Caroline the Koimetrophile

Caroline the Koimetrophile A koimetrophile (coimetrophile) is someone who loves spending time in cemeteries and burying grounds. Live in or are visiting central New England?

On this page I will share images, videos, and information about the cemeteries I visit, and stories of their permanent residents. Let me give your group a live cemetery presentation or walking tour. Don't live in central New England? I can give those same presentations and walking tours virtually!

This tombstone originally belonged to William Clarke (1670-1742), one of the wealthiest merchants in early Boston. It gr...
01/23/2025

This tombstone originally belonged to William Clarke (1670-1742), one of the wealthiest merchants in early Boston. It graced the entrance of his tomb on Copp’s Hill, and is one of the finest Colonial grave markers in Boston.

The tomb was taken over and emptied by Samuel Winslow (1727-1826) for…reasons…and he kept the tombstone, having his own name added to it. Nothing else about the grave marker was changed, including the very ornate Clarke Family crest.

Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, Boston, MA

George Otis, son of Samuel Allene Otis (and nephew of Mercy Otis Warren) died of a dropsy in his head on April 13, 1797 ...
01/22/2025

George Otis, son of Samuel Allene Otis (and nephew of Mercy Otis Warren) died of a dropsy in his head on April 13, 1797 aged 19.

“He sparkled, was exhaled, and went to Heaven.”

St. Paul’s Episcopal Churchyard, Newburyport, MA

Lewis and Sarah A. FalesLewis was born in Walpole, MA on June 10, 1824 to Silas and Maria (Fisher) Fales. He moved to Mi...
01/21/2025

Lewis and Sarah A. Fales

Lewis was born in Walpole, MA on June 10, 1824 to Silas and Maria (Fisher) Fales. He moved to Milford, MA in his late teens, and became an architect. In 1862 Lewis married Sarah A. Wheelock of Mendon, MA. The couple never had children, but they did adopt and raise two of his nephews who had been orphaned.

Sarah Adelaide Wheelock was born on March 29, 1829 in Mendon, MA to Andrew and Louise (Hill) Wheelock. Her passport application in 1892 gives the following description: 5’3” in height, gray eyes, prominent nose, ruddy complexion, and light hair mixed with gray.

Lewis designed homes for many of the upper class families in Milford, and served as the Milford Town Clerk and a Justice of the Peace. He was an avid reader, and collected curiosities and minerals. Lewis was also the secretary of the Montgomery Lodge of Masons. He died of consumption on September 11, 1881.

Sarah died of apoplexy on August 22, 1898 in Hopkinton, MA.

Pine Grove Cemetery, Milford, MA

Deacon David Whitney and Elizabeth Barron (Barnes) WhitneyDavid was a much loved Deacon in Westminster, MA who had been ...
01/19/2025

Deacon David Whitney and Elizabeth Barron (Barnes) Whitney

David was a much loved Deacon in Westminster, MA who had been born, lived in, and died in the same house. Elizabeth was his wife of 63 years, and originally from Concord, MA. Toward the end of her life she became “blind and insane”, according to the 1850 US Census.

Woodside Cemetery, Westminster, MA

This gravestone is an old friend, one that I always visit when I go to Boston’s North End. It belongs to Captain Daniel ...
01/18/2025

This gravestone is an old friend, one that I always visit when I go to Boston’s North End. It belongs to Captain Daniel Malcolm (1725-1769), a merchant from Boston who was one of the most vocal opponents of the Revenue Acts passed by the British Government in the 1760s. The British soldiers stationed in Boston in the 1770s used his gravestone for target practice, and it bears the scars from the lobster backs who had good aim.

“Here lies buried in a
Stone Grave 10 feet deep
Capt. DANIEL MALCOM, Mercht
who departed this Life
October 23d, 1769
Aged 44 Years
A true son of Liberty
a Friend to the Publick
an Enemy to oppression
and one of the foremost
in opposing the Revenue Acts
on America“

Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, Boston, MA

“Death is a Debt to Nature due,Which I have paid & so must You.”Mrs. Deborah (Loring) Marsh was born in Hingham, MA on J...
01/18/2025

“Death is a Debt to Nature due,
Which I have paid & so must You.”

Mrs. Deborah (Loring) Marsh was born in Hingham, MA on January 3, 1717/18 to Benjamin and Deborah (Cushing) Loring.

She was married twice. First to Thomas Lothrop of Boston in 1736, and then to Rev. Elisha Marsh of Westminster, MA in 1745. Both marriages were recorded in Cohasset, MA. Hingham and Westminster are around 70 miles apart, so I’m not sure how she met Elisha. He graduated from Harvard, so perhaps he was an acquaintance of her first husband?

She died in Westminster, MA on November 21, 1756 in her 39th year.

Woodside Cemetery, Westminster, MA

Mrs. Marcy (Taft) GreenMarcy was born to Israel and Marcy (Aldrich) Taft in Mendon, MA on April 7, 1733. She was the 9th...
01/17/2025

Mrs. Marcy (Taft) Green

Marcy was born to Israel and Marcy (Aldrich) Taft in Mendon, MA on April 7, 1733. She was the 9th of their 19! children.

On October 2, 1753 she married Benjamin Green, also of Mendon. They had ten children. The first seven were born in Mendon, and the last three in Uxbridge, MA where the family had moved between 1767 and 1770.

Marcy died in Uxbridge on March 27, 1801.

Prospect Hill Cemetery, Uxbridge, MA

This table monument belongs to Benjamin Greenleaf (1732-1799), a judge from Newburyport, MA. Most grave markers of this ...
01/16/2025

This table monument belongs to Benjamin Greenleaf (1732-1799), a judge from Newburyport, MA.

Most grave markers of this style did not usually contain bodies, but were instead placed over the grave or on the top of a hill tomb. They were a way to show one’s wealth and taste. This particular one has seen better days.

Old Hill Burying Ground, Newburyport, MA

This magically morbid gravestone remembers Mrs. Rebecca Gerrish, wife of Mr. Benjamin Gerrish. She was born in 1721 and ...
01/15/2025

This magically morbid gravestone remembers Mrs. Rebecca Gerrish, wife of Mr. Benjamin Gerrish. She was born in 1721 and died in 1743 aged 22 years and 6 months.

The gravestone was carved by Nathaniel Eames, Henry Eames, or William Codner.

King’s Chapel Burying Ground, Boston, MA

This gravestone belongs to Charles Whitney, son of Andrew and Lucy (Miles) Whitney, the 5th of their 11 children. He was...
01/13/2025

This gravestone belongs to Charles Whitney, son of Andrew and Lucy (Miles) Whitney, the 5th of their 11 children. He was born in Princeton, MA on April 4, 1797 and died there on August 18, 1808.

Meetinghouse Cemetery, Princeton, MA

Mistress Katharine Upham (1721-1774)Katharine was born in Leicester, MA on March 12, 1721 to Joshua and Ruth Nichols. Sh...
01/13/2025

Mistress Katharine Upham (1721-1774)

Katharine was born in Leicester, MA on March 12, 1721 to Joshua and Ruth Nichols. She was the oldest of their six children.

On November 23, 1738 she married Jabez Upham. Shortly after their marriage they moved to Brookfield where Jabez practiced the “art of the physick”—he was a physician. He was also a veteran of the French and Indian War, and a representative to the General Court.

Jabez and Katharine had eleven children. Most survived their childhood, though three of the younger children died within a few weeks of each other in 1754. Jabez died in 1760.

Elizabeth died on her birthday, March 12, 1774, and is buried in Brookfield Cemetery near her husband.

Cemetery SaturdayThese gravestones reside in the Gore Cemetery in Oxford, MA. The oldest death date is 1761, but the sto...
01/12/2025

Cemetery Saturday

These gravestones reside in the Gore Cemetery in Oxford, MA. The oldest death date is 1761, but the stone is from at least 50 years later. The earliest original gravestones are from the 1790s, so I’m assuming that was when the cemetery was established—I haven’t been able to find any info online. The most recent burial is 2022.

For being such a small cemetery it has some wonderful variety! There are winged cherubs, urn and willows, obelisks, Gates of Heaven, and even a palm tree to be found on the stones.

These pictures are from New Year’s Eve—today was snowy and I stayed home to work on some home improvement projects.

Footstone FridayThis footstone belongs to John Baldwin, the youngest son of Stephen and Elizabeth Baldwin. He was born i...
01/11/2025

Footstone Friday

This footstone belongs to John Baldwin, the youngest son of Stephen and Elizabeth Baldwin. He was born in Leicester, MA on June 25, 1769.

John died in Leicester on December 24, 1797, aged 28.

Greenville Baptist Cemetery, Rochdale, MA

Lydia Meriam (1658-1690)Lydia was the daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Goldstone) Meriam, and was born in Concord, MA in 16...
01/10/2025

Lydia Meriam (1658-1690)

Lydia was the daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Goldstone) Meriam, and was born in Concord, MA in 1658. When she was a child the family moved to Cambridge, MA. After her father’s death she and her mother went to live with one of her siblings in Lexington, MA. She died there, unmarried, on December 29, 1690.

Ye Old Burying Ground, Lexington, MA

Mrs. Olive CraigeOlive was the daughter of Robert and Martha (Green) Craige. She died, unmarried, in Leicester, MA on Au...
01/09/2025

Mrs. Olive Craige

Olive was the daughter of Robert and Martha (Green) Craige. She died, unmarried, in Leicester, MA on August 19, 1795 aged 39 years.

Greenville Baptist Cemetery, Rochdale, MA

Mary Carter Mary was born in Sudbury, MA on February 22, 1741 to Jonathan and Susanna (Curtis) Carter. She passed just 1...
01/08/2025

Mary Carter

Mary was born in Sudbury, MA on February 22, 1741 to Jonathan and Susanna (Curtis) Carter. She passed just 18 days later on March 12, 1741.

North Cemetery, Weyland, MA

Mrs. Elizabeth Rice (1702-1770)Elizabeth was born in Marlborough, MA on July 29, 1702 to Thomas and Elisabeth (Stow) Bar...
01/07/2025

Mrs. Elizabeth Rice (1702-1770)

Elizabeth was born in Marlborough, MA on July 29, 1702 to Thomas and Elisabeth (Stow) Barrit, the oldest of their five children.

She married Zorobabel Rice on February 4, 1728. Though married for over 40 years they never had children.

Elizabeth died in Marlborough on May 25, 1770 aged 67. Zorobabel passed five years later in 1775.

Old Common Cemetery, Marlborough, MA

Cemetery SundayOn New Year’s Eve I had the pleasure (and warm weather!) to visit the Greenville Baptist Cemetery in Roch...
01/05/2025

Cemetery Sunday

On New Year’s Eve I had the pleasure (and warm weather!) to visit the Greenville Baptist Cemetery in Rochdale, MA. The church takes excellent care of the grounds!

These gravestone are from the middle section, and most are from the 19th century. I posted the earlier gravestones yesterday.

Address

Worcester, MA

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