January 5, 2005

Newbury takes over management of historic cemetery
By Matthew K. Roy
Staff Writer - The Newburyport Daily News

NEWBURY — It is set back from High Road and obscured by a cluster of trees. Only the more discerning drivers notice its modest white sign, weathered and peeling, on the roadside.

At just more than a quarter of an acre, the First Settlers' Burial Ground in Newbury is a tiny, inconspicuous landmark. Around as long as Newbury's was incorporated in 1635, it serves as the final resting place of some of the region's earliest settlers.

It is not far from the Lower Green and the landing place of the first settlers

Determining who is responsible for the burial ground's upkeep has been, until last week, as elusive as its location. After learning the town owns the land at 238 High Road, the Board of Selectmen voted to have the Highway Department take charge.

"It's town property," Selectman Richard Joy said yesterday, "it's our responsibility."

Citing years of neglect and its shabby condition, resident Barbara Rogers asked selectmen this fall to appoint a board of trustees to oversee the burial ground. The selectmen hesitated, believing it was under the jurisdiction of the Sons and Daughters of the First Settlers, a private organization formed in 1927.

But after a letter to the group went unanswered and town assessor's records showed Newbury owned the land, the selectmen decided the town should assume control.

"Since the town owns it (the burial ground), the town will take care of it," Chairman Vincent Russo said.

But to Rogers and her father, Dick Cunningham, the selectmen's vote does not solve the problem. The pair is poised to offer an article at the special town meeting on Jan. 25, asking voters to have the Board of Selectmen appoint a three-member board of trustees to take responsibility of the burial ground — managing any money left in trust for its care, accepting donations and applying for grants.

Cunningham, 84, is a Newbury native, a local historian and himself a member of the Sons and Daughters. He has long been involved in town politics.

"I have seen too many things in the past that have been taken under advisement," he said.

For years, any mowing or trimming done at the burial ground was done by Cunningham, who holds the title of superintendent of burial grounds. One of his recent brush-clearing sessions exposed the hidden gravestone of William Sawyer, 1613-1701.

"Unfortunately, it (the burial ground) has been neglected over the years," Rogers said. "I don't want to see that happen again. I'd like to make sure that it's taken care of."

A $1,000 contribution for the burial ground made by Jane Dale Moore, an early member of the Sons and Daughters, was accepted by the town in the early 1940s and has since grown to more than $6,000, Rogers said. The town could use that money plus grants to make improvements to the burial ground, she said.

Cunningham said the Highway Department doesn't have the expertise to care for the cemetery. "It's not their thing," he said. The trustees could do the work themselves or hire someone, according to Cunningham.

Highway Department head Tim Leonard could not be reached for comment.

The spotty maintenance record of the First Settlers' Burial Ground matches that of the First Parish Burying Ground, a private, also historically significant cemetery further up High Road across from the First Parish Church.

"The both of them are a disgrace to the town," Cunningham said.

Rogers, 55, is the acting secretary of the town's 375th Anniversary Committee. The burial ground is an important link to the town's past, she said.

"We have so much history here," Rogers said. "Newbury is very lucky."

Matthew Roy covers Newbury and Rowley for The Daily News. He can be reached at (978) 462-6666, ext. 3225, or by e-mail at mroy@ecnnews.com.

This article was copied with permission by © The Newburyport Daily News