History of Green Grove Cemetery

Fun Facts:

• It appears that the land that was the initial cemetery was purchased from Joseph Shepard by Ruel W. Ladd in May of 1856, part of a three acre lot. Ladd was the town undertaker among other things.
   

• The first burial was John M. Merrill, who can be found at the top of the knoll near the flagpole. He died in 1857.
   

• The 1860 county map shows a cemetery in the present location. 
   

• Doris Tatham. a local historian wrote that soon after the separation of Ashland from Holderness (July 1868) "a group of business men purchased land of Ruell Ladd and incorporated the Green Grove Cemetery Association."
   

• Information about the formation of The Association seems to have been lost in history.  It was certainly in existence by May of 1870, when a special town meeting passed over an article "to accept the cemetery grounds from the Green Grove Cemetery Association on such terms as said Association may agree upon". 
   

• That special meeting did vote $500 to build a receiving tomb if the Association would give the Town a lot, That tomb was built, but it cost more so the March 1871 meeting voted another $311 for the overage. We actually have a very detailed report of the tomb expenses. In 1874, the GGCA bought land to the west and south of the original cemetery lot for $400. In 1876 they bought for $175 more land to the east of the tomb, which was apparently located at the east street corner of the original cemetery. I do not know if they have purchased additional land since then.  Note: $800 in 1856 would be $31,600 today for tomb on Main Street.