January, 2009 Workshop - Beverly Historical Society, Beverly, Mass.

Documents for the "When This You See, Remember Me... Discovering Essex County Gravestones" Lesson ...from the Beverly Historical Society, Beverly, MA

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• Mourning pictures (c. 1790s, 1800s)
• These two mourning pictures use a variety of mediums including watercolors and embroidery on silk. "Most of these were created to serve as a record and a decoration rather than to express the heartache the creator was expressing." A description as well as the transcription of the words on the embroideries is included for each piece. Mourning pictures became popular after Gearge Washington's death. The weeping willows echo the carving on the gravestones mentioned here.

Photographs of Essex County Gravestones and Graveyards (all photographs were taken by our Museum Educator)These photos are part of a presentation using local Essex County grave markers.

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• Photo of Harmony Cemetery, Boxford, MA
• This photo of one of the earliest cemeteries in Boxford contains a number of 17thc gravestones, which exhibit winged death's heads, cherubs and weeping willows. In part of the main lesson, students are asked to "identify historic buildings, monuments, and sites in the area and explain their purpose and significance." (see MA Social Studies frameworks; 3.9) using a photo such as this one.

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• Photo of gravestone of Sarah Wood, (d. Sept 11, 1775) Harmony Cemetery, Boxford, MA
• This photo of the grave marker of Sarah Wood shows an example of a "death's head" or "winged skull" that was a popular image used on markers from the 1700s. "The death's head was a more earthly and neutral symbol, serving as a graphic reminder of death and resurrection." ( Deetz, In Small Things Forgotten)

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• Photo of gravestone of Joseph Pierpont (d. September 23, 1794), Old South Cemetery, Peabody, MA
• This grave stome displays a winged cherub atop an elaborately carved memorial. As views of death changed and people accepted the idea of souls ascending into heaven, carvings depicting angels became more common. This is one of many found in a graveyard on the border between Salem and Peabody.

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• Photo of gravestone of David Plummer, (d. July 15, 1801) First Parish Burial Ground, Gloucester, MA
• This stone displays a weeping willow and urn design, popular in the early part of the 19th century. A more romantic image, these graceful curves and lines invoke a softer, less stark design than the earlier skulls.

...Web links for Related Subjects

Introductory Essay on Early American Gravestones by Jessie Lie Farber --Comprehensive .pdf with answers to many questions regarding the subject of gravestones

Association for Gravestone Studies--The premier scholarly site devoted to gravestone studies in general.

A Very Grave Matter --Website focused on information pertaining to Essex County and New Hampshire graveyards. Website includes links to epitaphs, images and transcriptions. Lots of great info!

Old Burial Hill Website (Marblehead, MA)-- Website containing a large number of photos of early graves with sites, epitaphs, and transcriptions. There are also pages for symbols and a good explanation of the change in how dates were recorded.

Papers of George Washington Exhibits--Interesting page on the “Legacy of Mourning” which shows a mourning pin with an obelisk and weeping woman, similar to the embroideries listed above.

Massachusetts Vital Records 1600s to 1840s --If you’ve taken a picture of a gravestone and want to know more about the person, look them up here! Births, marriage records and deaths are listed. Of special note are the “no surname” and “Negros” sections – each town has them! In the death section you can sometimes find the cause of death as well.

Find A Grave--A website to locate graves of famous people: Harriet Beecher Stowe and Charles Lennox Remond can both be found in Essex County graveyards.