This is a cross-post from LowellIrish researched by the Lowell Historical Society’s Genealogist Walter Hickey and Karen Hickey. More of Walter’s sleuthing will be presented on Saturday March 29, 2014 with his program on “Crime and Punishment in 19th Century Lowell”. More details coming.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
This concludes the story of St. Peter’s Cemetery as researched by Walter and Karen Hickey.
There is such a book entitled “St. Peter’s Cemetery”, and we thought this would provide the answer to the locations of the graves. That expectation was relatively short-lived. The book is a record of lot owners. In addition to the name of the purchaser, it provides the date of purchase, location of the lot, price paid, and sometimes the name or relation of the deceased. All too often, the name of the decedent is not listed. Instead, there is simply a notation “Opening grave” and the charge for that. We are not told for whom the grave was opened.
In the spreadsheet compiled from this book, there are 365 entries. Of these only 165 have any notation of who is buried in that grave. The remaining 200 have no decedent listed.
Another problem is that the book seems to have been compiled after the fact as the purchases are not in chronological order. The first burial was that of Edward Connor on 11 Dec 1900. One would expect that this purchase would be the first listed in the book. Instead it is listed on page 147 (of 176)
From his obituary we know that the lot was purchased by his brother-in-law, Charles S. Little, and that this was the first plot sold.
FIRST INTERMENT
Edward C. Connor at rest in St. Peter’s Cemetery
The first man to buy a lot in the new St. Peter’s Cemetery was Charles S. Little of 59 Boynton street. The lot he bought was one of the most desirable in the cemetery, 10 feet square, with room for eight graves, and the price was $25. The first body interred in the new cemetery was buried in this lot on Tuesday.” 11 Dec.] (SUNDAY TELEGRAM, 12 December 1900; 5:2)
If it were not for that obituary providing the name of his brother-in-law, Charles S. Little, we would have no way of knowing where Mr. Connor was buried. The purchase record indicates the lot was purchased on 10 December and opened for Edward C. Connor, the lot being at Section “D”. #1.
The first purchaser listed is Mrs. Bridget Murphy. Who bought the lot on 20 October 1902. The first, and only, interment was on 5 March 1907. There is no name of the decedent. A check of all Lowell deaths, 1-10 March 1907, showed no one by the name of Murphy. There were interments in St. Peter’s cemetery but there was nothing in the obituary or funeral notices to indicate any relation to Mrs. Murphy. It is also quite possible that the person did not die in Lowell.
Also on Page 2, listed below Mrs., Bridget Murphy:
Like the Murphy record, the record does not tell us for whom the grave was opened. In this case, however, by looking at the record deaths in Lowell ca. 25 April 1903, we learn that the deceased was Bridget Devaney, nee Morris, daughter of Lawrence Morris and Margaret Carey, who died 24 April and was buried by undertaker Rogers in St. Peter’s Cemetery.
The next challenge in the tale of this little cemetery will be to determine if we can match those coordinates with existing graves and locations in the present yards. We can wait for the snow to melt!
The information contained in the purchase book has been entered into a spreadsheet. There are two printings. The first is in alphabetical order and the send in page order. These, as well as the burial spreadsheets are in the office of St. Patrick’s Cemetery.