The Old Burying Ground

The Old Burying Ground, located right next to Christ Church, is the oldest cemetery in Cambridge and holds significance to the Revolutionary War. Although there are graves dating back 140 years earlier than the American Revolution, several noteworthy American soldiers are buried in the Old Burying Ground making it extremely important to Cambridge’s Revolutionary War history.

Famous Cambridge patriot John Hicks, is buried in The Old Burying Ground.  John Hicks was active against the new laws set in place by the British government, such as The Tea Act.  Hicks is one of two Cambridge men who is known to have participated in the Boston Tea Party.  Due to his age, Hicks was exempt from military service but still played an active role in the first battle of the American Revolution, The Battle of Lexington and Concord. After William Dawes rode through Cambridge warning the citizens that the British were coming Hikes, like many other Cambridge men, prepared for the British retreat through Cambridge. Hicks hide at Watson’s Corner, or Massachusetts Avenue and Rindge Avenue today, and prepared to surprise the retreating British troops. Once the British arrived there was a skirmish and John Hicks was shot through the heart and killed, as were Moses Richardson of Cambridge and Isaac Gardner of Brookline, both patriots who opposed British rule. A third Cambridge citizen was also killed at Watson’s corner. William Marcy, was a man known for his weak intellect, and thought he was watching a parade when he was killed. All three Cambridge men are buried at The Old Burying Ground.

Three other Cambridge men who participated in the events on April 19, 1775 are also buried in The Old Burying Ground. John Russell also prepared for the British retreat through Cambridge by setting up a barricade at his gate with bundles of shingles from which he could fire upon the British. Russell was fatally shot once the British reached his house. Jason Winship and Jabez Wyman were also victims of the events on April 19, 1775. The two older gentlemen went to Coopers Tavern to find out what was going on. Unfortunately the two men were surprised by British troops and brutally killed. Both tavern owners Rachel and Benjamin Cooper reported that they had fled into the basement while the British troops fired about one hundred bullets into the tavern. When they returned from the basement they found that Winship and Wyman, who were unarmed, had been shot, stabbed and had their heads bashed in. Hicks, Richardson, Marcy, Russell, Winship, and Wyman are buried in The Old Burying Ground in the Patriot Grave.

The Old Burying Ground is also the resting place of the two African American men from Cambridge who fought in The Revolutionary War, Cato Stedman and Neptune Frost. Many other soldiers who fought in The American Revolution are also buried here along with many influential Cambridge citizens.

 

The Old Burying Ground Today

 

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