I seem to have gathered a small library of atlases for the Commonwealth project — five atlases that show all of the streets in Massachusetts circa 2004, plus some that aren’t passable anymore, and a larger scale topographic atlas. My street atlas of western Mass showed seven cemeteries on the main road through town. I could only find two, but then again there are only five or six roads in town; Hancock is very small. The one cemetery in New Ashford, though very easy to find, was quite overgrown.
The three cemeteries I did visit had a few spectacular names:
- Patience Rogers (♀ — wife of Rev. Rogers — died 1791)
- Habkley Boon (♂ †1854?)
- Ruhamah Boon (♀ †1861)
- Hon. Rodman Hazard, esq. (♂ †1843)
- Phinehas Palmer (♂ †1855)
- Harty Phillips (♀ †1852)
- Loesa Laphan (♀ †1917)
- Emeline Whitmarsh (♀ 1821-1876)
- Reuben Ely (♂ †1799 Æ 90)
- Minerva Smith (♀ †1842)
- Heman Ely (♂ †1804 Æ 28)
- Isabel Sweet (♀)
- Perly Ingraham (♀ †1810)
- Prudence Parington (♀ †1826 Æ 17)
- Mercy Jordan (♀ †1841)
- Elmer Knox (♂ †1805)
- Wanton H. Pettit (♂ 1833-1917)
The thought of the grave & of death
Had no fearful effect on his mind.
But calmly he yielded his breath
His Spirit to God he resigned.
Happy soul thy days are ended.
All thy mourning days below
Go by Angel guards attended
To the Arms of Jesus Go.
Memento Mori. Deposited here is the infant remains of Mary Vesta aged 6 years and eleven months.
Teehee. Fabulous names. Of course, “Wanton” is my favorite.