DENISON BURYING GROUND

The Denison Burying Ground was established by the Denison family in 1698. This hallowed ground is the final resting place to over one hundred Denison family members. Located on Route 1 in Mystic, the burying ground is presently owned and maintained by The Denison Society.  

In 2023, the Denison Homestead purchased 70 heirloom daffodil bulbs for the Stonington Beautification Committee to plant in front of the  Burying Ground. The Committee volunteered to plant the daffodils along the front wall of the cemetery for bloom time this spring. Last fall, the Committee replanted the barrel planters by the front stairway with chrysanthemums and decorated the barrels with colorful pumpkins for an autumn flair. Thank you to the Beautification Committee for their kind efforts to keep the town and the cemetery as a precious treasure.

The venerable Fred Burdick, local historian and cemetery preservationist, has donated a collection of his cemetery photos and records to the Homestead. He has spent years restoring, photographing, and preserving cemeteries throughout the area. The collection contains photos and information for 18 Stonington cemeteries where Denison ancestors are buried. We are very grateful to Fred for his dedicated efforts and generosity.

These records are invaluable, as some of the stones have deteriorated over time, and can no longer be read. Fortunately, long ago, historians preserved many of the inscriptions, and now Fred has created a photo archive of every gravestone, as well. He used a mirror technique to light up some of the darkest stones, so that even if they can’t be easily read with our own eyes, his photos reveal their beautiful engravings.

Above photos from left: Prudence Denison’s gravestone condition as compared to that of her husband’s stone. Center right and far right photos show Emma Rogers’ gravestone before and after cleaning with D2 solution.

Unfortunately, though, many stones in Connecticut were carved from soft sandstone that does not stand up well to the elements. For those stones made of that particular kind of sandstone, there is no way to preserve or restore them. Replacing the stones with replicas would be extremely expensive. The Denison Burying Ground Committee is exploring having plaques made and placed beside deteriorated stones, to identify the people interred there and to record what the inscriptions used to say. 

Last October, before the winter weather, an evaluation of the old Denison Burying Ground was completed to prioritize the repairs and projects for this spring when the weather warms up again. That time is almost here! Hopefully, by this year’s annual Memorial Day ceremony, some improvements will be complete.

We have had a very generous donation of $2,400 for our cemetery preservation fund, and also a $250 donation towards the purchase of D2, which is an approved gravestone cleaner. Any donations towards these efforts are greatly appreciated!  Our goal is to continue raising funds that will keep our cemeteries as treasured and honorable places of repose for our ancestors.

This 1862 30-pound Parrott Rifle was placed in the Denison Burying Ground by the G.A.R., the veterans organization for Union veterans of the Civil War.

Here lies Elisha Denison who died on the Prison Ship Jersey during the Revolutionary War.

This is the resting place of George Denison, grandson of Captain George and Ann. George, along with his bride Lucy Gallup Denison, who built the present day Pequotsepos Manor in 1717 after the original home burned down on the eve of their wedding.