Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-07-28
BURLINGTON CEMETERIES.
The City's Two Principal Burial Places
Date hack over 4 Century.

The cemetery commissioners nrc rrc-
pairing small pamphlet containing tho
cemetery rules and regulations and othcr
information pertaining TO their work.
The following valuable history of the
cemeteries in Burlington by Charles ~
Allen which we copy from this pamph-
let will interest our readers. ana es-
pecinlly those who have n personal in
tcrcst in the several burial places and
Appreciate tho good work. which has been
done Of late years to keep the same In
"A neat and proper condition.
At the beginning of the last century
there were, within the present city limits
two public cemetrics. The oldest, then
comprising about two acrcs-now part
of what is known as "Grcen Mourt'--had
been used for burial purposes since 17S3.
when the town Of Burlington was
chartered. Thine other. now called Elm
wood" was first used in 1894
The crowded condition and irregular
plan of tho first and the opening of the
second cemetery, occassioncd general
desire that both should be properly car
cd for according to some dcnnitc plan.
At the town meeting in 1872. Il committee.
consisting OF John Johnson, Charles
Adams and John Eldridgc, were appoint
Cd "to ascertain and lay out the grave
yards and report " on April 10. 1873 the
committee reported a plan for laying out
Elmwood but stated that the burial place
at the Falls was 60 filled that no regular
arrangement of lots and avenues could
he prorcrly made. The report and Plan
were accepted and the committee We're
requested to report rules and rcgula-
tons.
These wcrc adopted at meeting held
April "a 1913, and George Robinson,
Charles Adams and John johnson were
made Il special committee to have control
Of the grounds under the rules FIFTY
years elapsed before anything further
was done. meanwhile MIR Robinson had
died in 1872. MIR. Adams in 1851 and Mr..
Johnson in 1A2. and the growth of the
town demanded additional room for burial
purposes. Various suggestions were CON
Sidored earccially tho enlargement of
Green Mount, ard the purchase OF land
for another cemetery.
In 1859 thc Legislature passed. an act
providing that public burial erour Is
might he put undcr the control of
cemetery commissioners. instead of the
selcctrren. if sc voted ly towns. ana in
1864 tho town OF burlington appointed
five commissioners to take charge of its
cemeteries, Viz Lawrence Barnes, F. NJ.
Van Sicklcn. r. u. Garfield c. G..
lHnc1ict and Samuel Huntington. or
NOV. o 1866. by an amendment t. tho city
charter. which had been accented Janu-
airy Is, Of that year. the number of COM
missioncrs was reduced to three. ono to h'
appointed annually in the month OF April
to hold Office for three years. TIL" first
three elected. in April. 1SNG, were NJ. y
Catin. Henry LOOMS and T. T. Small"y.
and the coutrol and management OF tho
public cemeteries was placed in their
charge. and has since been continued nm
der their successors in Office In the s,l"c-
tior of these men. Burlington has been
especially fortunate. Conservative il
their management. faithful to their trust
! they have. with limited mccans at their
disposal succeeded in giving outward ex-
preston to the feeling Of respect and low
Ing me- mory which our citizens hold towart