USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > Worcester > Proceedings of the Worcester Society of Antiquity, 1877, Volume I-5 > Part 8
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BATCHELDER, LYMAN .- One ancient tin Lantern.
BOYDEN, A. G., Bridgewater, Mass .- History and Alumni Record of the State Normal School, 1876.
BROWN UNIVERSITY, Providence, R. I .- Catalogue, 1876-7.
BUTLER, PROF. JAMES D., Madison, Wis .- Pre-Historic Wisconsin.
CLAPP, S. A .- Collection of Clay Formations from the banks of the Connecticut river.
COMINS, EDWARD I .- Framed Portrait of Ebenezer Dunbar, of Leicester, Mass., taken the day he was 100 years old.
CRANE, ELLERY B .- History of Madison and Lake Counties, Wisconsin ; Index to American Pedigrees; American Genealogist; Slafter Memo- rial; Runnels and Reynolds Family; Framed Coat of Arms of the Raw- son Family.
CRANE, ELLERY B. and RICE, FRANKLIN P .- A framed Portrait of Andrew Johnson.
1
35
DICKINSON, THOMAS A .- 1 Almanac, 1760.
DODGE, BENJAMIN J .- 17 Pamphlets.
DOE, CHARLES II. & Co .- 14 volumes Ku Klux Conspiracy, with Report of Committee relating to the same.
DOUGLAS, HENRY F., Providence, R. I .- Life of Stephen A. Douglas ; Notes of the Baptists and their Principles in Norwich, Ct., from the Settlement of the Town to 1850.
ESSEX INSTITUTE, Salem, Mass .- Bulletin, 1876-7.
GOULD RANSOM M .- Dedication of Soldiers' Monument in Worcester, 1875.
HARDING, WILLIAM B .- File of Boston Daily Journal from May to No- vember, 1877.
HARRINGTON, FRANK W .- 1 Robert B. Thomas Almanac.
HARRIS, CLARENDON .- 19 volumes Diplomatic Correspondence; 10 vols. U. S. Public Documents; 2 Reports; Robert B. Thomas Almanacs from 1799 to 1876; 1 Almanac, 1796.
HASTINGS, THOMAS J .- 8 vols. Public Documents, Mass.
HOBBS, J. S., Augusta, Maine .- 19 Public Documents, Maine.
HOWARD, JOSEPH JACKSON, London, Eng .- Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica-2 Nos.
JILLSON, CLARK .- Cicero's Orations, printed in 1472; a complete set of Worcester City Documents; his Sketch of the Life of John F. Pond; Six vols. Legal Observer; Report of Committee on re-building the Lynde Brook Dam ; 89 vols., 1486 Pamphlets, 2 Broadsides, and numer- ous Prints and Views.
JILLSON, HARVEY DWIGHT, M. D., Fitchburg, Mass .- 50 volumes and 76 Pamphlets.
KNOWLTON, E. H .- 3 Worcester Directories; 1 County do .; 3 Pamphlets, with numerous Papers, Circulars, and Cards.
LAWRENCE, E. R .- 2 Books, and 1 Map of Worcester.
MERRIAM, OLIN L .- I volume and 3 papers.
METCALF, ISAAC N .- History of the Worcester Choral Union; "Book of Words " of Series of Concerts of Worcester Choral Union, 1874; Book of Programmes of Concerts of the Worcester County Musical Association for the 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Annual Festivals, 14 Nos.
NEW ENGLAND HISTORIC, GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY, Boston .- Annual Proceedings, 1874-5-6-7.
O'FLYNN, RICHARD .- 2 volumes Congressional Globe; 1 Psalm Book; a package of Ballots, such as were used in Ward Five at the State Election, 1876 and 1877.
36
PAIGE, REV. LUCIUS R., D. D., Cambridge, Mass .- IIis History of Cam- bridge, 1630-1877.
PROVIDENCE ATHENEUM, Providence, R. I .- The 41st Annual Report of that institution.
PUTNAM && DAVIS .- 8 volumes, 111 Pamphlets, 138 Cirenlars, 128 Cata- logues, and 2 Engravings.
PEASE, WILLIAM E., Oxford, Mass .- Reports of Election Cases in Massa- chusetts, 1780 to 1852; Riley's Narative; Might and Right, or Histo- ry of the Dorr War; Franklin's Works; History of the British Empire in America, 2 vols .; Debates in the Massachusetts Convention, 1853, 3 vols .; Massachusetts Convention of 1820; Events in Paris, Jan'y, 1830, with 9 other volumes.
RICE, FRANKLIN P .- 13 Volumes and 57 Pamphlets; View of Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Boston, framed; Portrait of Edward Everett.
RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Providence, R. I .- Volume VI. Collections, and Proceedings 1872-3-4-5.
SALISBURY, STEPHEN, JR .- His work on The Mayas, and the Sources of their History.
SEAGRAVE, DANIEL .- 1 Book; The History of the Heliotype Process; 44 Pamphlets ; 866 copies of Daily Spy, and 10 Engravings.
SMITH, JOHN G .- Mass. Agricultural Reports, complete except for the years 1862 and 1867; Record Volume 25th Reg. Mass. Volunteers Tem- perance League; 12 Volumes ; 1 Testament, formerly owned by Rev. Horace James, and 1 Portrait.
SMITH, JAMES A .- 7 Volumes Coast Survey.
STAPLES, SAMUEL E .- His Normal Schools and their Origin ; 15 Vol- umes, 1 Pamphlet; 15 miscellaneous papers.
AUGUSTUS STONE .- 7 Volumes; 60 Pamphlets; 1 Magazine; 1 Map; 90 Nos. N. E. Farmer ; 1 Review ; 1 Catalogue.
TYLER, REV. ALBERT .- Snndry Bennington and Springfield papers, Cen- tennial Pamphlets and Programmes; Thanksgiving Proclamation of Gov. Rice, 1877; pair of Ancient Wooden Compasses; Ancient Knit- ting Case.
TYLER & SEAGRAVE .- The 25th Anniversary of the First Universalist Society in Worcester, Oct. 10th, 1866; Speech of Hon. Geo. F. Hoar; a large quantity of Posters and Broadsides.
VERMONT HISTORICAL SOCIETY .- Annual Address, 1877; Vol. V. Gov- ernor and Council of the State of Vermont, from 1804 to 1812.
WISCONSIN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Madison .- Its 23d Annual Report.
WHITING, CHARLES B .- 2 Pamphlets.
WRIGHT, COL. CARROLL,.D., Boston .- 2 vols. Census Report, Mass.
37
The Committee appointed at a former meeting to report a list of officers for the ensuing year, made their report which was accepted and confirmed by the election of the following officers, by ballot :
President-SAMUEL E. STAPLES.
Vice Presidents-CLARK JILLSON, ELLERY B. CRANE.
Secretary-DANIEL SEAGRAVE.
Treasurer-JAMES A. SMITHI.
Librarian-ALBERT A. LOVELL.
Standing Committee on Nominations for 3 Years-EDWARD R. LAWRENCE.
The oath of office was administered to the Secre- tary and Treasurer by Clark Jillson. t
On motion of Mr. Rice, an assessment of five dol- lars for the present year was made upon each mem- ber for the purpose of defraying the current expenses.
The meeting was then adjourned for two weeks.
A meeting of the Society was held Jan. 15th, the same having been adjourned from January 1st, 1878.
The committee on amendments to the Constitution made a report which was adopted, and the articles amended were ordered to be printed. On motion of Mr. Charles R. Johnson, a committee consisting of Ellery B. Crane, Clark Jillson, Albert A. Lovell, Isaac N. Metcalf and Augustus Stone, was appointed to con- sider the expediency of holding an exhibition or ob- taining some person to deliver a lecture for the pur- pose of raising funds for the benefit of the Society.
The President made his assignment of members to the several Departments of Work, a list of whom will be found on page 4.
38
The President also appointed as Committee on Biography, Henry L. Shumway, Rev. Thomas E. St. John and Alfred S. Roe.
Mr. Jillson called the attention of the Society to the importance of so changing the By-Laws as to re- quire the annual reports to be made and the officers to be elected at the regular meeting in December each year, for the purpose of making it possible to publish the Proceedings of an entire calendar year together, and have them ready for distribution at the regular meeting in January.
S .:
39
The following letters in acknowledgment of Hon- orary Membership have been received since the last meeting of the Society :
PARIS, 24th Dec'r, 1877.
DANIEL SEAGRAVE, EsQ.,
Dear Sir : I beg leave to acknowledge the receipt of your letter informing me of my election as an Honorary Member of The Worcester Society of Antiquity.
I have much pleasure in accepting the membership, and I beg you, Mr. Secretary, to convey to the Society my thanks for the honor conferred upon me.
Although my residence in another part of the world will pre- vent my attending your meetings, it will not lessen the interest which I take in the Society, or my desire to do everything in my power to contribute to its success.
I am, Dear Sir, Yours very truly, G. RAWSON.
PROVIDENCE, Jan. 21st, 1878. DANIEL SEAGRAVE, EsQ.,
Dear Sir :- Your letter of Dec. 11th ultimo, came duly to hand, informing me that I had been elected an Honorary Member of The Worcester Society of Antiquity. I have received a pam- phlet containing a history of its organization and of its objects, which I have read with much interest and satisfaction. With the ends for which the Society has been formed, I feel the warmest sympathy, and with the spirit which animates its members. Please convey to the Society my sincere thanks for the honor conferred upon me by their action in electing me their associate, and the as- surance that I will gladly do whatever lies in my power to promote the objects for which the Society exists.
Truly yours, C. A. STAPLES.
INDEX TO PROCEEDINGS.
1877.
1
Ammidown, Holmes, 22, 28. Annual meeting, 1878, 26. Annual report of the President, 26. AAssessment voted. 37.
B
Ballou, Rev. din, letter of, 21. Barton, William S., 17, 26, 28 ; letter of. 26. Biography, committee on, appointed. B8. Biography of members, action con- cerning, 15, 23. Burial Grounds. Inscriptions, com- mittee's report. 16. Burritt, Elihu, 23. 24; letter of, 21.
Centennial Anniversary Proceedings. order to purchase, I. Certificate of membership, report concerning, 20 ; written, 23. Comins, Edward I. 11.
Committee on burial grounds, report, 16.
Committee on certificate of member- ship. 15. K
Committee on Newspapers, 14, 16 ; to nominate officers, 24; on pub- lications, 17; on room. 15; on titles ; 11. Corporate body, first meeting. 9. Crane, Ellery B., 11, 13, 14, 15, 19, 25, 28, 33, 37 ; read a paper on archeologieal research. 13, 16.
D
Departments of Work, arrangement of, 3 ; report of committee on, 17. Dodge Benjamin J., 11, 14, 17. Donations for 1877, 34-36. Dunbar. Ebenezer, 11.
E
Eaton, John. Comm'r of education 30. F
First meeting as a corporate body, 9 ; in Worcester Bank Block, 17.
Gould. Charles, 23. =
Hall. Samuel Read, 28. Harding. William B., 15, 16. Haven, Samuel F., letter of, 13. Ilonorary members, 6. Hudson. Hon. Charles, 28.
J
Jillson, Clark, 9, 10, 11. 14. 15, 16, 17, 20, 22. 27, 28, 29, 33, 37, 38 ; authorized to hire room, 16. Jillson, Harvey Dwight, 17, 18, 19. 27. Johnson, Charles R., 15. 18, 37.
Knowlton, T. S. 28. L
Lamb, Thomas M., 24. Lawrence, Edward R., 15, 37. Lecture committee, 37. Librarian's report, 33. Life members, 6. Lossing, Benson J., letter of, 12. Lovell, Albert A., 17, 18, 20, 28, 37.
M
Marshall, Elijah IT., 28.
42
Marvin, Rev. A. P., letter of, 21. Members, 1877, 5. Members, number of, Jan. 1, 1878, 10. Merriam, Olin L., 23.
Metealt, Isaac N. 11. Metcalf, John G., M. D., letter of, 21. Minors may be members, 16.
Munroe, Alexander C., 14, 15.
New Hampshire Antiquarian-Socie- ty, communicatian from, 22. Normal Schools and their origin, by Samuel E. Staples, 15.
()
Officers, 1878, 3. Officers elected, 37. ()'Flynn, Richard, 28.
P
Paige, Rev. Lucius R., 12, 28. Pond, John F., 28. Proceedings, 1877, 9; 1878, 26. Publications of the Society, 8.
R
Rawson, Dr. Guillermo, letter, of, 39. Report of committee on titles, 14.
Report of the Secretary, 11. Resolutions, committee on, 17; re- port of committee on, 18. Rice, Franklin P., 15, 17, 18, 24, 28, 37. Roe, Prof. Alfred S., 19, 38. Room to be open every Tuesday eve- ing, 23.
S
Seagrave, Daniel, 12, 15, 20, 21, 37, 39.
Secretary's Report, 11. Shumway, Henry L., 19, 23, 24, 38. Smith, James A., 28, 33, 37. Smith, John G., 34.,
Staples, Rev, Carlton A., letter of, 39. Staples, Samuel E., 9, 15, 33, 37 ; let- ter to S. F. Haven, LL. D., 13; remarks of, 9-11. St. John, Rev. Thomas E., 38.
'T
Tabular statement concerning His- torical Societies, 31. Thompson, Eben F., 16. Titles, committee on, 11; report of committee on, 14 ; recommenda- tion concerning, 11. Treasurer's report, 33. Tyler, Rev. Albert, 25, 29.
INSCRIPTIONS
FROM THE
OLD BURIAL GROUNDS IN
WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, "
FROM 1727 TO 1859:
With Biographical and Historical Rotes.
SOCIETY
WORCESTER
OF
INSTITUTED
HISTORIA
ARCHEOLOGIA
ANTIQ
LITERA SCRIPTA MANET
JH1
JANUARY, 187 5.
T
ยท
worcester : PUBLISHED BY THE WORCESTER SOCIETY OF ANTIQUITY. 1878. U. S. A. CII.
INTRODUCTION.
At a meeting of The Worcester Society of Antiquity held Sept. 12th, 1876, it was decided to copy the inscriptions upon the tomb- stones then standing in the ancient burial ground in the city of Wor- cester, called the Mechanic Street Burial Ground, and the following persons were chosen a committee to execute the work : Ellery B. Crane, Albert A. Lovell and Franklin P. Rice. After further dis- cussion during the same evening, the Society deemed it advisable to extend the work further, and the same committee were instructed to enlarge their field of labor by taking in other grounds in Worcester county and vicinity, such as they might select, that had been used for burial purposes by the early settlers of this portion of the Common- wealth, thinking it would preserve for the generations to come a very valuable record that otherwise might be lost, as many of the monuments had already gone to decay, and rude hands were fast de- molishing those that had thus far withstood the decay of time. It also was decided that so far as possible, some of the prominent per- sonages on the roll should receive short biographical notices. At a meeting held November 11th, 1876, this committee made a partial report embracing the work done at the Mechanic Street Ground, amounting to something more than three hundred inscriptions.
At the meeting following the summer vacation held September 4th, 1877, this committee made a further report showing that the summer months had been well improved, for their communication presented to the Society at this time, represented over one thousand inscriptions taken from the old burial grounds at Lancaster, Mendon, Shrewsbury and Lunenburg. Quite thorough work has been done at these places, and already matter is being collected from other portions of the county, including Rutland, Brookfield, Leicester, Southbridge and Sturbridge. At this meeting, it was also decided to print the matter relating to the Mechanic Street Ground in season for distribution at the regular meeting to be held on the first Tuesday in February,
iv.
1878, and this same committee were instructed to superintend the publication of the same. The epitaph matter still remaining in the hands of the Society, together with that which may be collected, will be published at no distant day in the same form and style as the present number, so that should it be thought desirable, all could be bound in one volume, thus making a valuable record of names for the historian or the genealogist.
To William S. Barton, Esq., Worcester's courteous and efficient city treasurer, the Society feel under special obligation for his com- plete list of inscriptions collected through his own personal efforts from the old burial ground on the Common in 1846, and revised by him in 1875, with his unqualified consent to publish the same with our own work, making so far as possible at this time, a complete re- cord of " Old Mortality" in Worcester, from the earliest settlement down to a time within the recollection of many of its present citi- zens. The Society are not unmindful of the great labor it has cost the transcriber and its value as a historic record, and desire here to make such an acknowledgment to the public. The biographical and historical notes accompanying these inscriptions have been pre- pared by the committee in charge of this publication.
In the brief history of the ancient burial places in Worcester given on the following pages, quotation marks have been used to designate the votes and extracts as taken from the old town records, the or- thography and quaint abbreviations having been retained.
Artillery.
I
4
3I
5
3
30
29
28
GATE.
24
27
26
23
25
7
22
35
58
8
9
36
60
57
IO4
185
187
184
188
193
231
II
55
39
54
69
114
15I
115
152
228
190
195
227
191
'96
182
225
192
222
19
15
181
220
224
18
48
1 7
79
123
145
201
40
89
125
159
216
88
126
143
203
47
42
43
44
.
140
207
46
206
139
213
87
176
128
36
162
136
163
135
164
134
165
175
84
166
174
129
167
173
210
130
169
83
1 70
133
211
212
172
132
171
131
Wheeler
106
Tomb. Dix Tomb. Chandler
Tomb.
186
230
232
House.
lows
12
53
71
97
116
52
72
99
73
14
74
98
94
119
150
50&51
93
118
157
120
91
12I
146
158
180
219
179
218
223
178
200
6
80
124
41
100
127
142
144
204
I4I
205
208
45
138
137
209
81
82
45 12
OF THE
ANCIENT BURIAL GROUND
On the Common.
TAKEN FROM VALENTINE'S MAP.
32
64
33
63
62
19
66
109
65
108
107
6
Gall
IO
37
59
38
68
70
102
113
183
189
194
Hearse.
3
90
95
117
147
148
155
20
75
76
92
77
49
198
90
122
199
217
202
177
161
215
SALEM STREET.
A PLAN
Path from N. E. corner of City Hall to Salem Street.
.
67
103
112
229
150
153 154
220
149
197
221
21
50
105 III
IIO
34
Old Common School House.
85
168
214
IO1 100
2
Index to Plan of the Ancient Burial Ground on the Common.
No. .1
60-Goulding Peter
26-Mower, Comfort
210-Adams, Eunice
34- do Palmer, jr. 4- do Hannah :17- do Mary
124- do Charles B
wife of Capt. P. 25- do Samuel Sarah
120-Barber, James
119- do
Mary Ann
35- do
116- do Martha
114 L do ( Nancy or
do Mary
220- do
Francis
47-Muncreeff, Elizabeth
I12- do Sarah
221- do
Prudence
176-Nichols, Thomas
151-Ball, John 6-Barnard Isaac 8- do Sarah
88- do
157-Haywood, Maj. Daniel
182-Perry, Josiah
207-Bigelow, Daniel
155- do
Daniel, jr. 183- do Nathan, jr.
7- do Timothy
156- do
Hannah
42-Potter. Zebuda
Blair, Increase
153- do
Mary
15-Pratt, Hannah
06/ do Iluldah
152- do
Abel
92-Rice. Absalom
do Nancy do Alexander
10- do Mary
95- do Elizabeth
105- do Robert
18- do Pheba
161- do Esther
104- do Isabel
20- do William 94- do Eunice
160- do Lt. Gershom
135-Boyden, Mary
154- do Samuel 3d.
159-
90-
do
Jonathan do
45- do James
223-Holbrook, Amos
97 --
do
07- do
Luke
216- do
Lydia
91-
do Jonathan's chldn.
43- do Rebekah
215- do Martha
198- do Percis
1 7- do Samuel 117-Hubbard, Daniel
118- do Dorothy
86- do E.
44 - do
Thomas (
121- do
Hannah 87- do M.
229-Chadick, John
16-llowe, Elizabeth
158-Roper, Ephraim
228- do Lydia
Hannah
169-Jenison, Abigail
173-Smith, John
40- do Sarah
29-Chamberlin, Lydia
165- do
Faith
41- do Robert
28- do Jacob 167- do Isracl 68-Starnes, Abigail
31- do Elizabeth P. 164-
do John
122-Sternes, Damaris
30- do
Susanna
166-
do Mary
78- do Martha
70-Cowden, Experience
170- do
Samuel
75-Sterne, Mary
101- do James
71- do William 73-Jennison, Elizabeth
69- do Thomas
143- do Elizabeth
130-Jones, Noah
172-Sprague Loring
141- do Capt. John
129- do Rebekah
162-Stowell, Abel
139- do John
127- do William
163- do
Relief
145- do
Nathaniel
184- do Samuel
142- do Rebekah
185-Stowel, Cornelius
93-Sturtevant, Sarah
144-Swan, William
179-Tanner, James of R. I.
180- do James
134-Elder, Esther
2- do Unis
181- do Capt. John
136- do Rebecca & Esther
24-Lynds, Easter
178- do Sarah
133- do Wiliam 23- do Jonathan
227-Fisk Elizabeth
101-Maccarty, Elizabeth
226- do John
187- do Experience
1og-Flagg, Abel
190- do Lucy
77- do Capt. Benjamin
189- do Mrs. Mary
57-
da
do
76- do Elizabeth
wife of N.
56- do Jane
50%
do [ Grace and
188- do Rev. Thaddeus
55-
do Othniel
Ic 8- do
John
1/6-Mackay, John 11-Mahan, John 12- do Margrat
131-Thomas, Elizabeth 204- do Janet
49- do Samuel, jr.
13- do William I- do John
79- do
N.
171-McCraken, David
205- do Samuel
82-Forbes, James and Mary
38-McFarland, Andrew
5-Treadwell, William
208-Trowbridge, Sarah
-Gates, John
[ James
200- do Simon
Rebecca
231-Waters, Ebenezer
200- do Jonathan
37- do
Rebecca
83-Walker, Mary
201- do Solomon do John
150-Miller, Samuel
4512-Wheeler, Mary
137-Glesen, Isaac
230-Molton, Ebenezer
218-Whitmore, Mary
213-Goodwin, James
193-Moore, Asa
203-Wiley, Joseph
214- do Mary 99 -- Gray, Jean
195 -- do
Comfort
206- do Martha
162- do Mathew
81-
do Katrine
175- do do Irena
100- do Robert
194- do Lucy
85-Grout, Priscilla
84- do Rebecca
147 } Young, David and
66-Green, John
197- do Sarah, w. of N. 148 )
do John
80-Goddard, Joseph
14-
do Sibbel
54-
do Elizabeth
53- clo Hannah
61- do Isaac
do James
48- do Dolly
186- do Mrs. Mary
62-
149- do John
5x ) do Richard
192- do Thomas
52- do William
03- do Phinehass. of B.
64- do Phinehas
39- do Margret
177-Ward, Daniel
196- do Capt. James
174-Wiswall, Ebenezer
32- do Abigale, 21- do Capt. Samuel
33- do
22- do
S. Abigail 210-Moor, Dea. Nathaniel 212- do Nathaniel
115 5
222- do Francis, jr.
113- do Robert
89- do
Elijah
Azubah 146-Painc, Samuel Clark
103- do Charles
154-Hunt, Samuel, jr.
do Gershom
110-Brown, Elizabeth
132-Hambleton Margrat
do Jonas, Esq.
74- do Mrs. Ehzabeth L
65-How, James
96-
123- do Zephaniah
225 -- do
125-Chapin, Dorothy
168- do Elizabeth
74- do Capt. Thomas
138-Curtis, Dolly F.
46-Johnson, Isaac K
140- do Susanna D 9-Drowne, Katharine 10- do Mary F 3-Lovel, Mary
232-Kinsley, Samuel 128-Knight, John 98-Knox, Adam L
58-Taylor, Abraham
61- do Dinah
III- do James
59- do
30- .10 Palmer, sr.
27- do Nancy
211- do Mchitable
224-llarrington, Deborah
17-Harris Noah
ANCIENT
BURIAL PLACES IN
WORCESTER.
For a few years after the re-settlement of the town of Worcester, Mass., in 1713. a little spot of ground near what is now the junction of Thomas and Sum- mer streets, was used as a burying place for the dead. Here under the shade of a cluster of beau- tiful oak trees, a few of the worn-out pioneers of the town were laid away for their final rest. The first death that occurred after this re-settlement was that of Rachel, daughter of John and Jean Kellough who died December 15, 1717. Mr. Lincoln in his his- tory of Worcester tells us, that from that time until the opening of the Burial Ground on the Common, twenty-eight deaths occurred in the town, but the bodies may not all have been deposited here, for tradition says that there were only some seventeen graves marked by little heaps of irregular stones, no lettered monuments having been used.
As early as 1728, and perhaps prior to that date, a place on the southeasterly side of the Common, bor- dering on what is now Salem Square and Park
6
street, had been selected for burial purposes, and some of these remains may have been transferred to that spot.
According to the town records, March 29, 1728, Mr. Thomas Stearns was the first man chosen "to sweep the meeting-house and dig the graves." At a town meeting, in the year 1732, William Nickols was appointed by the selectmen to perform that du- ty. On the 2d day of May, 1737, the town " voted that Capt. Heywood, Ensign Ward and Mr. Sam- uel Brown, be a committee to agree with a suitable person to fence in the Burying Ground at the ex- pense of the town, the burying place to contain about one acre and a half, if it may be." It would seem that for some reason the committee did not push forward the work assigned them very rapidly, for in April, 1738, it was "voted that the committee ap- pointed May 2d, 1737, proceed as speedily as may be, to fence the burying place with a two rail fence, and a stone-wall under it, and to lay their account be- fore the town." And at the annual meeting held March 5th, 1738-9, it was "voted that Pallmer Golding, Mr. James Holdin and Mr. Phinias Hey- wood, be added to the committee for fencing the burying place, and that they are desired to proceed in that affair, and complete the same as soon as may be." April 19th, 1742, by a vote of the town they were again admonished to proceed with the work with all possible speed. The trouble seemed to be that the committee could not agree on the style of fence to be constructed. March 7th, 1742-3, again the committee were urged by a
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vote of the town to complete the fence around the burying ground with all possible speed, and this time to enclose it with a "board fence left into cedar posts." - And again the importance of completing that fence was urged May 16, 1744. But this fence was not to be so easily built, and again, October 8th, 1744, the voters of the town found occasion to choose another committee, composed of " Thomas Wheeler, John Chandler, Jr., and John Chaddick, to fence in the burying place with a good and sub- stantual stone-wall of four futt high to be eighteen parch on, ye northeasterly side, twelve parch on ye southeasterly side, twenty parch on ye southwester- ly side and five parch on ye northwesterly side, in which there must be a gate, and the sum of fifteen pounds is granted to be applyed for that purpose, the same to be levyed and assessed according to law." Should that sum prove to be too much, the balance should remain subject to the order of the town; if insufficient, then more money should be granted to complete the work. But Lieut. Holdin had already delivered some cedar posts on the for- mer order of the town to build the board fence, for the records show, that at a town meeting held April 15, 1745, he presented a bill for the same, and the " selectmen were ordered to settle the matter with him according to their best judgment." As the re- cords give no account of money having been paid the lieutenant for the seven or eight years follow- ing, it is fair to suppose that the good influence of the selectmen induced Mr. Holdin to withdraw his claim and carry his cedar posts to another market.
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At a town meeting held October 31st, 1749, Dea. Wheeler was instructed " to erect a suitable gate at the burying place," and Asa Moore was allowed the sum of ten shillings, at a town meeting held May 13th, 1751, "for mending stocks & pound & new hinges for the burying place." October Ist, 1753, the town " voted that the sum of three pounds be granted for repairing the meeting-house and fencing the burying place, and that Daniel Heywood and Capt. Thomas Stearns be a committee to see that the burying place gate be hung, the wall mended up, and poled with good pealed poles, and that they agree with some suitable persons to see the same completed as soon as may be, at the best lay they can." September 13th, 1756, the town "voted to procure a new Burying cloth at a cost of six pounds." The efforts of the last named committee must have availed something, leaving the town prop- erly equipped in this department, for nothing relat- ing to the wants of the burying place is found on the town records for many years afterwards. It, how- ever, became necessary to repair the fence of the old Burying Ground in 1795, and at a meeting held May 6th of that year, the town voted that Samuel Brazer and Charles Stearns be a committee to see to making the proposed repairs ; this same commit- tec being also instructed to view and report at the next town meeting about fencing the New Burying Ground (now Mechanic Street.)
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