Fair Haven Union Cemetery
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fair Haven Union Cemetery, located at 149 Grand Ave., covers seven acres in the neighborhood of Fair Haven, Connecticut. Although graves were there as early as 1803, the land was donated for the cemetery by local farmers Stephen Rowe and Nathaniel Grannis in 1808. The site included land for a meeting house, a school, and parade grounds, as well as one acre for burial, holding 80 lots. A Gothic-style entry arch was added in 1885 with a quote from Revelation 14:13, "They rest from their labors."
In April 2006, the cemetery was evaluated for restoration. Including a formal cost study and beautification. Recommendations included protection from intruders and vandals, as well as different fencing to block out the view of adjacent housing. The area Cemetery Board decline to pursue the recommendations, but agreed to consider nomination for the site on the National Register of Historic Places.[1]
In June of 2006, the cemetery was the site of a rape and stabbing. [1] [2]
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[edit] Burials
There are 207 familes buried in the cemetery, comprising 706 names and 17 headstones with given names only. The most heavily represented families are Rowe (151), Barnes, Smith, and Mallory (each with 70+). Others include Grannis (27) and Ball (20).[2]
Many of the burials are early Fair Haven seamen; those engaged in clamming, oystering, and shipbuilding and repair.[3] Also buried there is Herman Hotchkiss, traditional founder of Fair Haven.
[edit] Chapel
The chapel on the site was built over the graves of the friendless using stone quarried from the red brick clay of Fair Haven Heights for $4,000. The structure possesses a genuine Tiffany window. A time capsule was placed behind a corner brick in 1895.
[edit] Bibliography
[edit] Digital
- Fair Haven: An Historical and Ecological Field Study
- Fair Haven’s History and Architecture - Past and Preservation
- Union Cemetery
