THE GROVE STREET CEMETERY

Don Malcarne, Town Historian

During the past few months the vault at the Grove Street Cemetery has been rebuilt,  renovated, and improved. This work was accomplished by the A.J. Shea Construction Company and Mr. Duane Perrault. It entailed initially, removing all the outside granite stones and labeling them for exact replacement. The exterior of the vault was then rebuilt and reinforced. The face stones were put back in exactly the same position with the mortar trim duplicating the original. The vault doors were repaired, and finally the dirt was removed from the top of the vault and a drainage system installed. Why was all this work done? What is this cemetery all about?

The repairs were required for a very simple reason: the three walls of the vault were all essentially "collapsing" (it is built into the side of a hill, so there is no fourth wall). The Town of Essex is responsible for this particular place by default, for it is abandoned property, and has maintained it for many years. The formal process of making it "officially" town property has already been initiated by First Selectman Peter Webster. The impetus for repair first came from Mr. Chris Yoder, a career United States Army person, currently serving in Saudi Arabia. Although Mr. Yoder is from Michigan, he is a descendant of people buried here, and was curious about what could be done to improve the condition of the entire cemetery. He volunteered to try and raise money to start repairs. Subsequently, money came from his campaign, the Essex Historical Society, and a very generous anonymous donor. This allowed our town to do the work with a minimum of expense, for approximately two-thirds of the cost originated from these three sources.

The next questions concern the history of this cemetery. Why is it here, who is buried here, who was responsible for it at its inception, etc. Initially, let me state that I consider this to be one of the most important artifacts (historically speaking) in the lower valley. It is a final representation of Essex (or Potapoug, as it once was called) during the heyday of wooden sailing ship building. Some of the people interred here are among the most prominent to ever live in town, and were highly influential in local ship construction and financing. The three main people, Mr. Henry Champlin, Mr. Joseph Hill, and Mr. Joseph Hill Hayden are extraordinary examples.

Joseph Hill turned over one acre of land he owned here to a group of trustees for use as a cemetery, because, "of the good will that I have for the inhabitants of the borough of Essex" (Saybrook Land Records 31/202 - 10/20/1842). The trustees were Henry L. Champlin (first President of the Essex Savings Bank), Elias Redfield, Richard P. Williams, Samuel Hayden, and the famous Sea Captain Joseph Post. Mr. Hill specified that vaults were to be built, that the front walls were to be kept in constant repair, and that there must be "proper gates" (where have they gone?). He was an attorney, financier, politician, and one of the wealthiest people ever to live in our town. Indeed, Hill's Academy was named for him. He resided in the "Colonel Hill Estate" on North Main Street at the intersection of Prospect, diagonally across from the A.G. Edwards building. His former homestead now consists of apartments with adjacent condominiums. Ironically, the cemetery's date of construction (early 1840s) corresponds to the rise of the Industrial Revolution, and the "sunset" of the pre-industrial period, which was when Essex had so much affluence and influence. Therefore, as I have indicated, this burial yard is very symbolic. A total of thirty three persons were buried here, most being members or descendants of the Hayden family. Their surnames are Hayden, Hill, Champlin, Kelly, Chapman, Thompson, and Pratt. The last interment was in 1887. Mr. Hill named this the "GROVE CEMETERY". There was no Grove Street at this time, so it is very revealing that this street was named after the cemetery. The road that did go through here in 1840 was not formally named, and was referred the road from the home of Joseph Hill Hayden (currently Schenck, adjacent to the Library) to the New City, as that area of town was once known.

As the various trustees passed away, apparently no provision was made for the care of this cemetery. The Cheney family subsequently took up the mantle, overseeing it for many years. As a matter of fact in the 1929 Essex tax lists, it is called the Cheney Cemetery, although there was no ownership involved. After the Second World War, the town was left with its care and has maintained it since. The ultimate plan is to fix up the rest of this burial ground and designate it as an historical place, for all to visit and appreciate.

In brief summary, thanks must go to First Selectmen Bruce Glowac and his successor Pete Webster, Dick Gamble and the Board of Finance, as well as those mentioned in the first part of this article for their interest and assistance. It is a classic example of how involvement and volunteering by citizens of Essex make things better, and rightfully allow us to be "The Best Small Town In America". If anyone has questions about the Grove Street Cemetery, please be in touch with me. My phone number is 767-1191.