Oak Hill Cemetery.....

[Ron J]

This may be an odd subject to post, but my visit a couple of months ago, lured me back to snoop around.....I have traveled by this location for 40 years, visiting Newburyport many times, fascinating Old Seaport town...Large Mansions, built by Sea Captains, or rich merchants that became rich because of Clipper ships and trading across the sea's. I had just visited an Antique Store, that i frequent monthly. Drove by this location, and decided to finally pull in to see just how old of a burial ground it is. Well 1863 is dated on the Archway, but it a lot older than that, some dating to the 1700's! In the Fall, the place looked like it had not been well maintained, there were so many leaves on the ground, from ancient "Oak" soldiers, you could hardly tell the roadway. Most are like just dirt ruts..Don't think the place has seen a landscaper in many years, at least three quarters of it, anyway. There is a "newer" part, on the other side i found out. During my first visit, i don't think i had a camera, or the battery was dead? Whatever, i went back, armed with a charged Sony. Didn't know what to expect, with all the snow that had fallen over the Holidays. When i pulled in, it was beautiful, cove rd with snow, not plowed, but a set of tires had driven through, along with a pair of ski tracks, and maybe a dog or one live human had enjoyed the view, before i got there.[attachment 114691 DSC06777.jpg] I took a lot of pictures of different family plots, and stones. Two especially stood out from the rest. this one with a cameo of someone who must have been very precious to her husband![attachment 114692 DSC06835.jpg] The Sun was hitting it like a beam of light.[attachment 114696 DSC06795.jpg][attachment 114697 DSC06796.jpg] Imagine what a stone like this would coast today, let alone back then? How about this Gent, bet he took a lot of history with him...[attachment 114698 DSC06818.jpg][attachment 114699 DSC06819.jpg]Rj

 

[Ron J]

While driving through the snow covered road, viewing, and wondering what history or adventures, some of these souls must of had. It seems most are forgotten, maybe no close descendants, or maybe living in distant places. While reading some of the information, and creeping along,not in my Suburban, hoping not to get stuck in the unplowed area, near two rows of trees, just off the beaten path, there was a gravestone that really stuck out amongst the rest. Most were extremely old, or just plain stone, with unique shapes. Real craftsmen made them, no doubt, but this one, white Marble, with a Dove sculpted on top, was different! What Craftsman sculptured this monument?[attachment 114706 DSC06831.jpg] And there was footprints around it, and a small brown glossy stone, about the size of a golf ball was set on top, to show the world, someone had recently visited, the grave, showing whoever it was buried there, was special! And not forgotten! The date was "new" for this area, 2007! I had to get out of my Roadmaster [attachment 114705 DSC06801.jpg]and see this special persons marker close-up. Heidi must have been very very special...........even a Christmas basket was left there.......[attachment 114703 DSC06826Large.jpg][attachment 114704 DSC06827.jpg] Further up the path, we see a family plot..[attachment 114707 DSC06814.jpg] A Captain, but not a Sea Captain. A Captain from the Civil War, Capt. George Woodbury, Commander Battery D , New Jersey Light Artillery ,Army of the Potomac, now this Man's history needs to be googled! Wonder what we would find out? [attachment 114708 DSC06815.jpg] Interesting , very interesting.....I find the Camera, is as much fun a hobby as metal detecting, "digging up" History!! Rj

 

[Micheal_R]

n/t

 

[Micheal_R]

n/t

 

[Sunny]

are traveling on thru the years! What a beautiful cemetary! :|

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

placed on top of that marble marker. I wonder how many of those folks have been forgotten. Interesting story, different, but interesting...Kelley (Texas)

 

[Kelley (Texas)]

I wonder what he was doing being buried in this cemetery? Visiting a strange cemetery is worst than looking at the cover of a book at the book store, you always wonder what the story could be...at the cemetery we will never know. Ron, thanks for posting this thought provoking story, most interesting. Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas)

 

[Wayne in BC]

a very nice touch. I have an aversion to these places but appreciate your photos RJ.

 

[Sunny]

these headstones. Heidi is apparently still loved and missed by someone! What stories must lay here!

 

[Royal]

http://gravematter.smugmug.com/gallery/1083081/6/50332805/Large

They must be a wealthy family.. I googled JJ Knapp and there was one about the same time period that was tried for murder.

 

[Royal]

sometimes over a century old and there are fresh flowers on them. Somebody remembers.

I found an old grave yard while geocashing up here last fall with some interesting head stones. I went back and took pictures and maybe I will post them soon.

They really moved me

 

[George-CT]

placed on top, its done here local at a jewish cemetary close by. I've have friends in there and I've seen these stones many times, sometimes 10 or 12 of them on a head stone. I was told it is for the following reason.

It is Jewish custom, to place a pebble or small stone on a grave when one visits a cemetery. This is intended to convey a three-fold message. "You are not forgotten." "See-I have been here." "I have added to your monument."


Unfortunately, I've lost a lot of friends and do visit them when in the area. I kind of adopted that message they leave with the stones, an left small objects that the burried friend and I enjoyed. For instance a very close freind of mine, we fished together opening day of trout season for about 40 years. We always would tease each other about what lure to use that day. Well he always used a gold helgamite as his lure on opening day and would always beat me in the amount of fish lost. He gave me one, but I always kept it in my tckle box and we would give each other a hard time. Fact I had a entire box of opeing day lures we would sue. These were factory stocked trout so would hit anything the first day. At his furneal I put it with him to take with him with a note. Now, Wenever I visit him in the spring time, about fishing season day, I always cut the hooks off and leave one of these at his head stone. Its not the same with out him there. His wife always calls and says I see you have been there. Bill would have liked that. And so it goes with many other close friends with ham radio, fishing, hunting or just g0od friends.... I guess it makes me feel good to let him know he is not forgotten by me....

George-CT