Chester Village Cemetery, Chester New Hampshire
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The Chester Village Cemetery is remarkable for the number of signed gravestones it contains. In several instances, these stones have served as important documents in identifying early stonecutters; thereby permitting an analysis of the evolution of symbolic content and style in the mortuary art of southeastern New Hampshire and northeastern Massachusetts. The Chester Cemetery contains the only known signed gravestone by stone-cutter Stephen Webster, who was born in Bradford, Massachusetts, and grew up in Chester. This stone, that of Hannah Webster (1762), has led to an analysis of Stephen Webster's stonecutting style and use of symbolism, thereby permitting his work to be differentiated from that of his brother Abel. While the Chester Cemetery contains several slate stones in Stephen Webster's mature style, it also contains many stones of schist, dating from the 1750's, which appear to represent his earlier work. The cemetery also includes one slate stone, apparently by Abel Webster. Abel Webster himself is buried there.
Among the other signed stones in the Chester Cemetery are several by John Marble of Bradford, Massachusetts. These resemble stones carved by John and Thomas Park of Groton, Mass., and illustrate the pervasive influence of the Parks' style on other stonecutters of the region. The cemetery also contains stones signed by Grennell and Walker of Concord, New Hampshire, D. Nichols of Lowell, Mass., and Timothy G. Eastman of Exeter, New Hampshire.
Many of the unsigned stones in the cemetery may be attributed to known makers on stylistic grounds. Among the makers so represented in Chester are John Wight of Londonderry, Enoch Noyes of Newburyport, and John and Thomas Park of Groton.
The comprehensive local and regional collection of gravestones in the Chester Cemetery makes this burying ground one of the most significant in the state, providing an ideal index of style, of the traffic in stones from community to community, and of the spread of symbolism from one region or one stonecutter to another.
The history of burial practices in the area of New Hampshire between the Sea Coast and the Merrimack River is typified and preserved in the Chester Village Cemetery. The early combination of small church and family plots, the designation of a main cemetery, the relocation of burials and/or stones, the shifts in stone material, design, and burial pattern are all part of the cemetery.
The common slate, or fieldstone-sandstone memorials in the southwest section of the cemetery reflect 18th-century trade routes for stones and carvers. As one walks north, the headstones and footstones are replaced by the marble designs and inscriptions of the 19th century. Burial tombs and family plots appear obvious. Continuing north, the centuries mix with the introduction of formal family plots marked by a center stone and surrounded by individual markers and a fence or stone boundary. Throughout the area, we see the incursion into family plots of 19th and 20th century stones and monuments showing a great deal of individuality from simple granite blocks to elaborate sculptures of doves and religious figures. Very old trees in the south end of the cemetery give way to formal Victorian planting in the northern section.
Site Description
The Chester Congregational Church was established in 1730; there were four other churches existing about the same period; burials at this time were made either in plots on the family property, or in graveyards, usually in close proximity to the churches. After the establishment of the Village Cemetery in 1751, the remains of many of the descendants were relocated from church graveyards or family plots to the Village Cemetery.
The Chester Village Cemetery comprises about 2.5 acres on level ground; it is centrally located in Chester, Rockingham County, at the crossroads of New Hampshire state highways 102 and 121. The cemetery is generally in the shape of a rectangle, about 85 yards along Route 121 and about 175 yards along Route 102. The cemetery is composed of 3 purchases and one donation of land; the oldest section, about 1 acre, is known as the "Revolutionary Section", and was purchased from Capt. Jonathan Blunt for 70 pounds in 1751. It occupies all the frontage along Route 121, and about half of the frontage along Route 102. The "Jonathan Dearborn section", about 1/2 acre, abutting the Revolutionary Section along Route 102, was purchased in 1834, and in 1852 the Town purchased the "Coffin French Section", about 1/2 acre, abutting the Jonathan Dearborn section along Route 102. A gift of about 1/2 acre from Amos T. French (French Section) was accepted in 1937; this land abuts the Dearborn and Coffin French Sections on the east side of the cemetery.
The monuments in the Revolutionary Section are found in all sizes, shapes, and compositions, although the majority are slate and sandstone (or fieldstone) and in remarkably good condition, after 2 1/2 centuries of exposure to the elements. The monuments are arranged in dis-continuous and irregular rows, with a few in family plots, and a number in isolated areas. There are several slab-type upright marble monuments, several natural rock boulders, a few with crude lettering thereon, but most unmarked. There are three horizontal granite table tombs (3' x 6') at ground level with elaborate lettering and engraving thereon.
There are many monuments that bear hand-carved images thereon, with a range of styles from the mid-eighteenth to the early 19th century. In addition to the vital data pertinent to the deceased, the monuments bear symbols including death's heads, cherubs, urns, willows, anchors to denote seafaring men, hearts, diamonds, and other geometric designs.
Many monuments have epitaphs thereon, some of a religious nature, some to warn passers-by of their eventual fate, and some which extol the virtues of the person resting therein. A few monuments are double-width, to accommodate the vital data for both husband and wife, mother and child, etc.