Cemeteries of Putnam, Connecticut
After town organization, the lack of a suitable burial place was
painfully apparent. Having in his possession near his residence a tract of
land (a part of the old "Mighill Farm," Killingly) which he deemed
especially suitable for this purpose, Chandler Spalding offered it to the
town for a public burying ground. The town instructed its selectmen to
purchase the ground, but its many urgent burdens and expenses compelled
delay and reconsideration, during which interval Mr. Spalding proceeded to
lay out the land and prepare a cemetery. July 4th, 1856, the first
interment was made. Many persons secured lots, and the ground was
constantly improved and beautified by Mr. Spalding till, in 1866, he
conveyed it to the Putnam Cemetery Association, formed by citizens of the
town desirous of having said cemetery hereafter well cared for, protected
and further improved and enlarged. These desires have been satisfactorily
accomplished, and the Putnam Cemetery is regarded with much interest and
pride, and is every year freshly consecrated by memorial prayers and
offerings. President of the association, Otis E. Keith; secretary and
treasurer, Charles N. Fenn.
A little east of the modern cemetery, overgrown and enmatted with tangled
shrubs and vines, is the lot of land given to the town of. Killingly for a
burial place by its most honored citizen, Peter Aspinwall. Mouldering
stones bearing the names of the earliest settlers of this vicinity, are to
be found there. Killingly's choicest worthies, Captain Joseph Cady and
Justice Joseph Leavens, its first ministers, Reverends John Fisk, Perley
Howe and Aaron Brown, its town fathers and town mothers for at least two
generations, were interred in this time honored grave yard. A tombstone
under a spreading pine tree tells the sad fate of the young bride of
Othniel Brown, August 13th, 1786:
That awful day, the hurricane
When I was in my prime
Blew down the house, and I was slain
And taken out of time."
The laying out of other burial grounds led to the partial abandonment and
neglect of this most interesting ground, but recently it has received more
attention, and it is hoped that it may be more thoroughly restored as an
unique memorial of the past.
The Pomfret Factory burying ground, on the Pomfret road, west of the
former home of Mr. Wilkinson, is no longer in existence. This land was
probably devoted to this purpose by Captain Cargill, his little
granddaughter, Laura Waldo. being the first person there buried. Included
without reservation in the sale of the Cargill land, it was freely used by
persons in the vicinity, particularly by the descendants of Captain John
Sabin. As the old families became extinct and the land more valuable, it
was devoted to other uses. Such stones as were sufficiently preserved were
removed to the new cemetery.
The cheerful and well kept burial ground at Putnam Heights is of
comparatively modern origin. The first person buried there was Captain
Luther Warren, who died August 9th, 1839. The venerated pastor, Priest
Atkins, was also buried there, and many of the later residents of the
village and vicinity.
Back to: Putnam, Windham County,
Connecticut History
Source: History of Windham County, Connecticut,
Bayles, Richard M.; New York: W.W. Preston, 1889 Back to: Windham County, Connecticut
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