The Republican journal., 1912-07-25
THE OLD BURIAL GROUND ON I1NroN
STREET.

A special meeting of the City Government
was held last Saturday evening to act on a re.
quest Of Mrs. Sarah E. Nealley that the citv
remove all bodies in the old burial ground on
Union street, now her property. Maurice W.
Lord reported that according to the records in
Williamson's History concerning this old ceme.
terry the city is responsible for removing al,
bodies found in making necessary excavations
The matter was referred to the committee ~,
cemeteries to investigate and report at spec.
ial meeting. Williamson's History gives the
following particulars of this graveyard: A vote
of the proprietors, Aug. 81, 17s5, appropriated
one and one half acre of lot No. 81, in the
first division. for burial place. A third of
this lot was subsequently assigned to James
Miller. "for his second division" 1t was ac-
cepted by the town Sept. 8, 1871, being the
first burial place on the western side of the
river. An alteration in the form of the land
was accepted, by the consent of Robert Miller.
Oct. %, 1903, extending the lot to High street.
and making its entrance six rods wide on that
street, where the house of Gorham Lancaster
now stands. The first interment was that of
Mrs. Betsey Weeks, wife of Lemuel Weeks,
Dec. 20, 1880, the grave being made in the
midst of trees and stumps. In 1913 question
having arisen as to the rights of the tow1. in
the premises the matter was referred to John
Cochran, Tolford Durham and John Wilson,
who reported "that after consulting records
and counsel, they were of the opinion that the
town has good title to said burying ground
as permanent place of deposit for the dead"
Williamson says further:
After Grove cemetery was laid out the ashes
Of most of those who had been buried in the
former place were removed by their surviving
kindred to the latter ground ,and the old grave
yard fell into state of decay and dilapidation.
Many of the stones were destroyed, the tombs
became exposed to the action of the weather.
cattle wandered at large among the graves.
and several small buildings were erected with
in its limits. In 1847 the town was very just
ly indicted for this neglect. hut for several
years the condition of the spot reflected dis
grace upon civilized community. After fre-
quent discussions in public meetings. vote
was passed, March l8, 1850, "that W. G. Cros-
by, Town Agent, be committee to have full
power to do all things in relation to the old
burying ground that he shall deem for the in
terest of the town; either to convey the towns
right. or cause the bodies to be removed, or
the ground to be fenced, or such part of it as
he may think best. - Acting under this plen-
ary authority, Mr.. Crosby Immediately took
measures for exhuming all the remains, which
was accomplished the following year; a portion
of the expense being betrayed by the town.
Many graves, however, were not discovered;
and excavations between High and Union
streets frequently bring them to light In
few years, the spot which for over half CEN
tury was the principal resting place of the de-
parted, where
-"the sons of men,
The youth in life's green spring, and he
who goes
In the full strength of years, matron and
maid
And the sweet babe, and the gray-haired
man."
were one by one gathered in, will be unknown
and forgotten.
In this connection Williamson quotes the
following item from The Republican Journal:
AS late as November, 1874, in excavating
near the northerly corner of Union and Pearl
streets, three graves were found, in which but
little remained. A coffin plate was exhumed,
bearing the inscription "James Gilbreth, aged
30," with the Masonic square and compass.
Mr.. Gilbreth was millwright, who lived at
the Head of the Tide and was buried with Ma
sonic honors in 1920. Major Timothy Chase
remembered attending his funeral