“Biblical legacy meets modern community.” That’s how one might describe Mount Ephraim. But this isn’t about the ancient hills of Israel. We are here at Mount Ephraim, a historic cemetery in Boston.
In 1857, Boston purchased Mount Hope Cemetery. Before that, it was a private cemetery consecrated in 1852. The city was looking to develop a municipal rural cemetery. After some years, they bought Mount Hope Cemetery. It became the first large cemetery the city owned. It spanned 85 acres.
Mount Hope’s design followed the Rural Cemetery Movement. Landscaping and roadway layout received considerable attention. Many tree species were planted. Seasonal floral displays attracted attention. Before Boston’s park system, Mount Hope’s grounds served as a recreation site. People enjoyed passive outdoor activities here.
Mount Hope Cemetery didn’t prosper as quickly as hoped. There was competition from other cemeteries. Public accessibility was not easy. Public perception was low. The site was difficult to develop. Financing was tenuous. The politics of the time were stressful. Despite these obstacles, burials increased. The cemetery acquired more land. This resulted in its current area of 125 acres.
Over the years, special monuments honored groups. These included veterans, Elks, Boston Police, and Odd Fellows. A large expanse of land at the rear of Mount Hope contains unmarked graves. These are the graves of the city’s indigent.
Mount Hope Cemetery gained recognition. On September 25, 2009, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It became a landmark.
In May 2020, remains were moved here. These were the remains of fifty victims of infectious diseases. They came from Gallops Island in Boston Harbor. Storm damage threatened them there. The diseases included smallpox, typhus, and yellow fever. The dead were reinterred in the Graceland section of Mount Hope. Their identities are unknown. They died between 1871 and 1902. The fifty included people of African, Asian, and European origin.
In October 2021, a new memorial headstone was dedicated. It honored African American Civil War nurse Susie King Taylor. The Massachusetts Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War sponsored the ceremony. Boston mayor Kim Janey attended. Originally, the grave marker contained her second husband’s name. Cemetery records indicated she was buried with him in 1912. The new stone includes Taylor’s name and an inscription of her likeness.
Many notable people are interred here at Mount Hope. These include Medal of Honor recipients. David J. Campbell, Leonard Chadwick, and Henry Hendrickson fought in the Spanish-American War. Frank Elmer Smith participated in the China Relief Expedition. William Spicer also fought in the Spanish-American War.
Other noted persons rest here. Elmer Chickering was a photographer. George Dixon was the first Black world boxing champion. Gottlieb Graupner was a musician. The Grimké sisters, Angelina and Sarah Moore, were abolitionists and women’s rights advocates. Rudolf Haffenreffer was a German-American brewer. Roland Hayes was the first African American to sing at Carnegie Hall. Will “Cannonball” Jackman played Negro League baseball. Luther “Georgia Boy” Johnson was a blues guitarist. Abrey Kamoo was a Tunisian-born American physician and Civil War nurse. John Edward Kelly was an Irish Revolutionary. Michael “King” Kelly was a Hall of Fame baseball player. Thomas McKeller was a model for artist John Singer Sargent. Thomas W. Piper was a serial killer. Mary Ella Waller was a novelist. Theodore Dwight Weld was an abolitionist.
Mount Hope Cemetery stands as a testament to Boston’s history. It serves as a final resting place for many. From Civil War nurses to baseball legends, their stories echo through these grounds. As we leave Mount Hope, remember the lives that shaped our city.