BENJAMIN DAY STONE CARVER 1783-1855BENJAMIN DAY, STONE CARVER (1783 – 1855) One cannot walk...

BENJAMIN DAY

STONE CARVER

1783-1855

HAYES-GENOTER HISTORY AND GENEALOGY LIBRARY

Pelham Historical Society, Pelham, New Hampshire William T. Hayes & Karen Genoter

Benjamin Day

Stone Carver

Lowell, Mass.

(1783 – 1855)

Marilyn Day Westford, MA

2005



Table of Contents

Introduction i Benjamin Day, Stone Carver 1 Cemeteries with Day Stones 18 Probate records showing Day as Carver 40 Lists of Day Stones by Cemetery 42

Family genealogy 43



Introduction and

Note of Thanks

After seeing the name “B. Day, Lowell” on so many cemetery stones in the Westford, MA area, I became interested to find out who he was, and if he were part of the Day family that my husband, Roger, was part of out of Essex, MA. The Days had come to Westford in the very early 1800s. Where did Benjamin belong in the scheme of things? Slowly the pieces came together, and yes, Benjamin is a relative – he is a first cousin, four times removed, to my husband. Maria (Day) Sahakian, who lives in Beverly, MA and teaches fourth grade there, assisted on this project. She is a direct descendant of Benjamin Day and was able to provide information about his early years in Salem and Beverly from her research. Many, many people have helped with this project. The folks in the cemetery departments have been wonderfully helpful and interested. It goes without saying, that they, too, have seen his stones. A big thank you to all the following for their help, patience and generosity.

Acton Cemetery Dept., Nancy Howell Andover, West Parish Garden Cemetery, Abby Martin, Mark Atwood,

and Jim Batchelder, historian and board member Bedford Historian, John F. Brown Chelmsford & Lowell Historians, John & Catherine Goodwin Chelmsford Historians, Jane Drury, Marti Spalding, Chelmsford author, Judy Buswick Chelmsford, Barbara Erkkila Ricker Concord Cemetery Dept., Patricia “Trish” Hopkins, Supervisor Concord “Friends of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery,” Lee Thurston Dracut Historian, Arthur H. “Bud” Paquin Granville, NY, Garrett Riggs, Museum Educator, Slate Valley Museum Littleton Cemetery Dept., Walter Higgins Littleton Historian, George W. Dewey Nashua, NH, David McKean, Daniel T. Rencricca Pelham Historian, William T. Hayes Rhode Island Historical Society, Karen Eberhart Salem guide, Kay Piemonte Stone carver researchers, James Blachowicz, Laurel Gabel

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BENJAMIN DAY, STONE CARVER

(1783 – 1855) One cannot walk through a cemetery in the northern part of Middlesex County, Massachusetts without coming across headstones with the carved name of “B. Day, Lowell” at the base of the stone. Benjamin Day was an incredibly prolific carver. As of the date of this article, 346 signed stones have been located, leaving one to wonder how many more unidentified ones exist. His stones in slate and marble have been found in Andover, Bedford, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Littleton, Haverhill, Lowell, Shirley, Truro, Tyngsboro and Westford, MA, as well as Hollis, South Nashua, and Pelham, New Hampshire. Benjamin Day was born 26 Sep 1783 at Shirley, MA, son of Nathaniel, Jr. and Sarah (Chapman) Day. Benjamin’s father, Nathaniel, was “of Salem, MA” when he was married 31 Mar 1774 at Ipswich, MA to Sarah Chapman of Salem, MA. By 1782, Nathaniel and Sarah had removed to Shirley, MA. There they would have five more children. Evidently, the Day family kept ties to Salem, as Benjamin was “of Salem” when his marriage intention was published there on 27 Dec 1809 to Polly/Mary Barrett at Beverly. Polly was born 4 Sept. 1789 at Beverly, the daughter of Thomas and Lois (Symonds) Barrett. In the 1820 census Benjamin was living in Salem (North Fields). According to Chandler’s History of Shirley, Mass., Benjamin and Polly had nine children born at Salem. Benjamin’s stone carving career began at the end of the era of the famous Park family of carvers of Groton. He established his shop cutting shop on Winter Street in Salem for several years. His advertisement started as early as 1807 in the Salem Gazette and they continued through 1824 when he advertised his shop for sale.



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Benjamin realized the value of advertising his products and services. Following is a collection of ads from 1807 to 1824.1 In 1819 there were 29 ad listed in both the Essex Register and the Salem Register.

June 22, 1807, Salem Register

Mar 28, 1809, Salem Gazette

Feb 7, 1817, Salem Gazette

1 Taken from the Early American Newspaper, Series I, 1690-1876, on-line at http://infoweb.newsbank.com

Jan 14, 1818, Essex Register

July 10, 1822 Essex Register



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In the Fenner Collection at the Rhode Island Historical Society Library, there is a letter written by Benjamin Day to Mr. Joseph Fenner, dated “Salem, Nov. 8, 1820,” in which Benjamin offered for sale some “white Italian marble now lying on Hancock Wharf in Boston.” There is no copy of a reply in the Fenner correspondence, so it would seem that Fenner probably chose not to purchase any of the marble. At the same time that he wrote the letter to Fenner, Benjamin placed the following ad in the Salem Gazette.

Nov. 11, 1820, Essex Register

and The Salem Gazette of Dec. 19, 1820

Benjamin Day’s signature from the letter he

wrote from Salem, MA dated Nov. 8, 1820, to Jos. Fenner in Rhode Island



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Maria (Day) Sahakian, a direct descendant of Benjamin, speculates that there may have been problems in the marriage, as Polly remained in Salem, where their last child was born in 1827, and Benjamin removed to Lowell sometime between 1824 to 1830. Based on the advertisement published in both the Salem Gazette and the Essex Register, he listed the shop for sale in 1824. There were no real estate transfers showing Benjamin as grantor around this time period, so he was probably leasing or renting the lot as indicated by the terms he mentions in his ad, “a building… which can probably stand on the land at a fair rent for a long lease.”

Mar. 9, 1824, Salem Gazette



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Both Benjamin and his brother, Moses, were carving in Ipswich as early as 1810. James Blachowicz2 who is studying gravestone carvers from Cape Cod, has uncovered many Essex County probate records in his research showing payments to both Benjamin and Moses Day for making gravestones. The dates of the sale of his shop and the dates of the probate records uncovered by James Blachowicz confirm that by 1824 Benjamin was no longer active in Salem and Essex. The probate records are a wealth of information. Not only do they provide names and dates, but they also show amounts paid from the various estates for cemetery stones.3

Abbreviated List of Probate Records Volume Page Probate Date 379 87 Sarah Appleton "To paid Benjamin Day for

grave stones 11.00" Ipswich 6 Mar 1810

379 256 Joseph Wood "To paid Benjamin Day $17" Beverly Apr 1810 400 506 Bethiah Foster "Paid Benjamin Day for

grave stones 27.95" Manchester Jan 1823

403 554 Wallis Brown Located - North Beverly Cem. It is a marble stone and is practically illegible

"To paid Benjamin Day for grave stones for said deceased 26.61"

Beverly Oct 1824

Benjamin’s brother, Moses Day, born 1 Feb 1778 to Nathaniel and Sarah (Chapman) Day, was also a stone carver as indicated in Essex County probate records which show him receiving payment in 1810, again thanks to Mr. Blachowicz’s research. 397 102 Jeremiah Staniford "To paid Moses Day for

grave stones $11.33" Ipswich 7 Mar 1810

On 16 Jan 1800 Moses Day had married at Groton, MA, Jean Park, born 16 Nov 1767 at Groton, daughter of John and Jean (Stuart) Park. Probate records again show that Thomas Park was working in Ipswich, Topsfield and Beverly.4

Articles written about John Park, including one from Early New England Stonecarvers, tell that “Soon after [marriage] he [Park] was employed by the Duke of Argyle to work on his castle in Inverary… [He] Came to America in 1767 with wife and three small children. Built the stone jail at Worcester. Carved the stone for Rev. Thaddeus and Mrs. MacCarty of Worcester. Carved the stones in Lexington for Samuel Stone and his wife. John’s stones were smaller and less ornamental that his father’s. Prices were one pound two shillings to three pounds. Two apprentices of note where Abel Webster and Daniel Shays, who gave his name to Shays’ Rebellion. Built a home for himself in Ayer which he initialed I.P. Was killed when building the jail at Amherst, NH in 1794.” 5 (An historical article tells that the outside dimensions

2 James Blachowicz’s soon to be published book on gravestones is From Slate to Marble: Gravestone Carving Traditions in Eastern Massachusetts: 1770-1870. 3 Mr. Blachowicz’s complete list is included at the end of this manuscript 4 Stones That Speak, Jessica Herzog 5 Early New England Stonecarvers, p. 75. Park’s death date was actually 15 Aug 1793.



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of the jail building were 25’ x 30’ with 42” thick walls. It was taken down in 1892 and the granite used in bridges and culverts in the town of Amherst.6)

How interesting that the link between the two families – Park and Day – has been established, first in Essex County and then in Middlesex County. By 1829 Benjamin must have been in the Lowell area as he completed the gravestones in Little’s Station Cemetery in South Nashua, NH, featured on the cover of this document. It was digitally photographed by Daniel T. Rencricca who has graciously shared it. In 1832 Benjamin was listed in the Lowell Street Directory as a stone cutter at Lowell Street, boarding at Whipples. This was probably Lucius Whipple who had a store and house on Lowell Street. That same year, Day carved the stone for John Bork at St. Patrick’s cemetery. That stone is the oldest one in St. Patrick’s according to David McKean, author of The Cross and the Shamrock.7 The book, Artists and Craftsmen of Essex County, published in 1927, referred to Benjamin as follows: “DAY, Major Benjamin, was a stone cutter in Lowell Street in Lowell in 1833, but was called a sculptor during the years 1834-1837.”8 “Major” refers to his elevated level of stone carver. Listed below are Benjamin’s Lowell residences from 1835 to 1855.

1835 Lowell Directory – Day, Benjamin, Major sculptor, Lowell St., boards S.S. Straw’s. 1836 Lowell Directory – Major sculptor, boards with Minor’s. 1842 Lowell Street Directory, Grave stone maker, boards Fitt’s. 1849 Lowell Street Dir. - Benjamin Day, Marbleyard, Lowell St. (now Market, then Salem),

boards G. Stearns. (this is near the South Common in Lowell) 1850 Federal Census, Lowell. Benjamin Day, marble cutter, age 76, born Mass. Counted in the household/family of George Stearns. (b. approx. 1774) His age should be

67. In this same census, John Stearns, 17 years old, living at the same residence, was also listed as a “Marble cutter” and was probably an apprentice.

1851 Benjamin Day, marble yard, 101 Lowell St., boards at G. Stearns. 1855 Lowell Street Directory - Benjamin Day, marbleyard, Salem, opp. Common, boards 271

Merrimack.

6 “Amherst’s Old Stone Jail,” by Dorothy Davis, published in Dec. 1975 in the newsletter of the Historical Society of Amherst, NH. 7 The Cross and the Shamrock, the Art and History of St. Patrick Cemetery, Lowell, MA, David Duncan McKean 1997. p. 9. 8 Artists and Craftsmen of Essex County, Massachusetts, by Henry Wycoff Belknap, pub. by the Salem Institute, Salem, MA, 1927 (p. 18)



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Benjamin’s ad in the Lowell Directory in 1851

Typically, and rightly so, we think of granite as being the most common type of stone in the area, but there are pockets of limestone in Chelmsford, soapstone in Groton, and slate which is found in Harvard, MA. A fair number of homes in the area still have their slate roofs. Very likely Benjamin was getting his slate from Harvard. He had grown up in neighboring town of Shirley and would have known of its existence.

With Benjamin’s parents and siblings living in Shirley, Benjamin must have gone back there to visit. His mother, Sarah (Chapman) Day, died 10 Jan 1813, at 62, and his father, Nathaniel Day, died 22 July 1824, aet 77. Before his death, on the 16th of July 1824, Nathaniel wrote his will (Middlesex probate 6112) and appointed his son, Joseph, to be executor of his estate. He gave his three sons, Moses, Amos, and Benjamin, $200. each. With the family connection to Shirley, MA, did Benjamin know and possibly spend time in the workshop of John Dwight as he was growing up?9 John Dwight was known to Nathaniel Day, as there is a deed dated 29 December 1817 in which John Dwight, stone cutter, of Shirley sold five acres of land lying in the northerly part of Shirley to Nathaniel Day, yeoman, of Shirley. That area is near West Groton, and the Park family was right there in Groton. Abutting Shirley on the southeast is the town of Harvard and the area of the Pin Hill slate quarry. Chances are that Benjamin obtained slate that he used for grave stones from the Pin Hill Quarry in Harvard, MA.

9 The John Dwight Workshop in Shirley, Massachusetts, 1770-1816 - by Eloise Sibley West, Marker’s VI 1989. The Journal for the Association for Gravestone Studies.



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Pin Hill, Harvard, MA 1988 Topographic map, Ayer, MA

“The slate-stone ridge that rises at the geographical centre of the township about two hundred feet above the meadows and four hundred and eighty feet above tide water was called Pin Hill – it is said because of its long and narrow conformation – as early as 1720.” “From the Pin Hill quarries, which opened early in the last century [1700s], metamorphic slate, split, and later sawn into slabs was furnished to all the country around for grave stones and other uses. Though of excellent quality when carefully quarried, the public have had the bad taste to prefer glaring white marble for mortuary monuments, and the quarries of late have been disused.” (History of the Town of Harvard, by Nourse, pp. 67 and 70)

The History of the Town of Harvard, by Henry S. Nourse, published in 1894, has further history of the slate industry in that town. Because there is so little written on slate in the area, the entire article is transcribed here.

SLATE STONE QUARRIES

“The blue slate of Pin Hill was quarried for grave-stone slabs very early in the history of the town, and for many miles around the majority of the memorials in the older burial-grounds probably came from this locality. A deed of land in the vicinity dated 1765, locates a bound ‘where rocks have been dug for grave-stones.’ Quarries have been opened from time to time over nearly its whole length on the western face of the ridge. The slabs were detached from the ledge by splitting with wedges, and were usually conveyed in the rough to the yard of the stone-cutter to be wrought. Among those who worked this stone early in the present century were Enoch Kendall, Luther Farwell, Samuel Farnsworth, Major William Park and James Carter of Harvard; Benjamin Morse of Lancaster, John Park and Nathaniel Stone of Groton. There were many others who quarried here at various times in a small way. Some of these workmen kept in stock a collection of head and foot stones, assorted sizes, set up in a grim row by the roadside to attract purchasers. These ready-made memorials were finished, even to the lugubrious willow drooping over ‘HERE LIES,’ above the blank space for the inscription; and always had some sententious legend at the base – entirely non-committal and available for any character, saintly or reprobate – such as ‘An honest man’s the noblest work of God,’ or ‘Death levels all both the Wicked and the Just.’ In 1819 this monumental industry is first mentioned in town-records, when authority was given for cutting down the road over Pin Hill, ‘north of where stones have been gotten out for grave-stones.’ At the same date several persons sought and obtained leave ‘to open the quarry’ at that locality. About 1825, Levi Hayden began to cut grave-stones here, and devoted a part of his time yearly to this work until 1855. The partners Benjamin K. Park and Isaac N. Stone were the first to saw stone at Harvard (1839), using for their shop the old fulling-mill which stood where George E. Burt’s manufactory now is. They not only worked slate here, but imported marble to keep their saws busy. About 1842 the firm of Winslow, Folsom and Company of Lowell appeared upon the scene, boldly proposing to revolutionize the process of quarrying in this locality, and lay the foundation of an important and lucrative industry. The chief adventurers in the enterprise were: Edward Winslow, John L. Folsom and Paul Hill. They scouted at the slow method of splitting stone, and confidently began the use of blasting powder. After throwing down thousands of tons of slate from the side of the hill at sundry points, they were forced to the conclusion that the old-



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fashioned way was cheaper, as well as better in its results, than the new. Most of the rock torn from its bed by the explosives were so shattered as to be worthless; and upon sawing blocks that seemed homogeneous, seams were often developed, or spoiled the finished product when exposed to the weather for a winter or two. Having wasted considerable capital the firm abandoned the field. Deacon Isaac N. Stone continued the manufacture of slate until 1863. The fashion in mortuary monuments favoring marbles and granite, there has been little use made of the Pin Hill slate since his day. The Lowell firm had leased the old paper mill beside the highway upon the site of the Turner forge, and had fitted it with machinery for slate-working. After their abandonment of the quarries, Mr. Edward A. Winslow conceived the idea of turning marble urns, vases, and decorative architectural details by machinery, and contrived tools which successfully effected his purpose. His invention did not lead to any large manufacture here, but it was used with great saving of cost to the government, in building the additions to the Capitol at Washington, Calvin Warner, Winslow Bradford and perhaps one or two other Harvard workmen going thither to operate the Winslow machinery.”10

Whether Benjamin took the time to quarry out his own slate or if he bought it, there are no records to indicate his method of acquiring slate. However, a few references from old journals shed some light on the how labor intensive slate quarrying was before steam powered machinery was invented. “Slate have heretofore been all cut out in quarries by hand labor. The workmen with picks cut grooves in the rock to the depth required, and then the slate comes off in thin layers the size of the space between the cut grooves, forming rectangular slabs.”11 “In the ordinary manner of quarrying slate, two men can cut a groove 6” wide, 5 [inches] deep and 24 feet long, in ten hours with the pick.”12 Garrett Riggs, Museum Educator at the Slate Valley Museum in Granville, NY, adds that, “Surface pits can be worked with a variety of hand tools. If you ever pass a road cut through a "slatey" rock, you can see how it cleaves into sheets naturally. Using a pick, bars, and wedges, a man can peel large sheets of rock away from the ground or rock face with proper placement of his tools. Generally, the tools for drilling holes were long, weighted, steel rods with a pointed end. The rod was raised up and dropped, twisted and repeated until a deep hole was drilled. This would take several hours.” Once the slate was out, it would then have to be cut. The Slate Valley Museum in Granville, NY has a large circular saw blade on display which had been used to cut slate using water power. According to an article on “Slate and Slate Pencils” by Tom Kelleher,13 there was also a straight blade variety in use as well. He says, “By 1839 the Pin Hill quarry in Harvard had begun to saw slate for gravestones in a converted fulling mill. Stone saws were smooth strips of steel usually mounted horizontally and moved back and forth through the stone by a waterwheel and crank. The saws were kept wet and a slurry of sand in the kerf did the actual cutting.” One also wonders if Benjamin got any of his slate from southern New Hampshire. “A number of years ago there was a slate quarry in the southern portion of New Hampshire which was held in great reputation for its headstones, which would wear as smooth as

10 History of the Town of Harvard, Massachusetts, 1732-1893, Henry S. Nourse, A.M., 1894. 11 Connell Univ. Making of America, Scientific American Vol. 10, issue 18, p. 138. Jan. 13, 1855. 12 Connell Univ. Making of America, Scientific American Vol. 10, issue 26, p. 204. Mar. 10, 1855. 13 Slates and Slate Pencils, a Research Note, by Tom Kelleher, Old Sturbridge Village.



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glass upon exposure to the weather, while the production of other slate quarries would wear rough, although slowly.”14 Benjamin’s stones have held up so well, he obviously knew what properties made good slate. From an article in the “Manufacturer and Builder” magazine, it told that “A fine, sound texture is the most desirable among the properties of a slate… Its goodness may readily be judged by striking it as a good piece of pottery is struck; a sonorous, clear bell-like sound is a sign of excellence… It is thought to be a good sign if, in hewing, it shatters before the edge of the ax…”15 How much slate did or did not absorb water was the ultimate test, according to the previous article in “Manufacturer and Builder” magazine. One method was to “set the pieces [of slate] to be tried edgewise in a tub of water, the water reaching about half-way up the hight [sic] of the pieces; if they draw water and become wet to the top in six or eight hours’ time, they are spongy and bad; and as the water reaches less up them, so are the pieces better. The other method is to weigh the pieces of slate and note their weights. Let them remain for 12 hours in water and take them out, wiping them dry. Those which, on reweighing are much heavier than they were previous to their immersion, should be rejected. Where the character of a slate quarry is not previously known, experiments of these sorts should never be omitted.” How much is “much heavier” was never specified in the article. Once back in his shop, Benjamin would begin the process of carving. David McKean further states in his work that, “Often these carvers had the top part of the stones with the ornamentation carved ahead of time and the purchaser would tell the carver the names and dates to be added.” The tools in his arsenal would have consisted of pointed, rondel,16 both flat and toothed bushing chisels; hammers of assorted weighs; handsets, which would have included a tracing handset; and rasps and rifflers. There was no safety equipment in the time he was carving. Benjamin must have become quickly established judging by the number of stones he carved in the Lowell area. The stone for Eliza Chandler dated 1821 in the West Parish Garden Cemetery, Andover, is one of the earliest recognizable and identifiable Day stone — assuming it was carved that year, and not at a later date was probably carved while he was still in Salem. The ones in Little’s Station Cemetery in South Nashua are next in the timeline. Benjamin’s style does not reflect the early Park carvings; his work has left the winged faces and gargoyle in the past. Nor does his work reflect the strong religious influence of death but has taken on a more secular aspect, as he began to feature willow and urn

14 Connell Univ. Making of America “Finish What You Begin,” from The Manufacturer and Builder, vol. 20, issue 10, p. 226, Oct. 1888. 15 Connell Univ. Making of America, The Manufacturer and Builder, vol. 17, issue 3, p. 61, March, 1885. 16 Rondel, a rounded, usually circular or ring-shaped, object. Webster’s New World dictionary, 2nd ed. 1984



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designs so prevalent in the early 1800s. Laurel K. Gabel17 in “Understanding Early New England Gravestones,” refers to the willow and urn design as one “which reflected the impersonal, more intellectual feelings of the new republic at the turn of the century.” Once he found his style, he rarely varied off course, and his work became very methodical, predictable and quickly recognizable. Occasionally one discovers variations, but 90% of his work is the hall-mark style of the ones in Little’s Station Cemetery, in South Nashua. About the time I thought I had seen all of his characteristic work, I was told to check the Riverside Cemetery on Middlesex Street in N. Chelmsford. Here was an amazing collection of six tall monuments for the Adams and Goward families, all bearing Day’s trademark signature at ground level.

Riverside Cemetery, N. Chelmsford

17 Lecture given at the Essex Society of Genealogists, Lynnfield, MA, Nov. 20, 2004. and reprinted in TEG, vol. 25, #4, Nov. 2005, p. 161



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This obelisk for members of the Barret family is in the New Hill Burying Ground in Concord, MA

He carved a tremendous amount of gravestones in the span of his career. Just in the ones which have been found and identified, the total is an amazing 376 stones.

From St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Lowell, MA

(used by permission of David McKean) Notice the correction to the last line in “over” this child

The John Bork stone from St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Lowell from 1832 is the oldest stone in that cemetery according to David McKean. As stated above, this one for Bork is the only one in this style. Day has used a simple rectangular tablet for the epitaph. He has maintained the willow and urn design so typical of the time period.



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Two “B. Day, Lowell” stones from Little’s Station, S. Nashua, NH,

photographed by Daniel T. Rencricca. These are among the earliest found and are in nearly perfect condition.

His hall-mark style of an oval encircled by a border of small triangles is all set in front of vertical pillars with a cross-hatched background. His name and location, “B. Day, Lowell,” are prominently carved at the base. His not so subtle form of advertising. Other carvers of his era and in the area were Abel Stone of South Groton (now Ayer), and David Nichols, Theodore Warren and George Witherell, in Lowell. Abel Stone was listed in the 1855 State Census in Ayer, age 43, occupation, stone cutter. Abel was born 25 Nov 1812 at Groton, the son of Timothy and Polly/Mary Stone. His marriage intention to Sally Ann Park is dated 9 Apr 1837. Sally Park was born 14 Sep 1814 at Groton, the daughter of John and Anna Park. Again, that interesting merging of stone carving families and that connection back to the Park family of carvers from Groton.



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In 1865 Abel Stone was listed as a “marble worker.” Abel was one of those carvers who included the willow and urn design and round bed knobs in his carvings. Although Benjamin also used the willow and urn pattern, he almost never carved round knobs as seen in the stone, below, for Samuel Fletcher, which was carved by Abel Stone.

Grave stone of Samuel Fletcher who died 1845, located in Fairview, Westford, MA.

Carved by “A. Stone, Groton.”

Grave stone showing detail of Deborah Richardson’s stone in the Hildreth Burying Ground, Dracut.

Carved by B. Day, Lowell. The entry for May 9, 1871 from the diary of Emma (Sprague) Day who lived at what is now 51 Graniteville Road in Westford, MA stated: “Mr. Stone from Ayer came down to



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see us about Grave stones.”18 Emma’s mother, Lydia (Vose) Sprague/Lamb had died 4 Apr 1871. Monday, May 29, 1871, again from Emma Day’s diary, “Cousin Lizzie drove up with a Grave stone man. He staid til after four talking.” Unfortunately Emma didn’t identify the grave stone man by name. Evidently the Days still hadn’t found a stone carver to their liking as on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 1872, Emma wrote, “Mr. Witherell called to see us about stones.” George F. Witherell19 was a marble and granite dealer, located at 165 Middlesex Street, Lowell. The following day, they went to Lowell: “Beautiful. Warren & Mother20 & I got up about four. Took the first train. Got there all right & found Mr. Witherell & picked out our Stones.” Four months later her diary entry for June 24, 1872 reads, “Warren went to Lowell and got Father & Mother’s Stones.” June 25, “Mr. Sherman helped to set up the Stones over to Littleton.”

A matched pair of stones by George F. Witherell

for Lydia and Otis Sprague at the West Lawn Cemetery, Littleton, MA. George F. Witherell was active in Lowell from 1858 to 1867 according to research by Catherine Goodwin in her book Mourning Glory.

18 Westford Days, p. 194, Marilyn Day, pub. 1998 19 Mourning Glory, p. 45, indicates George F. Witherell was active 1858-1867. Born abt 1832-died 1876 at Lowell. 20 This is actually her mother-in-law, Hannah (Wright) Day



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In Lowell, Theodore Warren was carving from 1842-1859.21 This stone for Sarah, Wife of Lieut. Levi Snow, by Warren is lovely, with deeply incised lettering and stylized oak leaves representing a long life.

T. Warren, Lowell, carved this stone in Fairview Cemetery, Westford. Warren’s letters, like Benjamin Day’s, are nicely incised and have held up to the elements very well.

In a newspaper article written in 1981 by Elvira Scorgie,22 she spoke of the poor quality of marble when she said, “Shortly after the Revolution sleazy marble stones began to appear; they were used until about 1850 when it became evident that they were subject to erosion to such an extent that the inscriptions were beginning to be illegible.” The author of the History of the Town of Shirley, on page 70, couldn’t resist a jab at the quality of marble either, when he remarked, “the public have had the bad taste to prefer glaring white marble for mortuary monuments ….”

21 Mourning Glory, revised ed., Catherine Goodwin, p. 45. 22 The Harvard Post, “Chipping Away,” June 12, 1981.



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The time period Day, Warren and Stone were carving saw continued use of marble in the graveyard. This softer stone was obviously easier to work. The flowing script in the stone on the left was carved by David Nichols of Lowell who was active there from 1845 to 1870.23 Benjamin carved very little script but kept to simpler block lettering.

Carved by David Nichols in 1842, this stone is in Doct. Asaph Byam’s stone was carved by Fairview, Westford. B. Day in 1838 and stands just feet away from the Goodhue stone carved by Nichols. The dedication of the Lowell Cemetery, Lowell, Mass., was held on Sunday, June 20, 1841. Six months later, on December 20, 1841, Benjamin bought lot 700 near Washington and Wilberforce in the new cemetery. It was a 300 sq. ft. lot with room for ten burials. Perhaps he thought his family would eventually make use of the spaces, but he is the only one buried there, and, like the shoemaker’s children, Benjamin has no gravestone marking his own grave. Benjamin died of “inf. lungs” (pneumonia? consumption?) on 17 Jan 1855 at Merrimack Street, Lowell, age 72. The record indicated he was married and a stone engraver. His parents were not listed, but place of birth was given as Shirley, MA. The Lowell Daily Journal & Courier of the 20th included his name in the list of deaths for the week ending Jan. 20th 1855.

23 Mourning Glory, revised ed., Catherine Goodwin, p. 45.



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There is a Middlesex County Administration, # 30509, dated 1855 for Benjamin Day of Lowell in which his son, Thomas C. Day was appointed administrator of his estate. This amounted to $255., with $19. owed him. His debts included $65.60 due from his last sickness and his widow was due $114.00. His personal estate included:

Wearing apparel of deceased, trunks, etc. 1.00 Household Furniture I Marble* 112.50 A Marble 20.50 Slate 15.00 Tools, benches, etc. 24.00 Two shops 20.00 1 Waggon 35.00 1 Horse 23.00 1 Harness, etc. 4.00 $255.00

* In his advertisement dated Nov. 11, 1820 there are references to both Italian and American marble. In 1860, Benjamin’s widow, Mary Day, age 70, was counted with her daughter, Elizabeth, age 47, occupation dressmaker, living in Beverly, MA. The 1880 census showed Mary L. Day, age 91, living in Salem, MA with her unmarried daughter, Elizabeth D. Day, age 67. Mary (Barrett) Day died 9 Sept.1882 at Salem, MA. Her death record indicated she was married and age 93y, 5m. From her death record, parents were again identified as Thomas, born at Providence, RI, and Lois (Symonds), born Salem, MA.

* * * * * * Following are lists of towns arranged alphabetically with cemeteries having Day stones. In 1991, May L. Shepard photographed and recorded all the very old cemetery stones in Acton. Her priceless, three-volume set is available in the office at Woodlawn Cemetery, where Nancy Howell, the office manager, was most helpful. Only one “Day” stone was found in Acton. Almost all the stones in the Acton cemeteries were set well so detail was visible at ground level.

Forest Cemetery Corner of Carlisle and North Streets,

N. Acton, MA Lucy, wife of Nathan Jonson, dau. of David & Mary David

Died June 11, 1836, aet 35 Slate

West Parish Garden Cemetery

129 Reservation Road Andover, MA

James Chandler (Rev. War soldier)

Obt. Dec. 1, 1835, aet 74 Slate

Phebe Chandler Who died Dec. 10, 1843 aet. 81 Slate James Chandler Died Oct. 12, 1831, aet 43 Slate Catherine B., daughter of Abraham and Mary Stickney

Died January 8, 1835 Slate



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Abraham Stickney Died Sep. 8, 1839, aet 51 Slate William Goldsmith Died February 4, 1839, aet. 35 Slate Eliza Ann, d/o Wm. & Jane Goldsmith

Died Sep. 17, 1835, aet 8 mon’s Slate

Gilbert Barker Died at Saugus Feb. 21, 1853, aet. 78 Slate (This stone has “B. Day” only bottom right

Solomon Abbot Died Sep. 24, 1840, aet 68 Slate (large oak leaves with urn on right

B. Otis, son of Bimsly & Mary N. Stevens

Died Nov. 1, 1846 at 15 years Marble

Mary Augusta, d/o Bimsly & Mary N. Stevens

Died Jan. 3, 1847 at 13 Marble

Mary, wife of Bimsly Stevens Died July 28, 1848 aet 38 Marble George H. Arnold Died Oct. 23, 1839 aet 20 Slate Miriam F. Wife of William Wardwell Ellen, their child

Obt. Aug. 1, 1841 aet 36 Obt. Feb. 4, 1841 aet 3 years

Slate

James M. Dane Died June 24, 1844 aet 75 Slate Hannah, w/o Frederick Noyes Died April 10, 1839 aet 49 Slate Lydia Jane d/o Frederick & Hannah Noyes

Died April 22, 1839 aet 16 Slate

William Amos s/o Amos & Betsey W. Hunt

Died July 17, 1843 11 mon’s 19 days Small slate

The Grave of Mary w/o Joseph Chandler

Died Feb. 29, 1832 aet 18 Marble

Next to this was a broken stone with B. Day visible Lydia w/o Capt. Jonathan Abbot Died July 16, 1839 aet 34 Mary, w/o Herman Abbot Died Nov. 20, 1845 aet 30 Marble Lucy Ann d/o Herman & Mary Abbot

Died Sep. 1, 1841 aet 11 mon’s 7 days Marble

Next was a row of 3 stones in Day’s style but too deeply set in ground to see his name Eliza Chandler Died April 12, 1821 in the 19th year of

her age Slate

Hannah w/o John Trow Died Feb. 21, 1843 aet 95 Slate Charles A. s/o Henry & Elizabeth Lovejoy

Died Dec. 15, 1829 aet 2 years 8 mon’s Slate

Harriet K. d/o Henry & Elizabeth Lovejoy

Died Dec. 28, 1832 aet 16 years Slate

Elizabeth w/o Henry Lovejoy Died Aug. 5, 1833 aet 40 Slate Mrs. Priscilla Abbot relict of Mr. David Abbot

Died Feb. 19, 1831 aet 62 Slate

Peter Shattuck, Jr. ------------------ Thomas Gaton, his son

Obt. May 2, 1831 aet 34 died Aug. 8, 1831 aet 14 months

Slate

The children of Ebenezer J. & Delina Lovejoy Dorcas Jane Dorcas Ballard

Died Sept. 29, 1827 aet 14 mos. Died July 3, 1838 aet 2 years 9 mon.

Slate – damaged

Mary Frances d/o John & Mary F. Lovejoy

Died Aug. 24, 1838 at 1 yr & 27 days Small slate

Martha d/o James & Hannah Lovejoy

Died Oct. 2, 1838 at 20 Slate

Mr. Jedediah Burtt Died Dec. 24, 1831 aet 62 Slate Mrs. Abiah Burtt Died Oct. 7, 1828 aet 87 Slate with petal design in

corners Lucy w/o Peter O. Dane Died Mar. 14, 1842 aet 56 Slate



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Peter O. Dane Died April 27, 1838 aet 53 Slate Lucy B. d/o Peter & Lucy Dane Died Aug. 20, 1836 aet 23 Slate Mr. Enoch Chase Died Sep. 19, 1830 aet 80 Slate Mrs. Rebeckah w/o Mr. Thomas Boynton, Jr.

Died May 9, 1830 aet 50 Slate

Joseph Shattuck – A soldier of the Revolution

Died July 8, 1847 aet 89 Marble

Hannah S. Shattuck Died Oct. 26, 1847 aet 56 Marble Mrs. Elizabeth Hunt Died Nov. 12, 1837 aet 77 Slate Nathan Bailey, Jr. Died Jan. 8, 1854 aet 37 Marble Abither B. Holt Died Oct. 18, 1846 aet 33 Granite ? Simeon Ames, Jr. Died June 22, 1831 aet 31 Slate Harriet w/o Orin Barnard Died Feb. 12, 1849 aet 27 Slate David Barnard Died April 17, 1847 aet 50 Marble John Barnard Died Jan. 4, 1842 aet 82 Slate Mrs. Lydia w/o Mr. John Barnard Died Dec. 5, 1826 aet 60 Slate Hannah F. w/o Paul P. Pillsbury Died Sept. 27, 1847 aet 51 Marble Solomon F. only child of Paul P. & Hannah Pillsbury

Died at Wolfsborough, N.H. Aug. 29, 1847 aet 18

Marble

Hannah w/o Richard Barker Died July 7, 1840 aet 64 Slate Sarah W. d/o Osgood & Martha Barnard

Died May 27, 1839 aet 3 weeks Small slate

Mary E. d/o Jacob & Hannah Barnard

Died Nov. 1, 1849 aet 19 years 1 mo. Marble

Hannah - unreadable – underneath evergreens

A broken & tipped over stone underneath evergreens with only B. Day, Lowell showing William Henry s/o John 3rd & Sarah Jane Tuck

Died Oct. 6, 1841 aet 4 mos 27 days Slate

James Stevens 3d Obt. Dec. 3, 1842 aet 38 Slate Olive d/o Amos & Hannah Gilcreast

Died Aug. 27, 1849 aet 18 Marble

Hannah B. Frye w/o Gilbert Frye Born into the spiritland Sept. 4, 1853 aet 33

Marble

Abigail Ann d/o John & Eleanor Webster

Died Nov. 3, 1846 aet 3 years Marble

Joseph N. Dane Died May 23, 1853 aet 37 Marble Moses Dane Died April 12, 1848 aet 33 Marble J. Sidney Phelps Died Sept. 29, 1851 aet 31 Marble

North Parish Cemetery This Burying Ground was laid out in 1817 by the North Parish of Andover

N. Andover, MA Dolly, wife of Moody Spofford Nov. 18, 1843, aet 75 Slate Moody Spofford Obt Mar. 31, 1833, aet 78 Slate (not proved, but

matches Dolly’s) Mrs. Sarah wife of Dean Chickering

Died December 10, 1837, aet 70 Slate

Capt. Dean Chickering Died December 31, 1851, aet 83 Slate Jonathan Stevens24 Died August 21, 1855, ae 87 years Slate Thomas Swan Died November 13, 1847 Slate Rebecca Lane, daughter of Died May 21, 1840 Marble

24 This was obviously carved by someone else after Benjamin Day’s death. There was a Jonathan Stevens who died 3 Apr 1834 at 87, was there some kind of mix-up here?



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Nathan and Mary Parker Hannah D. Frye Died April 11, 1845, aet 40 Slate Jere Farnham Born March 17, 1797, Died May 11,

1848, aet 51 Slate

Mary, wife of Hermon Berry Died July 18, 1834, aet 21 Slate Oren T., son of Phineas and Huldah Foster

Died April 18, 1847, aet 13 months Small marble stone

Susannah, Wife of Nathan Foster Died Feb. 18, 1842, aet 71 Marble Osgood Worcester September 2, 1838, aet 66 Slate Artemas Fish Sep. 15, 1832, aet 21 Slate Joseph Poor Died Nov. 26, 1842, aet 66 Slate Aaron Robinson Died July 21, 1844, aet 73 Slate Mrs. Sarah, wife of Mr. Aaron Robinson

Died Dec. 2, 1830, aet 56 Slate

Mrs. Sarah Frost Sept. 17, 1841, aged 83 years Slate Mr. William Frost Died Sept. 28, 1836, aet 82 Slate

In Memory of Mrs. Lucy Richardson, wife of John Rich

ardson, A.M. Obt. Feb. 26

1842 aet. 43

In Memory of John Rich

ardson, A.M. Obt. Oct. 3

1844 aet. 53

Double Slate stone with a design running down the center separating the two epitaphs.

Abraham, son of Abraham and Mary Sutcliffe

Died Apr. 7, 1839, aged 2 years and 7 mos.

Slate

Clarissa, daughter of Moses and Hannah C. Martin

Died Jan. 20, 1839, aet 20 mons. Slate

Harry Hold Died Mar. 17, 1849, aet 79 Slate Miss Ruth Holt Mr. Micah Holt Miss Hannah Holt

Aug. 17, 1835, aet 77 Sept. 5, 1840, aet 72 Mar. 9, 1844, aet 80

Slate

1660 Burial Ground

N. Andover, MA Samuel Granger Died June 4, 1808, aet 40 Marble Mehitable Barker Died May 21, 1833, aet 80 Slate Peter Stevens Aug. 12, 1840, aet 52 Granite?

The Old Burying Ground Bedford, MA

Joseph Thompson, son of Joseph & Eliza Webber

Died June 1, 1844, aet. 15 years & 9 months

Martha, Relict of Thompson Bacon, esq.

Died Feb. 13, 1847, aet. 84

Hannah, Wife of John Bacon Died Sep. 27, 1823, aet 70 This is too early for him, probably carved after John Bacon died.

John Bacon Died June 7, 1833, aet 80 Mary E. dau. of Leonard and Mary Ann White

Died Oct. 4, 1833, aet 7 ms.

Sarah C., dau. of Willard & Lucy B. Butrick, Jr.

Died Aug. 10, 1843

Mary, 2d. wife of Oliver Reed Died May 31, 1812, aet. 60 Very early to be Day carving

Samuel T., son of Samuel & Sarah Died Dec. 25, 1843, aet. 1 year & 3



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Wyman mon’s (VRs say 4 months) Molly, Relict of James Lane Died Feb. 16, 1848, aged 96 y’rs & 8

months

Daniel Lane, son of Solomon and Sarah Lane

Died Octr. 3, 1803, aged 2 ys. & 11 mo.

Josiah S. Lane Also of Josiah S. Lane only child of Josiah & Amelia Lane

Died Sept. 21, 1815, aet. 28 years Died Sept. 22, 1815, aet. 21 mos.

When carved, too early

Martha, wife of Nathan O. Reed Died March 22, 1841, aet. 24 Hannah R. Webber, dau. of James Gilannh? Webber

Died Sept. 11, 1811, aet 34 Very early to be Day carving

Joseph Hartwell Died Aug. 3, 1840, aet. 78 Naomi S., wife of Joseph Hartwell, 3d

Died May 5, 1840, aet. 33

Abel Fitch Died Oct. 16, 1839, aet. 30 Hannah P., wife of Dr. Bela Gardner Also two children Samuel Ellen Augusta

Died Jan. 20, 1844 Died Aug. 26, 1831, aet. 6 years aet. 3 years.

Lucy Billings Died Oct. 28, 1898, aet. 64 Reed, Augusta T., wife of Ephraim (?) Reed

Died Nov. 27, 1845 aet. 30 (Bedford VRs)

Top of stone is missing

Horatio Nelson Haynes Died Feb. 23, 1817, aet. 27 too early ? Rachel [Haynes, Rachel, wife of Stephen. The records give two ages, 51 yrs and 31 yrs. Top broken off partly reburied deeply]

Died Sept. 19, 1847, (Acton VRs.)

Betsy A., wife of George Wilson Died Aug. 25, 1846, aet 40

Green Cemetery Carlisle, MA

Mrs. Charlotte, wife of Mr. Samuel Sherman

Died Jan. 23, 1831 aet 20 Slate

Mrs. Mary, wife of Mr. Jabez E. Garron (Photograph)

Died Dec. 3, 1830 aet 25 Slate

Capt. Samuel Heald Died May 11, 1829 aet 86 Slate In the Forefathers Cemetery, Chelmsford, there is a pair of marble stones for Rev. Wilkes and Mrs. Mary Allen, wife of Rev. Wilkes Allen. Benjamin had carved the stone for Rev. Allen in 1845. Mrs. Allen’s death date was 1864. Obviously, as Benjamin died in 1855, her death date was added by another carver.25

Forefathers Cemetery Chelmsford, MA

Lucinda Bryant, Late of Hillsborough, NH (photograph)

Died Dec. 14, 1830, aet. 21. Slate

John A. s/o John & Caroline Semple, 3y, 6m (photograph)

Feb. 23, 1836. Age, 3 yrs., 6 mos.

Slate

Warren, Jeremiah Sept. 10, 1810. Age, 46 yrs. When was this stone

25 Touring the Forefathers Cemetery, Marti Spalding, p. 38



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Rachel, his wife, Sybil (photograph)

Dec. 7, 1836. Age, 72 yrs. Jan. 31, 1816. Age, 19 yrs.

Probably carved after Rachel’s death.

Carlton, John wife of John Carlton

Sept. 15, 1816 Sarah, his wife, Oct. 25, 1825. Age, 55 yrs.

He probably carved this 1825

Gould, Ruth March 23, 1831. Age, 39 yrs. Bradt (photograph)

North Side Margaret, relict of Barnabus Bradt, June 25, 1848. Age, 78 yrs. East Side-Barnabus Bradt, May 1, 1828. Age, 56 yrs. South Side-Henry Bradt, Sept. 30, 1830. Age, 32 yrs.

marble obelisk

Spalding, Ebenezer Nov. 17, 1832. Age, 26 yrs. Anna, widow of Willard Parker Mrs. Anna, wife of Mr. Willard Parker,

Sept. 7, 1832. Age, 88 yrs.

Parkhurst, Andrew July 26, 1834. Age, 63 yrs.

Bannister, Louisa Wife of Mr. J.V. Smith, June 3,1837. Age, 21yrs.

Marshall, Mary, w/o Thomas March 25, 1837. Age, 29 yrs.

Proctor, Hannah, w/o Lt. Daniel Proctor

Apr. 11, 1837 (death date was Apr. 10 in Chelms. VRs)

Marshall, Joseph A. April 24, 1833. Age, 29 yrs.

Farrar, Elizabeth, w/o John 1844 March 5, 1844. Age, 70 yrs.

Marshall, Peter Marshall, Mary, his wife

April 3, 1828. Age, 55 yrs. Oct. 7, 1852

Was this carved as early as 1828 or after Mary’s death ?

Riverside Cemetery

Middlesex Street N. Chelmsford, MA

Frank M. Pike Died 1847 (almost unreadable) Marble Josiah W. Goward Laura B. Goward

Died 1845 Died 1857

Marble obelisk

Solomon Adams Died November 20, 1850 Marble obelisk John R. Adams, Esq. Died June 16, 1848, aet 50 Marble column obelisk

with urn on top South side: General Benjamin Adams Eliza Ann, his wife, Adeline, his wife, Lucilla E., his wife, East side: Ella Elizabeth Infant son West side: Eliza Jane Bush, daughter of Benj.

& Elizabeth Adams Eliza Ann, daughter of Benj. & Eliza Ann

Died Sept. 14, 1876, aet. 75 yrs 4 mos Died May 18, 1835, aet 30 Died Sept. 10, 1849, aet 30 Died April 8, 1882, aet 66 Died 1849 Died 1849 Died Aug. 29, 1837 aet 4 yrs. 4 mo & 23 days Died July 25, 1852, aet 17 yrs. & 5 mo.

Marble obelisk Obviously some of these dates were added after Benjamin Day’s death



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South side: Capt. William Adams, Jr. West side: William Henry Adams John Quincy Adams East side: Children of William & Sarah Adams – Josiah Francis Adams – Sarah Elizabeth Adams

Died March 12, 1851, aet 60 Died Aug. 4, 1845 aet. 21 Died April 2?, 1850 Died Feb. 12, 1842, aet 9 yrs. 3 mos & 21 days Died Aug. 19, 1838, aet 4 mos. & 11 days

Tall, flat top, marble square obelisk

Heart Pond Cemetery

S. Chelmsford, MA Nathaniel McIntire, s/o Jacob & Rebekah

died Nov. 12, 1829, aet 18 Slate

Eda McIntire, d/o Jacob & Rebekah

died Aug. 20, 1838, aet. 24 Slate

Patty C. Barron, wife of Elias Barron

died April 23, 1837, aet. 48 Slate

Lucy Amanda Proctor, d/o Willard & Marie Proctor

died Sept. 21, 1853, aet 18 Marble

The Concord Cemetery Department has organized their records in binders which include lists of carvers and their stones. Among the many stones in the New Hill Burying Ground there was a large obelisk made by Benjamin for the Barret family.

New Hill Burying Ground (opened 1823) Concord, MA

Sacred to the Memory of Charles F. Malven Died Oct. 29, 1841, aet. 26 Marble Ellen, “It is well with the child” daughter of Joshua & Eliza H. Buttrick (photograph)

Died March 18, 1849, aet. 11 Only signed “B. Day”

Marble

In Memory of Edward Wright Waltham Feb. 12, 1835 s/o Thomas J. and Mary Ann

Died Feb. 15, 1825, aet. 36 Slate

In Memory of Eli Dakin Died Sep. 13, 1838, aet. 62 Slate Samuel Dakin Died Feb. 12?, 1846 Marble Eliza Ann Dakin Died April 2, 1842, aet 46 Marble Ann? Dakin Died 1846, 2 years & 9 months Marble Nehemiah Merriam, son of Darius & Lydia Merriam

Died Jan. 30, 1847 Marble

In Memory of Miss Abigail French Died July 6, 1839, aet. 48 Slate, 60” x 26” Joseph Barrett front side Sophia Barrett front side Lucy Prescott Fay Barrett right side Anne Maria Barrett left side Eliza White Barrett left side (photographed)

Died Jan. 6, 1849, aet. 71 Died Feb. 18, 1848, aet. 62 Died July 3, 1838, aet 23 Died Aug. 11, 1831 Died Aug. 15, 1883 aged 61 years 11 months.

Marble obelisk 64” tall, 19” sq. base. Sits on 24” sq. base, on top of 30” granite block base.

Phebe B., wife of Amos Dakin Died March 12, 1847, aet. 71 Marble Erected to the memory of Martha, wife of Nathan Hosmer

Died Feb. 28, 1848 Slate, flat top



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In Memory of Asa, son of Nathan & Patty Hosmer

Died Dec. 17, 1816, aet 10 months.

Slate, small stone. Was this done at the time Martha’s stone was cut?

Otis Gregory Died May 22, 1846, aet. 46 Marble Hartwell Bigelow Died Oct. 21, 1850, aet 50 Marble, name

engraved in an arch.

Abbey, daughter of Hartwell & Lavinia Bigelow

Died March. 14, 1852, aet 16 Marble

Sarah C. L., wife of Ephraim Dakin, Jr. Died Sept. 19, 1850, aet 22 Marble Sacred to the memory of Miss Hannah W. Jenkins

Died Jan. 15, 1845, aet. 49 years & 6 months.

What kind of stone is this?

Alpheus, son of Capt. Artemas & Eliza Wheeler

Died May 22, 1828, aet 1 year 16 days, or May 23, 1826?

Small, Marble

Sacred to the memory of Capt. Artemas Wheeler* (Artemas Wheeler invented the first rotating cylinder for a gun which became the Colt revolver.)

Died Jan. 11, 1845 aet. 64 Marble. 74” x 28”

South Burying Ground

Concord, MA In memory of Elizabeth, widow of Moses Binney

Died March 3, 1847, aet. 82 Slate Marker #: SBG 1/6 Tolman #: 492 8:6 inscribed bottom left corner

Old Hill Burying Ground

Concord, MA In memory of Jacob Brown Died Dec. 28, 1847, aet 84. Slate

Marker #: OHBG 53/2 Tolman #: 306

In memory of Mrs. Nancy, wife of Capt. Edward Flint

Died May 17, 1839, aet. 33 Slate Marker #: OHBG 68/2 Tolman #: 315

Mary Swan, relict of William Swan and former wife of Ephraim Meriam

Died May 9, 1847, aet. 75 Marble Marker #: OHBG 80/1 Tolman #: 351

Josiah Meriam Died Nov. 21, 1832, aet 78 Marble Marker #: OHBG 95/6 Tolman #: 382

In 1904/5, DAR member Pearl Hildreth Parker compiled a listing of stones and epitaphs of the Dracut cemeteries. She also recorded the cemeteries in Westford. Her manuscripts may be found at the New England Historical Genealogical Society, Boston. Arthur “Bud” Paquin typed her manuscript and generously gave me a copy. On Aug. 19, 2004, he escorted my husband and me to four of the Dracut cemeteries. Again, there were many Day stones and many that were likely candidates, but were buried too deeply to see his signature. There were several Richardson stones which he carved many years after their death dates. Perhaps they were replacements which now matched later family members’ stones. These have been marked with a “*” in the table below.



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On Aug. 26, 2004, Bud and I walked the rest of the Dracut cemeteries – Bailey, Hamblet, and Varnum – and found many more stones. There were none in the Pawtucket Cemetery, and the Richardson Cemetery is too new to have any Day stones.

Bailey Cemetery Broadway Road

Dracut, MA Emily Ellingwood, dau. of Robert & Phebe

Died Sept. 7, 1828 Marble

Joseph B. V. Richardson Died Jan. 28, 1848, age 36 years Marble Moses Bailey Died June 4, 1846, age 80 Marble William Austin Died Feb. 28, 1846, age 92 years, 10

mos. Slate

Hannah, wife of William Austin Died Jan. 26, 1843, age 92 Slate In memory of two children of William & Martha Clough, Andrew Jackson & an infant daughter

Died Sept. 9, 1833, aged 15 months Died April 6, 1831, aged 1 day

Slate

William Clough 3rd Died Oct. 7, 1832, aged 22 Slate Joseph Gardner Died Sept. 29, 1833, aged 58 Slate Eli Richardson Died July 25, 1848 Marble

Hamblett Cemetery Jordan Street, Lowell, MA

Still owned by Dracut Elizabeth W. dau. of Bradley & Julia A. Varnum (photograph)

Died March 11, 1845, aged 34 Slate

Mercy Varnum Died Oct. 18, 1841, aged 47 Slate Mrs. Rachel Varnum, wife of Bradley Varnum

Died June 3, 1835, age 88 (stones says 84 or 81 for age)

Slate

Hildreth Burying Ground Hildreth Street

Dracut, MA James Mason Died July 23, 1830, aged 32 years Slate Ezekiel Cheever Mrs. Martha, wife of Ezekial Cheever

Died Jan. 25, 1806 Died Feb. 20, 1834, aged 90

Slate – stone carved at time of her death

Mrs. Dolley, wife of Reuben Richardson

Died July 29, 1790* in the 25th year of her age

Slate

Mr. Reuben Richardson Died Nov. 12, 1838, aged 76 Slate Mrs. Deborah, wife of Mr. Reuben Richardson (photo)

Died Dec. 15, 1825* in the 58th year of her age

Slate

Benjamin, son of Reuben & Deborah Richardson

Died Aug. 1813* in the 11th years of his age

Slate

Joanna Jones, child of Henry & Eliza Richardson

Died Aug. 12, 1847 Marble – broken

Daniel C. Abbot Died Sep. 18, 1842, aged 76 Slate Phebe V. dau. of Ephraim & Hannah Richardson

Died Aug. 11, 1841, aged 19 years & 7 mos.

Marble

Edward, son of Daniel & Eveline Kittredge

Died Oct. 3, 1841, aged 2 years & 22 days

Slate Has “B. Day” only



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Martha, wife of Mr. Isaac Friend Died July 18, 1828 Slate This may be the earliest stone by him or was it done when Isaac Friend died in 1844

Isaac Friend Died Jan. 17, 1844, aged 76 Marble, broken Joshua Bradley Died Jan. 9, 1834, aged 71 Slate Mary, wife of Joshua Bradley Died Jan. 23, 1843, aged 71 Slate Adeline, child of Joshua & Mary Bradley

Died July 15, 1814, aged 3 weeks Slate

New Boston Burying Ground

Hildreth Street Dracut, MA

James M. son of Ezra & Sarah Foster

Died March 20, 1842, aged 14 months Slate

Myron, son of Marcus L. & Elizabeth Coburn

Died May 11, 1836, aged 11 years Slate

Saul Coburn Died June 15, 1836, aged 78 Slate

Oakland Cemetery off Mammoth Road

Dracut, MA Charlotte, wife of Abner Hall & dau. of Joshua Marshall

Died Sept. 27, 1843, aged 49 Marble

Sarah F., dau. of George & Mary Brown

Died Feb. 10, 1842, aged 11 years Marble

Warren Platts, only child of Harvey & Hannah F. Platts

Died Aug. 27, 1841, aged 8 months & 10 days

Slate

Samuel Cummings Died Oct. 7 A.D. 1835, aged 81 Slate Mary Ames, relict of Daniel Ames Died Dec. 3, 1833, aged 45 Slate Moses Clement Died June 27, 1837, aged 79 Slate Jonas Varnum Died April 15, 1834, aged 82 Slate Hannah, wife of Jonas Varnum, Jr. Died Oct. 2, 1833 Slate Pascal P. Coburn Lydia Coburn, wife of Pascal P. Coburn

Died Dec. 3, 1847 Died April 8, 1846, aet 49

Marble 65” x 39 ½”

Elizabeth Poor, dau. of Paschal & Lydia Coburn

Died July 26, 1847, aet 23 Marble

Varnum Cemetery

Parker Road Dracut, MA

Ira, son of Ira & Ellis Thompson Died Sep. 6, 1833, age 19 mon’s Slate Elizabeth, dau. of Samuel & Hannah Richardson

Died Oct. 17, 1834, aged 11 months, 11 days

Slate

Hannah, wife of Samuel Richardson Died Dec. 19, 1842, aged 42 Slate



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Central Cemetery

Dunstable, MA Mary Blodgett d. 1839 Slate, 58” x 24” Capt. Nathaniel Fletcher d. 18 Apr 1839, in the 77th yr. of his age. Slate, 67” x 31” Benjamin Parker Elisabeth, his wife

Died Apr. 24, 1818 aet 60 Apr. 25, 1842, aet 73

Slate, 46” x 24” Stone carved after her death?

Betsey Baker Emily Baker

Died Mar. 4, 1840, aet. 74 Died Feb. 9, 1840 aet. 47

Slate, 40” x 20 ¼”

Isaac Taylor Died July 29, 1839, aet. 86 Slate, 54” x 26”

Mary Blodget

Central Cemetery, Dunstable, MA Photographed by Daniel T. Rencricca

Pentucket Burial Ground Haverhill, MA

Next to the stone for Rev. Ebenezer Gage is a broken marble stone with “B. Day, Lowell” visible



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Westlawn Cemetery Littleton, MA

Elizabeth, relict of Mr. Edward Baker (photograph)

died Dec. 26, 1835, aet. 75 Slate

Edson Cemetery

Lowell, MA To the Memory of Ann Read, wife of John Read. Emily, daughter of John and Ann Read Also William Read (photograph)

Died Jan. 1, 1830, aet. 27 Died Dec. 23, 1827, aet 17 mos. Remains deposited at Belville, New Jersey May 27, 1827, aet 53

Slate

In Memory of two sons of John and Susan Merrill, John Newton, Oscar (photograph)

Died July 8, 1838, aet 6 years 6 months Died Aug. 27, 1838 aet 5 months

Double tympanum Slate 34” x 21”

Miss Mary Labarre, late of Wheatfield, Me. (photograph)

Died May 16, 1831, aet 41 Slate

In Memory of Mr. Oliver Lawrence (photograph)

Died July 6, 1830, aet 42 Slate

His early stones in the Edson Cemetery, all in a row, are plain and not the style Benjamin later became noted for. The one for William Read has an interesting arrangement of wording:

Also William Read Whose remains were deposi ted at Belville, New Jersey May 27, 1827 aet 53

The Lowell Cemetery Lowell, MA

David Parker, son of David and Jane who triumphantly departed this life


Alice Ann Durgin, wife of George S. Durgin

Died Sept. 1, 1845, aet 27 Marble

Moses Shattuck Annie, his wife --------------------------- Benj. Parker Benjamin Eastman Alice P., his wife --------------------------- Eliza Butman

Died Dec. 5, 1842, aet 56 Died July 5, 1851, aet 61 -------------------------------- Died June 18, 1831 aet 30 Died Dec. 10, 1867 Died Aug. 27, 1883 aet 82 ------------------------------- Died July 14, 1842, aet 36

Marble obelisk

Susan E. Parker of Bluehill, Me Died March 16, 1834, aet 25 Slate Benjamin Walker Died Sep. 7, 1840 (See Catherine

Goodwin’s Mourning Glory, p. 27) Slate



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St. Patrick’s Cemetery Lowell, MA

John Bork Died March 9, 1832 Slate Most of the old slate stones are laying flat in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Lowell. Soil and grass is rapidly covering them. Many are in Benjamin’s style but without a lot of digging one cannot see if they are signed. How nice if the cemetery or “friends” could undertake a project to clear away the ground and raise the stones so the entire stone could be visible again. Another Lowell cemetery of interest was the School Street Cemetery situated between Middlesex and Branch Streets. It is a small cemetery, just about an acre in size. Thirteen stones carved by Benjamin’s were identified there. At least these stones were vertical, but because they have sunk, or have been re-set too deeply, it was impossible to see any carvers’ identification on many of them.

School Street Cemetery (Between Middlesex and Branch Sts.)

Lowell, MA William Henry, son of William and Sarah Lovejoy

Died Sept. 9, 1834 aet 15 mos. & 13 days

Slate

Eliza Ann, dau. of James and Ann Dean

Died Jan. 9, 1831 aet 1 year, ___, 20 days

Slate

William Edwin, son of Wm. E. and Elizabeth Griffin

Died Dec. 12, 1830 at 3 years, 6 months

Slate

John M. Hastings Died Nov. 3, 1831, aet 22 Slate Wm. Davis Died June 30, 1840, aet 37 Slate Jeduthan Parker Died April 11, 1838, aet 75 Slate Miss Rebecca, dau. of Jeduthan and Phebe Parker


Jesse Parker Died Dec. 24, 1831, aet 34 Slate Zebulon Parker Died Oct. 9, 1835, aet 71 Slate Mrs. Jane, wife of Thomas Smith Died Sep. 11, 1832, aet 30 Slate Lewis McIntire Died Feb. 19, 1840, aet 46 Slate David W. Hatch Died May 28, 1834, aet 23 Slate George Holmes March 24, 1836, aged 27 years, 6

months Slate

Woodbine Cemetery

West Meadow Road, Lowell (formerly part of Dracut, MA)

Mary Coburn Died Apr. 6, 1843, aged 70 Marble Maj. Ephraim Coburn Died August 20, 1851, aged 73 Marble Hannah V., wife of Major Ephraim Coburn (photo)

Died March 12, 1847, aged 64 Marble bas relief willow and urn

Catharine, widow of the late Col. Lewis Ansart

Died Jan. 27, 1849, aged 86 years & 10 months.

Slate

Bodwell -----------, aet 31 Marble, broken Freeman Huggins, Obt. Aug. 31, 1833, aged 28 Slate Ann D., wife of Freeman Huggins Died Jan. 21, 1839, aged 27 Slate



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Lewis Wimble, son of Abel & Martha Ansart

Died Feb. 10, 1848, aet 7 years… Marble

Rachel, relict of Jonathan Coburn Died March 15, 1844, aet 83 Slate

Byfield Parish Cemetery Elm Street, Newbury, MA

Jim Batchelder of Andover discovered his ancestors’ stones had been carved by Benjamin Day and provided the Byfield cemetery information. Nathan Longfellow Who died Oct. 26, 1840 AEt 67 Slate with a curved top

with willow and urn motif John Longfellow Priscilla, His wife

Died Oct. 7, 1818 AEt 74 Died Nov. 3, 1836 AET 79

The stone has a slight gable top made of marble/sandstone with deep cut first names and surnames in rectangles. No other ornamentation. The stone was probably erected when Priscilla died for next to this stone is the slate original stone for husband John.

Shirley Center Cemetery Shirley Center, MA

Mariel, relict of Dr. Benjamin Hartwell Died Sept. 23, 1831, aet. 89 Marble

Old North Burial Ground Truro, MA

James Blachowicz discovered this stone during his search of probate records. Rev. Jude Damon Died Nov. 19, 1828 Mary Lewis Damon, widow of Rev. Jude Damon

1831

Jude Damon ordained and began his pastorate in Truro in 1786.26 “’My uncle, the Rev. Jude Damon,’ remarks Dr. Damon in his history, ‘was fitted for college by the Rev. Mr. Emerson of Hollis, N.H.’” (Samuel Chenery Damon, Damon Memorial, pub 1882, p.58)

Flint’s Corner Cemetery Tyngsboro, MA

Jonas Carkin Died Mar. 15, 1840 Slate William Pike Died May 10, 1837 Slate – To the left of the William Pike stone is

one for Lucy, wife of William Pike and widow of Levi Heywood, died Feb. 17, 1887. This stone is exactly the same design as her husband’s. Were they bought together when he died?

Elizabeth Flint, wife of Charles

Died April 19, 1843 Slate

Nancy Farwell, wife of James C. Farwell

died Feb. 9, 1843, aet 56. Slate. The signature of B. Day is below grade level. This has the willow design.

26 Historical Collections, Being a interesting collection of historical facts, traditions, biographical sketches. John Warner Barber, p.54, Worcester, 1848.



http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=48848819&PIpi=38555670

Karen Genoter

Note

Marked set by Karen Genoter

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=48848819&PIpi=38555670

Karen Genoter

Text Box

Mariel's Stone reads - Sept. 23, 1851 Photo taken by Carol A. Purinton - http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=48848819

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Almira Farwell, dau. of James & Nancy

Died Feb. 23, 1847, aet 20.

Slate. Has the rounded oak leaf design.

Lucy, wife of Col. Daniel Taylor

Died Feb. 3, 1836 Slate. Rounded oak leaf design.

Col. Daniel Taylor Died July 28, 1840, aet 62 Slate Phebe E., dau. of Joshua & Thirza Converse (photograph)

Died Sept. 20, 1842. Slate. 24” x 13”

Sally, wife of William Chambers

Died Aug. 21, 1839, aet 61

Slate

William Chambers Died Aug. 15, 1826, aet 51

Slate

Two stones for Rufus and Hannah Blodgett

Slate. Day style, but they have been set in cement too deeply to see his name.

Sherburne Cemetery

Coburn Road off Sherburne Ave., Tyngsboro, MA Mrs. Mary, w/o Mr. Roger L. Littlehale Died Feb. 7, 1831 aet 62 Slate Jonathan Littlehale Died January 6, 1834 aet 31 Slate Mrs. Rachel, w/o Mr. William Wilson Died November 2, 1835 aet 30 Slate Mrs. Mercy, w/o Mr. Luther Butterfield Obt. Oct. 29, 1827 aet 23 Marble Nabbe, w/o James Butterfield Died March 4, 1839, aet 72 Slate James Butterfield Died Nov. 28, 1856, aet 94 yrs & 5 mo. Slate Felicia S. Parker, killed by the fall of a cartbody

Died July 16, 1836 aet 4 years & 5 mon’s

Small slate “B. Day” only

Capt. Reuben Butterfield, an officer of the Revolution. Also Mary, his wife

Died Feb. 22, 1816 aet 88 Died April 25, 1806 aet 78

Slate

Mrs. Elizabeth, w/o Cap. Joseph Butterfield

Obt. Feb. 20, 1808, aet 84 Slate

Elijah, s/o Nathaniel & Charlotte Lawrence

Died Feb. 12, 1845, 3 yrs, 6 mon’s Small marble

Daniel Lawrence Died Nov. 21, 1837 aet 61 Marble William Perham Died Jan. 7, 1834 aet 77 Slate Mrs. Ruth w/o William Parham Died Aug. 1, 1834 aet 77 Slate William s/o Wm Parham, Jr. & Sarah Died Dec. 11, 1819 aet 3 years, 3

mon’s & 3 days Slate

Elijah Parham Died Feb. 27, 1837 aet 75 Granite? Jemima w/o John Parham Died April 7, 1846 aet 86 Slate John Parham Died May 19, 1838 aet 91 Slate Lucia Peter Children of Daniel P. & Rebecca Coburn

Died Dec. 29, 1835 aet 17 days Died Nov. 2, 1837 aet 23 days

Small marble

Daniel A. s/o Daniel P. & Rebecca Coburn

Died Oct. 2, 1841 aet 2 years 6 mon’s Small marble

Sybil w/o Ralph Parham Died Jan. 1, 1842 aet 54 Slate Elijah s/o Elijah & Susanna Perham Died Aug. 21, 1785 aet 3 days Small slate Mrs. Abiah w/o Cap. Asa Butterfield Obt. Aug. 8, 1835 77 years Slate Esther w/o Savory T. Burbank Died May 30, 1846 aet 39 Marble Mary M. d/o Allen & Lucy Perham Died Nov. 27, 1848 aet 17 Marble George Gardner s/o Allen & Lucy Perham

Died Sept. 27, 1849 aet 26 Marble



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Benjamin carved seven stones found in Fairview Cemetery, Main Street, Westford. Five are slate stones with the willow and urn design and two are marble. The oldest ones from 1832 are for Timothy Cumings and Mary Tebbetts. Her name is shown encircled with his traditional scalloped oval. The stone for Peletiah is practically identical, minus the oval. The stone for Betsey Daisy is the most striking. The willow and urn design has evolved into a oak leaf and urn design and the mesh design serves to set off the columns on her stone.

Fairview Cemetery Main Street

Westford, MA Capt. Reuben Foster (photograph)

Died 19 Dec 1839. Died at age 38. He was probably the Reuben Foster b. 13 Jan 1802 at Carlisle, s/o Benjamin & Sarah Nichols Foster.

Marble; 37" x 16" x 2" thick. Flat top.

Mr. Timothy Cumings Died 12 Oct 1832 Slate; 50" x 26" Mary, wife of Samuel Tebbetts (photograph)

Died May 5, 1832 Slate; 48" x 22"

Peletiah, s/o Calvin & Nancy Fletcher (photograph)

Who was drown’d in the Merrimack River July 11, 1833. 6y 3m 20d.

Slate; 40" x 21" x 1 ½" thick

Betsey, wife of John Daisy (photograph)

Died Jan 2, 1838, aet 26. Also their infant son aet 2 days.

Slate, extremely interesting carving. 60" x 21" x 1 ½"

Lt. Levi Snow (photograph)

Died Aug 2, 1835, aet. 69 Slate 53" x 23¾”

Dr. Asaph Byam (photograph)

Died May 30, 1838, age 47 Marble, 42 ½” x 18 3/4"



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Capt. Reuben Foster, Fairview, Westford Mary Tebbetts, Fairview, Westford

B. Day, Lowell B. Day, Lowell

Peletiah Fletcher Betsey Daisy

B. Day stones in Fairview, Westford



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Wright Cemetery Groton Road

Westford, MA Abigail, w/o Nahum Wight Our mother, Mrs. Abigail who fell

asleep Oct. 19, 1850, at 90 Slate. This stone is the same design as Betsey Daisy’s at Fairview

Abigail, w/o Martin Wright d. May 10, 1835, aet 28 slate Joanna, d/o Dea. Caleb & Mary Wight

d. Oct. 10, 1837 at Plymouth, Michigan slate

Nathan Wright d. June 17, 1846, aet 57 Marble Sally Stevens d. Mar. 27, 1848 Slate Mrs. Lefe Wright, w/o Abel d. July 13, 1835 aet 64 Slate Ellen, w/o Walter Wright d. Dec. 3, 1830 aet 28 Marble Francis Wright Henry Wright Children of Walter & Ellen

d. May 14, 1827 d. July 17, 1828

Marble

Lydia, wife of Walter Wright d. Jan. 7, 1841 aet 52 Marble. “Lydia” is broken away. Identified from Westford VRs.

Jotham B. Wright also Edmund T. Wright sons of Nathan & Betsy Wright

d. Daton, OH May 22, 1828 at 36 d. Mobile, Ala. Dec. 20, 1819 at 24

Slate. Willow between 2 urns; rounded oak leaves. Dayton mis-spelled.

Henry Martin, s/o Martin & Eliza Wright

d. Sept. 15, 1837, 8 months, 9 days

Slate, 30” x 15”

Anna Woods, d/o Nahum Woods of Groton

d. Jan 15, 1845 at 38 Slate. A number 8 is cut at bottom of stone.

Andrew J., s/o Benjamin & Charlott Edes

d. Mar. 10, 1844, 15 years, weighing 42 pounds

Slate.

Abigail Wight Abigail Wright

Wright Cemetery More stones from the Wright Cemetery in Westford, MA.



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Joanna Wight Nathan Wright

Joanna Wight

Typically, Benjamin did not carve round knobs, so this stone is the exception. In fact, even though his name is at the bottom, I wonder if he carved the background.



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New Hampshire Cemeteries

Churchyard Cemetery Hollis, NH

Rachel Farley, wife of Christopher F. Smith

Born Nov. 23, 1804, died May 22, 1830.

Marble

Little’s Station Cemetery

(Formerly Dunstable) S. Nashua, NH

Dr. Nathan Cutler Oct. Feb. 22, 1830, | Æt. 91. With christian fortitude he bore, The trials of disease and death; And when frail nature could no more, He paciently resigned his breath. Slate

Benjamin Cutler Oct. Feb. 21, 1829, | Æt. 61. Slate James F. son of James F. and Lucinda Pollard

Died Dec. 31, 1837, aet 4 years 9 days Slate

Daniel T. Rencricca has photographed two “B. Day, Lowell” stones from Little’s Station, S. Nashua. These are among the earliest found and are in nearly perfect condition. Originally part of Dunstable, after boundary changes were finalized, Little’s Station cemetery is now part of

South Nashua, on the westerly side of the Daniel Webster Highway (Rt. 3A) north of Spit Brook Road and opposite Poisson Avenue. These two stones for members of the Cutler family are dated 1829 and 1830. They are carved in the style he repeated on so many of his stones.



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William T. Hayes, Pelham historian, took the time one Sunday to show us through his town’s many cemeteries where we found many more Day stones.

Gibson Cemetery (old section) Pelham, NH

Frances Adelaide d/o Noah & Martha Jackman

Died Sept. 24, 1843 Small Slate

David Wilson Died Aug. 7, 1838 aet 25 Slate Mr. David Wilson Died July 22, 1832 aet 57 Slate Mrs. Survinah w/o Mr. Oliver Morse

Died June 28, 1833 aet 37 Slate

Pelham Center Cemetery

Atwood Road Pelham, NH

Asa Gage Mrs. Olive his wife

Died Sep 9, 1831 aet 89 Died April 21, 1837 aet 93

Slate

Three daughters of Dr. Benjamin & Mrs. Iza Skelton Miss Iza Ann Susan Atwood Mary Whiting

Died Sep 2 , 1832 aet 19 Died Sep 18, 1817 aet 15 mon’s Died Oct. 2, 1817 aet 2 yrs 9 mo.

Slate

Betsy w/o Francis Gage Died Sept. 27, 1838 aet 52 Slate Mr. Samuel Richardson, Jr. Died June 1, 1829 aet 29 Slate Miss Aramenta H. C. D. Grosvenor Died Oct. 25, 1834 aet 18 Slate Kimball Carlton Died May 5, 1842 aet 30 Marble Molly Hutchinson Died Sep. 3, 1834 aet 70 Slate Phebe M. d/o Andrew & Sally W. Tallant

Died July 21, 1842 aet 16 Marble

Sally W. w/o Andrew Tallant Died June 15, 1840 aet 52 Marble Miss Rebecca Tallant Died Jan. 19, 1838 aet 45 Slate Mary w/o Charles Hardy Died April 16, 1843 aet 77 Slate Miss Susanna Atwood Died June 10, 1839 aet 73 Slate William Atwood Died Jan. 8, 1839 aet 49 Slate Daniel Atwood Died Dec. 28, 1834 aet 83 Slate Ezekiel Gage Died July 31, 1838 aet 20 Slate 30” x 53” Hannah w/o John Currier Died Feb. 20, 1847 aet 75 Slate Polly Hobbs Died Nov. 7, 1833 aet 36 Slate Sarah R. w/o Amos Hobbs Died Oct. 14, 1837 aet 25 Slate Elizabeth d/o Daniel & Betsey Gage Died Dec. 12, 1838 aet 26 Slate Josiah Coburn Died Jan. 20, 1835 aet 75 Slate William Hardy Died Nov. 21, 1831, aet 51 Slate Mr. Daniel Hardy Died Nov. 25, 1833 aet 60 Marble John Hubbard Church, D.D. Thankful his first wife Stephen, only son Hannah second wife

Died June 12, 1840 aet 68 Died April 11, 1806 aet 31 Died July 11, 1806 Died July 9, 1837 aet 59

Marble, gothic arch. Also has birth places and dates listed on stone.

Mrs. Hannah w/o Rev. John H. Church

Died July 9, 1837 aet 59 Slate

Mrs Sarah relict of Mr. John Watson

Died March 5, 1827 aet 94 Slate

Sarah w/o Dea. Nathaniel Currier Died Oct. 2, 1821 aet 74 Slate Dea. Nathaniel Currier Died Nov. 20, 1826 aet 85 Slate



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Phebe w/o Elijah Bradstreet Died July 20, 1847 aet 78 ½ Two children of Ezekiel & Sibyl Richardson Betsey Jacob M.

Died Dec. 25, 1820 aet 10 weeks Died July 26, 1829 aet 22 mon’s

Small Slate

Mrs. Bridget w/o Mr. Jacob Marsh Died Nov. 14, 1833 aet 75 Slate Mrs. Abigail w/o Mr. Enoch Bodwell

Died Sep 19, 1836 aet 56 Slate

John Stickney Died Jan. 21, 1842 aet 59 Slate Henry Gage Died May 28, 1839 aet 73 Slate Mr. Moses Whiting Mrs. Mary his wife

Died Jan. 26, 1823 aet 59 Died July 9, 1837 aet 68

Slate. A “9” is visible at the bottom. Probably Price.

Gumpas Graveyard

Mammoth Road Pelham, NH

Ruth w/o John Tarbox Died Aug. 3, 1845 aet 86 Slate Olive w/o William McCoy Died Dec. 18, 1838 aet 33 Slate Mr. Zaccheus Spaulding Died Aug. 23, 1838 aet 66 Slate Dea. Benjamin Barker Died July 21, 1839 aet 81 Marble Mrs. Phebe Barker Died Jan. 10, 1836 aet 75 Marble Orlando R. s/o David & Mary Ann Butler

Died Jan. 31, 1841 aet 17 months & 21 days

Small Slate

Reuben Sally Children of Jonathan & Sally Butler

Died Sep. 30, 1796 aet 4 year Died Oct. 7, 1796 aet 2

Small Marble

Hannah, relict of George Tallant Died June 29, 1840 aet 79 Slate Olive w/o Nehemiah Butler Died May 14, 1841 aet 62 Marble Josiah Butler, Jr., s/o Nehemiah & Olive D. Butler

Died Feb. 12, 1835 aet 24 Marble

Capt. Eliphalet Butler Died June 11, 1834 aet 46 Slate 33” x 66” Capt. Dudley Spofford Died June 10, 1835 aet 55 Slate Mrs. Mary w/o Capt. Dudley Spofford (note: This woman had 19 children)

Died Nov. 19, 1834 aet 45 Slate

Life Wilson Died Feb. 27, 1837 aet 25 Slate Tenny Hardy Died Nov. 9, 1833 aet 54 Slate Elijah Fox Died Sept. 14, 1837 aet 72 Marble Miss Thankful C. Hamblett Died Sep 25, 1834 aet 22 Slate Mrs. Polly Grosvenor, first the w/o Ens. Benj. Hamblet, second w/o Dr. Aaron Grosvenor

Died Oct. 22, 1834 aet 61 Slate. Benjamin corrected Grosvenor by inserting a tiny “o” above the name

James Gibson, esq., also Mrs. Hannah his wife

Died June 30, 1828 aet 87 Died Aug. 2, 1831 aet 84

Slate

Mr. Kimball Gibson Died Nov. 14, 1834 aet 51 Slate Maria C. w/o Kimball Gibson Died Aug. 23, 1844 aet 52 Slate James Kimball s/o Kimball & Maria Gibson

Died Oct. 14, 1825 aet 2 yrs, 2 mo, 26 days

Small Slate

Anna Maria d/o the late Kimball & Maria Gibson

Died April 22, 1838 aet 21 Slate

Amelia d/o Mr. Seth & Mrs. Abiah Cutter

Died Jan. 13, 1832 aet 31 Slate



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Albert G. s/o Abram & Elizabeth Spalding

Died June 2, 1837 aet 6 mon’s Small Slate

Essex County Probate Records gathered by James Blachowicz

Volume Page Probate Date 379 87 Sarah Appleton "To paid Benjamin Day for

grave stones 11.00" Ipswich 6 Mar 1810

379 256 Joseph Wood "To paid Benjamin Day $17" Beverly Apr 1810 379 348 Parker Russ "To Benjamin Day for grave

stones $13.21" Ipswich Jun 1810

382 546 Hannah Brown "To Benjamin Day for grave stones $16.55"

Marblehead 22 July 1812

384 231 Sally Ford "To Benjamin Day for grave stones $5.67"

Beverly 6 Sep 1813

386 197 Abraham Lord "To Benjamin Day for grave stones for the deceased 10.00"

Ipswich 4 Oct 1814

386 547 Daniel Appleton "To Benjamin Day for grave stones and paid setting the same 17.75"

Ipswich 7 Mar 1815

387 357 Samuel McIntire "paid Mr. Benjamin Day's account for grave stones 22."

Salem 4 July 1815

388 371 Isaac Ray "To paid Benjamin Day for grave stones 13."

Beverly 2 Jan 1816

389 29 John Cornish "To Benjamin Day's bill for monument for the deceased 30."

Andover 9 Apr 1816

389 450 Joshua Wilson "Benjamin Day for grave stones 10.00"

Andover July 1816

391 84 Isaac Parker "To Benjamin Day for a pair of grave stones 25.00"

Andover Dec 1816

391 454 Benjamin Sander "Mr. Day grave stones 36.00"

Salem May 1817

391 557 Robert Foster "To paid Benjamin Day bill for grave stones 15.00"

Salem July 1817

392 209 Nathaniel Haskel "To Benjamin Day for 2 pair of grave stones 27.68"

Beverly Jan 1818

392 273 Ruth Barker "Benjamin Day for grave stones, etc. 13.18"

Marblehead Jan 1818

392 297 Stephen Pool "Benjamin Day for grave stones 17.00"

Gloucester Feb 1818

392 453 Benjamin Standley "To paid Benjamin Day for grave stones 16.00"

Beverly May 1818



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393 396 Caroline Woodbury "Benjamin Day's bill for grave stones $23"

Gloucester Jan 1819

394 335 Cap. John Selman "To paid Benjamin Day for grave stones $17.90"

Marblehead Jan 1818

394 492 Israel Forster "Paid Benjamin Day's bill of grave stones 33."

Marblehead July 1819

395 199 Elvia? Wellman "To paid Benjamin Day grave stones $12"

Salem Jan 1820

395 323 Hazadiah Smith "To paid Benjamin Day for grave stones $18"

Beverly Mar 1820

396 53 Jonas Conrey "To paid Benjamin Day account for grave stones $11"

Salem May 1820

396 266 Joseph Mansfield "To paid Benjamin Day bill for grave stones $16"

Salem Oct 1820

397 134 Benjamin Ober "Benjamin Day 18.00"

Manchester Feb 1821

397 148 Samuel Tarr "To paid Benjamin Day 2 pair of grave stones, etc. 34.50"

Danvers Feb 1821

397 394 Elizabeth Leech "To paid Benjamin Day for grave stones 21.25"

Beverly May 1821

398 214 William Dennis "To paid Benjamin Day for grave stones 15.00"

Ipswich 1821?

398 329 William Luscomb, Jr. "Benjamin Day for tombstones 49.55"

Salem 26 Jun 1820

398 484 Michael Bassett "pd. Benjamin Day for grave stones 40.00"

Dec 1821

399 128 "to ditto paid Benjamin Day for grave stones 35.00"

Marblehead Feb 1821

399 293 Joshua Beckford "To cash paid Benjamin Day for grave stones 12.00"

Salem Apr 1822

400 394 Joseph Wigings "Paid Benjamin Day for grave stones 25."

Nov 1822

401 504 "Paid Benjamin Day for grave stones 25."

Salem Aug 1823

400 506 Bethiah Foster "Paid Benjamin Day for grave stones 27.95"

Manchester Jan 1823

403 554 Wallis Brown Found in North Beverly, MA. It is of marble and practically unreadable

"To paid Benjamin Day for grave stones for said deceased 26.61"

Beverly Oct 1824



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Cemeteries and count of stones carved by Benjamin Day which have been located.

1660 Burial Ground, N. Andover 3 Atwood Graveyard, Pelham, NH 34 Bailey Cem., Dracut 9 Central Cem., Dunstable 5 Churchyard Cem., Hollis, NH 1 Edson, Lowell 4 Fairview, Westford 7 Flint's Corner, Tyngsboro 10 Forefathers, Chelmsford 15 Forest Cem., N. Acton, MA 1 Gibson Cem. old section, Pelham Center, NH 4 Gumpas Graveyard, Pelham, NH 25 Hamblett Cem., Dracut 3 Heart Pond, S. Chelmsford 4 Hildreth Burying Ground, Dracut 15 Little's Station, S. Nashua, NH 3 Lowell Cem 5 New Boston Burying Ground, Dracut 3 New Hill Cem (Sleepy Hollow) Concord, MA 20 Oakland Cemetery, Dracut 10 Old Burying Ground, Bedford, MA 22 Old Hill Burying Gr. Concord, MA 4 Old North Burial Ground, Truro, MA 2 Old Parish Cemetery, N. Andover 26 Pentucket Cem. Haverhill, MA 1 Riverside (North), Chelmsford 6 St. Patrick’s Cem., Lowell, MA 1 School Street Cem., Lowell, MA 13 Sherburne Cem. Tyngsboro, MA 25 Shirley Center 1 South Burying Gr. Concord, MA 1 Varnum Cem., Dracut 3 West Parish Garden Cemetery, Andover, MA 67 Westlawn, Littleton 1 Woodbine Cemetery, Dracut 9 Wright, Westford 13 Total 376



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The Day Family

NATHANIEL DAY, Jr. of Salem, MA married 31 Mar 1774 at Ipswich, SARAH CHAPMAN of Salem, MA. By 1782, they removed to Shirley, MA where births of their children continued. Their deaths are recorded at Shirley. Sarah (Chapman) Day died 10 Jan 1813, aet 62,27 and Nathaniel Day died 22 July 1824, aet 77.28 On the 16th of July 1824, Nathaniel wrote his will (Middlesex probate 6112) and appointed his son, Joseph, to be executor of his estate. He gave to his three sons, Moses, Amos, and Benjamin, $200. each. He also remembered his daughters. Births, first four at Ipswich, remaining at Shirley, MA; surname DAY: 1. NATHANIEL, Jr., b. 15 Apr 1775 at Ipswich, MA, d. 8 Sep 1789 at Shirley, in

15th year of his age. [G.R.I] 29

2. EUNICE, b. 1775 at Ipswich (twin?, does she belong with this family?) 3. SARAH, b. 22 July 1776 at Ipswich, d. 12 May, 1859 at Shirley. Her gravestone is in the Shirley Center Cem. In the administration (Middlesex Probate 30522) of

her will, John Parks was paid $13.50 for making her gravestone. Benjamin’s children Elizabeth B. Day, Lydia Haskell, Mary Attleton, Thomas C., Jane A., and Sarah H. Danks are all mentioned in the administration.

4. MOSES, b. 02 Feb 1778, at Ipswich, m(1) 1 Jan 1800, Jane Park, of Groton. He m(2) 11 Dec 1817, Anna L. Hobart of Groton. See Chandler’s History of Shirley for births of his 11 children, all born at Groton.

5. AMOS, b. 29 May 1780, at Shirley, MA. Amos, of Shirley, m.(1) 26 Mar 1810 (int), at Harvard, MA, Lydia Garfield, b. 13 Sep 1781, at Harvard, MA, d/o Reuben and Lydia (Symonds) Garfield who were m. 23 Apr 1776 at Harvard. Lydia (Garfield) Day d. 9 Mar 1836, a. 54, at Shirley, MA.30 Amos Day, of Shirley, m(2) 8 June 1837, Lucy Blanchard (Boxborough VRs), who d. 23 Dec 1856, aet 64.31 There is a Middlesex County will dated 1857 for Lucy B. Day of Shirley, #30518. Again, Chandler’s History of Shirley has more on this family. In the inventory of Amos’ estate, (Middlesex Probate #30508) David Nichols was paid $25 for making his gravestone.

Children of Amos and Lydia, all born at Shirley, surname DAY: 1) Nathaniel Chapman, b. 21 Jan 1813, included in Sarah’s administration. 2) Amos Bowman, b. 23 Nov 1814 3) James Orsamus Willard, b. 16 Oct 1817 4) Samuel Livermore, b. 10 Feb 1820 5) Lydia, b. 22 July 1822, m. 31 Jan 1849, Franklin E. Haskell, both of

Lunenburg. 6. EDWARD, b. abt 18 Mar 1782, d. 21 Mar 1782, aged 3 days. [G.R.I, Shirley]32

27 Inscriptions at Shirley Center, NEHGS, The Register, 1903, vol. 57, p. 70, 71 28 Ibid. 29 Ibid. 30 Ibid. 31 Ibid. 32 Ibid.



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7. BENJAMIN, b. 26 Sept 1783, d. 17 Jan 1855 at Lowell, MA, stone carver.

Children of Benjamin and Polly/Mary, born at Salem, MA: 1) BENJAMIN B., b. 21 Dec. 1810. G.R.8 (Howard Street Cemetery). Birth

may have been 4 Dec 1810, d. 1 July 1813 at Salem, MA 2) ELIZABETH, b. 8 Apr 1813. According to Chandler, she was living with

her widowed mother in 1877. As shown above, she was living as late as 1880 in Beverly, MA with her mother.

3) MARY, b. 5 Jan 1815, m. Philip Attleton of Springfield, MA. She d. 20 June 1865 at age 50 of cancer, at Springfield (Mass. VRs. 183-343)

4) SARAH H., b. 21 Apr 1817, m. Joseph C. Danks of Springfield, 1853, r. Cleveland, OH (1875). In the 1880 Federal census, they were living in Hollister, CA.

5) BENJAMIN, b. 7 Feb. 1819. G.R.8, d. 19 Nov 1821. 6) THOMAS C., b. 16 Dec 1820, m. 1844, Elizabeth Boynton Hartwell, b. 17

Oct 1820 at Groton, d/o Jepthah R. and Betsey Hartwell. They resided at Reading, MA where they had four children. Thomas Day died 19 Sep 1873 (See Chandler’s History of Shirley) and Elizabeth, age 54, married (2) 5 Nov 1874, at Reading, David H. Nichols. Elizabeth is buried at Laurel Hill Cemetery, Reading, MA.

7) MARTHA [C?], b. 18 Dec. 1824. G.R.8 or b. 18 Dec 1822? d. 17 Nov 1824. 8) JANE A., b. 29 Nov 1824, m. 25 Jun 1868, Abner Wheeler of Shirley, res.

Ayer, MA. They marriage was recorded at both Salem and Shirley. In 1869, Jane was remembered in her Aunt Rebecca Day’s will. In 1880, Jane and Abner were counted in Ayer, where his occupation was given as brick mason. His death is probably the one at Ayer in 1905 (Mass. VRs. vol. 3, p. 255)

9) REBECCA, b. 7 July 1827, d. 11 Nov. 1833.

8. MARY, b. 27 July 1785, d. 18 Mar 1829, aet. 43. [G.R.I.]33 9. BECCA, b. abt 26 July 1787, d. 30 July 1787 aged 4 days. [G.R.I, Shirley]34 10. JOSEPH, b. 24 Nov 1788, d. 14 July 1847, aet 58 ys.7 ms.21 d. [July 15, G.R.I]35

Joseph was appointed executor of his father’s estate. The inventory of Joseph’s estate showed payment to John Park for two pair of grave stones in the amount of $21.

11. REBACAH, b 30 Aug 1792, d. 28 Sep 1869 at Leominster, unm. Her grave is in the Shirley Center cemetery. In 1869, proceedings were underway to declare Rebecca Day insane. Nathaniel C. Day of Vernon, Windham County, VT, was to be appointed her guardian. Later paperwork showed Nathaniel to be of Montague, MA. When Rebecca wrote her will the 5th item remembered Benjamin’s widow, Mary. “I give and bequeath to Mary Day, widow of my late brother, Benjamin Day, the sum of one-hundred dollars.” The 6th item: “The residue of my property, real and personal, I give and bequeath in equal shares, to Jane S. Simpson, wife of Reubin Simpson, to Augusta Mason, wife of Henry

33 Ibid. 34 Ibid. 35 Ibid.



- 45 -

Mason, and children of my brother, the late Moses Day, to Nathaniel Day, Amos B. Day and Lydia Haskell, wife of Frank Haskell, children of my brother the late Amos Day, To Elizabeth B. Day, Sarah H. Danks wife of Joseph Danks, Jane A. Wheeler, wife of Abner Wheeler, children of my brother the late Benjamin Day those being all to whom I wish to bequeath any portion of my property, not forgetting others who would be heirs to my estate: viz: Thomas A. Day, son of the before married Benjamin, and Susan Kimball and Edwin Day grand children of Moses Day before married and Foster L. Beale great-grandson of said Moses.”

Residences were given as follows: Nathaniel Day was of Montaque, Amos B. Day was of Fitchburg, Lydia Haskell of Leominster, Jane Simpson of Boston and Elizabeth Day of Salem.



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BENJAMIN DAY STONE CARVER 1783-1855BENJAMIN DAY, STONE CARVER (1783 – 1855) One cannot walk...

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