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Take a stroll through one of New England's oldest colonial
cemeteries – the Forefathers Burying Ground in Chelmsford, Massachusetts – and meet some of this town's
founding families. The first settlers of the town included families of the name: Abbott, Adams,
Blodgett, Blood, Butricke, Butterfield, Byam, Chamberlin, Fletcher, Hall, Hildreth, Learned,
Parker, Parkhurst, Perham, Pierce, Proctor, Reed, Spalding, and Underwood. Here you will visit
the final resting places of our earliest inhabitants. The Forefathers Burying Ground is located
in Chelmsford center, behind the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church originally known
as the Church of Christ in Chelmsford. It contains many early stones by the Lamson, Park,
Wooster stonecarvers. Work by other carvers includes Dwight, Ball, Colburn, Day, Nichols.
Photo courtesy of Fred Merriam
Here lies the Body
of Mrs: Betty Blood
late wife of Mr: Ephraim
Blood who depart
ed this Life Decr:
28:th 1771 Aged 58
years 7 months
& 12 days
She was the mother of 7 Children
which all ly at her feet.
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Here lyes buried
ye body of Cornet
Nathaniel Hill
aged 64 years
died May ye 14th1706
Blessed are the mercifull
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BY the Church
of Christ In Chelmsford
In Testimony of their Esteem and Veneration
This sepulchral Stone was erected, to stand as a
Sacred Memorial of their late worthy Pastor
the Reverend Ebenezer Bridge
who after having officiated among them
in the Service of the Sanctuary
for more than a year above half a Century
the Strength of Nature
being exhausted
sunk under the Burden of Age
and joined the Congregation of the Dead,
Oct. 1, 1792, Ętat 78
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Willard Blood died 1747
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Willow Gate
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In memory of
REV. WILKES
ALLEN
For 29 years
Pastor of the First
Church and Society
in Chelmsford
Born in Shrewsbury
July 10, 1775
Grad. Harv. Univ. 1801
Ordained
Nov. 16, 1803
Retired Nov. 16, 1832
Died in Andover
Dec. 2, 1845
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Elizabeth Scripture died
April ye 15th 1781, Aged 98
Photo courtesy of Fred Merriam
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Rev. Wilson Waters, circa 1894
As the fourth rector of the church and the
town historian, Rev. Waters compiled and published the History of Chelmsford, Massachusetts.
Henry Perham started this project in 1904
at the town's request; however, he died in 1906, leaving the work incomplete.
This massive publication is 900 pages and includes excerpts from the diary of Rev. Ebenezer
Bridge, town and church records, and various manuscripts from the State archives.
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Early inhabitants of Chelmsford
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Here Lyes ye Body
of Mr. John
Perham who
Decd Janury. ye
21st 1721
Aged 88 years
Photo courtesy of Fred Merriam
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Mrs. Lydia Perham wife of Mr. John
Perham Who deceased June 26, 1710
Photo courtesy of Fred Merriam
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Notice the unusual thistles in the two
arches of this stone
Jonathan Barrett
Photo courtesy of Bradford Rigby
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Lydia Barrett
Photo courtesy of Bradford Rigby
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Here Lyes ye Body
of Mrs. Anna
Chamberlin Wife
of Mr. Samuel
Chamberlin Who
Decd April 1, 1721
Photo courtesy of Fred Merriam
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Sybil Procter was buried far from the community of the
dead, until about 100 years later when her body was re-interred from this garden.
Only her stone remains...and well cared for.
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| Photos courtesy of Marti Spalding unless otherwise noted. For reprints
or permission to use pictures of any gravestone, please contact us by
e-mail, phone, or letter. Our collection contains over 300 early stones by
the Lamsons, Parks, Wooster, Colburn, Ball, and Dwight. |
RICHARD HILDRETH AGED 88 YEARS
DIED FEBRUARY 23 1693
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Benjamin Howard with eyes closed, appears to be holding his breath, not ready
to leave
this place...
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Here Lyes ye Body of
Mrs Elizabeth Bowers
Wife of Capt. Jerathmell
Bowers Who Decd
March 4, 1721 in ye 76th
Year of Her Age
Photo courtesy of Fred Merriam
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Notice the crown at the top of the stone.
The Barretts were of Scottish decent.
Ebenezer Barrett
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Box Tomb - Souls unknown
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Ministers
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Rev. Thomas Clarke
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Rev. Ebenezer Bridge
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Rev. John Fiske
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Rev. Wilson Waters
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Rev. Wilkes Allen
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