Within Cedar Grove Cemetery in Williamsburg, VA (19th - 20th c) the most common
plot size was 10' x 10'. However, the earliest plots (family plots) were
largest, often being 20' x 30', 20' x 20', or a bit later 10' x 20'. The
largest size plot (20' x 30') contained up to 12 individual burials. However, I
did note that the number of burials within similar plot sizes varied (e.g., a
20' x 30' plot could contain 12 burials in some cases, or only 6 burials in
other cases). For this cemetery, during the 19th c., most often family plots
were sold in large sizes whether the family needed all the space or not.
Eventually, smaller and smaller plots became popular. In terms of the
individual burials- according to the city cemetery plan, the maximum size could
be 3' x 10', though many (i.e., children) were smaller.
Varna G. Boyd
Sr. Archaeologist
Greenhorne & O'Mara, Inc.
Greenbelt, MD 20770
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Historical Cemetery Question
Author: PC:[log in to unmask] at INTERNET
Date: 5/26/98 6:23 PM
Dear Listers:
Many thanks to those who have responded to my historical cemetery
questions. My last question dealt with the typical depth to which
historical burials were dug and some respondents asked to have the
answers summarized. Here goes: Bill Mangold reports assisting with
relocation of six historical cemeteries containing unmarked
interments ranging from the 1840s to the 1920s. Grave shafts varied
from 4.5 feet to 8.0 feet and included considerable variation, even
within the same cemetery.
Jeannine Kreinbrink reports that of 46 graves she has helped move,
the average depth was less than 4 feet to the base of the grave
shaft. Most were in Indiana glacial till, with a fragipan below 2
feet. The average for adults was 3.7 feet below current surface, and
the average for children and infant graves was 2.6 feet below current
surface. The depths varied widely from as shallow as 1.2 feet to as
deep as 4.3 feet. A grave from Kentucky was 5 feet deep.
A. Good and T. Kiser write that in a late 18th-early 19th
century cemetery in the Isle of Wight, Virginia, they located the tops
of three collapsed coffins about three feet below grade in alluvial
sand. In the 1620-1635 graveyard at Jordan's Journey, adjacent to an
early Virginia charnel house, several burials were no more than one
foot below surface and most of the 25 burials were less than three
feet below the grass. Difficult-to-dig layers such as gravels would
have put off diggers who might not always have been enthused about
their work. Goode and Kiser conclude that around 4 feet makes sense
for the late 19th early 20th century.
Greg Walwer states that in the northeast most precontact
and postcontact Indian burials tend to occur within the upper three
feet.
Here's my next question: It's my understanding that cemetery burial
plots each contain six grave sites, if those are the correct terms.
Is this standard? If so, is there some definitive literature that
establishes this number of 6 grave sites per plot? Also, what are
the standard sizes, if any, of burial plots and grave sites? Thanks
very much again for your help.
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Linda C. Naoi Goetz
Research Archaeologist
Historical Research Associates, Inc.
119 Pine Street, Suite 207
Seattle, WA 98101
206.343.0226
206.343.0249 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
http://www.hrassoc.com
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