Historic Haverhill Burial Grounds
Pentucket Burial Ground—headstones being supported as they set. Many headstones lay unseen and broken. Efforts are being made to restore these historic and priceless pieces of art. To date about 60 headstones have been attended to and there are still many left to be fixed.
There are stories here...
In the old Bradford Burial Ground is a story of one Ensign Thomas Tenney, who sailed from Rowley, England in 1638, a little less 20 years after the Pilgrims made their voyage. He fought in King Philip's War and held many town offices in Rowley/Bradford, including fence viewer, selectman and constable. One of his four sons, John, helped settle Bradford, and Ensign Thomas came to live with him in his declining years. His son John, co-founder of Bradford and the first church in Bradford, is also buried here.
In the Pentucket Burial Ground are stories.
- • Nathaniel Saltonstall: 1639-1707, a judge who refused to serve in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692.
- • James Brickett: 1738-1818, a surgeon during the French and Indian War. As captain in the Haverhill Artillery Company, he led troops in the Battle of Bunker Hill.
- • Benjamin Rolfe: Killed in 1708 by Indians during a massacre, he was a great-grandfather of Samuel Adams.
Headstone restoration in progress. Teaching our children the importance of caring and preserving history. Erik Peterson and his son Zachary Peterson - Fall 2009
If you stroll through one of these living storybooks, you become humbled by what weather-beaten, decaying slabs of stone and marble have to say. The starkest and saddest stories of all may be the children. So very many died in those days. A stone lists one here, three there...over here this family lost seven!
You are suddenly not quite completely in the here-and-now. You begin to see images in your mind of what life was like for these people; what they did, who they loved and who they mourned—before they themselves were mourned. Comparisons between their life and time and your own come unbidden, and maybe, even for a fleeting moment, you experience a shift in perspective and a better understanding of your own life and those around you.
Erik Peterson standing in Pentucket Burial Ground; Early Fall 2009. He is extremely grateful for the tremendous support that Haverhill's Brightside's has given him to continue caring for this historical site.
These stories are in danger of never being heard again. Time and neglect are muffling their voices.
Fortunately, there are people like Erik Peterson who recognize the importance of Haverhill's old Burial Grounds and work hard to restore and protect them. Haverhill's Brightside is proud to support efforts to preserve this important piece of Haverhill's history. If you would like more information or would like to volunteer some time to help out, please contact us at Haverhill's Burial Grounds.