Beneath these ancient trees lies a story of community and time. We are standing at the Farmers Cemetery. It is also known as Farmers Burial Ground. Here in Weston Massachusetts, the Farmers Cemetery offers a glimpse into the lives of its earliest settlers.
Farmers Cemetery is Weston’s oldest cemetery. It provides a peaceful refuge in the town center. The cemetery is located at the corner of Boston Post Road and Colpitts Road.
The earliest gravestone belongs to Ensign John Warren. He died in 1703. This was ten years before the town was incorporated.
A walk through the Farmers Cemetery is like walking through an outdoor history and art museum. Some names buried here are easy to recognize. Josiah Smith built the tavern that bears his name. Other names include Nathan Fisk. He bought his farm on North Avenue in 1673.
Two of the first three ministers at First Parish Church are buried here. Rev. Samuel Woodward was beloved. His epitaph is the longest of any. On April 19 1775, word came that British troops had left Boston. They were marching to the countryside. Rev. Woodward rushed to Lamson’s field. One hundred Weston men and three officers had assembled there. He said a prayer then picked up his gun. He marched with the company toward Concord.
Samuel Phillips Savage is also buried at Farmers Cemetery. He has been called Weston’s most prominent patriot. Savage moderated the meeting at Old South Church. That meeting preceded the Boston Tea Party. In 1776, he was put in charge of the Massachusetts Board of War. He served in this capacity until 1781.
The Massachusetts Historical Commission refers to Farmers’ Burying Ground as WSN.800. The cemetery is also referred to as GR3. This is in the “Vital Records of Weston Massachusetts to the end of the year 1849.”
There are approximately 150 gravestones in Farmers Cemetery. The earliest death date is 1703. The most recent is 1871. The gravestones face west. Footstones are on the east end of the grave. This allows the spirit to sit up and face the dawn of a new day on judgement day.
Many of Weston’s burial sites have their footstones still around. This is unusual. Landscaping crews often removed them to make mowing easier.
Some gravestones are marked with Sons of the American Revolution stars and flags. The preservation consulting firm of Fannin-Lehner praised Farmers’ Burial Ground. They called it well-kept. They also noted the handsome slate markers. Some were carved by noted artisans. Daniel Hastings of Newton was one popular carver.
However, Fannin-Lehner noted that Farmers’ Burial Ground suffers from the ravages of time. Many gravestones and footstones require conservation. The stones are tilting broken fallen or delaminating. The stonewalls around the cemetery need some rebuilding.
In Farmers Burial Ground, there is a small area near the trees. It holds the graves of those who died from smallpox.
Take a moment to appreciate the history. Consider the lives of those who rest here. Farmers Cemetery serves as a reminder. It shows us the passage of time. It shows us the importance of remembering our past.