Tombstone Tuesday -- My Nantucket Family

When I planned my Nantucket, Massachusetts trip the other day, one of the things I wanted to do was to see the oldest cemetery, but did I see it? I was told The Old North (below) was the oldest cemetery, or the Old Settlers Cemetery and possibly the Founders Burial Ground. The google searches didn't help much. I am thinking all are one and the same.

Who was I looking for? My two 8th great-grand uncles and a first cousin, 9x removed. Richard Gardner, died 1686,  John Gardner, died 1706 and John's daughter and son-in-law, Jethro Coffin and Mary Gardner Coffin. The Jethro Coffin house is the oldest house in Nantucket, and it still stands. I'll post photo tomorrow.

Information obtained from a FindAGrave volunteer, wrote: "A monument was erected to honor the founders of Nantucket island in 1881. The monument is located in the Nantucket Founders Cemetery (also referred to as the First Settlers' Burial Ground and the Forefathers' Cemetery)."

From the Nantucket Historical Association page:

The main memorial, with the names of some of the island's first male European settlers, is situated on the plot. The text of this memorial reads:

ERECTED A.D. 1881. BY
A DESCENDANT OF THE FIRST
SETTLERS OF NANTUCKET
IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHOSE REMAINS
ARE BURIED ON THIS HALLOWED SPOT
WHERE STOOD THE FIRST CHURCH
GATHERED HERE IN 1711,
SINCE REMOVED TO WHERE IT
NOW STANDS AS THE VESTRY OF THE
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY.

1609 - TRISTAM COFFIN - 1681
1598 - THOMAS MACY - 1682.
1604 - EDWARD STARBUCK - 1690
1617 - PETER FOLGER - 1690.
1624 - JOHN GARDNER - 1706
1664 - JOHN SWAIN. JR. - 1738.
1644 - JOHN COLEMAN - 1715.
1626 - RICHARD GARDNER - 1688.
1598 - CHRISTOPHER HUSSEY - 1686.
1640 - WILLIAM BUNKER - 1712.

Unfortunately, I did not see the memorial.