The World 113022

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Three of Northfield’s eleven cemeteries: Clockwise from upper left - Richardson Cemetery (1800-
1846), Robinson Cemetery (1802-1906), Stanton Richardson’s gravestone, Loomis Cemetery (circa
1814-1906).
Northfield Cemeteries - Part
By Linda deNeergaard and Mary Comiskey
with technical support from Karen
Halsted
Death is not the end of life. We all move
on to whatever comes next. The treasures
that we leave behind are left to those who
survive us. Unless the departed has left specific
directives, the survivors will decide how
to handle the burial and other details. Many
of the funeral customs were impossible to
replicate. If a death occurred in generations
past, the family probably buried the remains
somewhere on their land. It became obvious
that a common burial place would be a practical
solution. Neighbors stepped forward to
donate land for a cemetery. Neighborhood
cemeteries soon became common. In Northfield,
Richardson, Robinson, Loomis, Four
Corners, and Aldrich/West Hill cemeteries
were soon established for use. The cemeteries
were and still are laid out in an east-west
fashion. The deceased was placed facing east.
They believed that when that person rose on
the day of judgement, he would be facing God
to be resurrected. Headstones were placed behind
the head of the deceased.
Richardson Cemetery - (1800-1846) Richardson
is probably the oldest remaining cemetery
in Northfield. It began as Stanton Richardson’s
family burial ground. He invited his
neighbors to make use of his land overlooking
the east side of the Dog River when he donated
the property in 1811. It was in use from
1800 to 1823. In time, most of the bodies were
removed and reinterred in Mount Hope and
Elmwood cemeteries to reunite families. Today
there are seven graves remaining in this
smallest graveyard. Amos Brown buried his
young wife, Anna Wakefield Brown (1776-
1815), leaving two young children. The cemetery
is located on the Norwich University’s
soccer fields. It has been lovingly restored by
the generosity of members of the Northfield
Historical Society. Stanton’s original slate
marker (with a gunshot hole in it) is on display
in the Paine House.
Robinson Cemetery - (1802-1906) The Robinson
Cemetery is one of Northfield s oldest
• • •
cemeteries. Amos Robinson, the first settler
of Northfield, donated hilltop land located
near his homestead on Robinson Road in the
southeast corner of town. Many prominent
first settlers are buried there. This includes
members of the Robinson, Averill, and Hedges
families and many others. There are more
than 100 graves in this cemetery. The cemetery
is owned and maintained by the town.
Our first doctor, Nathaniel Robinson (1759-
1813), died during a measles epidemic.
By the 1920’s Barre grey granite replaced
marble. Floral designs and religious symbols
were popular. Epitaphs were fewer, with
noted affiliations or services of the deceased
noted.
Loomis Cemetery - (circa 1814-1906) Loomis
was in use from the early 1800’s until
1906. Eleazer and Dyer Loomis were early
settlers in this area and probably donated their
land. Prominent early settlers, including the
Loomises, the Bucks, and the Hedges, are interred
here. There are 25 legible gravestones
and 61 partial gravestones remaining. It is located
on Onion River Road, off Berlin Pond
Road. This cemetery is managed and owned
by the Town of Northfield. Loomis Cemetery
was restored as part of a Boy Scout Eagle
Project. This included clearing brush and other
maintenance. The workers did not clean or
disturb the fragile gravestones.
Northfield s early gravestones were made
from the abundant slate available in Northfield
Slate was used until the mid to late 1830’s. This
period of gravestone art consisted of willows,
urns, ornate borders, and epitaphs. By the mid
1800’s marble became very popular and replaced
slate here. Simpler designs using flora
and religious symbols occurred. Examples are
angels, praying hands, flowers, etc. Epitaphs
became religious and hopeful.
The remaining eight cemeteries will be
covered in future articles.
Interested in more Northfield History?
Consider supporting the Northfield Historical
Society with a “household membership” of
$25 annually. Visit https://nhsvt.org for more
information!
Volume III of Vermont Almanac Has Been Published
The third edition of Vermont Almanac has
been published and is now being shipped to
readers and delivered to local bookstores.
The book features all new stories about and
by a new cast of Vermont farmers, writers,
loggers, artists, scientists, poets, thinkers, and
doers. In all, more than 70 Vermonters contributed
stories to Volume III.
Vermont Almanac, which is produced by
For the Land Publishing, a Vermont non-profit
organization, tells “stories from and for the
land.” Editors Virginia Barlow, Dave Mance
III, and Patrick White collate this annual look
at the people, places, nature, climate, traditions,
innovations and resilience of rural Vermont
– past, present, and future. With nearly
300 pages of content, organized into monthly
chapters, there’s something (many things,
actually) for anyone with an appreciation for
this place we call home.
Learn how to build an apple ladder from
a popple pole; how to score a whitetail rack;
how to dye fiber with madder roots. Look
back on the year that was and learn why the
brutal mud season of 2022 was so bad; remember
the dry spring and early summer and
learn how farmers coped; remember the white
pine pollen clouds in May and the odd tornadic
weather in July. Visit with the people who
work this land. A mobile mechanic who keeps
farmers working. A cheese maker who lost
everything only to rise again. A berry farm
that harvests 40,000 pounds of fruit annually.
There’s quirk (Joe Citro takes a look back
at a fat men’s club that loomed large in Wells
River in 1903), humor (Bill Torrey takes us to
his childhood deer camp), and gorgeous essays
by some of Vermont’s best writers, including
Megan Mayhew Bergman, Castle Freeman Jr.,
Sydney Lea, Verandah Porche, Brett Ann Stanciu,
Leath Tonino, and many others. Beautiful
art by Adelaide Tyrol, Dianne Shullenberger
and others, as well as stunning photography,
frames the text of the book.
• • •
Vermont Maple Conference continued from previous page
health, marketing and media and maple production
and innovation.
The Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’
Association (VMSMA), founded in 1893, is
one of the oldest agricultural organizations in
the United States and represents over 1,000
members. The VMSMA helps to promote and
protect the branding of pure Vermont maple
products and to serve as the official voice for
Vermont sugar makers. Our members take
great pride in maintaining a prosperous maple
industry and a working landscape that future
generations will enjoy. Vermont sugar makers
produce over 2 million gallons of maple
syrup annually (about one half of the production
in the United States). More information
at www.VermontMaple.org.
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Due to market conditions all items may not be available.
We will provide substitutes when possible.
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November 30, 2022 The WORLD page 7