Oak Grove Cemetery is a historic cemetery located at 765 Prospect Street in

Fall River, Massachusetts Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The City of Fall River's population was 94,000 at the 2020 United States Census, making it the tenth-largest city in the state. Located along the eastern shore of Mount H ...

. It was established in 1855 and greatly improved upon in the years that followed. It features

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

elements, including an elaborate entrance arch constructed of locally quarried Fall River granite. The cemetery originally contained 47 acres, but has since been expanded to over 120 acres. The cemetery is the city's most significant, built in the planned rural-garden style of

Mount Auburn Cemetery Mount Auburn Cemetery is the first rural cemetery, rural, or garden, cemetery in the United States, located on the line between Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cambridge and Watertown, Massachusetts, Watertown in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, Middl ...

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, ...

. It was designed and laid out by local architect Josiah Brown, who is also known for his designs of early mills including the

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

Border City A border town is a town or city close to the boundary between two countries, states, or regions. Usually the term implies that the nearness to the border is one of the things the place is most famous for. With close proximities to a different cou ...

, and others.MHC Inventory Form
/ref> Oak Grove Cemetery is the final resting place of many of the city's elite, including prominent mill owners and merchants. It also contains the city's Civil War Monument, donated by Richard Borden. The cemetery 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 v ...

in 1983. It is still owned and operated by the City of Fall River.

Notable burials

* Thomas Almy (1819-1882), co-founder of

The Herald News The smaller of the two main newspapers in Massachusetts' South Coast, ''The Herald News'' is a daily newspaper based in Fall River, Massachusetts. Its coverage area includes Fall River and the nearby towns of Dighton, Freetown, Somerset, Swanse ...

. * Abby Durfee Borden (1828-1892), second wife of Andrew Jackson Borden and murder victim. * Andrew Jackson Borden (1822-1892), businessman and murder victim. * Nathaniel Briggs Borden (1801-1865), Mayor of Fall River (1856-1857), US Congressman, and founder of

Pocasset Mill Pocasset (derived from Wampanoag language, Wampanoag for ''at the small cove'') may refer to a location in the United States: * Pocasset, Massachusetts * Pocasset, Oklahoma * Pocasset people, a historical community of Wampanoag people in Massachuse ...

. * Colonel Richard Borden (1795-1874), industrial pioneer, businessman. *

Lizzie Borden Lizzie Andrew Borden (July 19, 1860 – June 1, 1927) was an American woman tried and acquitted of the August 4, 1892 axe murders of her father and stepmother in Fall River, Massachusetts. No one else was charged in the murders, and despite ost ...

(1860-1927), alleged (acquitted) murderer. *

Emma Borden Lizzie Andrew Borden (July 19, 1860 – June 1, 1927) was an American woman tried and acquitted of the August 4, 1892 axe murders of her father and stepmother in Fall River, Massachusetts. No one else was charged in the murders, and despite ost ...

(1851-1927), sister of

, daughter of Andrew and Sarah Borden. * Sarah Morse Borden (1823-1863), first wife of Andrew Jackson Borden and mother of

and Emma Borden. *

Spencer Borden Spencer may refer to: People *Spencer (surname) **Spencer family, British aristocratic family **List of people with surname Spencer *Spencer (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) Places Australia *Spencer, New So ...

(1872-1952), manufacturer, delegate to 1924 Republication National Convention, served as director on boards of a number of local concerns. *

Charlie Buffinton Charles "Charlie" G. Buffinton (June 14, 1861 – September 23, 1907) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1882 to 1892. One of the workhorse pitchers of the 1880s, he won 20 games seven times and his 1,700 career s ...

(1861-1907), Major League Baseball player. *

James Buffington James Lawrence Buffington (born May 15, 1922, Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania; died July 20, 1981, Englewood, New Jersey) was an American jazz, studio, and classical hornist. Buffington was a busy studio and jazz player on the French horn. He was ...

(1817-1875), the first mayor of Fall River. * Earle Perry Charlton (1863-1930), founder of E. P. Charlton & Co. 5 & 10 stores chain. Through mergers, he became a co-founder of the

F. W. Woolworth Company The F. W. Woolworth Company (often referred to as Woolworth's or simply Woolworth) was a retail company and one of the pioneers of the five-and-dime store. It was among the most successful American and international five-and-dime businesses, se ...

. * Benjamin Cook, a District Court judge. * Sarah M. Cornell (1803-1832), found murdered on the John Durfee Farm in nearby Tiverton, Newport County, RI. She was originally buried there and moved to Oak Grove. * Robert T. Davis (1823-1906), mayor of Fall River and United States Representative from Massachusetts. * Bradford Matthew Chaloner Durfee (1843–1872), born into a wealthy and influential Fall River family, he was a philanthropist who died in his prime. As a memorial, his mother had the local school board erect the B. M. C Durfee High School. *

Nathan Durfee Nathaniel Briggs Durfee (September 29, 1812 – November 9, 1872) was a U.S. Representative from Rhode Island. Born in Tiverton, Rhode Island, Durfee completed preparatory studies. He engaged in agricultural pursuits and conducted a fruit o ...

(1799-1876), early industrialist and deacon of Central Congregational Church. *

William Thomas Grant William Thomas Grant (1876–1972) was the founder of a chain of United States, U.S. mass-merchandise stores bearing his name, W. T. Grant, and an important American philanthropist. Biography Grant was born in Stevensville, Pennsylvania, Ste ...

(1876-1972), founder of W. T. Grant Department Store chain and philanthropist. *

William S. Greene William Stedman Greene (April 28, 1841 – September 22, 1924) was a United States representative from Massachusetts. Biography William S. Greene was born in Tremont, Illinois on April 28, 1841. He moved with his parents to Fall River, Massachu ...

(1841-1924), United States Representative from Massachusetts, also mayor of Fall River. * Cornelius Hargraves (1809-1874), an immigrant from England who, in 1851, founded Hargraves Manufacturing Company, a soap and glue substitute manufacturing operation. * Reuben Hargraves (1834-1905) and Thomas Hargraves (1836-1904), sons of Cornelius Hargraves are buried in the Hargraves Mausoluem. *

Mary Evelyn Hitchcock Mary Evelyn Hitchcock (, Higgins; pen names, Mary Doyle and Mrs. Roswell D. Hitchcock; March 10, 1849 – April 6, 1920) was an American author and explorer. She was part of the theatrical company, Floradora Company, in the early 20th century ...

(1849–1920), author and explorer *

James Holehouse James Holehouse (December 25, 1839 - May 20, 1915) was an English born soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War and recipient of the Medal of Honor. Biography Holehouse was born in England on December 25, 1839. He immigrated to Am ...

(1839-1915), received the

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 valor. ...

for bravery at the

Battle of Chancellorsville The Battle of Chancellorsville, April 30 – May 6, 1863, was a major battle of the American Civil War (1861–1865), and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville campaign. Chancellorsville is known as Lee's "perfect battle" because h ...

on May 3, 1863. He was a private in Company B, 7th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. * Grace Hartley Howe (1874-1955), wife of Louie Howe and delegate to the 1936 Democratic National Convention. * Louis McHenry ("Louie") Howe (1871-1936), political strategist who masterminded

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

's 1932 presidential election. He was the only close friend both FDR and

Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt () (October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four ...

shared in common. * Andrew Jackson Jennings (1849-1923), noted local attorney, now best remembered for successfully defending Lizzie Borden. *

Lewis Howard Latimer Lewis Howard Latimer (September 4, 1848 – December 11, 1928) was an African-American inventor and patent draftsman. His inventions included an evaporative air conditioner, an improved process for manufacturing carbon filaments for light bulbs, ...

(1848–1928), African-American inventor and engineer who collaborated with

Alexander Graham Bell Alexander Graham Bell (, born Alexander Bell; March 3, 1847 – August 2, 1922) was a Scottish-born inventor, scientist and engineer who is credited with patenting the first practical telephone. He also co-founded the American Telephone and Te ...

and

Thomas Edison Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventio ...

. *

John O. Milne John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

, co-founder of

. * Lt. Joseph S. Milne (1842-1863), mortally wounded at Pickett's Charge, Battle of Gettysburg; died July 8, 1863, temporarily attached to Battery B 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery. * James Madison Morton (1837-1923), an Associate Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. *

James Madison Morton, Jr. James Madison Morton Jr. (August 24, 1869 – June 26, 1940) was a United States federal judge, United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and previously was a United States District Judge of the Unite ...

(1869-1940), a Federal judge. * Maude Frances Darling Parlin (1885-1979), pioneer female architect and 1907 M. I. T. graduate who designed many Fall River buildings and homes. *

Cornelia Otis Skinner Cornelia Otis Skinner (May 30, 1899 – July 9, 1979) was an American writer and actress. Biography Skinner was the only child of actor Otis Skinner and actress Maud Durbin. After attending the all-girls' Baldwin School and Bryn Mawr College ( ...

(1899–1979), actress, biographer, dramatist, essayists, novels, and screenwriter.

Notable monuments

F. H. Stafford
(d. 1892), owner of Stafford Mills, is shaped like a textile mill building
Friends of Oak Grove Cemetery
page on the Stafford memorial.

References

External links

Friends of Oak Grove Cemetery~An Historic Victorian Cemetery in Fall River, MassachusettsOak Grove Cemetery History

Find-A-Grave
{{National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts Cemeteries on the National Register of Historic Places in Massachusetts Buildings and structures in Fall River, Massachusetts Cemeteries in Bristol County, Massachusetts Tourist attractions in Fall River, Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places in Fall River, Massachusetts Rural cemeteries Cemeteries established in the 1850s 1859 establishments in Massachusetts

Notable burials

Notable monuments

See also

References

External links