Greenwood Cemetery, Hamilton Ohio
When the City of Hamilton was laid out in 1794 by Israel Ludlow, one and one-half acre of land was set aside for church and burial purposes. Ten years later, another burying ground was established in Rossville, on the west bank of the Great Miami River. This allotment of land was sufficient to handle the burial needs of the region until Hamilton and Rossville began to grow at unprecedented rates. In 1828, the Miami Canal linked Hamilton to a number of other cities and markets, greatly increasing the community's trade business. In 1845, a hydraulic power system was installed by the Hamilton and Rossville Hydraulic Company on the east bank of the river, opening the way for water powered factories. These factories dictated new patterns of land use and people migrated from surrounding rural areas for higher paying factory jobs.
As the population increased, Hamilton's leaders grew concerned about the shortage of undeveloped land within the city borders. The existing burying grounds of Hamilton, located in the center of town on valuable real estate, were soon crowded by new construction and in a few noted cases considered for development. Citizens were uneasy with this scenario and wary about the security of their loved ones buried in these lots. Furthermore, how were they to be confident in the security of their own final resting place? The answer lay in cemeteries outside of the city limits, where they could be insured of "undisturbed repose for the loved and lost which was so uncertain in the city."
Late in 1847, a small group of concerned citizens, led by John W. Erwin, a prominent Hamilton businessman, organized a meeting of Hamilton citizens. Introduced at this meeting and circulated in the ensuing weeks was a paper that read in part:
Although generally well received, the concept was not without its critics. In the first minutes, the secretary reported that the cemetery association "encountered not only cold indifference and neglect from some, but bitter opposition from others." Some people believed that Hamilton had no use for more burying grounds, while other skeptics doubted that sufficient funds could be raised. Yet another group was convinced that those few men leading the effort did so only for personal profit, with plans to exploit the innocent subscribers. Despite these few obstacles, enough Hamilton citizens eventually subscribed to make the establishment of a cemetery a reality.
Simultaneously, the Ohio Statehouse was being pressured by a number of municipalities to make provisions for a new cemetery law. Leading the efforts and pushing the bill through the house was one Greenwood founder and past governor of Ohio, William Bebb. In February of 1848, a general law for the organization and incorporation of cemeteries was passed by the Ohio state legislature. By February 24th of the same year, Speaker of the House Charles B. Goddard had outlined the nine provisions necessary for the legal incorporation of a cemetery association.
On the day following the release of Goddard's outline, a meeting was held at the Butler County Courthouse. At this meeting, a group of three men, consisting of John M. Millikin, John W. Erwin, and William Bebb were appointed to personally examine sites for the cemetery. Eight days later, this three man committee submitted a report titled the "Six Important Qualities Set Out by the Committee." The qualities called for subsoil of gravel and sand, not clay, and an undulating surface for variety in appearance. A great variety of forest trees and shrubs were also desirable, so as to "avoid the delay and expense of decorating the same with shade and ornamented trees and shrubs." Finally, and perhaps most important was the location of the cemetery in relation to the city. They reported that the cemetery should be easily accessible from town and the surrounding country, and "yet not so near to town as to be likely to be hereafter encroached upon by the extension of the town."
With the site report in mind, the committee proceeded to examine four possible parcels of land for the future cemetery, recommending 21 acres belonging to the estate of David Bigham, deceased. This lot, they felt, had the advantage over the others because it was near enough to town that funeral processions could travel on foot, but not so near that town growth would hinder its beauty. By March 16th, the trustees had secured a contract to purchase this tract at $125.00 an acre and soon thereafter bought five adjacent acres.
Other meetings followed for various purposes necessary in establishing the cemetery. On May 18th, 1848, a meeting was called to select a name. After the votes were cast and tallied, Sylvan, Hamilton and Willow Grove received the most votes, although not one received a majority vote. To avoid a quagmire, all other names were dropped and Greenwood was agreed upon as a compromise. At the next meeting, on May 20th, trustees were chosen. The first group of Greenwood Trustees included William Hunter, William Wilson, William Bebb, Henry S. Earhart, Lewis D. Campbell, John W. Erwin, and John M. Millikin. The latter was chosen president.
After designating the location of the entrances, the trustees hired a builder, Peter Myers, to erect a fence of cedar posts and oak rails and a local mechanic to construct two sets of gates, one at each of the main entrances. They then set about laying out the size and shape of lots, and the location of alleys and avenues. To accomplish this task, the board appointed President John Millikin and member Henry Earhart. One fall day in 1848, Millikin shuffled through the thick blanket of fallen leaves clearing a pathway to designate avenues and drives. Meanwhile, Earhart followed his course, measuring distances and pounding stakes into the ground. 973 lots sized 18' X 36' were laid out.
Finally, the association was ready for business. On Monday, March 19th, 1849, stockholders met at the cemetery for the purpose of selecting their lots. The name of each stockholder was placed in a box and drawn out by tellers who assigned them a consecutive number. Those holding numbers 1-50 were invited to select their lot on the following Friday, 51-100 on Saturday, and 101 upward on Monday, the 26th. Furthermore, the Hamilton Weekly Telegraph explained:
After satisfying the subscribers, Greenwood Cemetery opened for outside business.
Within the first two years of operation, 250 lots were sold for the sum of $6,068. During that same period 118 original interments were made and the remains of 199 persons were moved to the grounds for internment. Many people who are buried in Greenwood were moved there from other burial grounds by family members who considered it a fashionable cemetery. All bodies intered in Hamilton's and Rossville's original burying grounds, now Symmes Park and Sutherland Park, were moved to Greenwood Cemetery within the first twenty years of business. In totality, over 1800 previous interments were removed to Greenwood.
The successes grew and in 1852, the Greenwood Cemetery Association emerged from debt with a balance if $30.98. This black balance on the books was a victory for the founders and reason for celebration. The Secretary chided:
Confident of their success, in 1856 the Trustees secured the purchase of an additional sixteen acres of ground to the east side of the cemetery, for the sum of $3000 and later an additional 23 acres from William H. H. Campbell for $9100, bringing the total acreage to approximately 66 acres. Another decision made by the board in consideration of their debt free goal was to build a receiving vault. The site chosen was on the west end of the cemetery, located along one of the main thoroughfares. Situated slightly east down the road from the pond, this chamber consists of a room, completely built into the ground. The only evidence that there is a vault on location is a large metal door. Today this structure is occupied as a private family vault and has a metal plaque on the front inscribed with the family name.
In 1870, Hamilton's City Council passed an ordinance to unite the public burial grounds with Greenwood, leaving this area under the supervision and care of the association. In 1872, the Trustees of the Greenwood Cemetery Association accepted the honor of receiving into their cemetery the Soldier's and Sailors Fields of Honor. Ten years later, the Grand Army of the Republic moved 49 Union soldiers to the grounds and placed head stones furnished by the United States government to mark the graves. This large veterans area, located along the north gate, is now filled with veterans sections representing all American wars.
As the city of Hamilton continued to grow into a sophisticated hub of manufacture in the 1850's and 1860's, the financial situation of Greenwood became more secure. As a result, the Trustees moved to improve the cemetery grounds to correspond with the "cultivated tastes of the times." The old wooden gateposts and fences were replaced by newer, more fashionable posts of limestone with wrought iron fencing. The drives and walks were also improved. Increasingly, the Trustees of Greenwood Cemetery participated in and followed the trends set by progressive cemeteries throughout the country in landscape and architectural design. They considered their rural cemetery as a sign of Hamilton's increasing sophistication and took pride in its park-like setting as well as its growth and success.
The trustees also studied landscape ornamentation and traveled numerous times to Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati to consult with landscape artist, Adolph Strauch. Considered an authority on cemetery design in the late 1800's, he was recognized for his trademark vistas, extensive tree and shrub plantings, lakes and ponds. Numerous visits to Spring Grove and the consultation with Strauch proved influential. In 1871, the Board hired an engineer, Professor R.W. McFarland from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, to carry out a few of Strauch's suggestions. In one instance, the trustees were advised to build a pair of small lakes on the grounds for diversity and beauty. They contracted McFarland to make the necessary provisions. After much negotiation with the Board of Public Works, the cemetery obtained permission to insert a three inch pipe in the Miami Canal to carry water onto the grounds to supply the lakes. Shortly thereafter, water pipes were laid from the reservoir and "an abundance of water introduced for the use of stockholders and for the adornment of the place." However, this effort did not meet the anticipated success because the water did not flow through the pipes at a rate fast enough to prevent clogging. In the 1890's, additional water was gained through another agreement with the Water Works. Another pipe was laid from the water main near the front gate to provide ample water supply. Only one of the pond's still decorates the landscape of Greenwood and still uses the water main for supply. In the early 1900's, the second pond was filled in because of maintenance issues.
In 1892, a Richardsonian Romanesque style public receiving vault was built on the northwest corner of the cemetery grounds. It was erected to replace the old vault, built in 1854, which was not large enough to satisfy Greenwood's busy interment needs. Early on, the Romanesque style was used primarily in ecclesiastical settings. Later, architect Henry Hobson Richardson adapted the style by imposing discipline and order on the often ill-proportioned and over-detailed Romanesque style. As Wilson writes on the evolution of the Richardsonian Romanesque style:
The Richardsonian Romanesque with its "stylish severity" and drama appealed to the Victorians. It is usually characterized by rusticated stone work, symmetry, and segmental round-topped arches at the windows and the entrance.
Situated in the side of a gentle slope, the front elevation faces one of the ponds, adorned with a statue of a young woman that was one of Adolph Strauch's trademarks. Built to house bodies awaiting interment during the cold winter months, the rear section of the vault consists of a number of coffin shaped niches, and the marble tiled entrance hall serves as a work area. Within the same time period, two additional Romanesque Revival style buildings were erected on the grounds, both as private family vaults. The McGriff Family vault, and the Howell Family vault both possess the distinctive features of the style.
Also located on the grounds is a small storage shed, built in the 1860's for use by the caretaker. Very simple in design, one particular feature, the roof, stands out on this wood frame building, setting it above the ordinary. It has a hip roof with a ridge and wide overhanging eaves, but more interestingly, it has an exotic revival flair in that the eaves curve slightly upward at the ends, similar to that of a pagoda.
It is the characteristic rural cemetery movement design and philosophy of the old section of Greenwood Cemetery that make it important to the understanding of our country's intellectual history surrounding death. In its most basic definition, the "rural cemetery" represented a burial ground located on the outskirts of a city and was designed according to the romantic concepts of English landscape gardening. The rural cemetery movement was first embraced in the 1840's and 1850's. The first cemetery to be classified as distinctive of this movement was Mount Auburn in Boston. Cemeteries to follow included Greenwood in Brooklyn, Laurel Hill in Philadelphia, and Spring Grove in Cincinnati. Although Greenwood Cemetery in Hamilton is a modest version of this cemetery type, it clearly typifies the features and virtues that define the movement.
The rural cemetery movement began early in the Victorian era during a time of not only great social change but sweeping intellectual change as well. This period followed the eighteenth century Age of Reason, during which time many had rejected the idea of death as an inevitable horror and embraced a far more optimistic view based on a religious belief grounded in natural law. The tombs of loved ones were no longer emblems of despair and inevitable horror, but reminders of the happy reunion to come. This reinterpretation of death ultimately resulted in a fascination with it. Victorians relished in the inevitability and melancholy of death as well as the rituals surrounding it. They set many American customs and beliefs surrounding death, mourning, burial, and afterlife that persevere today.
There is a defined and cultivated look to the rural cemetery. As David C. Sloane writes in The Last Great Necessity: Cemeteries in American History, " … there developed a theory of aesthetics embodied in the categories of the sublime, the picturesque and the beautiful (or pastoral)" based on the romantic tradition of the English landscape. The basic idea was that the dead should be laid to rest in a beautiful place where the survivors could be soothed and inspired by the beautiful monuments and the peaceful atmosphere. The design and landscape of the rural cemetery was of the utmost importance. Sometimes called the "garden cemetery," the design heavily referenced elements of the romantic tradition that included winding lanes, ponds, flowering trees and shrubs, and small hills. The Greenwood trustees went to great pains to accomplish all of these goals.
The location of the cemetery was also imperative. Ideally, it was located near the city but far enough away as not to be disturbed by the smoke, the turbulence, and the noise of the city. When the Greenwood Trustees chose the land of David Bigham, they noted in the minutes
The rural cemetery's desired location stemmed from certain beliefs that emerged in the middle of the nineteenth century in response to increasing urbanization. As the nation became increasingly urban, and people moved to the cities, the country and the pastoral setting was increasingly romanticized. As Bender explains:
Although located adjacent to city property, the cemetery was imagined as "outside," and away from the cares, hurried pace, and grief of the industrialized city. Also described as a sanctuary within an urban-industrial cemetery, the rural cemetery was regarded for its "soothing influence." These virtues were certainly not overlooked by the Greenwood trustees nor the cemetery patrons and lot holders. Visiting the rural cemetery was an experience considered synonymous to visiting the country. At one point, after certain lot holders began hosting picnics and gatherings on their unused plots, the Greenwood trustees had to create an ordinance prohibiting such recreational activities.
Furthermore, this movement is also defined by how the cemeteries were established and set up. More prevalent in the industrial cities of the northwest, rural cemeteries were a collaborative effort made by the people of the city, not by the local church or governing body. Cemeteries were businesses, most incorporated as non-profit associations. In the true democratic sense, they were run by a board of directors elected by lot holders or subscribers.
Ranging from humble headstones to soaring obelisks and stoic mausoleums, Greenwood possesses a plethora of monuments and grave markers that bear witness to the Victorian love of drama and pomp as well as Victorian culture and society. The love of ornamentation and melancholy is apparent throughout the cemetery. Carved symbolic images of Christian crosses and Greek vases abound, many draped in stone linens. There are also several figures of young woman clad in flowing robes. Some of these figures bow their heads in contemplation, others kneel in prayer, and those with wings lift their hands and faces toward the heavens. All of the figures show facial expressions of peace, solemnity and hope. From any vantage point, Victorian imagery is obvious.
Equally telling, however, is the social stratification illustrated by the markers. As cultural historian Kenneth Ames points out in his writings on the symbolism of Victorian gravestones, " … the cemetery was like the city and its suburbs in that it, too, had fashionable and unfashionable neighborhoods." For instance, all of the private family mausoleums are located on large corner lots along prominent boulevards. They have commanding views of the ponds, boulevards, and cemetery grounds. Furthermore, the majority of the more elaborate sepulchral monuments are located along the crests of the rolling hills, deep within the interior of the cemetery. These areas are shaded by large oak and sycamore trees and ornamental plantings seem to abound. It is in these areas that the cemetery takes on a distinctly vertical appearance, with larger, more imposing markers. On the other hand, the less fortunate were laid to rest in the undesirable sections, off to the sides along fences or walls. Their markers tend to be quite simple, in the common tablet form and noticeably closer in proximity to one another.
Site Description
Greenwood Cemetery, located on the northeast side of Hamilton, Ohio may be divided into two distinct sections; the old section, located to the south of Greenwood Avenue; and the new section, to the north of Greenwood Avenue. Due to the location of Greenwood Avenue, a busy, two-lane road that bisects the cemetery, the boundary distinction, as well as the different atmospheres of the two sections, is clear. Containing a variety of features typical of the rural cemetery of the mid-nineteenth century, Old Greenwood Cemetery consists of twenty-six acres of land. It is bounded by Heaton Street and Erie Boulevard to the south, and Greenwood Avenue to the North. Miami Street and Neal Boulevard respectively mark the western and eastern limits. Excluded from this tract of land, along the north border, is a small section of land belonging to St. Stephens Cemetery. The area surrounding Greenwood Cemetery is residential and the streets are lined with modest, single-family one and one-half story homes.
The old section of the cemetery is surrounded by wrought iron fencing. There are two main gates, both with stone posts with high, wrought iron gates. The main entrance is off of Heaton Street along the south boundary. The terrain consists of slightly rolling hills with gravel and blacktop avenues winding through the valleys. A pond, located on the northwest end of the park, is surrounded by grass and adorned with a statue of a graceful young woman in a flowing gown. Up the hill from the pond, behind a grove of willow trees is the expansive veterans section called the Soldiers' and Sailors' Fields of Honor. This section is distinctive and easily identifiable because it contains multiple rows of uniform white crosses. There are three main areas: World War I; World War II; and other wars including Spanish-American, Civil War, Korea, and Vietnam. Internments from earlier wars were moved to the property in 1872. In the center of this section, at the top of the hill overlooking the pond, is a monument. This concrete platform is semi-circular with curved staircases on each side. It is about five feet high with a railing following the perimeter. A flag pole sits in the middle as the focal point. An inscription is located in the interior of the semi-circle that reads:
A cannon and a large pyramid of cannon balls sit roughly twenty-five feet north of the podium. This configuration is surrounded by soldiers' graves in a horseshoe shape.
A wide variety of trees dot the landscape, providing color and shade throughout the seasons. Included among the many varieties are red oaks, weeping mulberry trees, weeping willows, English pyramidal oaks, sugar maples, horse chestnuts, poplars, and catalpa. They are arranged randomly in the romantic tradition of landscape architecture to give the appearance of an undisturbed natural setting.
The most notable building on the grounds is a public receiving vault, erected in 1892. It is located in the northwest quadrant of Greenwood. Built into the side of an embankment, it has two stone retaining walls. The architectural style of the vault is Richardsonian Romanesque, popular at that time for public buildings. This masonry building features a symmetrical footprint and is faced with rusticated stone. The front section is two stories in height in the center with a front gable roof. Two smaller half-hips run from the front wings mid-way up the second story. A stone balustrade tops the two front wings, commencing at the rear section. The roof at the rear is flat and gently slopes toward the back.
The north facing elevation, the entry facade, has a large doorway pronounced by a segmental arch that springs from two squat pilasters. Each cushion capital is of carved stone and features an interlacing pattern of acanthus leaves. Above the door is a finial capped pediment, inscribed with the words "Public Receiving Vault." Above the pediment are two small windows, surrounded by round-topped arches. Flanking the windows are three clusters of three pilasters each. A shared cluster runs between the windows. The columns are of the same height as the windows. On the gable end, the clustered column motif is repeated, this time once, and centered on the gable which is topped by a pinnacle. Two windows flank the front entrance and feature the same detailing as the door surround.
The two front corners of the building are both emphasized by large, battered pilasters topped with large decorative stone finials. Both the east and west sides of the building feature bands of three arched windows, similar to those windows found on the front. Belt coursing of smooth stone runs below and above the windows. The rear section of the building is wider on either side and has a small retaining wall along the east elevation.
The interior of the vault is ornate. The entrance hall boasts a marble tiled floor and a vaulted ceiling. The rear section of this two room building holds within its walls twelve coffin shaped niches, stacked two high. This section is recessed into the side of the hill, which serves as a natural cooling system.
The old public receiving vault, built in the 1850's, is much less elaborate. Located to the east of the pond, this structure is built similar to a root cellar and is completely underground. Originally, access was gained through wrought iron gates, replaced by a slab of concrete to stop vandalism. The excavation is approximately 8' x 12' on the interior and can house between six to eight full size caskets. The vault, deemed obsolete by the construction of the larger, more fashionable Romanesque style building in 1892, was purchased by a local Hamilton family around the tum of the century and today is private.
Located along the north side in the center of the grounds is a small white frame building, built in the 1850's. This building serves today, as it did historically, as a caretaker's shed. With a wood frame and shiplap siding, it has a rectangular footprint. The paneled double door is located on the south end. A single window, with narrow wooden sills and lintels, can be found on either side. Its most outstanding feature is the hipped roof with a medium pitch and wide overhanging eaves. The eaves have a slight, but distinctive, curve upward giving the building a pagoda effect.
Two private family vaults are also located on the grounds, both are of the Richardsonian Romanesque style and have square footprints. The Howell Family vault is located along the main thoroughfare, and holds a prominent corner position. Erected in 1882, it is of rusticated stone blocks and features a four stepped roof of smooth faced granite. The doorway is rectangular and is flanked by two large stone columns. The McGriff Family vault is also located along the main thoroughfare on a corner. It is slightly more ornate and is rock faced with smooth ashlar. The roof is flat with a crenelated parapet. Each corner along the parapet is adorned with large rounded stone castellations. Belt coursing of a darker stone runs above the doorway, and another belt runs approximately three feet from the ground. The corners are all marked by quoins of this darker stone that terminate at ground level in a slightly battered base.
The doorway has a massive segmental arched pediment, also of the darker stone.
A myriad of Victorian monuments and grave markers are scattered throughout the older section of Greenwood Cemetery. The most popular materials used for the monuments, obelisks and markers are granite and marble. Although replaced as the material of choice in the 1840s, many sandstone grave markers may also be found, most with weather-worn surfaces. A study was published by Francaviglia in 1971 describing 19th-century mortuary art. This study distinguished nine main categories of tombstones: gothic, obelisk, cross-vault obelisk, tablet, pulpit, scroll, block, raised-top inscription and lawn type. Markers from each of the above categories can be found in Greenwood, with the addition of arks and stone or concrete tree stumps. The majority of monuments are modest headstones, some with beautiful carving, others simple with initials only. More elaborate are the many sublime figures of beautiful angels and graceful young women, or the massive ark-shaped markers with Romanesque grotesque or floral motifs. Obelisks range from five feet in height to twenty-five feet, some with figures of angels atop them. Stone urns draped with cloth seem to be another popular Victorian choice, and rest on monuments of varying scale.
The general family lot size is 18' x 36'. The plots run with the longest side on a east-west axis. Most of the stones are simple, tablet shaped headstones, situated to the end of the plots creating rows of tablets and monuments. Another popular monument arrangement is the family cluster in which many small stones surround a large monument bearing either the family name, or the name of the family patriarch and/or matriarch. Larger monuments tend to be near the center of the cemetery, usually on the tops of the hills. Smaller stones, located on less expensive plots line the periphery of the cemetery. This general configuration gives the already rolling hills of Greenwood the appearance of increased verticality.