Town's Past Entombed in Cemeteries (Greenwich Time, 1992)

Greenwich Time, Greenwich, Connecticut
by Thomas Mellana, Special Correspondent
September 25, 1992, Page 1

The gravestone of Sarah Gardner, Cos Cob. Died 1795. 

"I found an enormous amount of history there."

Greenwich residents who died in years past were fond of leaving reminders to the living that we are all in the same boat.

Behind and think as you pass by

as you are now so once was I

As I am now so you must be

Prepare to die and follow me.

That was the message left to the world by Sarah Gardner, who died Oct. 24, 1795, at the age of 21 years, 7 months and 7 days. Sarah was interred in the Old Burying Ground at Cos Cob.

Lockwood Palmer, who died Aug. 25, 1819, at 21 years and 8 months, is buried in the Cherry Orchard Cemetery, in the woods off Stanwich Road. He left this message for loved ones:

Dear friends who live to mourn and weep

Behold the grave wherein I sleep,

Prepare for death for you must die

And be entomb'd as well as I.

Of course, many epitaphs are more cheerful. But more than a few tombstones in town leave one message that is very clear: You're next.

"Especially the old Puritan ones were like that," said Jeffrey Bingham Mead, who has researched local graveyards. "Epitaphs do reflect a lot about about the attitudes of the times, and in Puritan times, life was not as good as it is today."

An examination of epitaphs will be part of a series of slide/lecture shows and walking tours during October and November to educate residents about a sometimes forgotten part of Greenwich's past.

"The Spirit of Greenwich Old Time Past: The Burying Grounds of Greenwich Connecticut," will be led by Mead, historian and president of the Historic Mead Family Burying Grounds Association, Inc. Mead will lead three slide/lecture shows and three walking tours.

There are about 65 burying grounds scattered throughout town, according to Mead, some so small they contain fewer than 10 graves.

Mead, a descendent of one of the founding families of Greenwich, backed into his interest in burial grounds in 1984 when cleaning up one of the many Mead family plots in town for a grand aunt.

"I found an enormous amount of history there," he said.

Students can expect to leave the lectures and tours with "an enhanced appreciation of the history of the town of Greenwich," said Mead. "It's not only old houses and great estates, which are very important, but there is a lot more."

"Examples of poetry, and the earliest examples of folk art and sculpture in Greenwich can be found in its old burial grounds."

Topics for the slide and lecture shows are:

- The Community Burying Grounds of Greenwich, Oct. 6.

- In Search of Graven and Rhymes and Epitaphs, Oct. 13.

- Death-heads, Willows and Angels: Mortality Art on the Gravestones in Greenwich, Oct. 20

All lectures will be held 7:30 p.m., in the meeting room of the Arts Center on Greenwich Avenue.

The on-site tours scheduled are:

- Tomac Cemetery: a Hallowed Walking Tour, Tomac and Roosevelt avenues in Old Greenwich, Oct. 18 at 2:30 p.m.

- The Lewis Family Burying Ground: A Sacred Family Album, off Lafayette Place in central Greenwich, Oct. 25 at 2:30 p.m.

"There is a lot to be learned about geneaology," in the old graveyards, Mead said. "That Lewis one is definitely one of the top five most interesting family plots, if not the most interesting, I know. There is an enormous amount of town history there."

- The New Burial Grounds Association Cemetery, East Putnam Avenue next to the Second Congregational Church, Nov. 1 at 2:30 p.m.

Cost of attending the entire program is $55. For three lectures or three tours, the cost is $30. Each individual tour or lecture will cost $10.

Michael Clear, U.S. Navy: Old Burying Ground at Byram Shore (1858)

One of the names of those interred at the Old Burying Ground at Byram Shore is Captain Michael Clear. He was a native of Queen Anne's County, Maryland. 

Michael Clear served as captain of the foretop on board the U.S.S. Constitution -popularly known as Old Ironsides- in the Barbary War and the War of 1812. 

The U.S. Constitution in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. 

In 1810 he had been a sailor before the mast. He reportedly aided at taking the British frigate Guerriere under Commodore Hull, at taking the British frigate Java under Commodore Bainbridge, and taking the Cyane and Levant under Commodore Stewart.

Later, he returned to the Merchant Marine and then returned to service on the Sloop of War Erie. Afterward, Clear served on the Congress. His final position was that of Sailing Master at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York. 

Relics of his were reportedly given by his descendants to the Bruce Museum in Greenwich in the 1930s. These items included an old sextant and Captain Clear's name inlaid on ivory, his commission signed by President Tyler, a compass and spy glass, and a collection of old almanacs from 1825-1858. 

Captain Clear died on March 28, 1858 at the age of 75 years. 

The following are transcripts of three published articles in the Greenwich News and Graphic. 

* * * * * * * * * 

Constitution Relics Are Given To Bruce Museum by Miss Weed
Greenwich News and Graphic
Thursday, November 4, 1937

The Bruce Museum of Greenwich is the fortunate recipient of a number of instruments and personal possessions of the late Capt. Michael Clear, U.S.N., which were used by him when he served as captain of the foretop on board the United States Ship Constitution, the famous “Old Ironsides" of the Barberry War and the War of 1812. Miss Weed is the grandniece of Captain Clear, and it is with great pride that the museum announces her wonderful gift.

The collection includes, in its original box, the old and beautifully fashioned sextant, with the captain's name inlaid on ivory, made by E. and G.W. Blunt, hydrographers and instrument makers, formerly Maiden Lane, New York City; the compass and spyglass made by Jones of Liverpool, and th captain's commission signed by President Tyler.

Michael Clear was a native of Queen Anne's County, Maryland. In 1810 he was a sailor before the mast, but in two years was commissioned by President Tyler. He aided at the taking of the British frigate Guerriere under Commodore Hull; at the taking of the British frigate Java under Commodore Bainbridge, and at the taking of the Cyane and Levant under Commodore Stewart.

Captain Clear subsequently returned to the merchant marine, and after a number of years again entered the service on the sloop-of-war Erie. Later he served on the Congress, and his final position was that of a sailing master at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He died in Greenwich on March 28, 1858.

Looking upon these relics one imagines the sights which must have come to the captain's eyes through that old brass spyglass.

In addition to these things Miss Weed has donated the original brass buttons from Captain Clear's uniform, the sewing palm and needle which he used when before the mast, his notebook containing meteorological observations, seven letters and almanacs (The Farmer's and Middlebrook's) bound in sailcloth and running from 1825 to 1850.

These Constitution relics may be seen in a case on the first floor of The Bruce Museum.

In the War Alcove on the third floor may be seen the Civil War pass of Edwin A. Weed, also donated by Miss Weed.

* * * * * * * * * 

Old Almanacs Tell of Life in The Period from 1825 to 1859 (excerpt)
Once property of Capt. Michael Clear, Greenwich Mariner Who Served on the Old U.S.S. Constitution

Greenwich News and Graphic
Thursday, November 4, 1937

A canvas-bound collection of almanacs, formerly the property of the late Capt. Michael Clear and complete from 1825 to 1859, are in the possession of his great-nieces, the Misses Emily Stuart and Addie M. Weed of Weed Place. Captain Clear served both in the navy and in the merchant marine and at one time was on the old U.S.S. Constitution. 

Although the pages are well thumbed and show evidence of considerable use, the almanacs are in excellent condition despite their years. They contain all kinds of information from "necessary hints for those that would be rich" to "the rising, setting, places, and eclipses of the sun and moon," to say nothing about stories that would put Bayard Taylor's best decidedly in the shade.

* * * * * * * * * 

More Interesting Relics Are Presented to Bruce Museum (excerpt)

Greenwich News and Graphic
Thursday, November 24, 1937

Miss Adelaide M. Weed of Weed Place, Greenwich, who recently donated to The Bruce Museum, Greenwich, many relics of "Old Ironsides," has now given additional material, also of much interest.

Chief along these gifts is a stein used by Captain Michael Clear of "Old Ironsides" fame. The top of the stein, which he brought from Europe during the early 1800's, bears in pewter the heads of three kings or emperors-Franz, Alexander and Friedrich-and is dated 1824. 

Establishment of the Peck Family Burying Ground at Clapboard Ridge, Greenwich (1811)

Greenwich Land Records Deed: April 20, 1811
Signed on May 10, 1811 and Recorded June 6, 1811

Know all men by these presents that I Elias Peck of Greenwich in Fair-
field County and State of Connecticut for the consideration of $10 rec'd to
my full satisfaction of my brother Benjamin Peck, James Peck, Nathan, Platt Mead
and James Peck Junr all of Greenwich do by these presents give, grants, bargain
and sell and confirm onto them the said Benjamin James Nathan Platt and James
Junr. and their heirs forever the use and improvement of the following de-
scribed 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 by my own land reserving for myself and my heirs forever
the privilege of burying on the aforesaid described piece of land the above convey-
acne 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 Benja-
min James Nathan Platt and James Junr. and our heirs forever so
that all the descendants from our said father Benjamin Peck dec'd may have
a family burying place and said land is not meant to be improved  in any other
way for agriculture then by pasture the fee of said land is not meant to be
improved be conveyed but only the privilege of a burying in place for said Benjamin
James Nathan Platt and James Junr and their heirs.

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the said premises unto the said Benjamin James Nathan Platt and James Junr and their heirs forever the privilege of burying in said described piece
of land with myself and my heirs forever. And the said Elias pack do for my-
self my heirs executors and admr. covenant with the said Benjamin James
Nathan Platt and James Junr. and their that at and until the unsealing
of these presents I am well seized of the premises as a good indefendable estate in
fee simple and have good right to bargain and said sell said privilege in manner and
form as above written and that the same is free of all encumbrance whatsoever
And furthermore I said Elias Peck by these presents bind myself &
heirs to warrant and defend the said priviledge of a burying place on
said premises with the said Benjamin James Nathan Platt James
Jun. and their heirs with the privilege of going to and from the same, In
witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand seal in Greenwich
the 20th day of April 1811   In the presence of
                                                                               Elias Peck Junr.                                  
Nancy Mead                                        
Ebenezer Mead

Fairfield County in Greenwich on the 10th day of May 1811 personally appeared Elias Peck signer and sealer of
the foregoing instrument and acknowledged the same to be
his free attained deed before me
Ebenezer Mead Justice of Peace

Rec'd to Record June ye 6th 1811
and recorded by me Jabez Fitch, Register

Establishment of Selleck Family Burying Ground (1842) in Round Hill, Greenwich

The Sylvanus Selleck Grist Mill, 1796. The cemetery is located across the street in the woods. 

Deed to the Selleck Family Burying Ground, off Old Mill Road in Round Hill, Greenwich, Connecticut

Sylvanus (Silvanus) Selleck to Children of Sylvanus Selleck:
Greenwich Land Records. Volume 25, Page 47, dated July 7, 1842
Transcribed by Jeffrey Bingham Mead on December 27, 1993.

TO ALL PEOPLE TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, GREETING:
KNOW YE, THAT Silvanus Selleck of Greenwich in the
State of Connecticut
For the consideration of one dollars
received to my full satisfaction of My Children
Do give, grant, bargain, sell, and confirm unto the said children a certain tract of land lying
in said Greenwich in quantity about one rood, more or lefs, as now is enclosed with a stone wall. Said tract is conveyed for a burying ground
for my children and their heirs forever and no other purpose,
reserving the right for myself to be buried there and the privilege
of passing from the highway to said burying ground by the lane
that we now use forever. Said tract is bounded on all sides by my own land.

To have and to hold the above granted and bargained premises, with the privileges and appurtenances thereof onto them the said children their heirs forever, to them and their own proper use and behoof for a burying ground. And also I just said Sylvanus do, for myself my heirs, executors and administrators, cove-nant with the said children their heirs That at, and until the ensealing these presents I am well seized of the premises, as a good indefeasible estate in fee simple, and have good right to bargain and to sell the same in manner and form as is above written; and that the same is free of all incumbrances whatsoever. And furthermore, I the said Sylvanus Do by these presents bind myself and my heirs forever, to Warrant and Defend the above granted and bargained premises to them the said Children their heirs, against all claims and demands whatsoever.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 7th date of July A.D. 1842.

SIGNED, SEALED, AND DELIVERED IN THE PRESENCE OF
Rebecca R. Close                             Silvanus Selleck (L. S.)
Samuel Close

Fairfield County, ss. Greenwich July 7th A.D. 1842
Personally appeared Silvanus Selleck Signer and Sealer of the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged the same to be his free Act and Deed, before me
Samuel Close   Justice of Peace
Received to record July 7th, 1842 and recorded by
Samuel Close Town Clerk

Establishment of Lewis Burying Ground: From the Will of Rev. Isaac Lewis, Jr. (Died 1840)

The following is a codicil excerpted from the probate records in Stamford, Connecticut, Volume 16, page 27 from the Will of Rev. Isaac Lewis, Jr., of Greenwich who died in 1840:

Secondly: a small strip of land across the north end of my home lot I appropriate for the purpose of a burial ground for my family and descendants forever; the southern line of said strip of ground commences at the fence on the east thirty-six feet southwardly from the north eastern corner of said house lot and to run in a direct course to a point in the fence which divides said home lot from the highway, fifteen feet southwardly from the northwestern corner of said house lot; And I do hereby give and bequeath said strip of land to my said son Zachariah Lewis, his heirs and assigns forever in trust, for all my children, grandchildren and other descendants forever to use and occupy the same for the purpose of a family burial ground forever and no other purpose whatsoever; And I give and bequeath the same to said Zachariah his heirs and as aforesaid for no other purpose than the above specified; And I do hereby strictly enjoin him and them to devote the said strip of land to no other use or purpose at any time, than that of a family burial ground for me and my descendants as above set forth. And I do hereby declare this to be a codicil to my said last will and testament and to be part and parcel of the same and do hereby confirm said last will and testament subject to the alterations made by this codicil. Witness my hand and seal this 6th day of September A.D. 1837.

Signed, sealed, and published by the 
said Isaac Lewis on the 6th day of 
September A.D. 1837 in the presence of

Samuel Close                                        Isaac Lewis (L. S)
Obadiah Peck
Chas. Hawley

Letters to the Editor: Cleaning Cemeteries (November, 1990)

November 25, 1990
Greenwich Time, Greenwich, Connecticut

To the editor:

As I have in the past this time of year, I thank the volunteers who have given their valuable time and efforts in the preservation of the heritage of Greenwich, particular the neglected burying grounds of the town.

I call special attention to the students of Brunswick School, who took part in this task with successful results. In October middle-schoolers from Brunswick performed preservation tasks at the Peck plot on Round Hill Road near the site of the demolished Gilbert Peck house and the Reynolds plot off Stanwich Road in the northeast section of the town. The boys and faculty members, Mr. Lathrop and Mr. Miller, were wonderful. I am grateful for the time and efforts spent at these sites.

Likewise, the Key Club of Brunswick performed a cleanup at the Old Burying Ground at Clapboard Ridge, a site in dire need of attention and one steeped in history. Though I could not attend, I know from past experience of of the fine work performed by this group in the past. My thanks to Mr. Peter Kashatus for his time and efforts.

To the venerable ladies of Hortulus, I thank you for a timely donation of 200 daffodil bulbs, which were given in honor of Greenwich's 350th year. These were planted at some of the visible graveyards in town. It is a gift that many residents and visitors will enjoy in the years ahead. My thanks go to Mrs. Virginia Horne, whose prompt attention made this gift with her associates possible. Thank you ladies, the town is a better place for your efforts to beautify it.

Lastly I must inform the town that after this year I will no longer be in the business of coordinating the periodic cleanup of Greenwich's neglected cemeteries for the foreseeable future. With a family cemetery association to attend to another matters of priority, I leave this task with some trepidation and regret and hope that will be back at work soon. 

In retrospect I have been enriched beyond my expectations at the spirit of community show by those who participated in this project. Many old historic graveyards were given the attention they needed and deserved. Those who question the priorities of our young people regarding service to this town would have been pleased at the valuable contribution the youth of Greenwich made to this cause- without them it would have been impossible to accomplish our goals, and to you I am grateful. I know from experience that our teens deserve better – they have earned it, far more than some adults I know.

The mission of preserving our cultural heritage is a noble one and, by engaging in it, I have met some of the most extraordinary people who have been enthusiastic supporters of this portion of that mission. Thanks go to interested members of the Historical Society, especially Claire Vanderbilt and William Finch, Jr.; the Board of Selectmen; the Department of Parks and Recreation; our schools; the Boy Scouts and many others. Thanks go to Greenwich Time for publicity on this project and other issues facing the historic preservation of the town.

I call upon the descendants of those buried in our neglected cemeteries to engage yourselves in the care of your ancestral plots; too much work has gone into this to let it go to waste now. Town residents can do much to help as well.

To all of you, my gratitude and thanks for your help and support. 

Jeffrey Bingham Mead

Letters to the Editor: Burying Grounds (February, 1990)

February 14, 1990
Greenwich Time, Greenwich, Connecticut

To the editor:

After returning from the warm sunshine and benevolence skies and seas of Australia, I read in my stack of papers with the distress about the demise and cold destruction of the Gilbert Peck House, built in 1763. I take this time to correct an error which appears in the article "Developer explains demolition."

The article states: "Flyer said he, too, supports the delay of demolition proposal and said that he is sympathetic to preserving historic sites and structures. In 1986, he said, he paid $40,000 for a 1/8-acre plot of land in Tomac Cemetery, the town's oldest surviving cemetery, and to restore headstones there, in connection with a nearby four-lot subdivision he is developing along Tomac Avenue." 

This reference to Tomac Cemetery is in fact not true at all.

In a plan submitted to and unanimously turned down several years ago by the Planning and Zoning Commission, the First Congregational Church agreed to convey a rear portion of the old cemetery to him. In a situation reminiscent of a shell game, the developer and turn would have used this part of the cemetery to satisfy the open space requirements. The developer then, upon receiving approval from P&Z, would have conveyed back to the Church the portion of the cemetery he "borrowed" with $40,000.

There were several concerns that led to denial of the plan. The first Congregational Church in fact is no clear ownership deed for Tomac Cemetery. There were concerns about the precedent this would have had for other cemeteries in town. The Connecticut Historical Commission, which has legal responsibilities over such cemeteries, voiced concerns about violation of Connecticut State Statute section 19a–315a, which stipulates that "no municipality shall alienate or appropriate any ancient burial place to use other than that of burial ground." But the details of the plan and P&Z's unanimous denial of the plan were featured in previous issues of the paper. Mr. Flyer has not paid, as the article states, $40,000 for the acreage in Tomac nor for the restoration of headstones.

After denial of the plan, a fund-raiser coordinated by the First Congregational Church involving individuals and organizations, including the Historical Society, collected $15,000. These funds were paid, as I have been told, from the Church to Mr. Flyer who agreed to cooperate with the removal of large trees in the rear section of Tomac Cemetery in conjunction with tree clearing on the site of his develop development next to the cemetery site for a limited amount of time.

I and other advocates of the restoration and preservation of Greenwich's burying grounds would be thoroughly delighted to see $40,000 for the restoration of the headstones at Tomac. The above mentioned facts are true and honestly stated. In my view there should be no misunderstanding about the intentions of the developer.

In light of the continued neglected at Tomac Cemetery and our current commemoration of our 350th founding this year, the need exists for an autonomous historic association to properly care for and restore this historically significant site. The city of Hartford has one; I can't see why you can't be done here. Let us hope wisdom rather than egotism an absolute territoriality totally prevails. 

Jeffrey Bingham Mead 
President, The Historic Mead Family 
Burying Grounds Association