NORWICHTOWN, Conn. -- Hannah Arnold, the mother of ex-patriot Benedict Arnold, apparently has a secret admirer.

For years, officials said someone has been leaving messages at her graveside in Norwichtown.

Author and historian Bill Stanley said the mysterious visitor goes to the site several times a year. He said the man has left a bouquet of flowers and often a trowel, which reflects the fact that Benedict Arnold was a Mason.

Most recently, a jogger said he noticed a man dressed in period clothing placing flowers, a trowel and a hand-written note weighted down by a candle at the site.

The 3-by-4-inch note reads, "A mother's heart is first in joy. A mother's heart is first to break. Rest in peace good lady. You are remembered again."

"I've seen these little things that are gifts of kindness and recognition," Stanley said. "It's nothing new. It's been going on for years."

Other famous people have been buried in the historic cemetery as well, including Samuel Huntington, a former governor of Connecticut and one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

His gravesite is prominently marked. Many historians consider Huntington to be the first president of the colonies.

Every Fourth of July, a 13-starred flag is placed on the gravesite of Revolutionary soldiers buried in the cemetery, and someone does the same for Hannah.

Stanley said it's possible the mystery person understands the pain with which Hannah lived.

"Arnold was a sensitive man," Stanley said. "He didn't drink, he had great respect for women -- his mother, his sister, his wives were a big part of his life."