Old Norwichtown Burying Ground

Old Norwichtown Burying Ground. Walk Norwich Benedict Arnold Trail. , This burying ground was established in 1700 on land owned by Rev. James Fitch, Norwich's first minister, and Lt. Samuel Huntington. The land was chosen for the burying ground because it was hilly and unsuitable for farming. As Norwich grew, more land was added for burials. Through the gate is the original colonial section with headstones from the 1700s. Several thousand burials have been recorded; about 1,300 headstones remain today. Many African Americans were buried in unmarked graves in the back of the burying ground., The earliest gravesites in Norwich are found in the Post and Gager Burying Ground. Their "post and rail" wooden markers no longer exist. By the mid-1600s, stone markers were used. Tombstones were purchased in pairs and marked the head (headstone) and foot (footstone) of the grave. Bodies were buried with their feet to the East so they faced the rising sun on judgment day., Notice the different carving styles and evolving imagery on the stones. Early images of skulls, crossbones and winged hourglasses symbolized death. By the mid-1700s, winged cherubs suggested ascension of the spirit. Weeping willows in the 1800s represented mourning and loss. Throughout these times, life was hard and death sometimes came swiftly., Notable Norwich Citizens in the Colonial Burying Ground, Oliver Arnold (1721-1781) , Benedict Arnold's Uncle, Hannah Waterman King Arnold (1708-1759) , Mother of Benedict Arnold, Thomas Harland (1735-1807) , First American Clockmaker, Governor Samuel Huntington (1731-1796) , Signer of the Declaration of Independence, President of United States under the Articles of Confederation in Perpetuity, State Supreme Court Judge, Governor of Connecticut, Deacon Simon Huntington (1629-1706) , Founder of Norwich and oldest tombstone in the Colonial Burying Ground, Simon Huntington (1686-1707) , Bitten by rattlesnake, Christopher Huntington (1660-1735) , First-born male in Norwich, Jedediah Huntington (1743-1818) , General in Revolutionary War, Ebenezer Huntington (1754-1834) , General in Revolutionary War, Jerusha Lathrop (1717-1805) , Wife of Dr. Daniel Lathrop, Joshua Lathrop (1723-1807) , Prominent Druggist, Dr. Daniel Lathrop (1712-1782) , Prominent Druggist, Col. Christopher Leffingwell (1734-1810) , Prominent Industrialist, Reverend Benjamin Lord (1694-1784) , Pastor at the First Congregational Church, Diah Manning (1760-1815) , Drum Major during the Revolutionary War, Boston Trowtrow (?-1772) , Black Governor of Norwich, Other Norwich 18th Century Burying Grounds: , Post and Gager Burying Ground - Lee Avenue (Founders Burying Ground) , Oak Street Cemetery - 37 Oak Street Please be respectful of the burying grounds. , Enjoy your look back into the 18th Century., (Portrait captions) , Samuel Huntington, President of the United States under the Articles of Confederation in Perpetuity (Portrait by Charles Wilson Peale), Dr. Joshua and Mrs. Mercy (Eels) Lathrop , (Mary Perkins, Old House of the Ancient Town of Norwich), Acknowledgments , This panel was produced by the Norwich Historical Society in cooperation with the Norwich Community Development Corporation, the Norwich Heritage Groups, City of Norwich and Norwich Public Works Department. Research and writing by Regan Miner; panel design and oversight of fabrication by Geoff Steadman and Pam Ballard., The Norwich Historical Society received support for this project from: State Historic Preservation Office of the Department of Economic and Community Development with funds from: The Community Investment Act of the State of Connecticut; the Sachem Fund; Eastern Connecticut Association of Realtors; the R.S. Gernon Trust; and the Elsie A. Brown Fund., wałknorwich.org , 2015