Yantic Cemetery

Yantic Cemetery. . , Historic Yantic Cemetery is an outstanding example of a Victorian-era landscape design referred to as a "Rural Cemetery," in which winding cart paths and circular drives formed the foundation for memorials, plantings and fountains, arranged for maximum scenic effect. Artful monuments and a picturesque landscape contributed to a meditative and spiritual setting, meant to encourage mourners to contemplate Divine presence in nature. The many obelisks raised a viewer's eye upward, toward the heavens., Laid out on 26.5 acres overlooking the Yantic River, Yantic Cemetery was consecrated on July 12, 1844. This park-like space satisfied the need for additional burial sites at a time when Norwich's older graveyards were rapidly becoming overcrowded. The cemetery was open for burials to all Norwich citizens regardless of religion, ethnicity or socio-economic background., The following grave sites and markers are just a few of the many memorials for notable figures in Norwich history who are featured on the Walk Norwich Freedom and Norwich Millionaires' Triangle Trails. Refer to the adjacent map to find them., Soldiers' Circle (Section 67) , After the Civil War the City of Norwich sent a representative named George W. Smith to retrieve bodies of dead soldiers from the infamous Andersonville Prison at Camp Sumter in Georgia. Sixteen Norwich men died at the prison, nine of whom were positively identified and returned to Norwich for re-interment. Most are buried in the "Soldiers Circle" or in family plots in the Yantic Cemetery. George W. Ward, was laid to rest in his family plot in the City Cemetery, off Oak Street, in downtown Norwich., Memorial to Sarah Larned Osgood (Section 63/Plot 02) , This memorial to Sarah Osgood (1819-1891), wife of notable drug manufacturer and wholesaler Dr. Charles Osgood (1808-1881), is one of the most impressive and haunting in the cemetery. Crouching over Sarah's grave is a cast-bronze statue of a mysterious robed figure in mourning. In 2010, vandals stole the statue and cut it into pieces. Later recovered, it was restored in 2013., Grave of Harriet Peck Williams (Section 52/Plot 11) , One of Norwich's leading female Victorian-era philanthropists, Harriet Peck Williams (1795-1880) supported numerous cultural, religious and educational institutions across the region. These include the Norwich Free Academy's Peck Library, Park Congregational Church and the Williams School in New London., Monument of Lafayette Sabine Foster (Section 21/Plot 11) , One of many prominent political figures from Norwich, Lafayette Foster served as mayor of Norwich, a Connecticut state representative and U.S. senator. In 1865, Foster was elected president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate and he became next in line to become President of the United States following Lincoln's assassination and Vice President Johnson's ascension to the Presidency. In that role, he participated in investigations into the federal government's treatment of Native Americans., Ruggles Family Plot (Section 3/Plot 19) , The Ruggles family lived as free blacks, residing in the Bean Hill section of Norwich in the early 1800s. One of the family's most notable members was David Ruggles a fervent abolitionist and "conductor" on the Underground Railroad. Ruggles claimed to have helped as many as 600 slaves escape to their freedom. Among them renowned abolitionist, Frederick Douglass; and James L. Smith, a fugitive from a Virginia plantation who settled in Norwich and became a shoemaker., Monument of William Alfred Buckingham (Section 50/Plot 22] , A close friend of Abraham Lincoln, Norwich resident William Buckingham was Connecticut's Civil War governor from 1858 to 1866. When war broke out in 1861, Buckingham was among the first governors to muster Union troops and even paid soldiers out of his own pocket. In 1863, Buckingham authorized the creation of the state's first regiment of black soldiers. After the war, Buckingham served as U.S. senator from 1809 until his death in 1875., Monument of John Fox Slater (Section 54/Plot 11) , Nephew of famed Rhode Island textile manufacturer Samuel Slater (1768-1835), John Fox Slater (1815-1884) had become Norwich's wealthiest citizen by the outbreak of the Civil War. In 1882, Slater donated $1 million of his fortune to establish a fund for the education of emancipated slaves, an act that earned him a Congressional Gold Medal. More than 30 colleges throughout the South continue to benefit from John Fox Slater's generosity. The Slater Memorial Museum at Norwich Free Academy was dedicated in his honor by his son William A. Slater, noted philanthropist and art collector., Produced by the Norwich Historical Society with funds from the Sachem Fund; the State Historic Preservation Office, Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development; the Norwich Noontime Rotary Club; and the Last Green Valley. Text researched and written by Regan Miner. Image credits: (right) top, courtesy Slater Memorial Museum; center right, courtesy Slater Memorial Museum; bottom, courtesy First Congregational Church of Lebanon.