popular phrase from the Lord's Prayer for Sophie's inscription which reads:
Thy will be done. Sophie Anderson Died February 18th, 1861, Aged 8 Years & 9 months.
The lamb sculpture was restored in the early 1980s by conservator Robert Pringle.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Cemeteries & Burial Sites. A significant historical month for this entry is February 1815.
Location. 39° 17.412′ N, 76° 37.394′ W. Marker has been reported damaged. Marker is in Baltimore, Maryland. It is in University of Maryland. Marker is at the intersection of West Fayette Street and North Greene Street, on the left when traveling north on West Fayette Street. Marker is on the grounds of Westminster Hall and Burying Ground. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 515 W Fayette St, Baltimore MD 21201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. A Mother’s Grief (a few steps from this marker); John McDonogh (a few steps from this marker); The McDonoghs of Baltimore (a few steps from this marker); “…a truly affectionate wife” (within shouting distance of this marker); Westminster Church and Cemetery (within shouting distance of this marker); Final Rest (within shouting distance of this marker); Westminster Hall & Burying Ground: Where Baltimore's History Rests in Peace (within shouting distance of this marker); A Swashbuckling Merchant (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Baltimore.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), October 8, 2021
Credits. This page was last revised on October 8, 2021. It was originally submitted on March 26, 2008, by Christopher Busta-Peck of Shaker Heights, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,629 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 28, 2008, by Christopher Busta-Peck of Shaker Heights, Ohio. 2. submitted on October 8, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3, 4. submitted on March 28, 2008, by Christopher Busta-Peck of Shaker Heights, Ohio.