Weeping Willow: Althea PARMENTER

Parmenter Family
Re-post from 2012

 

Althea PARMENTER, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

 Miss Althea PARMENTER

Althea rests with her parents and siblings in the Evergreen Cemetery in Marlborough, MA.

She was named for her baby sister (#1124) who died three years before she was born (in 1803). Parmenter genealogy # 1126 p. 79) Althea was baptized 21 Sept 1806, having been born the month before and was buried the day after she died.

In memory of/Miss Althea,/daugh.of Mr. Ezekiel/& Mrs. Kezia Parmenter./who died/Feb. 4, 1836,/AEt. 29 yrs. & 6 ms.

Weeping Willow: Sally D. PARMENTER

Parmenter FamilyRe-post from 2012

Sally D. PARMENTER, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

This weeping willow motif with the "headboard and bed posts" is common for the early 19th century slate gravestones. Douglas Keister's book (Stories in Stone, p. 67) tells me that the weeping willow tree represents the Christian gospel because the tree itself will flourish and remain whole no matter how many branches are cut off.

I am using Sally's gravestone today because of the Parmenter Adventure that I began last fall and now have more information about the people who are buried in Marlborough in Evergreen Cemetery. This cemetery is on Wilson St. and is known as Wilson Cemetery because the land was a farm at one time.

Sally Dalrymple PARMENTER 

Buried in the row with her parents (Ezekiel and his wife Keziah Parmenter), is this lovely weeping willow gravestone.

Forever sleeping here is Sally, who sadly died at the age of 24 on December 23, 1836. According to the Parmenter Genealogy (#1129, p. 79) she was born 4 Aug 1812 in Marlborough and was single when she died.

Her heart wrenching verse reads: Alas! another daughter's gone; But we do trust our loss her gain; In full assurance of God's love, She left this World for that above.

Parmenter

Parmenter, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Parmenter Monument at Evergreen Cemetery 

 

I will return to working on the gravestones in the Evergreen Cemetery that are of the surname Parmenter when I can get back to the Goodnow Library in Sudbury to look up the other name in the Parmenter genealogy.

Stay tuned....

Parmenter Children Verse

Parmenter Children Verse, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

This the the verse for Althea and Ezekiel Parmenter's gravestone.

"Sweet babes no more, but seraphs now.
Before the Throne, behold them bow.
Their souls enlarged to Angel's size,
Join in the praises of the skies."

Parmenter Children

Parementer Children, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

 Siblings: Althea and Ezekiel Sidney Parmenter 

 

This is the double grave of two of Ezekiel and Keziah (Parmenter) Parmenter's children who died very young.

Sometimes small children's birth records are hard to find especially if they were not given a first name right away. Althea has a death record and it is indicated that she is buried in this cemetery, which at that time was the Wilson St. cemetery in Marlborough. (GR#5)

Ezekiel Sidney Parmenter was the last child born to this couple and he also has just a death record which indicates this cemetery. Since twenty years passed between the death dates of these siblings, this stone was probably put here in 1823. 

These are in this family to be buried in the Evergreen Cemetery. There were many other children born to Ezekiel and Keziah but they lived to adulthood and are buried elsewhere.

Beloved Daughter, pleasant Child

Beloved Daughter, pleasant Child, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

The verse at the bottom of Emeline's gravestone reads:

Beloved Daughter, pleasant Child,/ Inoffensive, virtuous, mild;/ For Earth too good, to Heaven has flown,/ And left her Friends, their loss to mourn.

Emeline PARMENTER

Emeline PARMENTER, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Emeline Parmenter

Buried in the Wilson St. older section of Evergreen Cemetery is the grave of Emeline Parmenter, another daughter of Ezekiel and Kezia Parmenter.

In memory of/ Emeline./Daughter of Ezekiel &/Kezia Parmenter,/ who died/July 13, 1834./AEt 23 yrs. 11 mos,/ and 27 days. She was called "Emily".

A Weary Pilgrim Rests

A Weary Pilgrim Rests, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Althea Parmenter's Verse

Here a weary Pilgrim rests,/ Reposin (g), on her Saviour's Breast;/ And her spirit soar'd on high,/ To praise her God eternally.

Missed a Letter!

Missed a Letter, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Mistakes must be even worse when carving a gravestone. Good thing there was room next to the n to insert the last letter.

Another Daughter's Gone

Sally D. Parmenter [verse], a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Sally D. Parmenter 

Evergreen Cemetery, Marlborough, MA

 

Alas! another daughter's gone; But we do trust our loss her gain; In full assurance of God's love, She left this World for that above.

Hear Thy Voice No More

Ezekiel Parmenter [Verse], a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Verse from the gravestone of Ezekiel Parmenter

Now partner dear, farewell a while;
The time will surely come,
When we, with all the ransom'd world,
Rest in a Father's home.
Farewell Father, here we leave thee,
And we hear thy voice no more;
But in Heaven we hope to meet thee,
When life's fleeting scenes are o'er.

Jacob HARRINGTON

Jacob HARRINGTON, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Jacob HARRINGTON

died on this day 4 December, 1789

Jacob's gravestone caught my eye because of the date of his death. December 4th is my birthday. Jacob was the son of David Harrington and his wife Mary and was born 10 Feb 1725 in Marlborough, MA. It looks as if he was single. Rest in peace, Jacob.

This is his death record:

Jacob HARRINGTON
Jacob, Dec. 4, 1789, in his 66th year. G,S.5.

Death
Marlborough, MA

 

Ezekiel PARMENTER

Ezekiel PARMENTER, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Ezekiel PARMENTER 

 

Husband of Keziah PARMENTER, son of Jedidiah and Silence PARMENTER, Ezekiel was father of 11 children.

He was born in 1771 in Sudbury probably under the name PARMINTER and married Keziah on 15 Jan 1797 in Framingham. He died 26 August 1843 in Marlborough and he is buried next to his wife in the Wilson St. section of Evergreen Cemetery in Marlborough.


His death record, which lists his name as PARMINTER, says he was married at the time of his death and either died on 23 Aug or 26 Aug with a cause of death as Epileptic Fit.

Be Forever Blest

Keziah Parmenter [Message], a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

 Verse from the gravestone of  Keziah Parmenter Parmenter

Dear children, mourn no more for me,
No more for me repine,
Believe that I am happier far,
Than e'er with you in time:
I've left this world of sin and pain,
And reached a peaceful rest;
'Tis there I trust to meet you all,
And be forever blest.

Keziah PARMENTER

Kezia PARMENTER, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Kezia or Keziah PARMENTER is buried in the Wilson St. section of Evergreen Cemetery in Marlborough, MA. She was the sister of my husband's ancestor Ezra PARMENTER who married Susan or Susannah BROWN.

Kezia whose maiden name was PARMENTER married a PARMENTER!

She was married on 15 Jan 1797 in Sudbury and died, as you can see here, on 26 July 1849 in Marlborough at 75 years of age.

It is not unique in New England for "cousins" to marry. All of the graves in this row are her family. They photographed very well.

To find her birth record, I had to use the name "Thirze" as it was given in the Parmenter genealogy. She is #602 on page 67.

Thirze PARMENTER
Thirze, d. of Joshua, bp. June 26, 1774. C.R.1. Birth/Framingham, MA

Location of Gravestone

Ezra Parmenter [Arrow], a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Locating Ezra Parmenter's gravestone

The location of a gravestone in a area of family is important. This is what is difficult to judge when you are looking at gravestones online taken by volunteers.

Standing behind the first row of gravestone near the Parmenter monument, I took this photo of the location of Ezra and Susannah's gravestone (and those next to it).

Because many women have their maiden names on their gravestones or their married name, it may not be obvious to be able to find all the family members.

First Glance

First Row Parmenters, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Where's Ezra? 

 

At first glance, with using Emily Brady's photos as a guide, I thought this was going to be the easiest graveyard I have ever looked for graves in. I took this photo as I approached the Parmenter monument. (I inwardly groaned at the stones that had fallen over.)

I said to my husband ( remember, these are HIS ancestors), "Oh, good. Piece of cake!" I wanted a cup of coffee. I started to take photos as fast and organized as possible.

He said, "Where is Ezra?" I said, "Oh, I thought he might be behind the monument."

No, he wasn't...

Back of Ezra Parmenter's row

Back of Ezra Parmenter's row, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Footstones Resting Behind Headstones 

This is the back view of the row of Ezra Parmenter's family. Notice that the carekeepers of this cemetery have pulled up the footstones and placed them behind the headstones. This is for easier maintenance of the cemetery.

From right to left:
Jewel, his wife Eliza, Jerusha, and Ezra/Susannah

Old Entrance to Wilson Farm Cemetery

Old Entrance to Wilson Farm Cemetery, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Old Entrance

As you can see the old entrance to the Evergreen Cemetery still exists. You can't drive up it but it does show how people walked in from the street to visit their ancestors.

It reinforced the fact that this was a separate cemetery on farmland in my mind.

Tombstone Tuesday: Daniel Dexter FAY

DSC06108, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

Daniel Dexter FAY 

In the midst of life, we are in death

This simple stone stood out in yesterday's fall sunshine. With no matching graves around him, I wondered why he is buried here alone without a wife or daughter.

His death record stated that he was married and was the son of Daniel P. and Wealthy of Marlborough, born 2 Nov 1831. The 1880 census lists him with a wife and child, working as a stone mason.(wife named Carrie and daughter age 12 named Cora J.)

The death records says he died of alcoholic poisoning and paralysis of the heart. No wife listed but the parents are listed as Daniel P. Fay and Wealthy Morse. The gravestones behind him are of the Morse family.

I hope someone has been looking for this gravestone. He is buried in the Wilson St. section of Evergreen Cemetery.