I love history. It’s the stories, and understanding life way back when, that is deeply important – to me. When those lives are on hallowed ground, in the beauty of fall, history comes alive.
Groton’s Old Burying Ground is simply wonderful. My school had a fundraiser, a scavenger hunt throughout the town today. I volunteered at the Old Burying Ground. First, let me show you how beautiful it was today:
Groton’s first settlers chose the corner of Hollis and School Street for their second Meeting House in 1678. While the location of the church was changed in 1714, the Old Burial Ground remained at the original site and was the sole public place of burial in the town until 1847.
The most important part, of course, are the headstones. When we first moved to Massachusetts in 1984, I visited the old cemetery. I was shocked at what I saw – the headstones had beautiful, intricate carvings. The words and carvings were not worn. They were crystal clear, on the headstones that were made of slate.
They also told stories. I had never seen anything but names and dates on headstones. This was a whole new world, full of stories of real people and their lives.
Mrs Abigail Kendrick Widow of Capt Caleb Kendrick left her pleasant habitation in Newton & come to her Daughter Dana’s in Groton on account of ye civil War & Sept 5 1775 E 70 was removed by a dysentery, to that place where ye wicked cease to from troubling and ye weary are at rest.
Oh, my! What a story. Most of the headstones have a story, or a few words that give you a glimpse into the life of the person buried below. A double head stone typically meant siblings who died on the same day.
I can’t gloss over this, because the people are right there. Walking the paths, stopping to look at the headstones, I think of the stone carvers. They carved beauty and sadness. I stop at clusters of stones, because often they are a family with children who all died. There is a family whose children died of throat distemper (my pediatrician told me that was diphtheria.) The beautiful art and writing preserve these people and their families.
I am drawn to art, writing, history, and the beauty of nature. This place has it all.
I told the many people who stopped by today to look for the stories.
Thank you, Groton, for preserving your founding fathers and their lives. Thank you, Mother Nature, for making this special place of history beautiful and welcoming.
“Stories help us remember what we never want to forget.” –Emory R. Frie-
Jennie
A Teacher's Reflections 
Absolutely fascinating 💜💜💜
It is! 😍
thank you for sharing this beautiful place with us, I also love to meander through and read headstones and try to imagine the stories left untold. I’ve noticed that when there is a little lamb on a gravestone, it is a sign of the loss of a young child.
I’m glad you enjoyed this, Beth. It is always fascinating to read the markers. Yes, the little lamb… 💔
This is beautiful, Jennie. I spent the longest time in a cemetery in central Florida photographing old tombstones back in 2017. I guess I don’t have to tell you that I love History, eh? haha
It is history and beauty and stories, all in one. I’m glad you enjoy this, too. Best to you, GP.
I love old cemeteries like this one. I too enjoy reading the words on gravestones as they give us an idea of the person. Even as a child, I prefered visiting a cemetery rather than playing sports. There are so many stories there. The setting for this one is perfect too. Thanks for sharing.
I’m glad you enjoy this, too. It feels like a visit to a museum. And what a gorgeous day! Thank you, Darlene.
What a beautiful final resting place for the founding families of your town to ensure they will be remembered.
Beautifully said, Liz. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Jennie!
I love walking through old cemeteries, Jennie. The stories are often sad and sometimes fascinating. Thanks for sharing these.
Yes, they are both! Thank you for reading, Dan.
Wonderful. Only in the small towns do you find such stories.
I think you are right, John. Thank you!
It looks such a beautiful place Jennie – so many tales.
It is, Opher. And yes, so many stories!
Immortality is all around us if we are wise enough to look. Beautiful.
Indeed it is! Thank you, Pam.
My pleasure.
Jennie, thank you for this wonderful post!
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Charles!
These stories will live on…I am envious of their access to affordable stonecutters!!!!
The vid is gorgeous, thanks, Jennie.
It’s like a good book, there for the reading. I do think of stonecutters. Glad you liked the video! So pretty up here!
Wow, Jennie, these headstones are wonderful. I often visit cemeteries in the UK, but not so much here in SA. The UK has wonderful and interesting cemeteries like yours.
I would love to see some of the ones in England. Thank goodness for Sue Vincent’s posts that often include headstones. Our early ones are much like England’s, which makes perfect sense.
Yes, it does make sense.
I have treasured finding the stones of my forebears since we moved to New England.(As one of our daughters once said “I know about the three bears, but who are the four bears?”)
Oh, that is precious! It makes finding family headstones all the better.
Today’s post put my English forebears to shame!
Yes, it did!
This is a beautiful post, Jennie. I much prefer this view of a cemetery to the way the commercialized Halloween attitude has made cemeteries a scary place. People we love are buried there. I think it’s awful to turn the cemeteries into places of horror.
You are so right, Anneli! Thank you.
So lovely and thought-provoking, Jennie.
Thank you, Becky.
Beautiful video Jennie! Growing up and living most of my life in Danvers (Salem Village), I was fascinated by the headstones in our town’s cemeteries and the stories they told. Many of them went back to the first settlers!
For those of us who live(d) here, it is a beautiful piece of history. We are lucky! Danvers and Salem have wonderful burying grounds.
Reblogged this on By Hook Or By Book and commented:
A beautiful post from Jennie that illustrates the fascinating aspects of cemeteries.
Thank you, Kim!
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Oh, such a beautiful post, Jennie. Makes me want to go to the cemetery where my people are buried.
Thank you, Don. I do hope you go to the cemetery where your people are buried.
Thank you for sharing this with us, Jennie.
You are welcome, John.
I too love the history to be found in cemeteries, this one looks so cool, I’d love to see it one day.
This is right up your alley, FR. History and art and stories, all on hallowed ground. If you ever get to Massachusetts, I will be thrilled to take you there. Yes, it is so cool. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing, Jennie… We live near a local cemetery where my grandchildren and I walked shared many hours when they were young.
It is a wonderful thing, as you know. Best to you, Bette. 🥰
Ditto, Jennie! ❤
😍
It’s remarkable to think that something from hundreds of years ago is so well-preserved.
Yes, it is!
The stories are fascinating, the trees beautiful
Thank you, Geoff. I feel the same way.
Many of us are drawn to the history of old graveyards and cemeteries. I always try to find the oldest grave. Sadly, many headstones here are badly worn away, with no family left to have them renewed.
Best wishes, Pete.
It is a lovely piece of history. The headstones that are made of concrete or stone are often worn. The slate ones maintain their carvings. Since those buried here are England’s direct descendants, I was curious if the carvings look similar to headstones in England. Best to you, Pete.
Some of them are indeed familiar, but it is rare here to find any ‘ordinary’ ones before the 17th century, as no doubt the graves were reused at some stage.
I see. Thanks, Pete.
Beautiful!
Thank you, Norah. It was a gorgeous day.
it is always interesting to see how things change over time and this is yet another example of those changes.
Exactly!
Hello! I hopped over from Kim’s blog. I’ve had a fascination with old cemeteries since I was a kid. My father is responsible for helping me develop that appreciation. I love history and pausing to imagine the lives of the people who lived before me. The old tombstones you’ve shared are amazing.
In my area we have stones dating back to the Revolutionary War. There is also an Indian Princess named White Feather, buried in our local cemetery. I’m currently reading a book about the pilgrims, so your post is timely in that respect as well. Thank you so much for sharing!
That is wonderful, Mae. Thank you for your story. Yes, pausing to imagine those lives makes history come alive. Where is this cemetery where White Feather is buried? Massachusetts?
Hi, Jennie. It’s a very old cemetery in Linglestown, Pennsylvania at the church of St. Thomas. They have an amazing online website as well, with the history of the church, cemetery and many of those buried there.
I love Pennsylvania. My husband and his family are from York. I will ask him if he knows Linglestown. How wonderful that they have an online website!
York is about 45 minutes to 1 hour from Linglestown (originally called The Village of St. Thomas). Lots of history in that little town. I would love to get to Massachusetts again. I was there many years ago, but didn’t get to do the proper exploring I would like to.
My husband knows the town! I hope you get up here to Massachusetts one day. There is great exploring to do.
That’s awesome that your husband knows the town! And yes, I hope I get back to your state again. It has such great history!
Yes, and yes!
Such a beautiful place!
Thank you!
Nice visit and wonderful history. Thanks, Jennie.
Thank you, Jacqui.
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Thank you, Sue. I commented and questioned on your reblog. 🙂
Thank you, Sue!
Beautifully written Jennie 🙂
Stories really are so powerful… How a few words put together describe the whole life of a person – this is what you have shown so wonderfully in this post.
Thank you!
I agree with you about the importance of history. We must remember.
Absolutely!
I’ve never spent much time in a cemetery but that one is beautiful with the mature trees. I have not encountered headstones with stories on them either. Thanks for opening up my world a bit more.
I think these are only in New England. I had never seen headstones like this until I moved here. It is art, isn’t it? Glad you enjoyed it, Marlene.
Cemetries and burying grounds are so interesting, for getting knowledge about the real past. How may the settlers have felt, after reaching this new world? Thank you for sharing, Jennie! Its a great work, preserving this for the future too. Michael
You are so right Michael, on all points. The words from the past on headstones give us great insight. Thank you!
Thank you for mentioning, Jennie! We have to thank em for preserving this history to us.
Yes, we do!
:-))
The history is absolutely remarkable and intriguing!
It truly is. Thank you!
Beautiful place, beautiful history.
Indeed!
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Thank you.
Thank you for this golden post about Groton’s cemetery. I have been walking a lot in a cemetery near the heart of Arlington which looks very modest from the street and then becomes quite large — extending all the way to a crest overlooking Mystic Lake on the Winchester border. And there is also a lovely stream (covered as it flows through much of the town) along one edge AND a small town wetlands through which the stream runs before emptying into Mystic Lake. I shall see if I can find any slate headstones, although my sense is that the folks buried here tend to be more recently alive… So far I have found one magnificent rose quartz (I am guessing) gravestone in the form of a boulder with an attached plaque! Cemeteries are a blessing for the living and the dead.
How wonderful! Your discovery adventure must have made you feel like an explorer finding treasure. Such beauty! That rose quartz- wow! Yes, I do believe cemeteries are a blessing for both the living and the dead.
Wonderful story and video, Jennie. I seem to be coming to it a bit late and enjoying the fall colors. Mt. Hope cemetery is just down the road from me and there you’ll find the graves of Susan B Anthony and Frederick Douglas. Quite amazing. Thanks for this beautiful moment, Jennie.
I’m glad you liked it, Steve, especially the video. It was a glorious fall day at the Old Burying Ground. Does your Mr. Hope cemetery have the same carved granite headstones? Pretty cool to have some famous people buried there.
It’s been awhile since I toured it so I can’t say if they do. But, it’s a beautiful cemetery with some magnificent monuments over graves. Have you seen Paul Revere’s monument in the Boston cemetery on the historical walk? It’s a tiny upright. Would have thought he had something more notable.
I walked the Freedom Trail in Boston years ago, but they don’t allow you to go into the cemetery, just alongside it. I was surprised at how nondescript many were.