Older cemeteries with New England DEATH ANGELS

[Cal-to-NH]

Hi folks: I have reviewed the posts from 2005 discussing cemeteries in the area - mostly referencing book resources. My question is much simpler as I have visitors coming out in April and they have asked - of all things - to see some real new England Death Angel style headstones. As I live in Moultonborough, I was hoping that I could find some between Meredith to Tuftonboro. The Town and Historical Websites don't help at all. I guess I am looking for the OLDEST cemeteries in the area. As I recall from Southern New England these headstones start in the late 1600s, evolve over an 80 - 100 year period from what are called "evil" death angels - basically skulls with wings, to "friendly" death angels with round, smiling faces with wings. They seem to be gone entirely as you near the 1800s. I remember driving through Center Harbor and I think I see some slate headstones that seem to be the right shape to have a death angel on top - near the gazebo. From the road they look pretty beat-up... I have found basically nothing from the town sites and doing a search on the forum has come up empty. I was hoping some of you long-timers could direct me to the right places? I am putting this in the "General Discussion" hoping I can get more hits than the "history" section... I know that the Lakes Region, as most of Northern New England, was settled much later than Southern New England, and I guess it's possible that cemeteries up here were after the "death angel" period but I was sure hoping we have some, even if they are only at the small "family" ones that are everywhere. Can anyone help?

[surfnsnow]

there is an old cemetery in Melvin on Sodom rd in Melvin village about a 1/4 mile in on the left from 171 that might have what you're looking for. haven't been there in years but used to scare the hell out of us kids long ago

[ghfromaltonbay]

Red Hill Cemetery on Bean Road on the Sandwich/Moultonborough line has many old graves. I remember seeing stones with pineapples & willow trees on them. Don't know about Death Angels. The actor Claude Rains is also buried there as he owned a home close by.

[Cal-to-NH]

Excellent leads and close to me as well! This is fantastic - very appreciative. I am going to have to pre-screen these before my visitors come, as the mud season is close upon us.

Yes, the Willows and Pineapples were next in order for the local artisans after the Death Angels went out of fashion. I have seen many of them as well and I think they are also quite nice to look at....

Any other leads?

[garysanfran]

Go to "Author's Ridge or Poet's Hill" in Sleepy Hollow...

Bring a small pint of brandy. If you don't consume it, leave it on the headstones of Henry David Thoreau or Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott, Nate Hawthorne...You know...The gang!

They REALLY appreciate it...Do it after July, bring a pre-roll...

[garysanfran]

Just an oddity I've always wanted to know more about. Buried on the right side of Watson Rd. before it turns into Scenic Dr. toward The Weirs. First left heading south off Rt3. just after Tamarack Drive-In. Just there all alone on the side of the road. Spec is that the road was put in after he was buried on some private land. Someone keeps the flag well.

[hoopdawg]

Here is an artical on them

http://www.histarch.illinois.edu/ply...eathshead.html

[Reilly]

Weirs Rd Gilford , mid 1700's to Early 1800's my property surrounds it

[dpg]

Visitors want to see cemeteries? Hmmm ok......

[jbolty]

Originally Posted by ghfromaltonbay

Red Hill Cemetery on Bean Road on the Sandwich/Moultonborough line has many old graves. I remember seeing stones with pineapples & willow trees on them. Don't know about Death Angels. The actor Claude Rains is also buried there as he owned a home close by.

I think the other cemetery on Bean Rd may have older graves, they are almost next to each other.

[joey2665]

There is an old cemetery of Parade Road (Route 106) near the intersection of Elm not far from the entrance to South Down, in Laconia.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by dpg

Visitors want to see cemeteries? Hmmm ok......

I've a colleague who keeps a blog chronicling his visits to famous graves.

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[Airedale1]

Very early (1600's) grave stones in Portsmouth.

[C-Bass]

Going up old mountain road in sandwich, close to 25 side on the right is an overgrown cemetery, likely pretty old. Not sure who is buried, nor I care to in there find out but, good luck.

[wobbelbill]

The New Hampshire Old Graveyard Association publishes a list of most (if not all) known burial sites and cemeteries in the state by town. NHOGA.com will get you to the webpage.

[jbolty]

There is a tiny very old cemetery on one of the many dirt roads criss crossing sandwich and tamworth, has maybe 20 stones. Most look like 1700s maybe early 1800s. Drove buy it a couple years ago and there was a brand new grave. Kind of freaked me out for some reason.

[Pineedles]

I believe there are headstones in the Friends Quaker Cemetery that you are looking for here. Out of Center Harbor take rt. 25 toward Moultonborough, then take 109 which will become Wentworth Hill Road. About a mile before reaching Center Sandwich the cemetery is on the right. I've attached pictures to help you find it, and circled the area in red. My Grandparents and great great grandfather are buried there. Hint, you have to lift the wooden gate slightly to gain access. Good hunting.

[Spider Girl]

Don't know about this area, but the cemetery in Amherst, NH, has a bounty of old headstones with death angels.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by Spider Girl

Don't know about this area, but the cemetery in Amherst, NH, has a bounty of old headstones with death angels.

Can you tell me where? We're in Merrimack and would like to check them out.

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[Cal-to-NH]

Many thanks to all who have given me these jewels. I have learned the following from your ideas.

- I have a book on the older towns and older streets in the area. Some of your sites (not surprisingly) are on these (i.e. Parade Road, 109/old 109, 25, Bean, the Weirs, etc...)

- I got a lot of looking around to do before my visitors come as these areas are (again not surprisingly) pretty stretched out around here. Luckily the thaw seems to be coming soon.

- I am now sure I can at least find the "Willow" stones (post-date the death angels) as some of you have seen them.

- And Gary might be spending Way too much time in San Fran

[thinkxingu]

Please be sure to post your findings--I may be interested in checking these out, too!

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[thinkxingu]

Posted about this in my town's forum and someone suggested this: http://www.nhoga.com/

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[Spider Girl]

The cemetery right behind the Amherst Town Hall, directly across from the Franklin Pierce house is very old and has death angel headstones. Amherst was an original land grant to Lord Jeffrey Amherst, and it is full of old history.

[Cal-to-NH]

Hi Folks

So sorry it took me so long to post. I have the follow-up that was asked for.

The bottom line is that the local cemeteries between Laconia and the Lakes Towns have many headstones with the latter "Willows" images, but sadly no death-angels - and I now know the reason why.

Between 1688 and 1768 there were a series of 4 Wars between England and France which were fought here as a surrogate war between English New England and French Canada (We called them the French and Indian Wars and Canada calls it the Wars of Conquest.).

Bottom line is that while Southern New England and the seacoast-accessible towns of NH and ME were pretty much settled (and safe from the interior), our beautiful region was in the great "disputed zone" between the two factions and very unsafe to be in. The Natives up here were restless, you could say (another way of saying it is that they weren't really on our side!).
Between War #3 and #4 there was a peace between 1748 - 1754 where most of the towns up here were incorporated by the Masonian Proprietors but nobody much came - and the break-out of the 4th war pretty much delayed real settlement until after 1768.

The headstone death-angel period of the 1680s - 1740s was entirely missed up here, but as was noted in this thread we caught the "Willow" period. I went to the cemeteries off of old Rt 109 and Route 106 and found some stones dating back to the 1820 - 1830 range but that was it. So go South were settlement was better established, more easily supplied by the sea, and situated geographically to ride-out the hostilities . We ain't got no death-angels here.....

Interesting that the local Historical Society couldn't help me when I reached-out.

[Airedale1]

Originally Posted by Cal-to-NH

Hi Folks

The headstone death-angel period of the 1660s - 1730s was entirely missed up here,

I know of at least one cemetery from that time period in the town of Pembroke on North Pembroke Road.

[wobbelbill]

You might want to check with THE NH OLD GRAVEYARD group; their website has a very complete list of cemeteries throughout the state, and someone there may have specific info on ages/ stone designs, etc