Westerly, Washington Co., Rhode Island - Unnamed Burial Grounds

Excerpted from Westerly (Rhode Island) & Its Witnesses
For Two Hundred & Fifty Years
Rev. Frederic DENISON, A. M.
1878

[Chapter XLVIII, pages 274 - 301.
The graveyards were visited, and the inscriptions copied, during the years 1867-8.
Only the stones of those 20 or older were copied and then only the names & dates.]

UNNAMED GROUND (1): West of the Boom Bridge road, northwest from the "White School-house" (District No. 9), in a wood lot, at the east foot of a knoll, about forty rods south of Mr. Pardon LEWIS's residence, are four uninclosed, uninscribed graves. They are supposed to be the graves of whites.

UNNAMED GROUND (2): Some fifty rods east of White Rock Village, a few rods south of the new road, on the ridge of a knoll, upon the land of Weeden H. BERRY, Esq., are at least twelve uninclosed, unlettered mounds, marked by rough stones.

UNNAMED GROUND (3): In the nort west corner of Mr. Sands MAINE's garden lot, southeast from the residence of Weeden H. BERRY, Ewq., are twelve or more neglected, uninclosed graves, all unlettered. The last person buried here was a man who was found burned in the ashes of a house that stood where now stands the residence of Rev. A. B. BURDICK. Also, one stone marked "C. B." (Caleb BROWN).

UNNAMED GROUND (4): On the plateau upon the ridge of the high, long sand knoll reaching from the house of W. H. BERRY, Esq., towards White Rock Village, and about twenty-five rods east from the old house standing on the rocks on the east of the road, in the open pasture, is a groop of eight graves, of which no history is given. It is supposed to be an Indian burial-place.

UNNAMED GROUND (5): On the present site of the Episcopal Church was na anciet burial-place. The score or more of mounds and rough head-stones are well remembered by some persons now living. All were laid low and scattered by the hand of village progress. It is now vain to inquire who of the "rude forefathers" of the town slumbered here near the old Indian trail and ford.

UNNAMED GROUND (6): South of the Potter Hill road, on the estate of P. L. BERRY, Esq., about south from his residence, and near forty rods from the highway leading to Potter Hill, on the east side of a meadow lot, are a number of graves in a deplorable state of neglect. Some years since, in the hands of a former proprietor of the meadow, the plow was suffered to invade the consecrated ground, the rude head-stones were overthrown, and the mounds were almost obliterated. It has been judged that here sleep the remains of redmen.

UNNAMED GROUND (7): A hundred rods or so north of the above-described ground, on lnad owned by William BAILEY, are three graves with uninscribed stones. A fence runs over two of the graves and the shrubbery nearly hides them from view.

UNNAMED GROUND (8): About twenty unknown graves, with rude unlettered stones, are found on the south slope of a knoll, or neck of land, running towards a swamp, in the southwest corner of a pasture, say forty poles from the drift-way, in the Thirteenth School District, on the farm of Benjamin YORK, Esq., It has been conjectured that here lie some members of the CRANDALL family.

UNNAMED GROUND (9): North of White Rock road, in the southeast corner of a pasture (W. H. BERRY's), on a knoll, a few rods west of Mr. Sands MAINE's house, and in the rear of his barn, are about twelve rude, neglected graves, indicated by rubble-stones and mossy mounds. Here were buried David HALL and Benjamin HALL.

UNNAMED GROUND (10): On the northwest part of Mr. Albert CHAPMAN's farm, northeast from Mr. Jonathan LANPHEAR's reidence, not inclosed, in a pasture, overgrown with bushes and briers, are two or three graves with rubble head-stones. Of these, tradition renders no account.

UNNAMED GROUND (11): About ten rods southwest of the Sims GROUND, between the post-road and the shore road, in the line separating the lands of Thomas BRIGHTMAN from the lands of the heirs of Oliver WILCOX, are neglected graves of colored people, both Indians and blacks.

UNNAMED GROUND (12): In Stillmanville, on Pleasant Street, on the south side of the street, beneath the ell or wing of the second house from Canal Street, are about ten unknown graves. No inscription gave record of them; no tradition reveals them.

UNNAMED GROUND (13): West of Dorrville, about fifty rods east of Mr. Clark BURDICK's residence, in a meadow, and uninclosed are fifteen or twenty unlettered graves, of which we have gathered no history.

UNNAMED GROUND (14): This lies on the cross road from the post-road to Dorrville, about fifty rods east of the road, and about sixty rods south of the residence of Mr. Libbeus SISSON, in a pasture and uninclosed. Here are four or five unlettered and neglected graves.

UNNAMED GROUND (15): We thus designate about a dozen unknown graves found on an island, in a swamp, near Irish Planes, upon the farm of Mr. Joshua BARBER.

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