This is an elaborate cemetery with burials coming from many sources. See the bottom of this page for a discussion.
The Evergreen Cemetery of South Hadley is a large lawn style cemetery. It was founded in 1868 as a Protestant Cemetery. In 1902 the Old South Hadley Cemetery was moved from College Street to the back of the Evergreen Cemetery.
stop 1 – Old South Hadley Cemetery (move 4)
The Old South Hadley Cemetery once was located on College Street across the street from the Mount Holyoke Seminary. The last move of the burials and the stones was in 1902 when the very back of the cemetery was filled in.
stop 2 – Old South Hadley Cemetery (move 2)
Many families selected not to have their relatives moved into the back of the Evergreen Cemetery but rather into its middle. These were mostly family style gravestones.
The Day family is one such family. Some Days were in the Old SH Cemetery and some in Evergreen. In 1902 at the time of the big move, all the stones were disposed of and a new stone made.
Bolton family
Montague family
The Asa Clark family is another situation where the stones and bodies were moved but here the stones were kept.
stop 3 – Old South Hadley Cemetery (move 1)
When the Evergreen Cemetery was opened in 1868 all the burials that year were from the Old South Hadley Cemetery. The relatives of the burials were impressed by the look and location of the new cemetery that they wanted their relatives there. Most of the reburials were of families with large stones.
stop 4 – South Hadley Cemetery – Individual Stones (move 3)
Joseph Miller
Sergeant Joseph Miller of the 57th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers died at Andersonville Georgia on July 27 1864 at the age of 28. He is buried in the Andersonville National Cemetery (FINDAGRAVE) and has a cenotaph at the Evergreen Cemetery of South Hadley (FINDAGRAVE).
stop 5 – Evergreen Cemetery – modern sections
stop 5 – Evergreen Cemetery – old sections
Of course, as in most cemeteries, there is the need to improve some of the gravestones.
Also in most old cemeteries there are a group of gravestones that need explanations.
stop 7 – Old South Hadley Cemetery – temporary road and bridge
stop 8 – Evergreen Cemetery – gates
Discussion on Burials
1868 to 1891 transfers – there exists a Horace Brockway list that I have never seen – he was the superintendent of Evergreen during that period. – the reason why there are transfers during this period is that people wanted their ancestors to have a better burial location than the Old South Hadley Burial Grounds.
1892 to 1901 transfers – NO transfers since people got word that the old burial ground would be moved any way so why bother when the town would do it for free.
[1868 to 1904 burials – Burials (as separate from transfers) into Evergreen can be found from the town death records since burial data in the town death records will give either “South Hadley” or “South Hadley Falls” as the cemetery. In 1868 all burials stopped into the Old South Hadley Burial Ground. Since that 1868 year all “South Hadley Falls” burials in the town death records are either the Falls Cemetery or the Catholic cemeteries. Call this information the “Old Evergreen Direct Burials”]
1902 transfers – Of the six year or years ranges that I am listing in this email, the 1902 would be the hardest to replicate. One would have to subtract a lot of burials. Best way is to ignore the back where the 1904 burials are since they are exactly known. Also ignore any post-1904 burial in Evergreen. Go through every gravestone inscription left and call that “OLD STONE DATA”. The “Old Evergreen Direct Burials” plus the “1868 to 1891 transfers” plus the “1903 transfers” form a block of information that needs to be subtracted. “1902 transfers” = “OLD STONE DATA” – “Old Evergreen Direct Burials” – “1868 to 1891 transfers” – “1903 transfers”
1903 transfers – see Soule list linked below and subtract off 1904 burials found in the Jesse Lie big book
http://www.holyokecanaltour.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/SHPL-Copier_20220331_153502.pdf
1904 transfers – listed in the Jesse Lie big book
For all burials from 1904 onward – check the town or state death records for South Hadley.