Cemeteries of Royalston, Worcester County, Massachusetts

Return to Ann’s Royalston, MA History and Genealogy

ROYALSTON, MASSACHUSETTS CEMETERIES

It appears there are/were at least 10 cemeteries in the Royalston area, and quite likely many more private cemeteries and burial grounds. The list below should not, therefore, be considered complete. If you are aware of other burial grounds (private or public) which exist in Royalston - either presently or in days gone by, or if you know of other names for any of the cemeteries, or have suggestions for this page, please e-mail Ann McRoden Mensch, so the additional information may be included on this page as well. Should you notice an error in this listing, your kind assistance in correcting it will be truly appreciated. Please use "Royalston Cemeteries" as the subject heading for e-mail.

Original Burial Ground and the "Old Cemetery" or "Center Cemetery" (Latitude: 424017N Longitude: 0721120W).

In 1917, Lilley B. Caswell wrote: "The Royalston Memorial in describing the burial grounds of the town in 1856, says: "Of these there are nine in town, besides family yards and places where one or only a few bodies have been interred." The original burial ground projected by the proprietors occupied the east side of the public square. Several interments were made on this ground, but being found very unsuitable for the purpose, it was exchanged for a lot lying southwest of the original plot and on the south side of the Athol road near the Centre school house. Later the town added several acres to this lot and enclosed the whole with a stone wall. It has also a receiving tomb and a hearse-house fronting upon the road, and there for a century and a half have many of the dead of Royalston been conveyed to their last resting place."

This "Old Cemetery", also known as "Centre Cemetery" or "Royalston Center Cemetery, is the early cemetery referred to above, on the Athol Road in Royalson. This cemetery is bordered by land that was once owned by the Estabrook family, and that family reportedly supplied land for the enlargement, a corner of which was especially fixed up for a private family lot for that family, with a separate gate from the street.

§ Royalston Center Cemetery on findagrave.com

§ And Old Center Cemetery on findagrave.com

Lawrence Brook Cemetery (Latitude: 424010N Longitude: 0721015W)

   Lawrence Brook Cemetery is situated about a miles easterly from the Common, on the southwestern side of South Royalston road (68), and near the Lawrence Brook, which flows to the north of the cemetery.
     Lawrence Brook Cemetery was established about 1858. It is reported, by Bartlett (1927), that the movement to establish a new cemetery was led primarily by Hon. Rufus Bullock, with the support of other citizens. Mr. Bullock had recently seen two of his sons and a son-in-law laid to rest. By that time, the "old cemetery", at the center of Royalston, had become quite full, and was in need of enlargement. Reportedly Mr. Bullock's almost daily rides between Center and South Royalston gave him ample opportunity to consider the merits of lots in that direction and to select the best. And it was believed that Mr. Bullock's frugality and economy were also influenced by the fact that land near the brook was less expensive than land nearer the Common.
    Caswell related the history of Lawrence Brook Cemetery, in 1917, as follows:
     "Shortly before the decease of Hon. Rufus Bullock in 1858 he became much interested in the establishing of a new cemetery near the centre of the town, and with other citizens was instrumental in the purchase of a lot on the east bank of the Lawrence, a short distance south of the road leading to South Royalston, with which it is connected by an avenue. The grounds have been enclosed by a good fence, avenues and paths have been laid out and considerable attention has been paid tot he ornamentation and beautifying of the grounds. Mr. Bullock was so much interested in having this cemetery kept in good condition, and not be allowed to become the waste and desolate place that many cemeteries are, that he made his gift of five thousand dollars for the benefit and use of the common schools of Royalston, conditional on the keeping of this cemetery in good order and condition by the town, for a clause in his will in which he bequeaths to the Town of Royalston the sum of five thousand dollars, the income of which shall be appropriated and paid over the benefit and use of the Common schools in the town; also says, provided, however, that whenever the said town of Royalston shall neglect to keep, or cause to be kept, in good state of repair the new cemetery now being established on the ground recently purchased of C. H. Maxam, that is to say, shall neglect to maintain in good order and condition the said grounds, fence, gate and receiving tombs therein, then this sum of Five Thousand Dollars shall revert to and be paid over to my children and their heirs by right of representation."
     Bartlett further reports that Mr. Bullock found many ready to go in with him for the new cemetery location, "not only among those who as yet had but little need for burial grounds, but from others who desired larger and better accomodations than the old cemetery gave; and many remains were removed from the old cemetery to the new one". The "old cemetery" from which apparently some were removed was the Centre Cemetery.

For those who wish to try to locate the stream called "Lawrence Brook", this stream has its head in New Hampshire, at Sportsman Pond (Latitude: 424318N Longitude: 0721025W), and flows SSW into Massachusetts to the Tully River 2.2 mi SW of Royalston.

· Find A Grave for Lawrence Brook Cemetery - memorials

Gale and Gates Cemetery - Bliss Hill Road

· Find A Grave.com for Gale and Gates Cemetery

Under the Hill Cemetery (aka Cemetery at Cripple Creek, now the creek is called Boyce Brook)

off the road of Route #68, toward West Royalston, near the Falls Road

In his 1917, History of the Town of Royalston, Massachusetts 1762-1917, Caswell reported that another of the very early grave yards is the old burying ground located near where the first Baptist meeting house was erected. Sometimes called "the grave yard under the hill", it is nearly 2 miles from the centre village close by the road to Warwick. In 1927, Barlett reported a cemetery "west of the Jacobs hill" was provided near the first Baptist meeting-house.

When it was first laid out the highway skirted its southern border; by 1917, the traveled road was "several rods north of it". Caswell further states: "Originally this was three-fouths of an acre of land fenced in on all sides by a substantial stone wall crowned with posts and rails".

It is the last resting place of a great many of the forefathers of the town. Stephen Grant, the first man to die after the settlement of the town commenced was buried here, and also the remains of Mrs. Estey, the first woman who died in town. One of the earliest headstones was inscribed: 'Erected to the memory of Mary Ellis, wife of Paul Ellis, who died Jan. 22, 1786, 24 years of age'. Among the tomb-stones standing in this yard are those to the memory of the two Kenneys, Rev. Isaac Kenney who died in 1800, and Rev. Moses Kenney who died in 1801, and also to Capt. Pelatiah Metcalf who died in 1807 and who contributed the land for this grave yard under the hill.

· Find A Grave.com for Under the Hill Cemetery

South Royalston Cemetery

Butterworth Cemetery

Cripple Creek Cemetery

Newton Cemetery - near Richmond line

§ Find A Grave for Newton Cemetery, Royalston, Massachusetts

Maple Cemetery

· Find A Grave for Maple Cemetery, Royalston, Massachusetts

West Cemetery

Chestnut Hill Cemetery (Latitude: 423747N Longitude: 0721215W) - Athol, MA

Riverside Cemetery (Latitude: 423749N Longitude: 0720843W) -

§ Findagrave.com for Riverside Cemetery, South Royalston, Massachusetts