Montague — Burial-Places

Extracted from "History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, Volume II," by Louis H. Everts, 1879.


      There are eight public burial-grounds in the town, two at Montague Centre, two at Turner's Falls, one at Montague City, one at Miller's Falls, one on Dry Hill, and one on Chestnut Hill. The first burying-ground laid out in the town, and the only one containing head-stones of a remote date, is found about a mile south of Montague Centre. Appended is a list of a few of the oldest inscriptions now to be observed there: Elijah Root, 1759; Elisha Root, Jr., 1770; Lucy Root, 1776; Bildad Billings, 1783; Holester Baker, 1774; Elknah Baker, 1773; Terzah Sprague, 1777; Eunice Sprague, 1774; Rev. Judah Nash, 1805; Mary Nash, his relict, 1824, aged ninety-seven; Zenas Nash, 1777; Mary Kingsley, 1777; Elijah Bard-well, 1786; Experience Bardwell, 1783; Enoch Bardwell, 1817, aged ninety-five; Martha, his wife, 1813, aged eighty-nine; Moses Severance, 1799; Abner, son of Jonathan Root, 1780; Rodolphus Root, 1777; Moses Gunn, 1783; Eunice Clapp, 1795; Hannah, wife of Nathaniel Gunn, 1783; Nathaniel Gunn, 1779; John Clapp, 1791; Samuel Wrisley, 1796, aged ninety-two.
      Upon the tombstone of Elijah Bardwell, above noted, appears the following inscription:

"In memory of Elijah Bardwell, who died January 26, 1786, in ye 27th year of his age, having but a few days survived ye fatal night when he was flung from his horse and drawn by ye sturrup 26 rods along ye path, as appeared by ye place where his hat was found, and here he had spent ye whole of ye following severe cold night, treading down the snow in a small circle."



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09 Jul 2005