FIRST BURIAL GROUND ESTABLISHED 1642 WOBURN CEMETERY COMMISION |
This has happened to me in Nashua, Boston and Hartford, Connecticut - so you would think I had learned my lesson. But who would have thought of suburban Woburn, Massachusetts as an urban area that locked up their historic burial grounds? Apparently, now Woburn has taken that step.
This is your warning.
I was tipped off about the new renovations at the First Burial Ground in the Francis Wyman Family Association newsletter that arrived earlier this month. The front page had a nice color photo of the new monument at the cemetery. 2017 marks the 375th anniversary of the founding of Woburn, and the First Burial Ground was re-dedicated with a survey done by ground penetrating radar, a map, and directory of the burial sites, a new fence and gate. And a nice big lock!
This new sign has a listing of burials on the front and a map of the burial sites on the back. Very handy --- if you can get into the cemetery! |
Transcription (partially obscured in photo taken with telescopic lens):
First Burial Ground Gravesite Legend
1642 - 1794
Name Date of Death Map Number
Alexanders, Philip 05/13/1754 544
Baker, Thomas 03/17/1715 491
Baldwin, Loammi 10/20/1807 Obelisk
Barret, John F. 10/14/1903 350
Bateman, William 07/07/1692 492
Blanchard, Jonathan 09/14/1727 545
Blogget, Elizabeth 05/24/1713 429
Bordman, Martha 08/25/1752 360
Brooks, Abigail 08/01/1778 561
Brooks, Benjamin 09/01/1749 570
Brooks, Benjamin 03/01/1749 532
Brook, Benjamin 01/06/1769 557
Brooks, Betty 07/03/1764 374
Brooks, Elizabeth 06/08/1755 327 & 329
Brooks, Elizabeth 02/12/1756 327 & 329
Brooks, Hannah 04/14/1742 348
Brooks, Hephzibah 01/01/1746 572
Brooks, Isaac 03/23/1768 316
Brooks, Jabez 01/30/1747 571
Brooks, Jemima 11/05/1774 547
Brooks, Nathan 01/06/1751 312 & 325
Brooks, Nathan 01/25/1758 310 & 323
Brooks, Nathan 04/24/1774 322
Brooks, Sarah 02/21/1747 313 & 326
Bruce, Rose 09/21/1723 440
Burbeen, Joseph 01/08/1713 529
Carter, Abigail 02/03/1772 370
Carter, Elizabeth 05/06/1691 455
Carter, John Capt. 09/14/1692 454
Carter, John Lt. 04/07/1727 373
Carter, Joseph Johnson 09/15/1775 372
Carter, Margery 09/23/1728 368
Carter, Margery 09/27/1769 367
Carter, Ruth 01/11/1724 369
Carter, Sibyl 08/27/1775 371
Carter, Susanna 08/12/1751 510
Carter, Thomas 02/17/1753 509 & 525
Carter, William 10/06/1728 559
Cleveland, Aaron 09/14/1716 436
Coggen, Joseph 09/22/1698 482
Cogin, Henry 08/21/1697 486
Cogin, Henry 03/29/1703 488
Cogin, John 03/16/1693 487
Cogin, John Capt. 02/17/1725 397
Convers, Ann 08/10/1691 465
Convers, Ebenezer 11/09/1693 466
Convers, Edward 10/28/1691 463
Convers, Edward 07/26/1692 459
Convers, Elizabeth 07/27/1694 464
Convers, James, Major 07/08/1706 460
Convers, James Lt. 05/10/1715 461
Convers, Josiah Capt 07/15/1717 471
Convers, Josias Deacon 02/03/1689-90 475
Convers, Josias 12/30/1693 474
Convers, Pashence 07/23/1707 599
Convers, Timothy 09/14/1693 474
Convers, Esther 11/07/1703 468
Convers, Benjamin 08/19/1729 462
Converse, Ebenezer 09/06/1765 451
Cooper, Anna 03/09/1713 425
Cotton, Elizabeth 10/12/1742 417
-------------------
Cotton, Susanna 08/03/1748 416
Eames, Judith 01/10/1766 333 & 337
Eames, Nathan 07/21/1773 332
Eames, Samuel Deacon 01/20/1775 334 & 335
Evans, Andrew 12/18/1778 483
Evans, Mary 08/31/1781 479
Flagg, Ebenezer 07/10/1746 363
Flegg, Eleazer Col. 07/12/1726 399
Flegg, Esther 09/18/1744 400
Fowl, Dority 05/28/1704 502
Fowle, Elizabeth 03/04/1699 499
Fowle, Hannah 10/03/1710 500
Fowle, James Lt 12/17/1690 493
Fowle, James Capt. 03/19/1713 364
Fowle II, John 12/08/1856 300
Fowle, Jonathan 11/21/1714 501
Fowle, Susanna 11/11/1767 347
Fox, Ann 08/05/1746 472
Fox, Jabez Rev. 02/28/1702 457
Fyfeild, Abraham Capt 09/12/1711 405
Gardner, Dorothy 02/11/1787 539
Gardner, Elizabeth 06/03/1703 444
Gardner, Henry 02/20/1713 534 & 535
Gardner, Henry 12/16/1763 537
Gardner, Richard 05/29/1698 437
Giles, John 06/20/1761 341
Green, Hannah 08/14/1713 560
Hartwell, John 05/01/1734 423
Hartwell, Joseph Deacon 11/15/1743 432
Hartwell, Priscilla 08/28/1725 435
Hayward, Jonathan Dr. 08/13/1749 309 & 321
Heartwell, Ruhamah 07/11/1756 431
Hill, Isaac Dr. 01/09/1723 395
Holdin, John Jr. 01/23/1753 408
Holdin, Mary 11/21/1749 407
Johnson, Esther 12/27/1707 438
Johnson, Martha 08/25/1716 375
Johnson, Matthew Lt. 07/19/1696 439
Johnson, Sarah 10/14/1710 406
Kendall, Elizabeth 01/10/1741 565
Kendall, Elizabeth 12/11/1787 496
Kendall, John 10/17/1697 550
Kendall, Samuel Lt. 12/13/1764 495
Lock, Elizabeth 02/23/1720 393 & 394
Lock, Thomas 11/26/1717 422
Payn, Daniel 08/21/1712 443
Peirce, Benjamin 11/27/1713 366
Peirce, Hannah 10/23/1755 551
Peirce, Hannah 12/24/1762 552
Peirce, Mary 11/11/1753 410
Pool, Jonathan 02/08/1755 398
Poole, Eleazer Flegg 03/17/1776 401
Poole, Mary 03/24/1776 401
Porter, Asahel (non combatant) 04/19/1775 342
Reed, Abigail 09/09/1719 442
Reed, Abigail 12/07/1736 379
Reed, Elizabeth 12/09/1747 351
(obscured in photo)
---------------------------
Richardson, Abigail 10/02/1747 546
Richardson, Abigail 07/23/1768 521
Richardson, Asa 03/17/1752 353
Richardson, Bridget 09/26/1736 426
Richardson, Bridget 07/01/1750 354
Richardson, Daniel 04/20/1749 336 & 558
Richardson, Ebenezer 02/24/1708 428
Richardson, Edmund Dr. 05/30/1761 522
Richardson, Esther 11/10/1727 404
Richardson, Eunice 04/13/1748 528
Richardson, Hannah 09/07/1748 528
Richardson, Ichabod 03/12/1768 553
Richardson, Isaiah 02/16/1723 505
Richardson, James Capt 03/23/1722 396
Richardson, Jerusha 04/10/1782 414
Richardson, John Lt. 01/01/1697 450
Richardson, John 10/29/1749 536
Richardson, Joshua 11/05/1748 562
Richardson, Joshua 03/13/1774 531
Richardson, Lucy 12/92/1741 527
Richardson, Lucy 07/21/1761 520
Richardson, Mary 01/11/1742 413
Richardson, Mary 11/22/1783 358
Richardson, Mathew 02/11/1722 517
Richardson, Noah 06/23/1756 555
Richardson, Noah, Jr. 07/06/1761 514
Richardson, Phebe 04/02/1776 540 & 554
Richardson, Rebeckah 02/13/1717 519
Richardson, Rebeckah 04/11/1771 338, 340 & 563
Richardson, Samuel 04/29/1712 419
Richardson, Samuel 09/03/1754 391
Richardson, Sarah 12/14/1717 420
Richardson, Sarah 12/09/1767 515
Richardson, Sarah 06/12/1784 411
Richardson, Stephen 09/21/1703 430
Richardson, Stephen 03/20/1717 384
Richardson, Stephen Lt. 07/18/1783 357
Richardson, Stephen 03/06/1787 359
Richardson, Susanna 08/06/1726 392
Richardson, Susanna 10/07/1754 339 & 564
Richardson, Susanna Footstone 377
Richardson, Tabitha 11/25/1739 480
Richardson, Thomas 02/22/1769 526
Richardson, Thomas 01/12/1774 328
Richardson, Willing 03/14/1704 448
Richardson, Wyman 06/22/1841 361
Russell, Jonathan 06/20/1708 424
Salter, Thomas 08/02/1748 415
Saltonstall, Nathaniel 06/23/1739 418
Sawyer, Joshua 03/01/1738 315
Sawyer, Mary 10/23/1751 497
Simonds, Benjamin 12/24/1783 485
Sims, Mary 08/09/1717 473
Skinner, Joanna 06/05/1782 530
Snow, Daniel 07/07/1717 383
(obscured in photo)
-----------------------
Snow, Timothy 09/20/1775 305 & 317
Snow, Zachariah 09/21/1754 307 & 319
Stone, Abigail 05/11/1718 598
Symmes, Ruth 11/16/1758 470
Symmes, William 05/24/1764 469
Symmes, Zachariah 04/19/1793 467
Tay, Abigail 09/26/1778 349
Tay, Mary 05/05/1747 518
Thompson, Abigail 09/21/1768 542
Thompson, Benjamin 11/07/1755 573
Thompson, Daniel 04/19/1775 549
Thompson, Esther 01/03/1761 409
Thompson, Hannah 06/16/1754 489
Thompson, Jonathan 06/09/1752 494
Thompson, Lydia 10/19/1788 543
Thompson, Mary 03/11/1755 490
Thompson, Samuel 05/13/1748 548
Thompson, James Lt 09/04/1693 421
Tomson, Richard 01/07/1719 385
Tyng, Jonathan Colonel 01/19/1723 478
Tyng, Judith 06/05/1736 458
Tyng, Sarah 02/28/1713 477
Vinton, Abigail 05/20/1720 381
Walker, Abigail 03/01/1713 386
Walker, Esther 09/23/1761 533
Walker, Judeth 11/14/1724 388
Walker, Mary 10/23/1748 365
Walker, Samuel Deacon 01/18/1703 449
Walker, Timothy 06/19/1706 451
Waters, Mary 12/11/1721 376
Winn, Elizabeth 05/14/1724 390
Winn, Increase 07/01/1713 402
Winn, Sarah 01/17/1767 352
Winn, Timothy 01/05/1752 389
Wood, Joseph 12/30/1713 523
Wood, Ruth 08/02/1736 524
Wright, Abigail 04/06/1726 481
Wright, James 01/06/1735 378
Wright, John 04/30/1714 511
Wright, Josiah Deacon 01/22/1747 504 & 516
Wright, Phoebe 12/07/1724 433
Wright, Rachel 06/21/1750 434
Wright, Ruth 02/18/1717 387
Wyman, Abigail 08/03/1772 343 & 344
Wyman, Benjamin Capt. 05/26/1774 513
Wyman, Elizabeth 01/06/1773 508
Wyman, Elizabeth 08/12/1776 311 & 324
Wyman, Esther 03/31/1742 498
Wyman, Francis 11/28/1699 446
Wyman, Huldah 05/28/1768 330
Wyman, Jesse 11/02/1754 506
Wyman, John 07/09/1721 452
Wyman, Lucy 12/24/1785 538
Wyman, Nathan 02/04/1773 331
Wyman, Phebe 11/24/1750 503
Wyman, Samuel 05/17/1725 403
Wyman, Samuel Ensign 12/18/1743 346
Wyman, Susanna Footstone 447
Wyman, Susanna 11/24/1752 345
(The last line is illegible in photo)
First Burial Ground
1692 - 1794
This ancient burial ground holds the remains of
Woburn's earliest citizens. They were brave men, women
and children who went into the wilderness looking
to fulfill their dreams of a new and better life.
They were our founding families, named Johnson,
Richardson, Brooks, Convers, Carter, Peirce, Reed
and Wyman. These ministers, soldiers, farmers, doctors
and statesmen established a strong and vibrant town.
Among the distinguished death that are interred here
are the ancestors of eight United States Presidents,
military leader Loammi Baldwin, and
Daniel Thompson, the first Woburn soldier killed
in the Revolutionary War.
We honor their determination and courage.
May it always be remembered by future generations.
The First Burial Ground is on the National Historic Register
Dedicated on the 375th Anniversary of Woburn
May 29th, 2017
Mayor Scott D. Galvin
Woburn Cemetery Commission
Alfred Autenzio John M. Sawyer Christopher Kisiel
Joseph McDunough Catherine B. Shaunessy
-------------------------
The First Burial Ground of Woburn is located on Park Street, behind the Baptist Church on the town common. To make arrangements for the gate to be unlocked call the Woburn Cemetery Commission during business hours, Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm, at (781) 937-8297. No weekend hours.
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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Woburn, Massachusetts First Burial Ground", Nutfield Genealogy, posted September 19, 2017, (https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2017/09/woburn-massachusetts-first-burial-ground.html: accessed [access date]).
Cousin Heather, thank you so much for going to all the effort to take the photos at Woburn. I would like to think that one day I would go there, but it is unlikely. That is why I am so grateful for you and others who are able to document historic (to us) areas. -- Dan Rooney
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dan. It was a lot of names to transcribe but I knew it would be valuable information for someone on the internet!
DeleteCousin Heather, thank you so much for going to all the effort to take the photos at Woburn. I would like to think that one day I would go there, but it is unlikely. That is why I am so grateful for you and others who are able to document historic (to us) areas. -- Dan Rooney
ReplyDeleteGood reminder! I haven't run into this situation in my research, but I'll be sure to heed this advice.
ReplyDeleteI had it opened for me and was able to stay as long as I wanted
ReplyDeleteThanks for putting this on the web. Unfortunately, since my ancestors are the Snow Family, I noticed that you didn't transcribe all of the Snows listed on the cemetery listing (including my 7th great grandfather's wife Rachel Snow)
ReplyDeleteAs I stated above the transcription, some of the names were obscured by the signage in front of this list, including some of the Snow family members.
Delete