HISTORY OF THE VERGENNES BURYING GROUND

The Vergennes Burying Ground, also previously known as The First Cemetery, The Old Cemetery, and the School Street Cemetery, was established circa 1790 and is the oldest cemetery in Vergennes, VT.  The designation and allocation of land for the Vergennes Burying Ground was determined by the Vergennes City Council and the property was deeded to the City. Although the last burial recorded in the cemetery occurred in 1979, the majority of the burials were in the 1800s. 

 

The first attempt to document all of the names of people buried in the cemetery appears to 

have started in 1914 by Hugh McLellan and Henry Harmon Noble. McLellan dedicated years

of his life to transcribing stones and documenting cemeteries across Vermont and surrounding

areas. This compilation is known as "The McLellan Collection." They visited the cemetery in

1948, twice in 1951, and marked it as "completed" in 1962. At the time, it listed 376 stones

and 421 persons. The list is alphabetical but there is no known official map to indicate exactly

where people are buried.

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An update to the list in 1998 showed a total of 377 stones and 423 people, with the additions

of Wayland S (1965) and Lorraine G (1979) Bristol, the last people to be buried there. This 

includes a total of 16 soldiers from the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War. 

 

Arabella Woodbridge Lawrence, a descendant of two early families that settled in Vergennes,

was continually dismayed at the lack of care for the Burying Ground and spearheaded the

transition of the maintenance for the cemetery to the Congregational Church of Vergennes in

the early 1900s. In addition, Arabella also set up a trust to help fund the maintenance of the

grounds and headstones. 

 

In 2014 the Burying Ground was once again in poor condition. The Seth Warner Chapter of

the Daughters of the American Revolution, recognizing the importance of this cemetery and

the need for restoration, began work to clean stones under the guidance of the Vermont

Old Cemetery Association (VOCA). Learning that the Congregational Church was in charge of

the care for the Burying Ground, Susan Ferland met with members of the church to outline the

immediate needs of the property. The Congregational Church was no longer interested in managing the property and Susan unearthed records in the City vault showing the city owned the Burying Ground, along with Arabella Woodbridge Lawrence’s Trust.  Through the work of the city lawyer, Arabella’s trust was transferred to the City and once again the City was charged with the care of the Burying Ground. A new fence, a new name based on the original terminology used in the City records, along with a new sign did a lot to improve the look of the Vergennes Burying Ground. 

 

Several years later, the stained and broken headstones spurred City resident Heather Simons to organize a volunteer crew. In 2023, the team started work again with VOCA to clean and repair stones. After only a year of work, the headstones are whiter, easier to read, and straighter with fewer laying on the ground!  In addition work has continued to create a plot map for the Burying Ground as this documentation is sadly missing along with research to learn more about the people buried therein.  Through education, appreciation, volunteers trained by the Vermont Old Cemetery Association, and fundraising, the ultimate goal for the Vergennes Burying Ground is to have an annual system of maintenance to preserve the history of the early settlers of Vergennes along with the artistry and craft of the stone carvers.