Rhode Island Historical Cemeteries

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FEATURED CEMETERY PHOTO
Photo/Image Courtesy of Rhode Island Historic Cemetery Volunteers
Cemetery NumberJM002
TownJAMESTOWN
Cemetery NameTOWN CEMETERY
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Graves ListDisplay Graves List
LocationNORTH RD
StateRI
DirectionE
Pole Number2
Distance30
Map Number 
Page Number 
Plat Number 
Deed Book 
Deed Page 
Size in Feet400
Size in Feet300
Inscriptions84
Fieldstones40
Tombs 
Exist?YES
Last seen date? 
Newest1975
Oldest1744
VandalismN
Veteran8
PoleG
CommentAt corner with Narragansett Ave. The Town Cemetery at the Four Corners was established in 1710, when the village was platted. We are not sure whether it was established as a non-denominational alternative to the Friends Cemetery or simply to accommodate the families who lived along the Ferry Road, now Narragansett Avenue. The early burials here, and many of the later ones, were of people who lived on Narragansett Avenue. Certainly the house lots along the Ferry Road weren’t appropriate for family burials, so a neighborhood burial ground made good sense. In 1731 John Martin was allowed to use the burying place at the Four Corners for grazing, an efficient way to control growth on the site. To protect the burial ground, he was not allowed to plow it or manure it. John Martin lived next door to the cemetery, and it made sense a few years later to appoint him caretaker and give him the authority to designate where graves could be dug.
Conditiongood
Enclosurestone wall
Gateiron gate
Growthgrass-well kept
Terrainhilly moderate
Cemetery Location
Cemetery Burial Map N/A
 
ADDITIONAL CEMETERY PHOTOS/MAPS