St. Patrick's Cemetery Regrading Project 1926-1949
Walter V. Hickey
In April 1832, the area now called Yard 1 was purchased for $142.50. It was a small lot, only 1 1/2 acres in size. According to lore, in the early years, people simply went to the burial ground, chose a location, and interred their dead. No deeds were sold for this yard. Later, other additions were acquired.
Yards 2-6 were laid out in ranges, sections, and lots. This had not been done for Yard 1. Maintenance and monuments were left to the families of the deceased. Some lots were carefully maintained while others grew wild.
This occasioned much comment in the 19th century, but it was not until 1926 that a major effort was undertaken to bring the grounds into a semblance of order. This was the Regrading Project, resulting in the cemetery as it is today. For many years, I along with many others, spoke disparagingly of Superintendent Meagher for the laying flat of so many grave markers by simply 'snapping' them at the base to break them off.
The records of this project show this to not have been the case. Each yard, range by range, grave by grave, was carefully examined and those stones needing to be laid down, were carefully cut at the base. Over the years many have been covered and 'hidden' by grass clippings.
Today, a major effort has been commenced to locate and provide a firm base in order that they are once again viewable.
The records shown in this project are the result of the Cemetery making available the Lot Owners' Books showing careful attention made to determine the condition of each grave.
Pdf's of each yard show those worksheets. Some entries are faint and pages must be enlarged to view properly. The accompanying spreadsheets were complied through the efforts of David & Brenda McKean, Barbara Saunders, Karen & Walter Hickey, and Devin Visconti of St. Patrick Cemetery, who made these records available.
Lot Owners’ Books - St. Patrick's
Spreadsheets and scans of Records cards
Spreadsheets and pdfs
St. Peter's Cemetery
BURIALS
1900-1915; 1922
St. Peter's Cemetery was privately owned. It was not operated by St. Patrick's Cemetery or the Archdiocese of Boston. It was in operation from 1900 to the end of 1913, after that date it became part of St. Patrick's Cemetery, although undertakers continued for a time to indicate “St. Peter's” as the place of burial on death certificates.
This record of burials is compiled from the original death records of the Lowell City Clerk. The records have been digitized and are on Ancestry.com as well as FamilySearch.org. The records are in two formats.
The one 1922 death is taken from the ledger of Undertaker John F. Rogers.
Records of Undertakers
The record books of John F. Rogers and William A. Mack are in the custody of the Pollard Memorial Library.
They were indexed by Karen & Walter Hickey.