James Ryker, died 1801; Elizabeth Ryker, died 1814: Davis Family Cemetery, Greenwich

Located at the end of East Bruce Park Avenue in central  Greenwich, the Davis Family Cemetery is a small historic plot. It is surround by a chain-link fence and shaded by tall trees. 

The tombstones are carved out of brownstone and marble with each stone lying flat on the ground. 

This family once owned a very old grist mill which was built circa 1705 and demolished in 1889. The mill was located at the west entrance to Bruce Park. The millstones are displayed near this site. Davis Avenue was the road leading to this area, once known as Davis Landing.

Thomas Davis came to Greenwich in 1761 from Oyster Bay, Long Island and purchased the mill. He died around 1780, his plot is unmarked in the cemetery. During the Revolution his sons, Elisha and Stephen, operated the mill. Elisha was caught selling grain to the British. His 50% interest in the mill was confiscated and acquired by Stephen, whose sympathies were with the American patriots. Stephen died in 1797 and is buried in an unmarked plot. Elisha eventually returned to Greenwich and died in 1818, aged 76 years. His stone was removed or stolen years ago.

Esther, the daughter of Elisha Davis, married John Ryker of New York. It is on the marble tombstones for the Rykers that the epitaphs are inscribed. The last burial to take place here was in 1862.

James Ryker,

died December 15, 1801, aged 17 days.

Elizabeth Ryker, died October 28, 1814, aged 8 months, 5 days.

Happy the babes, who privileged by fate

To shorter labor and a lighter weight

Receiv'd but yesterday the gift of breath

Or'd to-marrow to return to death.

Betsey Sherwood, died 1875: Old Baptist Society Cemetery, Glenville

Welcome to the Old Baptist Society Cemetery! This site is located off Glen Ridge Road in the Glenville neighborhood of the Town of Greenwich.

This attractive cemetery contains the remains and gravestones of many of the original Baptists of the Town of Greenwich and their descendants. They were also among the first to settle in the village of Glenville. 

The original church edifice itself was situated adjacent to the neighboring Merritt plot. The church was used as a hospital during the Revolution to treat wounded soldiers. 

The King Street Baptist Society Church was formally gathered on November 3, 1773. The meetinghouse itself was considered one of the most attractive in Greenwich. Services ceased to be conducted in 1886 and the church building burned to the ground on October 25, 1899. 

The Baptist parsonage still stands off King Street just south of the King Street Baptist Society Cemetery and the Anderson plot. The cemetery is well maintained and worthy of a visit by those interested in peering into the early history of Glenville and its Baptist settlers.

Featured here is an image of the gravestone of Betsey Sherwood and her epitaph. 

Betsey Sherwood,

died January 11, 1875. 

Aged 84 years, 10 months & 14 days.

The years roll round and steals away

The breath that first it gave

Whate'er we do, where'er we be

We're traveling to the grave.

Timothy Wilcox, died 1863 North Greenwich Congregational Church Cemetery

Known commonly as The Church at the Crossroads, the North Greenwich Congregational Church is located at the intersection of Riversville Road and John Street.  In the spring of 1833 Reverend Chauncey Wilcox and church sexton William Lounsbury laid out the cemetery for family plots. These plots were provided free of charge to members of the church, a policy that still survives today.

A number of families associated with the history of this church and North Greenwich are interred here. These include such family names as Brown, Close, Husted, Kenworthy, Mead, Lounsbury, Peck, Mills, Tripp, Purdy, and others. Eight of the original founders  of the church are interred here. According to church records there are 13 Civil War veterans and 3 from World War I interred here.

Without doubt the most famous person buried here is the Reverend Chauncey Wilcox, the first minister of the Church. He served the congregation from 1828-1846. His salary was $500 for the first year. Reverend Wilcox was a popular pastor with the people of the community. His efforts in starting the North Greenwich Academy was one of his works, which was found by him in 1834, where he worked as its first teacher. 

Rev. Wilcox was a strong believer in the missionary movement, and encouraged some parishioners to travel to the islands of Hawaii to convert the inhabitants to Christianity and engage in their education.  One of his parishioners, Charlotte Close, was the step-mother of Sanford Dole, first President of the Republic of Hawaii and eventually its first governor as an American territory in 1900. 

In commemoration of the 350th year celebrations of the founding of Greenwich in 1640 his imposing tombstone was refurbished and rededicated by Reverend Wilcox's great-grand niece Elizabeth Willis in 1990.

The Wilcox family were very active in the early years of the church and many are interred in the cemetery. Willis Wilcox was a Civil War veteran. Josiah Wilcox was a self-made businessman who built a factory off Sherwood Avenue which produced, amongst other things, cannon balls for the war effort. Josiah was also a one term member of the Connecticut legislature. His mansion, built circa 1838, is located just north of the Merritt Parkway. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The epitaphs at this cemetery are Biblical quotes with a few original works. 

Besides the epitaph for Rev. Wilcox others worthy of note include that of his son Timothy, who followed in his fathers' steps but died young at the age of 27 years and 9 months in 1863 at Chicago, Illinois. The image of his stone and the above-ground text of his epitaph is reproduced here. 

The cemetery is still in use today by the church and makes a tranquil spot to visit in one of the most historic areas of the Town of Greenwich. 

Timothy K. Wilcox, 

son of Reverend Chauncey & Sarah A. Wilcox,

died February 27, 1863.

died suddenly at Chicago, Ill. 

Aged 27 years & 9 months.

As a son, brother, friend he has left an

aching void: as a scholar he wore

mostly the first honors of his class

at Yale & became Tutor at his alma mater

as a citizen his energies & substance

were ever ready for every benevolent

& Christian cause: as a minister of the

Gospel he reaped during his brief labors

rare success & personal affection.

He drew so largely from the living Fountain

that every relation with rich.....