Author: mblauss

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Lakenham Cemetery, Carver, MA

mblauss

The oldest stone from Lakenham Cemetery is 1718. Although Carver is right next to Plymouth, it was not widely settled into later years of Plymouth Colony. Very marshy, it now serves as a vast harvest of cranberry bogs. Back then, its marshes were appreciated, enough so to be purchased in large plots by Plymouth families, but for the most part they kept their live-in residences within Plymouth limits. Being bordered closely to Plympton, Lakenham Cemetery also contains a large number of stones carved by Ebenezer Soule (of Plympton) and his sons in the 1700s. The Medusa heads in various forms … Continue reading Lakenham Cemetery, Carver, MA

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Munroe Cemetery, Hanson, MA

mblauss

After trekking to the Stetson Cemetery down by the Hanson airport, I made my way down a long graveled driveway to a group of houses, set back from Route 27, near the Great Cedar Swamp. Sitting in the “front yard” of these houses rests Hanson’s oldest cemetery, the Munroe cemetery. The cemetery was first made on the land of Henry Munroe Sr. for his wife Hannah, and two of his children, Bennett and Mercy, all who died in December of 1759 of smallpox. Hannah, dau. of Henry Josselyn and wife of Henry Monroe, died of Small Pox, Dec. 20, 1759, … Continue reading Munroe Cemetery, Hanson, MA

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Stetson Cemetery, Hanson, MA

mblauss

No longer found upon modern-day maps, this forgotten cemetery on the border of Hanson, Pembroke, and Halifax had become my Holy Grail during the past year. I came upon a document from the late 1800s detailing it’s location and also found a map from 1879 which had it’s location marked. For photographs and more info, see my USGenWeb Hanson cemeteries page. Armed with lots of bug-spray and long sleeves, my mother (an avid supporter of these graveyard wanderings, one of the blesssed few to be enthusiastic about such ventures!) and I trekked down past the railroad tracks, cranberry bogs and … Continue reading Stetson Cemetery, Hanson, MA

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Forge Farm Cemetery, Potowomut, East Greenwich, RI

mblauss

The Old Forge Farm is a magnificent household that I was blessed to visit. As part of a project in house museum planning and preservation, a group of us met with the wonderful Tom Greene, a descendant of the famous Nathanael Greene of Rhode Island. The farm is where Nathanael was born, and beyond it lies a Greene family plot, surrounded by a beautiful old New England stone wall. The RI Historical survey says there are about 60 burials here with 25 gravestones. The stones are a fascinating combination of old fieldstones and broken slate, as well as many white … Continue reading Forge Farm Cemetery, Potowomut, East Greenwich, RI

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Cocumscussoc, North Kingstown, RI

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Yesterday I visited the Narragansett Indian land in Rhode Island known as Cocumscussoc which became the original colonial/Indian tradepost in 17th century RI. Established by Roger Williams, the post was run by Richard Smith, who built a home here. “Captain Richard Smith built what has long been designated as the “Old Castle,” within one-half mile of the village of Wickford. This, in 1639, was erected for the farm house of Captain Smith, and here the good Roger Williams, who also fled from persecution, often visited. The brave and just old Canonicus and also Miantinomo frequently visited Smith. This castle was … Continue reading Cocumscussoc, North Kingstown, RI

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Wintery New England Days…

mblauss

It’s been a long and cold winter, and good ol’ Punxsutawney Phil, “King of the Groundhogs, Father of all Marmota, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of Prognosticators” (I kid you not, check out the website !) has foreseen an even longer winter. Got almost three feet of snow in the “Blizzard of 2005” awhile ago, and with continual cold winds and temperatures, cemetery exploring is just not at it’s peak. Photos are hard to take with the glare of the sun against the snow, and frankly it’s much nicer to stay inside and gather cemetery and genealogical info with paperwork and … Continue reading Wintery New England Days…

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Jennings Hill Cemetery (Japan Cemetery), East Bridgewater, MA

mblauss

The sun had almost set as we reached Jennings Hill Cemetery, also known as Japan Cemetery, which boasts a cannon which is placed by the cemetery sign. This cemetery is bordered by High St and Plain St. Surrounded by a stone wall, the cemetery itself is elevated above the road, the land here once owned by the Jenning family, after which the hill (and subsequently the cemetery) and a small stream nearby was named. I have been unable to locate the significance behind the other name – “Japan” cemetery. While Bridgewater does have neighborhoods such as Scotland named for the … Continue reading Jennings Hill Cemetery (Japan Cemetery), East Bridgewater, MA

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Vernon St. Cemetery (Alden Cemetery), Bridgewater, MA

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The Alden Cemetery on Vernon Street is Bridgewater’s second oldest cemetery, although the majority of stones from the 1700s are unmarked. Most of the gravestones, therefore, are from the 19th century. Latham’s book provides an incredible view into what the land must have been like at the time. Located in Titicut, a former Native American settlement, Bethia Fobes was the first white child born in this area. With just a few houses far and few between, the land where the cemetery is must have filled very slowly at first, for it was not physically close to many settlers in the … Continue reading Vernon St. Cemetery (Alden Cemetery), Bridgewater, MA

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Keith Cemetery (South St. Cemetery), Bridgewater, MA

mblauss

First stop along the way was the South Street Cemetery, also known as the Keith Cemetery, is a fine example of older New England cemeteries. A round driveway cuts through it. The oldest burial seems to be from 1756, as Joseph Harvey’s epitaph states he was the first to be buried in the cemetery. In memory of Mr. Joseph Harvey, 2d,who died Feb. 21, 1756,in ye 36th year of his age;being ye first person buried here. And also in memory of Mr. Seth Harvey, his son,who died at New York, July 25, in ye 24th year of his age, 1776,in … Continue reading Keith Cemetery (South St. Cemetery), Bridgewater, MA

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Bridgewater Cemeteries

mblauss

Decided to spend a day out of my Thanksgiving weekend taking a tour of some of the Bridgewater cemeteries. The great folks who submit to the USGenWeb Bridgewater site such as Dale Cook and Arthur Richardson have a superb cemetery section, and they were in need of a few photographs for some of the graveyards, so I brought along my camera and drove about the town. Here’s a summary of the cemeteries visited along the way. Continue reading Bridgewater Cemeteries

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Swan Point Cemetery, Providence, RI

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Providence’s beautiful garden cemetery, Swan Point still inspires and is accessible to “leisure uses” that it was designed for – although not so many as there once were! Security guards constantly buzz about to make certain you don’t get TOO leisurely! No blading, biking, animals, no faster pace than a “brisk walk”, beverages and food items are frowned upon. It’s no longer the place to bring the family and dog to have a picnic or a jog through – but still magnificent nevertheless. Swan Point was founded by Thomas Hartshorn in 1846, arising from the “vivid intellectual community composed predominately … Continue reading Swan Point Cemetery, Providence, RI

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Happy Halloween!

mblauss

My most favorite holiday, as you surely must be able to guess. In honor of this day of terror, hauntings, and (yum) candy, I present to you this article from the Providence Journal on gravestones, which even includes an interview with Professor Robert Emlen, Brown University’s curator, and my current professor for the class “Gravestones and Burial Grounds”. What a perfect fit! ———————————————————————-DEAD MEN MAY TELL NO TALES, BUT THEY STILL HAVE PLENTY TO SAYSunday, October 31, 2004LAURA MEADE KIRK Journal staff Writerhttp://www.projo.com “As you pass by pray cast an eyeAs you are now so once was IAs I am … Continue reading Happy Halloween!