Life From The Roots: To Copp's Hill Burying Ground / Cemetery, Boston and the 3rd Time is Not a Charm

The Life From The Roots blog topics have changed several times since I began this blog in 2009. I initially wrote only about the family history I had been working on for 20 years. Years later, I was into visiting gardens, historical homes, churches, libraries that had genealogical collections, historical societies, war memorials, and travel/tourism places. I also enjoy posting autographs and photos of famous people I've met or have seen.

Along with my New England roots, other areas include New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada.

Please check out the labels on the right side for topics (please note, they need work). Below the labels and pageviews is a listing of my top nine posts, according to Google. Four of them pertain to Lowell, MA. These posts change often because they are based on what people are reading.

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

To Copp's Hill Burying Ground / Cemetery, Boston and the 3rd Time is Not a Charm

Views of Copp's Hill Burying Ground in September 2022 and January 2019.

I've been to this cemetery three times, but still haven't found the stone of my 6th great-granduncle.

The weather wasn't cold in January, but there was plenty of ice on the paths, so we decided to return another day.

Stonehill Street is in front, and Hull Street is on the left. You can barely see the Leonard P. Zakim Bridge.

Gate entrance (the only entrance).

Maps from the internet and several from the cemetery.

So, who am I looking for? Thomas Rand, son of Robert Rand and Elizabeth Welch. I first discovered his death from Inscriptions and Records of The Old Cemeteries of Boston, compiled by Robert J. Dunkle & Ann S. Lainhart, NEHGS. Pg. 317. Thomas was the second of seven children. Unfortunately, I don't know where his mother was buried, but know that the father drown in the Mystic River.

I found the location from another source, and this site was very useful. Unfortunately, I don't know where I got the maps that pinpointed the cemetery. My copy is in poor shape, but I'm sharing them anyway. At least I know he is in section A, site 414. The link below lists the known names and sites of those buried at Copp's Hill.

http://www.interment.net/data/us/ma/suffolk/copps-hill-burying-ground.htm

The above nameplate is from Find-A-Grave. There is a photo, but it didn't seem to help me. And I didn't think I should post it here without permission. The photo was taken in 2007.

The above matches the layout to the one below. The Rand baby is in section A.

The granite stairs entrance is always closed on Charter Street. My Rand child is right at the down arrow. This is a group of seven stones.

This is where I first thought was the site, but never saw the Rand name, so I returned to the cemetery the following week. Then I thought he was on this side, and I couldn't read them because of the shadows.