Boylston's Graveyards
After the incorporation of the area now known as the Town of Boylston into the North Precinct of Shrewsbury on 17 December 1742, one of the first acts was to acquire from Lieutenant Eleazar Taylor, two acres of land to be used for a Meeting House and a Burial Ground. The Burial Ground was laid out with the first burial of Garner Maynard, the 11 month old son of Elisha and Huldah Bannister, taking place on 14 April 1745.
Many of Boylston's prominent historical figures are buried here, including, Captain Robert Andrews, Commander of the town's Minutemen in 1775; Dr. Samuel Brigham, Paymaster on the staff of General George Washington; Henry Keyes, the town's only veteran of the French and Indian War; Reverend Ebenezer Morse, the first minister of the North Parish and a prominent Tory during the Revolution; and the graves of many men who served in the War of Independenc
By the 1830's, the Burial Ground in the Town Center was becoming crowded, so on 17 April 1837, Pine Grove Cemetrey was established through a conveyance of Colonel Jotham Bush to the Boylston Inhabitants, 2 acres about 400 feet off Scar Hill Road for $5.00 to be used as a public burying place or grave yard. Only occasional burials would then take place after1837 in the Old Burial Grounds.
In September 2010, a full photographic survey was completed, crosschecked for completeness, and the photographs posted to the individual's online findagrave memorial.
SPECIAL THANKS to BRUCE, NANCY & JULIE FILGATE
FOR THEIR WORK IN CATALOGING BOYLSTON'S TWO GRAVEYARDS!
GRAVESTONE SEARCH: