The Old Burying Hill is found by the Bartlett, in between Auburn Street and Greenleaf Street off of High Street. When this 5.4 acre cemetery was established in 1729 the town was still part of Newbury. Newburyport formed a separate town in 1764.
On November 26, 1729 the Waterside people voted that the committee of two being Wm. Johnson and Wm. Titcomb) to look out for a place for a schoolhouse and look for a place for a burial place.” The results urged by the committee were presented to the town counsel. On March 17, 1729-30 (Old Style calendar dating) the committee’s suggestions were voted upon that a schoolhouse be located on High Street between Fish (now State) and Queen (now Market) Street and Snelling Hill on the southwesterly side of Frog Pond be taken as a burying ground and enclosed with a board fence.
On March 25, 1741, it was voted that Dr. Joshua Beck and Ambrose Berry form a committee to take care that the Burying Place in third Parish be fenced in with rocks.
Since the formation now of Newbury-port, a new town, the limits of Old Hill Burying Ground were later extended, as surveyed in 1771, and in 1790 the town of Newburyport “voted to enlarge and fence the burying ground as thought best.” It was at this point in time that the lower portion to the junction of Pond and Auburn Streets was added.
Shortly after World War II, Todd Woodworth designated a section of the southwesterly portion Old Hill as a veteran’s cemetery.
Thanks to the encouraging of Bill Steelman from Essex National Heritage and grant programs made available; Tony Furnari, head of the Department of Public Safety made efforts for improvements to the exterior wall; and general improvements to the cemetery. The town is largely responsible for the maintenance and much damage from careless mowing over the years had caused much damage to the tombstones. Restoration efforts were made to restore some of the worst cases on the grounds.
Recent efforts in 2017-2018 were made to locate the area where African-Americans many being slaves were buried. This area was located and some markers were placed to note the burial locations. Ground-penetrating radar was used to identify the different grave sites.
References:
Field Investigation: 2 October 2005 by Daniel V. Boudillion http://www.boudillion.com/piercetomb/piercetomb.htm
Master List of interred: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gsr&GScid=2154686 (1,905 buried here)
http://paranormalspy.com/videos/old-hill-burying-ground-the-face-of-death.html
http://www.waynemarshallchase.com/History/Cemeteries/Graves-and-Cemeteries/21951184_tjdMk7/1762424082_3b82Hnc#!i=1762424082&k=3b82Hnc
http://www.comity.org/Old_Hill_Burying_Ground.htm
“The Burying Grounds of Old Newbury” by Dick Cunningham, 375th Committee
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