top of page

Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors in Acton Cemeteries

Woodlawn and North Acton Cemeteries



Many veterans of the Revolutionary War were buried in Acton's cemeteries.  Some graves were unmarked.  The Concord Enterprise of April 18, 1895 suggested that there might be more than "150 graves of revolutionary heroes scattered through the cemeteries of the town," but by that point in time, a number closer to 100 had been discovered. 


The following list shows those whose graves were stated in at least one written source to have been honored with a Sons of the American Revolution marker.  Most were placed at graves in April 1895 as part of a large-scale celebration of the 120th anniversary of the Concord battle.  In some cases, the SAR markers must have been placed on unmarked graves (for example, Francis Barker and Joseph Brown's stones were installed after the 1895 SAR markers).  Furthermore, it is likely that some SAR markers have been moved or damaged in the years since the markers were placed.  In some cases, we have found gravestones for individuals with the names on this list, but they lack SAR markers. More research is needed to confirm that those gravestones actually belong to the Revolutionary veterans.  This list is under construction, so check back later for updates. 


The written lists did not specify the cemetery of burial.  The color coding shows graves with an SAR marker has been documented in a photograph, as follows:


Green: in Forest Cemetery on Carlisle Road in North Acton


Brown: in Woodlawn Cemetery on Concord Road in Acton


Adams, John

Adams, Moses

Barker, David

Barker, Francis

Barker, Joseph

Barker, William

Billings, Ephraim

Billings, Jonathan

Brabrook, Benjamin (also spelled Braybrook)

Brabrook, Joseph (also spelled Braybrook)

Bright, Joseph

Brooks, Daniel

Brooks, David

Brooks, James

Brooks, Seth

Brown, Joseph (see blog post)

Chaffin, Elias

Chaffin, John (Footnote 1) 

Chaffin, Joseph

Chaffin, Robert

Cole, John (Footnote 2)

Cole, Joseph

Cutting, William

Davis, Daniel

Davis, David

Davis, Elijah

Davis, Ezekiel

Davis, Gershom

Davis, Isaac (Capt.) (Buried in Acton Center, but stone exists in Woodlawn Cemetery.)

Davis, John

Davis, Jonathan

Davis, Josiah

Davis, Reuben

Davis, Samuel

Derby, Thomas

Dexter, John

Edwards, John (Col.)

Edwards, John (Possibly a duplicate entry)

Edwards, Nathaniel

Emerson, Oliver

Faulkner, Ammi

Faulkner, Francis

Faulkner, James

Faulkner, Nathaniel

Fletcher, Daniel

Fletcher, James (Woodlawn Cemetery, SAR marker not found)

Fletcher, John S.

Flint, Henry

Forbush, Ephraim

Hapgood, Abraham

Hapgood, Ephraim

Harrington, Edward

Harris, John

Harris, Joseph

Hayward, Benjamin

Hayward, James (buried in Acton Center)

Hayward, John

Hayward, Josiah

Hayward, Samuel

Hayward, Samuel Jr.

Hayward, Simeon

Hayward, Stephen (found Capt. Stevens Hayward with marker in cemetery, not found on written listings)

Heald, Israel

Heald, John

Heald, John (Capt.)

Heald, John (Col.)

Heald, Jonas

Heald, Timothy

Hosmer, Abner (buried in Acton Center)

Hosmer, Ephraim

Hosmer, Jonathan (see blog post and follow-up)

Hosmer, Jonathan Jr. (see blog posts about his service and about Woodlawn SAR marker)

Hosmer, Samuel

Hosmer, Stephen (2 Stephen Hosmers have SAR markers in Woodlawn)

Hunt, John

Hunt, Simeon

Hunt, Simon

Jones, Aaron

Jones, Oliver

Jones, Samuel

Lamson, John

Law, Stephen

Law, Stephen Jr.

Law, Titus

Noyes, Thomas

Oliver, John (see blog post and follow-up)

Parlin, Nathan

Parlin, Samuel

Piper, Joseph

Prescott, Benjamin

Proctor, Abel

Proctor, Abel (duplicate or second Abel?)

Reed, Joseph

Reed, William

Robbins, George

Robbins, John

Robbins, Joseph

Robbins, Joseph Jr.

Sawtell, Eleazer

Smith, Solomon (grave in Woodlawn)

Swift, John (see blog post)

Temple, Samuel

Thorpe, Thomas

Tuttle, Simon

Tuttle, Simon Jr.

Wetherbee, Edward

Wheeler, Hezekiah

Wheeler, Oliver

Wheeler, Roger

White, Daniel

White, Ebenezer (Lieut.)

White, Mark

Woods, Moses

Wright, Samuel


 


Other graves were found that were marked with SAR Markers in the cemetery, but they were not in the written listings consulted.  Further research should confirm Revolutionary Service:


Hayward, Stevens (Capt.)

Wheeler, Theodore (Capt.)

White, Samuel (Lieut.)


Sources:


  • "The Men of the Revolution Who Are Honored Today by Having Bronzed Markers Placed at Their Graves."  Concord  Enterprise.  April 18, 1895, page 2.

  • May, Henry A.  Soldiers and Sailors Whose Markers Have Been Designated By the Marker of the Society. Boston:  Massachusetts Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, 1901.

  • Secretary of the Commonwealth.  Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution.  Boston: Wright & Potter Printing Co., 1896.

  • Shepard, M. Gravestones of Forest Cemetery.  Scrapbook of Gravestone Photographs held at Acton Historical Society.

  • Shepard, M. Gravestones of Revolutionary Section, Woodlawn Cemetery.  Scrapbook of Gravestone Photographs held at Acton Historical Society.


See also photographs of existing gravestones at FindAGrave.com (search by name):


Woodlawn Cemetery


Forest Cemetery


Footnotes:


1 Both SAR marker lists specify a first name as John.  No John Chaffin listed is in the 1896 Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution, but there is a Jonathan Chaffin of Acton listed. 



2 John Cole's grave is listed in the April 18, 1895 listing as having been marked with an SAR marker, but the 1901 May book did not include John Cole in Acton's grave listing. Captain Joseph Brown

bottom of page