CHAPTER XXIII CEMETERIES 1. THE OLD BURIAL GROUND Unknown to most residents of the town is the old Burial Ground on the left-hand side of Brigham Street, two or three hundred feet from the Westborough road. Inquiry concerning it is occasionally made by an old resident, but the inquiry brings forth no satisfactory information. Its origin is shrouded in obscurity. The only definite information concerning it is obtained from one of the few gravestones which are still standing. This stone is dated 1733; which fact unquestionably places the origin of the Burial Ground back to within a few years of the incorporation of Westborough. (Westborough was incorporated in 1717). In a Committee's Report which follows, the statement is made that "it was originally laid out November 7, 1729." Where the committee got this definite information does not appear; but considering the date of the gravestone above mentioned, it is probably correct. On November 10, 1845, the committee made the following report: "In the performance of their duty your committee could obtain but very little from records to afford any assistance. The most that they could learn is, that it was originally laid out November 7, 1729, that it was of a diamond form and contained about three acres; that the bounds were renewed November 8, 1800, and that the wood was all cut off and sold in 1804. As the usual landmark is so liable to become obscure the committee thought it expedient to procure stone monuments for the several corners, which they have set firmly in the ground and left them between three and four feet above the surface. The ground has been surveyed by your committee, and the following is a description of it: Commencing at the southwest corner of said Burying Ground at a stone monument on the north side of the road, and runs N. 13o, W. twenty-two rods and fourteen links by land of William E. Davis' heirs, to a stone monument; thence S. 77°, E. twenty-three rods and twenty links by land of George C. Davis to a stone monument; thence S. 11°, E. twenty-one rods and thirteen links by land of said George C. Davis to a stone monument; thence N. 81', W. twenty-two rods and eighteen links by the road to the first-mentioned bounds, containing two acres and one hundred and forty rods. A plan of said ground is hereto annexed which the committee recommend should be transferred to the town books in connection with this report. "The present state of the ground is such as shows great disrespect for our departed ancestors, and great neglect to a spot consecrated as a resting-place for the dead. While the mosscovered monuments remind us that nobody lives there, the brush and rubbish are such as would lead a stranger to think that nobody who has any claim to Christianity or civilization lives anywhere near. Public buildings, public grounds and places serve as an index to the character of the people, and a stranger can form a pretty correct opinion of their character from the general appearance of these things. "From these considerations your committee recommend that the ground be cleared of all underbrush, the trees properly trimmed, and such other improvements made as may be thought proper, so that a place thus consecrated may appear more in accordance with the general character of the town. "The committee in the discharge of their duty have been at the following expense, viz.: "Paid for monuments, "Paid for transporting same from Westborough, "All which is respectfully submitted by your committee, $2.00 .70 $2.70 Committee." This report was accepted, and presumably its recommendations were adopted, though there is no record of the fact. We have recently made a careful examination of the Burial Ground, and find it to be in the same condition that the committee described in their report. We would like to renew the recommendations. Personally, we do not believe in burying our dead. Cremation is the only sanitary way of disposing of them. But as long as we continue the custom, we should see to it that our burial grounds are kept in good condition, for they are sacred acres, inasmuch as they contain all that was mortal of those whom once we loved, and whose memory we still cherish. We find that there are four slate gravestones all in a good state of preservation. We append the inscriptions: We find also, five stones which have the appearance of being gravestones, but from which all lettering has been obliterated. We find also, what we think are evidences of twenty-five graves. There are no gravestones to these, but in many cases, the graves are covered with heavy stones. On September 11, 1846, it was again, "Voted to choose a committee of three to make the repairs on the Old Burial Ground," and Warren Fay, Rev. Joseph Allen and Asaph Rice were chosen for that purpose. But the records do not show that this committee ever made a report. So it is uncertain whether the matter was attended to. We append a diagram of the burial ground taken from the town records. Land of GEORGE C. DAVIS The burial ground at the rear of the Unitarian Church dates from 1750. An epidemic of "Throat Distemper" swept over the town during the winter of 1749-50 carrying off sixty children. They were the first to be buried in the new churchyard. 3. THE CEMETERY The "new" cemetery on Howard street dates from 1837. It has been enlarged twice since that date. The beautiful iron gate at the main entrance was a gift to the town from Mrs. Cyrus Gale, Jr., and Mrs. Samuel Wood. N Mary Susan Andrews, aged 12 years, was the first person to be buried in the new cemetery, October 25, 1837. That is, the first to be buried directly from a home: there had already been several bodies removed from tombs in the churchyard and buried there. She was a daughter of Sally (Rice) Andrews. At the time of her death she was a student at a private school in the town hall, kept by William Seaver, with Charlotte Ann Ball as assistant. She, with several other children, went up into the tower of the Unitarian Church, took cold, died, and was buried just one week from that day. Her sudden death was a great shock to all the children, as indeed it was to the whole town. She was buried from the Unitarian Church, and her funeral was quite generally attended by the townspeople. The service began by the singing of the following hymn, which was composed for the occasion: Why are we assembled here? Why these sighs and sounds of woe? Silent tears unbidden flow. See! upon yon sable bier Susan's lovely form is laid; All in death's cold garb arrayed. Parents, teachers, schoolmates, all, E'er she went with God to dwell. From His garden here below, God selects his choicest flowers, Things too bright and fair for earth He collects and treasures there, |