The Common Burying Ground and Island Cemetery are a pair of separate

cemeteries A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite, graveyard, or a green space called a memorial park or memorial garden, is a place where the remains of many dead people are buried or otherwise entombed. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek ) implies th ...

on Farewell and Warner Street in Newport,

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

. Together they contain over 5,000 graves, including a colonial-era

slave Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

cemetery and

Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

graves. The pair of cemeteries was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

as a single listing in 1974.

History

The Common Burial Ground was established in 1665 on land given to city of Newport by John Clarke. It features what is probably the largest number of colonial era

headstone A gravestone or tombstone is a marker, usually stone, that is placed over a grave. A marker set at the head of the grave may be called a headstone. An especially old or elaborate stone slab may be called a funeral stele, stela, or slab. The u ...

s in a single cemetery, including the largest number of colonial

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

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, Commodore

Matthew C. Perry Matthew Calbraith Perry (April 10, 1794 – March 4, 1858) was a United States Navy officer who commanded ships in several wars, including the War of 1812 and the Mexican–American War. He led the Perry Expedition that Bakumatsu, ended Japan' ...

and financier

August Belmont August Belmont Sr. (born Aron Belmont; December 8, 1813November 24, 1890) was a German-American financier, diplomat, and politician. He served as Chair of the Democratic National Committee from 1860 to 1872. He was also a thoroughbred racehors ...

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 Unitarianism, Unitarian preacher in the United States in the early nineteenth century and, along with Andrews Norton (1786–1853), one of Unitarianism's leading theolo ...

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

Notable burials

Prominent people buried in the Common Burial Ground

* John Howard Benson - Artist and stone carver. * 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 1809–11. * Michele Felice Cornè – Painter. * John Cranston – Colonial Governor of Rhode Island. * Samuel Cranston – 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 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 the territory of another state or failed state, or are breaka ...

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 Thirteen Colonies, American colonial newspaper printer and publisher. She inherited the business from her husband, James Franklin (printer), James Franklin, brother of Benjamin Frankl ...

– Printer & publisher, wife/widow of James Franklin (1st woman U.S. newspaper editor) * Prince Greene - Enslaved African-American who served as a soldier in the American Revolution. * Ida Lewis (lighthouse keeper) – Heroine of the 19th Century. Recipient of the Gold Lifesaving Medal. * Henry Marchant – Delegate to the Continental Congress. * Dutee J. Pearce – United States Representative. * Duchess Quamino (1739–1804), a formerly enslaved woman, known as the "Pastry Queen of Rhode Island * Asher Robbins – United States Senator 1825–39. *

Gilbert Stuart Gilbert Stuart ( Stewart; December 3, 1755 – July 9, 1828) was an American painter born in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Rhode Island Colony who is widely considered one of America's foremost portraitists. His best-k ...

– Portrait artist, is not buried here, but is honored on the monument above his wife's grave. (

cenotaph A cenotaph is an empty grave, tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere or have been lost. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been reinterred elsewhere. Although t ...

) * Jane Stuart - First woman portrait artist in Newport, and daughter of Gilbert Stuart. Her mother and a few of her sisters are buried there, too. * William Greene Turner – Sculptor, perhaps best known for his statue of Oliver Hazard Perry in Newport. * Frances (Latham) Vaughan – "The Mother of Governors," widow to colonial President Jeremy Clarke, and mother of colonial governor Walter Clarke. * William Vernon – 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 * Lillian Barrett (1884–1963) – novelist and playwright * Janet Lee Bouvier Auchincloss Morris – Mother of

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American writer, book editor, and socialite who served as the first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A popular f ...

– Chairman of the

Democratic National Committee The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the principal executive leadership board of the United States's Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party. According to the party charter, it has "general responsibility for the affairs of the ...

1860 to 1872 and founder of the

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over the worldwide classic distance of . Colt (horseracing), Colt ...

* August Belmont Jr. – Developer of the IRT Subway in New York City and the

Cape Cod Canal The Cape Cod Canal is an artificial waterway in Massachusetts connecting Cape Cod Bay in the north to Buzzards Bay in the south, and is part of the Intracoastal Waterway, Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. The approximately canal traverses the nec ...

* Perry Belmont – United States Representative and Army officer * Gunner George F. Brady, USN –

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

recipient. * Captain Kidder Breese, USN – Commander of the Naval Landing Party at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher. * Brevet Brigadier General Henry Brewerton – Superintendent of

West Point Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

. * Melville Bull – United States Representative, 1895–1903 * George Henry Calvert – Writer and Mayor of Newport * Rear Admiral Augustus Case – 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 * Robert B. Cranston – United States Representative from Rhode Island * George T. Downing (1819–1903) – abolitionist, entrepreneur, restaurateur * Lieutenant Thomas Eadie, USN –

recipient (buried in Island Cemetery Annex). * William Channing Gibbs – Governor of Rhode Island, 1821–24 * George Washington Greene – Historian * John N. A. Griswold – Merchant, industrialist and diplomat *

Richard Morris Hunt Richard Morris Hunt (October 31, 1827 – July 31, 1895) was an American architect of the nineteenth century and an eminent figure in the history of architecture of the United States. He helped shape New York City with his designs for the 1902 ...

(1827–1895) – Noted architect of Gilded Age * Charles Bird King (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. ...

(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 a United States Navy officer and judge who was appointed Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for Washington County, Rhode Island, in 1780 and served until 1791. He was ...

– Privateer in the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

and naval officer in the

Quasi War The Quasi-War was an undeclared war from 1798 to 1800 between the United States and the French First Republic. It was fought almost entirely at sea, primarily in the Caribbean and off the East Coast of the United States, with minor actions in ...

* Commodore

(1794–1858) – Commander of Black Ships Expedition to Japan in 1853 * Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry (1785–1819) – Hero of the

Battle of Lake Erie The Battle of Lake Erie, also known as the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was fought on 10 September 1813, on Lake Erie off the shores of Ohio during the War of 1812. Nine vessels of the United States Navy defeated and captured six vessels of the British ...

War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...

* Lieutenant Colonel John Hare Powel – Army officer, Mayor of Newport and commander of the Artillery Company of Newport * George L. Rives – Assistant Secretary of State * William Paine Sheffield Sr. – Congressman and United States Senator 1884–85 * William Paine Sheffield Jr. – Congressman * Major General Thomas W. Sherman – Civil War general * William Watts Sherman (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 – Civil War general who was killed in action at the Battle of Chantilly * 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, Manhattan, Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is the List of stock exchanges, largest stock excha ...

* Brevet Brigadier General George Washington Tew – Civil War officer. Lieutenant Colonel of 5th Rhode Island Heavy Artillery. Commander of the Artillery Company of Newport. * Commodore Benjamin J. Totten – Career U.S. Navy officer * Charles C. Van Zandt – Governor of Rhode Island 1877–80 * Major General Gouverneur K. Warren – Chief engineer of the

Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the primary field army of the 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 Battle of ...

at the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was a three-day battle in the American Civil War, which was fought between the Union and Confederate armies between July 1 and July 3, 1863, in and around Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle, won by the Union, ...

– Commander of V Corps (1863–65) *

George Peabody Wetmore George Peabody Wetmore (August 2, 1846September 11, 1921) was an American politician who was the 37th Governor of Rhode Island, Governor of Rhode Island. He later served as a United States Senator for the same state. Early life George Peabody ...

– 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 Aid agency, 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 Ameri ...

during the Civil War

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 Samuel Cranston, 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 grave inscription at Common Burying ground Newport RI.jpg, Grave of

References

External links

Island Cemetery website

Colonial Slave Cemetery information
* *
History 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 African-American cemeteries in Rhode Island Buildings and structures in Newport, Rhode Island Cemeteries in Rhode Island Cemeteries on the National Register of Historic Places in Rhode Island Jewish cemeteries in Rhode Island National Register of Historic Places in Newport, Rhode Island Tourist attractions in Newport, Rhode Island History of slavery in Rhode Island Cemeteries established in the 17th century