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    Historical Burial Grounds of the New Hampshire Seacoast
    Historical Burial Grounds of the New Hampshire Seacoast
    Historical Burial Grounds of the New Hampshire Seacoast
    Ebook203 pages52 minutes

    Historical Burial Grounds of the New Hampshire Seacoast

    By Glenn A. Knoblock

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    About this ebook

    Historic Burial Grounds of the New Hampshire Seacoast, a photographic study of Colonial Era-burial grounds, uncovers the fascinating history of the area from the 1680s to 1810. These early cemeteries are a direct link to our past, and yet very little has been done to preserve their history through photographs. By understanding how, why, and by whom these gravestones were made, the symbolism they portray can be understood, and we will gain a clearer understanding of the ways in which our ancestors lived and died. The burial grounds and the gravestones within them have often been called open air museums. They contain some of the oldest works of art found in the area; some gravestones are more than 300 years old. Through the author s collection of photographs, one can see the entire range of images present in the area s old burial grounds, including grinning skulls and crossbones, heavenly cherubs, and epitaphs that tell magnificent tales. This collection is a must for anyone interested in local history, genealogy, or colonial-era art.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArcadia Publishing
    Release dateJul 12, 1999
    ISBN9781439610084
    Historical Burial Grounds of the New Hampshire Seacoast
    Author

    Glenn A. Knoblock

    Historian Glenn A. Knoblock is the author of several books with Arcadia and The History Press, including New Hampshire Covered Bridges, Brewing in New Hampshire (with James Gunter), New England Shipbuilding and Hidden History of Lake Winnipesaukee. He resides in Wolfeboro Falls, New Hampshire.

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      Book preview

      Historical Burial Grounds of the New Hampshire Seacoast - Glenn A. Knoblock

      1939.

      INTRODUCTION

      The Seacoast region of New Hampshire is one of the oldest settled areas in the country. Nowhere is this age and extensive history more evident than in the old burial grounds of Seacoast area towns. Often forgotten, these burial grounds and the gravestones within them provide our closest and most accessible link to the rich, historic past.

      Early settlers buried their dead on their own land. It was usually not until the area was tamed and a town was established that a formal burial ground was laid out. The earliest gravemarkers used were made of wood. Also common were plain stones, placed over a fresh grave to prevent animals from disturbing the remains. These wolf stones were moved from place to place as needed.

      Three types of gravestones can be found in the Seacoast area. Fieldstone markers are simple pieces of rock or stone, generally left in their natural shape. Often, they have no markings on them, but many are found with crude, home-carved lettering, and a few have some simple ornamentation. These stones were usually carved by family members, such as a husband for his wife, and are one of a kind. Professionally carved gravestones were made by a skilled stonecutter, who is often identified by his distinctive designs. These markers usually came from urban centers such as Boston, Newburyport, or Newport, Rhode Island.

      Tablestones are professionally carved gravemarkers that usually measure about 6 feet long by 3 feet wide. They are placed either directly on the ground, elevated on pillars, or walled on all sides. These stones, because of their size and cost, were usually for only the most distinguished or wealthy. It is ironic that most tablestones, because they lie flat and are more exposed to weather extremes, have seldom survived intact. Originally adorned with elaborate coats of arms or inlaid inscriptions, most in the Seacoast area today are illegible. Thus, while the rich man’s attempt at immortality is unsuccessful, the common man, with his simple upright gravestone, is still known to us today.

      Gravestones were usually supplied in pairs. The most common material used was slate, quarried in Massachusetts, or red or brown sandstone. In addition to the headstone, there was a smaller stone, called a footstone. Together, they marked the boundary of the grave site. The footstone is similar in shape to the headstone, but less elaborately styled, and often have only the initials of the deceased.

      The professional carvers whose works can be seen in the Seacoast area can be grouped into two different schools. The Boston-area carvers were distinctive for their Puritan imagery, such as winged skulls and cherubs, or angels. These Boston-area carvers are the Old Stonecutter of Boston, William Mumford, J.N. (possibly John Noyes), Joseph Lamson, his sons Nathaniel and Caleb, James Foster, his son James II, Nathaniel Emmes, his son Henry, John Homer, Henry Christian Geyer, John Stevens II (Newport, Rhode Island), and Paul and Enoch Noyes (Newburyport, Massachusetts).

      The Merrimack Valley school of carvers are noted for the distinctive circular faces they carved, accompanied by many unusual geometric forms. The earliest works in this style of carving are examples of some of the oldest folk art to be found in this country. Those carvers whose works are present in the Seacoast are: the originator of the Merrimack Valley style, John Hartshorne, Robert Mullicken, his son Joseph, Jonathan Leighton, Moses Worcester, Jonathan Hartshorne, grandson of John Hartshorne, and the Websters.

      Jeremiah Lane worked in a style that combined elements of both schools. His work is present all along the Seacoast, from Dover to Seabrook, though predominant in Exeter, the Hamptons, and Kensington.

      In most burial grounds in New England, gravestones are positioned so that they face westward. The body of the deceased, placed between the headstone and footstone, faced to the east. The reasoning for this position was religious in nature. As the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the deceased was laid out so that they could see the dawn of the coming Resurrection. This was an old burial custom brought over from England, dating back to the early days of Christianity.

      The symbolism used on gravestones, while morbid to us, is best understood in context with the time in which the gravestones were created. Knowledge of the Bible was common in colonial times. Religious instruction began early in life and was the foundation on which all events, whether commonplace or unusual, were examined and interpreted. The implications of the Bible were spelled out for all to understand, in one way or another. The town minister’s Sabbath day sermon was just one way. Gravestones echoed the fiery sermons that were preached. While not everyone could read the Bible, everyone could understand the visual messages set forth upon the gravestone.

      The most common symbols on colonial gravestones were the winged skull and the cherub or angel. The winged skull was a dual motif, the skull signifying the certainty of death for all, while the wings symbolized the spiritual aspects of the afterlife. Those gravestones with cherubs or angels depict more hopeful images of the Resurrection and life after death.

      In addition to these main motifs, other devices were also used. Symbols of man’s mortality include the depiction of implements of death, such as the pickaxe, the shovel, and crossed bones. The drapery depicted on many stones, symbolic of the close of life, is representative of the burial shrouds used. The hourglass was also used to symbolize man’s fleeting time in this world.

      Symbols used that were more hopeful signs of the afterlife include the elaborate fruit borders, perhaps symbolic

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