Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Woburn, Massachusetts First Burial Ground

I did it again.  I visited an urban cemetery and forgot to call ahead.

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.

---------------------------

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]).

7 comments:

  1. 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

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Dan. It was a lot of names to transcribe but I knew it would be valuable information for someone on the internet!

      Delete
  2. 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

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good reminder! I haven't run into this situation in my research, but I'll be sure to heed this advice.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I had it opened for me and was able to stay as long as I wanted

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks 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)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As 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