A Very Grave Matter - photographs and history of old colonial gravestones and cemeteries in New England: Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts areas.

August 27, 2005

Who is in the crypt?
By Adam Martignetti
Staff Writer - The Newburyport Daily News

Willard Pierce is believed to be one of those buried in a crypt that was broken into over the past weekend in Old Hill Burying Ground

NEWBURYPORT — David Lambert of the Historic Genealogical Society of New England believes that all those laid to rest in the desecrated crypt at the Old Burying Ground are descendants of Capt. Nicholas Pierce, a sea merchant who was born in 1761 and died in 1812 in Newburyport.

Police have been unsuccessful in their efforts to locate any descendants of the family laid to rest in the tomb, which was marked only "Pierce 1863." Six bodies are laid to rest inside.

Jay Williamson of the Historical Society of Old Newbury speculated yesterday that the grave was likely built by Willard Balch Pierce, who was born in 1829, or his brother Nathaniel Willard Pierce, who was six years older. Sgt. Peter Finnegan has said that one of the silver nameplates on the casket resembled "Balch."

Williamson speculated that Willard Balch Pierce may have come into money and built the tomb as a final resting place for his family members. Similar crypts were "in vogue" at the time, Lambert said.

"Rich people bought tombs back then," he said.

Lambert speculated that two of Capt. Pierce's sons — Jacob Willard Pierce (1788-1846) and Nicholas Pierce Jr. — and their wives were buried in the tomb.

Jacob Willard Pierce married Dolly Catherine Picket and the two had 13 children, including Willard Balch Pierce. Nicholas Pierce Jr. married Rebecca Davenport, who passed away in 1863. Lambert said he believes that's how the date ended up engraved on the tomb, as Rebecca would have been the last family member laid to rest there by Willard Balch Pierce before his own body was interred there in later years.

Lambert has traced the Pierce lineage all the way to a Beverly man who passed away in 1984, but Lambert has been unable to locate more direct descendants thus far.