Norwich, Connecticut was founded in 1659 by Reverend James Fitch and Major John Mason, who brought along settlers from nearby Saybrook. The town’s population grew and throughout the colonial period and early Republic, Norwich produced some of America’s brightest minds, strongest leaders, soldiers, druggists, industrialists, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and one particularly infamous villain (Benedict Arnold). Today, many of those renowned individuals lie at rest in Old Norwichtown Cemetery.
History
Major Mason and Reverend Fitch purchased the land that would become the town of Norwich from Mohegan Sachem (Chief) Uncas in 1659. The original town was located along the Yantic River and is now comprised of the historic Norwichtown neighborhood/historic district. Over the next few decades, the small hamlet of Norwich expanded and occupied the land amidst the Yantic, Thames, and Shetucket Rivers. With this expansion came a population boom and in turn, need of a proper burying ground. The town elders looked to nearby hilly and un-farmable land owned by Reverend James Fitch and Lieutenant Samuel Huntington and upon that land in 1700, Old Norwichtown Cemetery was established to bury the town’s dead.
Throughout the 1700s, Old Norwichtown Cemetery expanded to provide burial plots for the growing town. The original colonial portion is located just through the wrought-iron gates, which is an area known to have thousands of burials (although only around 1,300 gravestones still stand today). In August 1759, an 18-year-old Benedict Arnold (who one day would be known for his intrepid leadership and ultimately, betrayal of his country) watched the burial of his mother, Hannah Arnold, take place in Old Norwichtown Cemetery.
As the North American colonies barreled towards war, the merchants of Norwich began to feel the pressures of the various taxes imposed by the British Parliament. In response, the townspeople and neighboring communities learned to become more self-sufficient, by establishing mills and factories in the region. Along with this self-sufficient spirit came a revolutionary fervor, which was embodied by nearly every resident (the town even became a haven for the Sons of Liberty). In fact, during the colonial period and Revolutionary War, Norwich produced numerous Continental soldiers and militiamen, statesmen (to include Benjamin Huntington and Samuel Huntington, signer of the Declaration of Independence), and even two generals (Jedediah and Ebenezer Huntington). Most of those men, in particular the Huntington men, are buried in Old Norwichtown Cemetery.
Another interesting story is that of 20 French soldiers who supposedly died in Norwich in 1778 and were buried in town. Town history largely believes that these French soldiers, under command of Marquis de Lafayette, had camped out (unexpectedly) on Norwichtown Green and died of sickness while in town. While existing records do not support the presence of French soldiers in Norwich (or Connecticut for that matter) during that time, there is evidence of French prisoners passing through the area. These men were prisoners of the British in New York City and were on the march towards Rhode Island to be exchanged for British prisoners being held by French Admiral D’Estaing. These French men were most likely merchantmen and not soldiers, taken by the British Navy from French trading ships in the early years of the war. At any rate, two monuments stand in Old Norwichtown Cemetery in honor of those 20 men, who died of illness while in Norwich.
Interesting Facts
- Numerous African Americans were buried in Old Norwichtown Cemetery; however, they were sadly placed near the back of the burial ground and not given a headstone
- The “Walk Norwich Freedom Trail” provides an outstanding opportunity to learn about the role slavery played in Connecticut and Norwich in particular. Additionally, it explores the story of African American heritage in the town, which includes the movement to end slavery and advance civil rights
Notable Burials
It was a particularly rainy day when we visited Old Norwichtown Cemetery, but that did not detract from the tranquility of the burial ground. The town of Norwich has a series of trails under the auspices of “Walk Norwich,” which includes the Benedict Arnold Trail. This trail allows visitors to walk in the footsteps of the town’s past residents and will take you by Norwichtown Green, historic taverns & homes, and of course, the Old Norwichtown Cemetery.
There are dozens of Revolutionary War soldiers, American statesmen, community leaders, unknown African Americans, and countless others buried amidst the rolling green hills of the cemetery. Here we will highlight four burial plots: the “20 French soldiers” from the Revolutionary War, Hannah Waterman King Arnold, the Huntington Family plot, and Samuel Huntington.
20 French Soldiers
- Two monuments stand in Old Norwichtown Cemetery in honor of the 20 French men who died while in Norwich in 1778. One was placed in 1901 by the Faith Trumbull Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a second was placed by a French Historical Society in the 1920s
- As mentioned above, it is more likely that the 20 Frenchmen buried in the cemetery were merchants and/or sailors captured by the British Navy (there is no record of French troops, other than the Marquis de Lafayette, marching through Connecticut in 1778)
Hannah Waterman King Arnold (Mother of the infamous Benedict Arnold)
- Mother of Benedict Arnold, famed traitor from the American Revolutionary War
- She died on August 15, 1759 at the age of 51. Her cause of death was determined to be of an unknown illness (others claim that she was heart broken)
- After Benedict Arnold’s treasonous acts, two grave markers for Arnold family members were removed in Old Norwichtown Cemetery (the story goes that angry patriots ripped out gravestones that read “Benedict Arnold” and threw them into the Yantic River!)
Huntington Family Plot
Within the Huntington Family plot are numerous military leaders and politicians from the colonial, Revolutionary War, and early Republic eras. This includes: General Jedediah Huntington (August 4, 1743 – September 25, 1818), General Ebenezer Huntington (December 26, 1754 – June 17, 1834), Benjamin Huntington (April 19, 1736 – October 16, 1800), and Jabez Williams Huntington (November 8, 1788 – November 1, 1847).
- Jedediah Huntington earned degrees from Harvard and Yale Universities. During the war, General Huntington partook in the Battle of Long Island, the Valley Forge winter encampment, and the Battle of Monmouth. After the war, he was an original member of the Society of the Cincinnati
- General Ebenezer Huntington participated in the Battle of Long Island, the Battle of Rhode Island, the Battle of Springfield, and the siege of Yorktown. After the war, he was an original member of the Society of the Cincinnati and served as a U.S. Representative of Connecticut from October 1810 – March 1811 and March 1817 – March 1819
- Benjamin Huntington graduated from Yale College (University) in 1761. From 1771 – 1780, Benjamin served in the Connecticut House of Representatives and then served in the Continental Congress from 1780 -1784 and then from 1787 – 1788. He went on to serve in the First U.S. Congress from March 1789 – March 1791
- Jabez Williams Huntington graduated from Yale College in 1806 and went on to serve as a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1829. Shortly thereafter, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1829 – 1834. After the death of Thaddeus Betts, Jabez was elected to fill his seat in the U.S. Senate and served in that capacity from 1840 until his death in 1847
Samuel Huntington (July 16, 1731 – January 5, 1796)
- Trained as a a lawyer, admitted to the bar in 1754, and moved to Norwich to practice
- From 1764 – 1774, he served as a representative in the lower house of the Connecticut Assembly. In 1775, he was elected to the upper house and the Governor’s Council
- Huntington was a fervent patriot and spoke out against the various taxes imposed by the British Parliament prior to the start of the American Revolutionary War
- Served as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress (representing Connecticut) in 1776, 1778 – 1781, and 1783. During this time, he signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation
- After John Jay left to be minister to Spain, Huntington took over duties as President of the Continental Congress, which he fulfilled from September 28, 1779 – July 9, 1781
- Elected as Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut in 1785 and then served as Governor of Connecticut from 1786 until his death in 1796
- Presided over the Connecticut Convention that ratified the U.S. Constitution in 1788
