History Comes Alive in a Graveyard

History Comes Alive in a Graveyard. . , The word cemetery is derived from the Greek word for "sleeping place." Care and preservation helps old burial grounds like this one survive. By "reading" gravestones, we can learn fascinating stories about the town and its residents. , When the town of Fairfield was first laid out in 1639, this land was set aside as a burying ground. Many of its earliest graves are no longer marked. Some headstones are broken, covered by earth or were used as masonry. The oldest surviving markers are simple undecorated stones, with very little information. , Can you find the oldest marked gravestone? It is inscribed "1687 S.M." and is believed to mark the grave of Samuel Morehouse, who served as county marshal and lieutenant from 1675 to 1687. , During the late 1700s and throughout the 1800s, gravestones became more sculptural and biographical. Designs reflected thoughts about death and the value placed on an individual's life. , Look for elaborate gravestones carved from bluestone and sandstone with weeping willows, urns, winged skulls and cherub-like faces. These are symbols of death, mourning and eternal life. , To learn about the families buried here, visit the Fairfield Museum's Research Library, ( photo caption ) , , This silhouette portrait of Lt. Colonel Abraham Gould was made seventeen days before his death on April 27, 1777 at the Battle of Ridgefield. Gould's body was laid across his horse and carried home to Fairfield, where he was buried in the Old Burying Ground. Can you find his gravestone? . This historical marker is in Fairfield in Fairfield County Connecticut