Hildreth Cemetery
Encyclopedia
Hildreth Cemetery is a small cemetery located on Hildreth Street at Sutherland and By Streets in the Centralville neighborhood of Lowell, Massachusetts
. The cemetery's history dates back to the mid-18th century, when it was designated as a burial ground by Major Ephraim Hildreth before his death in 1740. Though located within the Lowell city limits, it is actually administered by the nearby town of Dracut
because the cemetery was built when Centralville was still a part of Dracut.
In 1913, the City of Lowell attempted to sell the cemetery after the Town of Dracut neglected to pay a tax on a new sidewalk on Hildreth Street; this would have resulted in the forced relocation of many of the remains at the cemetery. After an injunction in Suffolk County
court to prevent the sale, the town continues to maintain the cemetery. The nearby private cemetery containing the graves of General Benjamin F. Butler
and his wife, Sarah Hildreth, was not affected.
In June 2010, the town of Dracut authorized the allocation of $30,000 towards the repair of Hildreth Cemetery, so that the work would begin before the winter. In October, work began on the restoration. Several stones were repaired on site, as they were merely knocked over or were easily repaired, but those damaged beyond repair were flagged for replacement by Hudson Monuments in Hudson, New Hampshire
. Much of the work was completed by March 2011.
Several generations of the Hildreth family are buried in the cemetery. The more well-known members include:
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
. The cemetery's history dates back to the mid-18th century, when it was designated as a burial ground by Major Ephraim Hildreth before his death in 1740. Though located within the Lowell city limits, it is actually administered by the nearby town of Dracut
Dracut, Massachusetts
Dracut is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 29,457. Dracut is primarily a suburban community, belonging to Greater Lowell and bordering southern New Hampshire...
because the cemetery was built when Centralville was still a part of Dracut.
In 1913, the City of Lowell attempted to sell the cemetery after the Town of Dracut neglected to pay a tax on a new sidewalk on Hildreth Street; this would have resulted in the forced relocation of many of the remains at the cemetery. After an injunction in Suffolk County
Suffolk County, Massachusetts
Suffolk County has no land border with Plymouth County to its southeast, but the two counties share a water boundary in the middle of Massachusetts Bay.-National protected areas:*Boston African American National Historic Site...
court to prevent the sale, the town continues to maintain the cemetery. The nearby private cemetery containing the graves of General Benjamin F. Butler
Benjamin Franklin Butler (politician)
Benjamin Franklin Butler was an American lawyer and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and later served as the 33rd Governor of Massachusetts....
and his wife, Sarah Hildreth, was not affected.
Vandalism, October 2009
On October 3, 2009, a teen from Centralville became angry over a "personal matter" and damaged over 150 headstones in Hildreth Cemetery, many of them around two centuries old. Of them, 90 were damaged beyond repair due to age or the materials they were made from (some older ones carved in slate, others in marble). The cost of the damage was estimated to be around $10,000. The Hildreth Family Cemetery, gated and locked all year, was untouched. The perpetrator turned himself in two weeks later upon seeing pictures of the destroyed headstones in the Lowell Sun.In June 2010, the town of Dracut authorized the allocation of $30,000 towards the repair of Hildreth Cemetery, so that the work would begin before the winter. In October, work began on the restoration. Several stones were repaired on site, as they were merely knocked over or were easily repaired, but those damaged beyond repair were flagged for replacement by Hudson Monuments in Hudson, New Hampshire
Hudson, New Hampshire
Hudson is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 24,467 at the 2010 census.The primary settlement in town, where 7,336 people resided at the 2010 census, is defined as the Hudson census-designated place and is located at the junctions of New Hampshire...
. Much of the work was completed by March 2011.
Hildreth Family Cemetery
The Hildreth family's private cemetery is set behind the public cemetery and entered via two locked gates accessible only from Hildreth Street. The cemetery is closed all year, with the exception of the annual commemoration of General Butler's birthday and the replacement of the flag, held the first Sunday in November.Several generations of the Hildreth family are buried in the cemetery. The more well-known members include:
- Benjamin Franklin ButlerBenjamin Franklin Butler (politician)Benjamin Franklin Butler was an American lawyer and politician who represented Massachusetts in the United States House of Representatives and later served as the 33rd Governor of Massachusetts....
(1818–1893): A controversial Union general during the American Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and later a Congressman and Governor of MassachusettsGovernor of MassachusettsThe Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
. He married Sarah HildrethSarah Hildreth ButlerSarah Hildreth Butler was an American stage actress. She was the wife of Benjamin Franklin Butler, a controversial political general in the American Civil War and later a Congressman and Governor of Massachusetts.Sarah Hildreth was born in Dracut, Massachusetts, the daughter of Dr...
(1816–1876), daughter of Israel Hildreth of Lowell, in 1844. - Adelbert AmesAdelbert AmesAdelbert Ames was an American sailor, soldier, and politician. He served with distinction as a Union Army general during the American Civil War. As a Radical Republican and a Carpetbagger, he was military governor, Senator and civilian governor in Reconstruction-era Mississippi...
(1835–1933): A highly decorated Union general during the Civil War, who served as a U.S. Senator and Governor of Mississippi during Reconstruction. He married Butler's daughter BlancheBlanche Butler AmesBlanche Butler Ames was the wife of Adelbert Ames, a decorated general of the American Civil War and Senator and Governor of Mississippi during Reconstruction....
(1847–1939) in 1870, while serving in the Senate. (Ames' date of birth is erroneously listed on the monument as October 30 while all known records, as well as the Medal of Honor plaque at the base of the monument, list his birthday as October 31.) - Charlotte Ellison Butler (1782–1870): Benjamin Butler's mother.
- Andrew Jackson Butler (1815–1864): Benjamin Butler's elder brother, a colonel in the United States Army who accompanied him to New Orleans and died of fever in February 1864.
- Benjamin and Sarah Hildreth Butler's other three children, all sons:
- The first Paul Butler (1845–1850)
- The second Paul Butler (1852–1918): Inventor and businessman.
- Ben-Israel Butler (1855–1881): West Point graduate and lawyer who died before he was able to practice.
- Adelbert and Blanche Butler Ames' six children:
- Butler AmesButler AmesButler Ames was an American politician, engineer, soldier and businessman. He was the son of Adelbert Ames and grandson of Benjamin Franklin Butler, both decorated generals in the Union Army during the American Civil War....
(1871–1954): Colonel in the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American WarSpanish-American WarThe Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
and Congressman from Massachusetts. His wife Fifille Willis Ames (1886–1940) is buried alongside him. - Edith Ames Stevens (1873–1958) and her husband C. Brooks Stevens (1864–1949)
- Sarah Ames (1874–1931)
- Blanche Ames AmesBlanche Ames AmesBlanche Ames Ames was an artist, inventor, writer, and prominent supporter of women's suffrage and birth control. Born Blanche Ames in Lowell, Massachusetts, she was the daughter of Civil War General and Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames and Blanche Butler Ames and the sister of Adelbert Ames...
(1878–1969): Artist and suffragist, who wrote the first full-length biography on her father in response to the biased interpretation of his administration of Mississippi in John F. KennedyJohn F. KennedyJohn Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
's Profiles in CourageProfiles in CourageProfiles in Courage is a 1955 Pulitzer Prize-winning biography describing acts of bravery and integrity by eight United States Senators throughout the Senate's history. The book profiles senators who crossed party lines and/or defied the public opinion of their constituents to do what they felt was...
. - Adelbert Ames, Jr.Adelbert Ames, Jr.Adelbert Ames, Jr. was an American scientist who made contributions to physics, physiology, ophthalmology, psychology, and philosophy. He pioneered the study of physiological optics at Dartmouth College, serving as a research professor, then as director of research at the Dartmouth Eye Institute...
(1880–1955): Scientist and inventor, who made contributions to physics, physiology, ophthalmology, psychology, and philosophy. - Jessie Ames Marshall (1882–1967)
- Butler Ames
External links
- Hildreth Cemetery at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...
- Hildreth Family Cemetery at Find A Grave
- YouTube video of the broken stones in Hildreth Cemetery