In the early 1990's I headed a project to survey and locate Greenwich's cemeteries and burying grounds. This cemetery and the names of those interred here are in Spencer Percival Mead's 'Abstract of Tombstones' published in the early 1900s. The late Town Historian William E. Finch, Jr., told me that the time that he had never been to this site. My work was cut out for me.
The cemetery is in very poor, overgrown condition. Many of the stones are lying flat, broken, and under layers of soil. Some stone markers appear to be missing or possible buried flat under years of accumulated debris.
The last interment was with the death of Polly, wife of James Peck, who died on September 14, 1875.
War veterans buried here include two soldiers. Benjamin Peck died on March 12, 1806, and served as a clerk in Captain Abraham Mead's Company during the American Revolution. Elias Peck, died May 14, 1846, was a Fife Major in the War of 1812.
Though the stone was missing at the time of my visit to this site, Historian Spenser Mead recorded the inscription of Sylvanus Mead's stone. He died in Virginia, apparently on a return trip to Connecticut from New Orleans. No information has been found concerning the purpose of his journey.
The deed stipulates that it was for the use of the Peck family, and to their heirs forever the use and improvement of the following described piece of land for the privilege of a Burying place where my honored father Benjamin Peck late of said Greenwich dec'd was buried. Said piece of land is lying and being in said Greenwich in the West Society thereof being three rods wide on the West and four rods on the North three rods on the East and four on the South and bounded West by the land of Samuel Peck North East and South on my own land reserving for myself and my heirs forever the privilege of burying on the aforesaid described piece of land the above conveyance is made to the said Benjamin James Nathan Platt and James Junr. and to their heirs forever for the only use of a burying place for myself said Benjamin James Nathan Platt and James Junr. and our heirs forver so that all the descendants from our said father Benjamin Peck dec'd may have a family burying place and said land is not to be improved in any other way for agriculture than by pasture the fee of said land is not meant to be improved be conveyed but only the privilege of a burying place for said Benjamin, James, Nathan, Platt, and James Junr., and their heirs.
I do not have photos of individual gravestones. My research findings are on file in the archives of the Greenwich Historical Society in the village of Cos Cob.
Benjamin Peck
died March 12, 1806
aged 64 years & 5 months.
Afflictions sore long time he bore
Physicians were in vain
Till God did please to give me ease
And free me from my pain.
Sylvanus Mead
died at Wheeling, VA.,
on his way home from New Orleans, LA.,
May 3, 1833,
aged 39 years, 3 months, and 26 days
Children of Ebenezer and Eliza Peck:
Ebenezer Peck,
died April 2, 1842,
aged 1 month & 15 days.
Charlotte Eliza Peck,
died September 9, 1841,
aged 1 year, 6 months & 13 days.
Go, gentle babes, to realms of bliss
The christ'ning rod we humbly kiss
Their Savior calls them to his home
And let his holy will be done.
Benjamin Peck
died July 11, 1870
aged 83 years, 9 months, and 7 days.
Let me live the life of the righteous
that my last days be like his.
Pruella, widow of Benjamin Peck
died May 5, 1873
aged 75 years, 9 months, and 13 days.
Afflictions sore long time I bore
Physicians were in vain
Till God did please to give me ease
And free me from my pain.
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