A "Freaky" Coat of Arms

You must pardon me for the pun in the title of this post. (Well, not necessarily "must", but I wish that you would.)

But whether you do or not, our next armoiral tombstone is that of John and Elizabeth Freke.

Again, it's not the greatest photograph, but I was limited in what I could do by having to stay on the paved paths.

The Heraldic Journal, Vol. II, pp. 130-131, says of this armorial tomb: “The Arms of John and Elizabeth Freke.” An examination of this stone satisfies us that the impaled coat is “on a bend, between three roundles as many swans,” which arms were borne by many family of Clarke. Hence we identify the persons here commemorated as John Freke, who m. in 1661, Elizabeth, dau. of Capt. Thomas Clark, by whom he had several children. He was a merchant, and was killed by an explosion on board a ship in Boston harbor, 4 May, 1675, ages less than 40 years. His widow m. Elisha Hutchinson.

Preachers, Patriots & Plain Folks: Boston’s Burying Ground Guide to King’s Chapel, Granary and Central Cemeteries, by Charles C. and Suzanne Austin Wells, adds the following information about this lady: Elizabeth (Clarke) Freake Hutchinson (1632-1712/3) is famous for her portrait with baby Mary at the Worcester Art Museum. Her father Thomas Clarke was a rich Boston merchant. She married merchant Thomas Freake and had 8 children. He was killed in 1675 in a ship explosion in Boston Harbor and was also the subject of a portrait also in Worchester [sic]. Next she married Elisha Hutchinson,* Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, and had 5 or possibly 6 children. He was a wealthy North End merchant, owner of Hutchinson’s wharf, and who with two other merchants had a salt works near Roxbury. They were the great grandparents of Gov. Thomas Hutchinson, Royal governor just before the Revolution. All except Gov. Thomas are buried in Tomb 18 (next to John Molineux Tomb [in Granary Burying Ground]). Her funeral is noted in Judge Sewall’s diary.

In the photo below, I have tried to modify the perspective to give you a clearer view. It's still not really up to snuff, and you will want to click on the image to go to the full-size picture so that you can zoom in to see more detail.

Bolton’s An American Armory tells us: Freke. Sable two bars and in chief three mullets or, impaling: Argent(?) on a bend gules between three pellets as many swans argent(?) (Clarke).**
        Crest: A bull’s or talbot’s head sable collared or.
        “The armes of John and Elizabeth Freke.” She was the daughter of Major Thomas Clarke and married in 1661. He was killed in 1675. Granary Burying Ground, Boston, altar tomb. Heral. Jour., vol. 2, p. 130.

As I said in the title, a "Freaky" coat of arms.

* We have seen the Hutchinson arms in our recent (January 26, 2026) review of heraldic memorials in Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, Boston.

** This is a variant of the Clark/Clarke coat of arms that we recently saw up on Copp's Hill Burying Ground, which there was blazoned Argent a ragged staff bendwise between three roundels sable.