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| [Description] [Residents] [Activity] Description: HISTORICAL CEMETERY #PO019 TOWN FARM LOT PORTSMOUTH West of WEST MAIN ROAD at TEL pole # 161 41 burials NOTE: The Portsmouth Asylum, the town poor farm. When the institution rules were formulated in 1838, the 11th rule included the provision that "All persons dying at the Assylum (sic), his or her relations or friends may have the liberty of burying them at their own expence (sic); but if at the town's expense, they may be buried at the Assylum or elsewhere at the discretion of the Commissioners" (repr. in John T. Pierce, Sr.'s "Historical Tracts of the Town of Portsmouth, Rhode Island," Portsmouth, 1991, p. 60). No transcription known at this time (1998); the 48 names entered in the database come not from gravestones, but from lists of "Inmates died at the Asylum" 1847-1875 in the "Book of Registry for the Portsmouth Asylum" at RIHS. The institution rules make it clear that some of these people may have been buried elsewhere. Two people were buried here from outside the poor farm. An additional three names for a period preceding the RIHS records have been entered on the basis of Benjamin Pearce's coffin records (BP); these show inexpensive coffins for names marked "Town House." In 1975 CETA gave the location as "on Raytheon property on the south side of their buildings," but they did not record the stones. Not found by Ian Kohl 1989. This cemetery has not been recorded. Residents
Activity 23 April 2005 - Earth Day Cleanup The Town Farm Lot is pleasantly situated on the rim of Lawton Valley, outside the Raytheon security fence. Overgrown with brush, it's difficult to get a lay of the cemetery. Obstacles abound on all quarters from dead limbs, vines, and narrow stalks of shrubbery. With the Portsmouth Historical Society visit scheduled for 30 April, it seemed a good idea to leverage Earth Day Cleanup activities with the cemetery. Present, were Heather Mckenna, Doug Bonarrigo, Lee Arnold, Don Larson, Kathy Larson, and Bill Saslow. After walking the perimeter, we quickly located the entrance and cut a path to it. We then set to clearing out the dead brush, clearing the stones, and cutting the vines, shrubs, and small dead trees which abounded. Within a few hours, we had about a third of the cemetery cleared. Working through the pouring rain, our goal was achieved to provide a path through the cemetery for visitors. We estimated that another couple of cleanups would be required to clear the rest. |
 Cemetery Cleanup Crew on Earthday 2005  An Impenetrable mass of vines and brush, the Cemetery cleanup crew created a path on Earthday 2005  Graves are marked with slate or fieldstone head-and-toe  An Impenetrable mass of vines and brush, the Cemetery cleanup crew created a path on Earthday 2005 An Impenetrable mass of vines and brush, the Cemetery cleanup crew created a path on Earthday 2005 Download a writeup on the Town Farm Cemetery |
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