Whately — Cemeteries
Extracted from "History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts, Volume II," by Louis H. Everts, 1879.
The town is provided with a cemetery at the hamlet, another at the Straits, and a third place for interment on the west street. Probably all these grounds were selected for their convenience rather than for fitness of location, although they have all been improved to render them attractive. The cemetery at the hamlet is provided with a neat hearse-house, and contains some very fine monuments belonging to the Belden, Dickinson, and other honored families of the town. The oldest grave in this ground is said to be that of Hester Morton,
who died Oct. 21, 1762; and the oldest stone marks the grave of Jemima Allis, who died June 9, 1764. In the east cemetery, the oldest stone and grave are those of Joseph Sanderson, dated March 20, 1772. Here, also, are some handsome monuments, one of them costing $1000. In the west ground, the oldest stone marks the grave of Clarissa Bardwell, who died Dec. 15, 1776.
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