The Common Burying Ground and Island Cemetery are a pair of separate cemeteries on Farewell and Warner Street in Newport,

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020, but it ...

. Together they contain over 5,000 graves, including a

colonial Colonial or The Colonial may refer to: * Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology) Architecture * American colonial architecture * French Colonial * Spanish Colonial architecture Automobiles * Colonial (1920 au ...

-era slave cemetery and

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

graves. The pair of cemeteries was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

as a single listing in 1974.

History

The Common Burial Ground was established in 1640 on land given to city of Newport by John Clarke. It features what is probably the largest number of colonial era headstones in a single cemetery, including the largest number of colonial

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

headstones in the United States. The predominantly African-American northern section of the cemetery is commonly referred to by local African-Americans as "God's Little Acre". The Island Cemetery was established by the city in 1836, and transferred to the private Island Cemetery Corporation in 1848. Many members of Newport's most prominent families have been buried there over the years. Notable people buried there include Medal of Honor recipient Hazard Stevens, Commodore

Oliver Hazard Perry Oliver Hazard Perry (August 23, 1785 – August 23, 1819) was an American naval commander, born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. The best-known and most prominent member of the Perry family naval dynasty, he was the son of Sarah Wallace A ...

, Commodore

Matthew C. Perry Matthew Calbraith Perry (April 10, 1794 – March 4, 1858) was a commodore of the United States Navy who commanded ships in several wars, including the War of 1812 and the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). He played a leading role in the o ...

and financier

August Belmont August Belmont Sr. (born August Schönberg; December 8, 1813November 24, 1890) was a German-American financier, diplomat, politician and party chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and also a horse-breeder and racehorse owner. He wa ...

Grave markers returned

In 2016, three gravestones were discovered which had been lost for years. One stone, found in Pennsylvania, was a 12 x 24 marker for a 1-year-old child. The others were 1835 stones for a Newport woman, which were found in a Newport yard during a renovation. The recovered stones were reset in the Common Burying Ground in 2016 by the Newport Historic Cemetery Advisory Commission. In 2017, two more burial stones found in Pennsylvania, those of Violet and Duchess Quamino, were returned and restored. Duchess Quamino, a free Black woman formerly enslaved to

William Ellery Channing William Ellery Channing (April 7, 1780 – October 2, 1842) was the foremost Unitarian preacher in the United States in the early nineteenth century and, along with Andrews Norton (1786–1853), one of Unitarianism's leading theologians. Chann ...

, had been an active member of Newport's African community.

Notable burials

Prominent people buried in the Common Burial Ground

* John Linscom Boss Jr. - United States Representative. * Christopher Champlin - First Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island. * Christopher G. Champlin - United States Representative 1797–1801, United States Senator 1809 - 1811. *

Michele Felice Cornè Michele Felice Cornè (1752–1845) was an artist born in Elba who settled in the United States. He lived in Salem and Boston, Massachusetts; and in Newport, Rhode Island. He painted marine scenes, portraits, and interior decorations such as fir ...

- Painter. * John Cranston - Colonial Governor of Rhode Island. *

Samuel Cranston Samuel Cranston (1659–1727) was a governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations during the first quarter of the 18th century. He held office from 1698 to 1727, being elected to office 30 times (twice in 1698), and served as ...

- Colonial Governor of Rhode Island. *

William Ellery William Ellery (December 22, 1727 – February 15, 1820) was a Founding Father of the United States, one of the 56 signers of the United States Declaration of Independence, and a signer of the Articles of Confederation as a representative of Rho ...

- Signer of the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of th ...

and colonial Deputy Governor. * James Franklin - Printer and brother of Benjamin Franklin. *

Ann Smith Franklin Ann Smith Franklin (October 2, 1696 – April 16, 1763) was an American colonial newspaper printer and publisher. She inherited the business from her husband, James Franklin, brother of Benjamin Franklin. She published the ''Mintunt'', printed a ...

- Printer & publisher, wife/widow of James Franklin (1st woman U.S. newspaper editor) * Ida Lewis (lighthouse keeper) - Heroine of the 19th Century. Recipient of the

Gold Lifesaving Medal The Gold Lifesaving Medal and Silver Lifesaving Medal are U.S. decorations issued by the United States Coast Guard. The awards were established by Act of Congress, 20 June 1874; later authorized by . These decorations are two of the oldest med ...

. *

Henry Marchant Henry Marchant (April 9, 1741 – August 30, 1796) was a Founding Father of the United States, an attorney general of Rhode Island, a delegate to the Second Continental Congress from Rhode Island, a signer of the Articles of Confederation, and the ...

- Delegate to the Continental Congress. *

Dutee J. Pearce Dutee Jerauld Pearce (April 3, 1789 – May 9, 1849) was an American politician and a United States Representative from Rhode Island. Early life Born on Prudence Island, Pearce graduated from Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island in 1808, ...

- United States Representative. * Peter Quire - African-American leader and founder of St. John's Episcopal Church in Newport. * Duchess Quamino (1739 – 1804), a formerly enslaved woman, known as the "Pastry Queen of Rhode Island * Asher Robbins - United States Senator 1825–1839. * Gilbert Stuart - Portrait artist. (cenotaph) * William Greene Turner - Sculptor, perhaps best known for his statue of

in Newport. * Frances (Latham) Vaughan - "The Mother of Governors," widow to colonial President Jeremy Clarke, and mother of colonial governor Walter Clarke. *

William Vernon William Vernon (January 17, 1719 – December 22, 1806), of Newport, Rhode Island, was a merchant in the Atlantic slave trade who played a leading role in the Continental Congress' maritime activities during the American Revolution. In 1774, Vern ...

- Colonial era merchant. * Richard Ward - Colonial governor of Rhode Island. * Samuel Ward - Delegate to Continental Congress and colonial Governor of Rhode Island.

Prominent people buried in the Island Cemetery

* Hugh D. Auchincloss - Naval officer, government official and stockbroker * Janet Lee Bouvier Auchincloss Morris - Mother of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis *

- Chairman of the Democratic National Committee 1860 to 1872 and founder of the Belmont Stakes * August Belmont Jr. - Developer of the IRT Subway in New York City and the Cape Cod Canal *

Perry Belmont Perry Belmont (December 28, 1851 – May 25, 1947) was an American politician and diplomat. He served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1881 to 1888. Early life and education Belmont was born on December 28, 1851, in New York ...

- United States Representative and Army officer * Sara Swan Whiting Belmont Rives - 1st wife of Oliver H.P. Belmont and 2nd wife George L. Rives * Yeoman (F) 3rd Class Gladys Carr Bolhouse - U.S. Navy veteran of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and local historian. * Gunner George F. Brady, USN - Medal of Honor recipient. *Captain Kidder Breese, USN - Commander of the Naval Landing Party at the

Second Battle of Fort Fisher The Second Battle of Fort Fisher was a successful assault by the Union Army, Navy and Marine Corps against Fort Fisher, south of Wilmington, North Carolina, near the end of the American Civil War in January 1865. Sometimes referred to as the "Gi ...

. *Brevet Brigadier General Henry Brewerton - Superintendent of

West Point Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

. *

Melville Bull Melville Bull (September 29, 1854 – July 5, 1909) was a U.S. Representative from Rhode Island. Born in Newport, Rhode Island, Bull attended Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, New Hampshire, and graduated from Harvard University in 1877. He ...

- United States Representative, 1895 - 1903 * George Henry Calvert - Writer and Mayor of Newport *Rear Admiral

Augustus Case Augustus Ludlow Case (February 3, 1812 – February 16, 1893) was a rear admiral in the United States Navy who served during the American Civil War. Biography Born in Newburgh, New York, Case was appointed midshipman in 1828. He participated ...

- Career Navy officer * William Cole Cozzens - Mayor of Newport and Governor of Rhode Island, 1863 * Henry Y. Cranston - United States Representative from Rhode Island and commander of the

Artillery Company of Newport The Newport Artillery Company of Newport, Rhode Island was chartered in 1741 by the Rhode Island General Assembly during the reign of King George II of Great Britain. It is the oldest military unit in the United States operating under its origina ...

* Robert B. Cranston - United States Representative from Rhode Island * George T. Downing (1819–1903) - abolitionist, entrepreneur, restaurateur *Lieutenant Thomas Eadie, USN -

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...

recipient (buried in Island Cemetery Annex). * William Channing Gibbs - Governor of Rhode Island, 1821 - 1824 * George Washington Greene - Historian * John N. A. Griswold - Merchant, industrialist and diplomat * Richard Morris Hunt (1827-1895) - Noted architect of Gilded Age *

Charles Bird King Charles Bird King (September 26, 1785 – March 18, 1862) was an American portrait artist, best known for his portrayals of significant Native American leaders and tribesmen. His style incorporated Dutch influences, which can be seen most promi ...

(1785–1862) - Painter *

Clarence King Clarence Rivers King (January 6, 1842 – December 24, 1901) was an American geologist, mountaineer and author. He was the first director of the United States Geological Survey from 1879 to 1881. Nominated by Republican President Rutherford B. Hay ...

(1842-1901) - Geologist * George Gordon King - Congressman * Lewis Cass Ledyard - Lawyer and Commodore of the

New York Yacht Club The New York Yacht Club (NYYC) is a private social club and yacht club based in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1844 by nine prominent sportsmen. The members have contributed to the sport of yachting and yacht design. ...

*Captain

Christopher Raymond Perry Christopher Raymond Perry (December 4, 1761 – June 1, 1818) was an officer in the United States Navy who was appointed Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for Washington County, Rhode Island, in 1780 and served until 1791. He was th ...

- Privateer in the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...

and naval officer in the

Quasi War The Quasi-War (french: Quasi-guerre) was an undeclared naval war fought from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States. The ability of Congress ...

*Commodore

(1794-1858) - Commander of Black Ships Expedition to Japan in 1853 *Commodore

(1785-1819) - Hero of the

Battle of Lake Erie The Battle of Lake Erie, sometimes called the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was fought on 10 September 1813, on Lake Erie off the shore of Ohio during the War of 1812. Nine vessels of the United States Navy defeated and captured six vessels of the Briti ...

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States, United States of America and its Indigenous peoples of the Americas, indigenous allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom ...

*Lieutenant Colonel John Hare Powel - Army officer, Mayor of Newport and commander of the

* George L. Rives - Assistant Secretary of State *

William Paine Sheffield Sr. William Paine Sheffield (August 30, 1820June 2, 1907) was a United States representative and Senator from Rhode Island. Biography Born in New Shoreham (on Block Island), he completed preparatory studies, attended Kingston Academy, and gradu ...

- Congressman and United States Senator 1884 - 1885 * William Paine Sheffield Jr. - Congressman *Major General Thomas W. Sherman - Civil War general *

William Watts Sherman William Watts Sherman (August 4, 1842 – January 22, 1912) was a New York City businessman and the treasurer of the Newport Casino. In 1875–1876 he had the William Watts Sherman House constructed in Newport, Rhode Island. Early life ...

(1842-1912) - Socialite and treasurer of the Newport Casino *Brevet Brigadier General Hazard Stevens -

recipient and son of Isaac Stevens *Major General

Isaac Ingalls Stevens Isaac Ingalls Stevens (March 25, 1818 – September 1, 1862) was an American military officer and politician who served as governor of the Territory of Washington from 1853 to 1857, and later as its delegate to the United States House of Represen ...

- Civil War general who was killed in action at the

Battle of Chantilly The Battle of Chantilly (or Ox Hill, the Confederate name) took place on September 1, 1862, in Fairfax County, Virginia, as the concluding battle of the Northern Virginia Campaign of the American Civil War. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's corp ...

* Frank K. Sturgis - President of the

New York Stock Exchange The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, nicknamed "The Big Board") is an American stock exchange in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed ...

*Brevet Brigadier General George W. Tew - Civil War officer. Lieutenant Colonel of 5th Rhode Island Heavy Artillery. Commander of the

*Commodore

Benjamin J. Totten Benjamin ( he, ''Bīnyāmīn''; "Son of (the) right") blue letter bible: https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3225/kjv/wlc/0-1/ H3225 - yāmîn - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv) was the last of the two sons of Jacob and Rachel (Jacob's thir ...

- Career U.S. Navy officer * Charles C. Van Zandt - Governor of Rhode Island 1877 - 1880 *Major General

Gouverneur K. Warren Gouverneur Kemble Warren (January 8, 1830 – August 8, 1882) was an American civil engineer and Union Army general during the American Civil War. He is best remembered for arranging the last-minute defense of Little Round Top during the Battle ...

- Chief engineer of the

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confede ...

at the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

- Commander of

V Corps 5th Corps, Fifth Corps, or V Corps may refer to: France * 5th Army Corps (France) * V Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * V Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Ar ...

(1863-1865) *

George Peabody Wetmore George Peabody Wetmore (August 2, 1846September 11, 1921) was an American politician who was the 37th Governor of, and a Senator from, Rhode Island. Early life George Peabody Wetmore was born in London, England, during a visit of his parents ...

- Governor of Rhode Island and United States Senator * Katherine Prescott Wormeley - Literary translator, founder of the

United States Sanitary Commission The United States Sanitary Commission (USSC) was a private relief agency created by federal legislation on June 18, 1861, to support sick and wounded soldiers of the United States Army (Federal / Northern / Union Army) during the American Civil W ...

during the Civil War *Norman G. Bestoso - Newport Police Lieutenant and Avid Cruise Ship Traveler

Images

Common Burial Ground

Cranston.John&Samuel.grave stone.Com Bur Gnd.20110722.jpg, Original grave slab for Governor John Cranston on left, and newer slab for both him and his son, Governor

, on right Ward.Samuel&Richard.grave site.Com Bur Gnd.20110722.jpg, Table marker for Governor Samuel Ward on left; brick vault for his father, Governor Richard Ward, on right Ellery.Wm.grave plot.Com Bur Gnd.20110722.jpg, Enclosed plot for Deputy Governor

, signer of the

William Ellery grave at Common Burying ground Newport RI.jpg,

grave inscription Ellery.Wm.grave plaque.Com Bur Gnd.20110722.jpg, Grave plaque for

Ida Lewis grave at Common Burying ground Newport RI.jpg, Ida Lewis monument

Island Cemetery

Newport Cemetery.JPG, Island Cemetery in 2009 Entrance building at Common Burying ground Newport RI.jpg, Entrance building Chapel building at Common Burying ground Newport RI.jpg, Overgrown cemetery chapel Chapel building front at Common Burying ground Newport RI.jpg, Chapel Chapel roof hole at Common Burying ground Newport RI.jpg, Hole in the Chapel roof Richard Morris Hunt grave at Common Burying ground Newport RI.jpg, grave of Richard Morris Hunt Richard Morris Hunt grave inscription at Common Burying ground Newport RI.jpg, grave of Richard Morris Hunt

References

External links

Island Cemetery websiteColonial Slave Cemetery informationHistory of Newport County, Rhode Island," ed. Richard M. Bayles, NY, 1888 (description of common cemetery)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Common Burying Ground And Island Cemetery 1640 establishments in Rhode Island Cemeteries in Rhode Island Cemeteries on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode Island Slavery in the United States Buildings and structures in Newport, Rhode Island Jewish cemeteries in Rhode Island National Register of Historic Places in Newport, Rhode Island Tourist attractions in Newport, Rhode Island