PATRIOTS DAY 2024 / April Deaths and Burials at the Grand Trunk Cemetery

      On this April 15th, 2024, Patriots Day is celebrated in recognition of the actions that propelled colonists into a great war for independence; the Revolutionary War.  In honor of their service, five Veterans who are interred at the Presumpscot/Grand Trunk Cemetery, had flags placed near their grave markers.

    Over the last several years, I have come to realize that Joseph Merrill, who we initially recognized for his participation in the War of 1812, at nearly sixty years of age, also served in the Revolutionary War as a young man.

 

   

    

    The stories of these Patriots lives can be found in the pages of this blog and I invite readers to search for them if you are so inclined.  The gesture of placing flags is a small one but I hope it serves to remind readers of the significance of the devotion to service of these Veterans.

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    There were five deaths of men and women who lived in the East Deering village and are interred at the Presumpscot/Grand Trunk Cemetery.  Among them, is also our Patriot Joseph Merrill who died in the month of April.

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Daffodils planted in the Fall are beginning to blossom and bloom!

PLEASE SAVE THE DATE

SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024

1 PM - 3 PM

    Our Annual Spring Cleanup at the GTC will take place and all are invited to spend an afternoon beautifying this small, sacred burial ground.  It is shortly  before Memorial Day, so we will hold a mini ceremony to honor all our Veterans by reading their names and placing flags at their markers. 

   I hope those of you who are local, willing and able will come.  I will keep you posted with more details soon.

MARCH DEATHS/BURIALS AT THE GRAND TRUNK CEMETERY REMEMBERED

    During the month of March there were seven recorded deaths and burials at the Presumpscot/Grand Trunk Cemetery. The oldest recorded death, 214 years ago is that of Simon Davis, born in Paxton, Massachusetts on September 2, 1765, and died at the age of 44 years, in East Deering Village on March 17, 1810.  Simon Davis was a veteran of the Revolutionary War and the grandfather of a Massachusetts Governor.

    Over the course of this project to retain the memory of men, women and children who lived and died in this area of Portland, only 47 names survive in record of the nearly 200 burials  that took place.

   

    Today we raise up these individuals to be remembered for adding, by their lives, to the history of a place and long ago time.  

    Two hundred years ago, two young people died this month.   Warren Small, born April 21, 1804, died at the age of 19 years, shortly before his 20th birthday on March 1, 1824.  On March 25, 1824, 23 years old Nancy Merrill died.  Unfortunately, very little is known about how or why this young man and woman died, at what some would regard, as the prime of their lives.

    Two hundred and six years ago. Lieut. Crispus Graves, a veteran of the Revolutionary War, who was born c, 1742,  died at the age of 76 on March 14, 1818.  Two other members of his family also died in the month of March.  

    Abigail Graves Sawyer, Lieut. Graves oldest daughter was born on August 13, 1765, and died at the age of 88 years on March 10, 1848.  His namesake, and grandson, Crispus Graves was born c. 1816 and died at the age of 63 years old on March 15, 1879.

       Finally, one hundred and thirty-four years ago, Elizabeth Ann Sawyer Frank died on March 14, 1890 at the age of 70 years old.

    It is my hope that readers will search through the posted pages of this blog to read more about these individuals.  The post from March 2023 contains additional information about these seven men and women.

FEBRUARY DEATHS REMEMBERED OF THOSE INTERRED AT THE PRESUMPSCOT/GRAND TRUNK CEMETERY

 Author's Note: I want to begin this post with a happy acknowledgement

of a donation made to the Maine Old Cemetery Association by Michael and Doreen Chapman on behalf of the restoration work done on behalf of the Presumpscot/Grand Trunk Cemetery. The project begun some 14 years ago by two highschool Senior Girl Scouts, Samantha Allshouse and Kayla Theriault, continues through the support of Portland Girl Scout Troops, and members of the Friends of the Grand Trunk Cemetery to this day.

The donation will contribute to the MOCA Memorial Fund and further the Association's goals in preserving Maine's old cemeteries.

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    We acknowledge and remember four deaths and burials in the month of February:

    SUSANNA BARTON SAWYER, born in 1765, and died aet. 40 years 

on February 6, 1805.

    SAMUEL BLAKE, born August 3, 1793, and died aet. 52 years on

February 14, 1846.

    ANN AMBLER MOSELEY,born c. 1799 in England, and died aet. 57 years

on February 24, 1856.

    ISAAC SAWYER, SR.,born February 14, 1684 in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and died one day before his 88th birthday, on 

February 13, 1772.  Isaac Sawyer, referred to as Father Sawyer in the journal of the Rev. Dean who attended his funeral and burial on February 15, 1772.

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    Followers of this blog will find a post about Isaac Sawyer dated February 13, 2019, and which contains information about the Sawyer brothers who settled in what is now Portland and South Portland, having migrated up the coast from Gloucester between 1719 and 1725.

    Please find and read previous posts published about the other deceased mentioned if you wish to know more about each of them.  My hope is that this is a way of keeping their memory alive.

January Deaths Remembered

  am re-posting this piece in remembrance of Eva Ella Boothby, age 27 months old and Irish School Master, Timothy Galvin who died in this month of January, and are interred at the Presumpscot/ Grand Trunk Cemetery. Readers may wish to follow up with articles published in The Remnnant.

REMNANTGTC.BLOGSPOT.COM

January Deaths: In Memorium: Eva Ella Boothby and Timothy Galvin

Christmas Wreaths at the Presumpscot/Grand Trunk Cemetery 2023 /Remembering December Deaths and Burials

    It has been our custom to place wreaths  in four locations at the GTC to honor the dead of long ago.  It occured to me, as it may have to followers of this blog, that the earliest residents of this cemetery probably did not celebrate Christmas; at least those who were born of Puritan stock,  in the early 18th century.  

    However, the wreath is a symbol of hope and unending connection, and so we choose to remember those men and women who lived and died in this East Deering area of Portland, and remain connected to us who live here and now.

     We also remember the six men and women who died during this month of December by re-posting the article from January 2023.

I wish each and everyone a wonderful holiday season and best wishes for a peace-filled and hope-filled New Year 2024.

Remembering MaryAnn Barbour's Death

    There is only one recorded death and burial at the Presumpscot/Grand Trunk Cemetery in the month of October.  Mary Ann Barbour died on October 7th, 1855, at the age of 27 years, 11 months, one month before her 28th birthday in November.

    Mary Ann Barbour was the oldest daughter, one of twelve children born to JohnBarbour, (1801 - 1869) and Jane Moses Morse Barbour, (1806 - 1881).

Her paternal grandparents were:  John M. Barbour, (1773 - 1850)  and Anna Huston Wilson Barbour, (1774 - 1881).  Her maternal grandparents were:  Capt. Ephraim Morse, (1764 - 1843) and Rachel Noyes, (1771 - 1849.)

    Unfortunately, I could not find an obituary for Mary Ann, nor does  the early death record indicate the cause of her death.  The actual location of her grave is unknown.  We do know that her father John Barbour was probably buried near his young daughter.

    The Barbour family has a long history in the city of Portland dating back to 1718.  The first were James and John Barbour  listed among the 15 soldiers who were charged with re-settling the town after the French and Indian Wars.

    We commit to keeping the memory of these early inhabitants alive despite of how little we are able to glean from sparse records.

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    Sunday, October 29, 2023 was the date chosen for our Annual Fall Cleanup and Planting Party at the Grand Trunk Cemetery.  It was re-scheduled because of bad weather from the previous week, which probably limited the number of people who could participate.

    We were hoping for a bright, sunny day.  This was not the case!  It was raining at noon, drizzling still at 1 PM when the first participants walked across the wet soccerfield.

    None-the-less, eight stalwart ladies arrived ready for the task at hand. A lot of bags were filled with leaves, and well over two hundred bulbs were planted at the Presumpscot/Grand Trunk Cemetery.

  One of the intentions of this blog is to publish a record of the continued attention paid to, and care of, the Presumpscot/Grand Trunk Cemetery and those who provide it. Here are pictures from the event.

  Joel and I, and the city of Portland are grateful to Sarah Sweeney, Leader of Girl Scouts of Maine Troop 1061 and Abby S., Abby A., Halina O, Emma S.., Ava C., and Page S. Also, thank you to Monique Prevost, Leader Troop 1423. Your service today honored those people who lived long ago and are interred at this historic burial site.

September Deaths and Burials at the Grand Trunk Cemetery

 WEAVING THE THREADS OF MEMORY

    There were eight deaths and burials during this month of September of residents of 'Back Cove' or East Deering over the course of 89 years from 1804 to 1893.  Although this may seem a small number, it is but a reminder that these few names that have survived in record, are among 47 out of the nearly two hundred  people who were interred at this cemetery.

    Three of the deceased are very young children: two toddler boys, and a five year old girl, the daughter of the Irish school master who once lived in a small house with a shop on what is now, Veranda Street in Portland.

    *Harriot Galvin was the second oldest child to be born  to Timothy (1766 - 1836/8), and Joanna Illsley Galvin (1769 - 1840) in July of 1800.  She died on September 21, 1805.  The original monument erected in her memory read:  "Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven."

    *John Gould/Goold Blake was the son of Samuel (1793 - 1846) and Martha Gould/Goold Blake (1783 -1857).  John was born in August 1824, and died on September 25. 1827 at the age of 3 years and one month old.

    *Joseph Merrill Sawyer, Jr.  was born on October 10, 1832 to Joseph M. (1795- 1875) and Dorcus Whittam Sawyer (1801 - 1856.)  The little boy died on September 27th, 1835, 13 days prior to his 3rd birthday.

    Unfortuately,  there isn't any recorded information about the cause of these children's deaths.

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    A husband and wife, married by the Rev. Samuel Deane on February 22nd, 1785, died in the same month of September but thirty years apart.  She, Jane Lunt, never remarried.

    *Joseph Lunt, a veteran of the Revoultionary War, owner of merchant sailing vessels, including one named for his wife, "The Jane", was born on April 3, 1757, the youngest  son of James (1718 -1799) and Hannah Noyes Lunt (1720 - 1761.)  He was described as a 'charitable friend to anyone in need ',who died at the age of 48 on September 15, 1804.

    *Jane Noyes Lunt, was born in 1764 to Col. Peter Noyes (1731 - 1796) and Hannah Merrill Noyes (1728 - 1803.)   The couple had one son, Peter Lunt.

    The Lunt and the Noyes families resided on farms along what is now Ocean Avenue but their property boundary lines extended down to, and including land where the Presumpscot/Grand Trunk  Cemetery is today.  The division of property was drawn up by Timothy Galvin around 1831.

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    The last three deaths are those of three women, wives, mothers and grandmothers who died between 1849 and 1893.

   *Elizabeth Webb Sawyer was born on September 3, 1782 the daughter of John (1754 - 1846) and Sarah Leighton (1758 - 1830).   Elizabeth  was the wife of Brackett Sawyer (1775 - 1851).  The couple were married by the Rev. Caleb Bradley on January 10, 1805.  During their 46 years of marriage, five children were born to the couple.  Elizabeth outlived her husband by 13 years.

   *Tabitha Cutter Graves, was born c. 1782 , a daughter of Ebenezer and Tabitha Cutter who records show,  lived in North Yarmouth and Falmouth.  On May 1, 1808, the Rev. Caleb Bradley married  Tabitha Cutter and Andrew Graves (1774 - 1860.)   Five children were born to the couple.  In their older years, Tabitha and Andrew sold property to their son, Crispus Graves who agreed to care for them until their deaths.

    *Frances Baker Boothby, was born on March 23rd, 1815, the daughter of John and Mariam Sawyer Baker (1783 - 1869).  On April 3, 1839, Frances married  Silas Boothby (1815 - 1867.)   Frances and Silas  brought six children into the world during their 28 years of marriage.  Frances Boothby outlived her husband by 26 years, dying on September 20th, 1893 at the age of 78 years.  When Maine finally achieved statehood in 1820, Frances Baker  was five years old.

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    I have heard it said, that repeating the names of those who died long ago, assures that their memory will not be lost.  I hope by sharing a little bit about these people, that they will not be forgotten, at least by readers of this post.