Volunteers to scour Portsmouth for historic cemeteries

For now, they’ll survey town-owned burial plots only

By Jim McGaw
Posted 7/25/17

PORTSMOUTH — If you live next to a town-owned historic cemetery, you may be getting a knock on your door soon.

Volunteers will be fanning out throughout town in hopes of collecting …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Volunteers to scour Portsmouth for historic cemeteries

For now, they’ll survey town-owned burial plots only

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — If you live next to a town-owned historic cemetery, you may be getting a knock on your door soon.

Volunteers will be fanning out throughout town in hopes of collecting up-to-date information on 21 such cemeteries the town claims as its own. It’s part of a historic cemetery inventory project led by Town Planner Gary Crosby, who facilitated an informational meeting attended by about 20 people at the library Monday night.

“The purpose of this project is to do a complete field inventory of the cemeteries,” said Mr. Crosby, adding that most of these old burial plots haven’t been visited in about a decade. 

The planner told volunteers they were only to catalogue information and not take away debris or right any fallen stones. “We’re not going to be going out and cleaning up these cemeteries,” he said.

Volunteers will need to inspect and photograph the cemeteries and update any information on their condition for both the town and the Rhode Island Historic Cemetery Commission data base, he said.

Although there are also plans to take a look at the 50-60 cemeteries that are located on private property — owners who agree to maintain the plots may be eligible for future tax abatements — the project’s first phase is devoted only to those located on town land.

“The town hasn’t devoted much in the way of resources to maintain them,” said Mr. Crosby. Although the town has some available funds dedicated to preserving cemetery plots, more funding sources will need to be found, he said.

The planner cautioned volunteers that it may be tricky to access some of the town-owned cemeteries. “In most cases they are surrounded by private property,” he said.

Permission slips

In most cases, volunteers will need to get permission from private landowners before inspecting the plots. (Volunteers were sent off with permission slips, as well as details about each plot and other information.)

“I think this will take a careful, diplomatic approach with some of these property owners,” said Mr. Crosby. “It’s better to err on the side of caution.”

As an example, he mentioned the Rowland Hazard Lot, which is 450 feet north of Farmlands Road within a gated community.

Letty Champion, who’s surveyed many historic cemeteries for the state data base — Mr. Crosby called her a “rock star of historic cemeteries” — said it may be difficult to access the town’s property because she sensed resistance from residents the last time she visited.

“This is town property surrounded by private property. We have a right to be there, we just don’t know how to get there,” Mr. Crosby said.

On the other hand, it should be a cinch to update information on the George Sisson Lot off Sea Meadow Drive, which contains 26 burials dating back to 1801. That’s because the owner of the surrounding private property was at the library and volunteered to survey it.

For himself, Mr. Crosby said he would survey a cemetery at Lawton Valley containing 50 burials and nine field stones. The plot was cleared as part of an Eagle Scout project in March. “They did a fabulous job of cleaning it up,” Mr. Crosby said.

Gloria Schmidt was eager to take the Giles Slocum Lot, located across from the barns at Glen Farm. 

The burial plot, the final resting place for members of the Slocum and Cundall families, is rich in local history and tragedy, she said. (An Indian servant confessed to killing Giles and Matthew Slocum, ages 11 and 9, while taking them canoeing in the Sakonnet River.)

historic cemeteries, R.I. Historic Cemetery Commission

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.