Primaryresearch.org first became aware of the Claypit Cemetery
project when Rebecca Duda, an eight-grade social studies teacher
at Dracut’s Lakeview Jr. High School contacted us. We
have both known and respected Rebecca for over twenty years.
Rebecca was a former student of mine at Beverly High School
and a fellow classmate of Kevin McGrath. After graduating
from college, Rebecca spent many hours of field work in my
Primary Research Through the History of Beverly class and
eventually was a student teacher at her alma mater. Rebecca
is an outstanding teacher who, among her many accolades, was
selected in 2006 as the Massachusetts Council for the Social
Studies recipient of the William Spratt Award for Excellence
in Teaching Middle School.
Rebecca, along with students Emily Fox and Meghan Fawcett,
and a fellow teacher Catie Pelland, have been diligently spending
hours after school, on weekends, and vacations visiting a
number of archives. Martha Mayo of the Center for Lowell History
was invaluable in providing research assistance and access
to genealogical information. Eventually their research led
to a discovery
of a largely unknown and overgrown cemetery that is in
fact Dracut's oldest burial ground. Rebecca originally asked
us for advice in researching, restoring, and preserving what
is known as the "Claypit Cemetery". She
sent us photos of an area tangled with overgrown vines
and bushes. Many gravestones had been broken or stolen. It
appeared that only a machete would be able to hack through
the vegetation. How in the world did Dracut's oldest burial
ground meet this fate?
At first our research led to more questions than answers.
For example, why is Dracut's oldest burial ground now located
in Lowell? We found that the neighborhood of Pawtucketville
(in which the cemetery is located) was annexed from Dracut
to the City of Lowell in 1874. We wondered why neither Dracut
nor Lowell has maintained the cemetery and if there were other
local cemeteries that fell into this limbo of municipal accountability.
Was it a church rather than a municipal cemetery? If so, which
church? Are there any relatives of families interred at Claypit
still living in the area? Why has there been such limited
public outcry? . We later discovered that the
city of Lowell's assessor stated that the town of Dracut still
owned the Claypit propoerty. We also found that there
had been other
controversies between Dracut and Lowell concerning the
municipal responsibility for the maintenance of local cemeteries.
This public apathy toward the maintenance of Claypit is
nothing new. In fact, news clipping reveal that this cemetery
has been for the most part abandoned and forgotten for the
past 140 years. Research
revealed that in nearly every decade a group of caring,
energetic and hardworking students, civic organizations, or
concerned citizens have attempted to restore, and maintain
Dracut's oldest burial ground. These attempts, although virtuous,
have been futile due in part to the relatively isolated location
of the cemetery, and public apathy.
We began to research the history of the cemetery with the
hope of sparking public concern due to the historical significance.
In addition to many of the original Puritan settlers, there
were a number of African-Americans buried there. These African-American
families include the Lews (Barzillai
Lew was a famous soldier in the Revolutionary War). Upon
further investigation we found that Dracut’s African-American
history included a settlement of free blacks that were instrumental
in providing safe passage into New Hampshire as part of the
Underground Railroad. This African-American settlement was
called “Black North”. The only visible evidence
of this settlement today is in name only. For example there
is a "Black North Tavern" and a "Black North
Business Center".
We are in the process of developing a database containing
the biographical information of African-Americans
living in Dracut up to 1860. We hope to link these names
with church burial records and obituaries to get an accurate
idea of the number and identities of African-Africans buried
at Claypit.
Our research has revealed that a number of Native-Americans
may also be buried at Claypit. Part of what is now Dracut
was once a 17th century "praying-town", or a Puritan
version of an Indian Reservation. We also attempted to determine
the names of veterans (of any color) who fought in the Revolutionary
War, the War of 1812, Indian Wars, or the Mexican War. This
research is not an easy task, as
many of Dracut's early records are not to be found at the
Dracut Town Hall, Historical Society, or Public Library.
Upon investigation we were told by officials at Dracut Town
Hall that many of the oldest and most valuable records were
destroyed by a recent flood. We hope that since the flood,
the town of Dracut has taken adequate measures to protect
its remaining archives against future accidents.
As an aid for future research we are now in the process
of developing a list of the various Dracut historical documents
and their locations, whether it be archives, libraries, historical
societies and/or online databases, through which students
and interested citizens could have free access. Primaryresearch.org
has already begun to provide links
to many free digitized resources pertaining to Dracut history.
As we are made aware of free resources, they will be added
to this union
list.
Simply stated, our goal is for permanent maintenance, preservation
and public access to Dracut's oldest burial ground. Over the
past one hundred and forty years there has been a number of
well meaning, albeit unsuccessful crusades to clean up and
maintain the cemetery. The present condition of Claypit Cemetery
demonstrates an abject failure in any kind of continuity of
civic pride and responsibility. We hope that our research
and investigation will spark a public outcry that will initiate
a sustained effort to properly maintain the Cemetery. This
sustained effort may come by means of monthly turns at maintenance
from various civic, business, or service groups, similar to
the "adopt a highway" programs. The National Park
Service may become interested, as many of those interred are
forgotten African-Americans and Native Americans.
Hopefully, many patriotic and civic minded groups, such
as the Elks Club, American Legion, Sons and Daughters of the
American Revolution, and most important of all, the municipalities
of Dracut and Lowell and their respective citizens will get
behind the project on a permanent basis. Sadly, Rebecca Duda
has written two letters to the editor of the Lowell Sun that
were never published (one leading
up to Veteran's Day, and
another near Thanksgiving).
Given the advanced deterioration of this burial ground that
is possibly over 300 years old, our efforts should be put
into recreating markers to signify those buried there. Another
way to re-memorialize the site is by creating
a "cyber-cemetery" where visitors to our website
would have a chance to add to what we know about the lives
of these people.
Will this project be just another footnote in a long line
of failures, or will these forgotten citizens finally get
a permanent commitment that would finally avail them the dignity
and respect they so richly deserve?
Even after the most recent Boston Globe article regarding
the deplorable plight of Claypit Cemetery there has been no
movement by the town of Dracut, or any civic, patriotic or
veteran's group concerning a commitment plan for restoring
and maintaining the cemetery.
Primaryresearch.org did receive a few emails expressing outrage
over the lack of accountability and respect for those Dracut
citizens interred at Claypit. One e-mailer suggested seeking
an Eagle Scout volunteer to maintain the cemetery. Recent
articles have grossly understated the condition of Claypit.
It would require a troop of bulldozers to remove the overgrowth
resulting from decades of neglect.
We remain hopeful that action will replace excuses and those
interred at Caypit Cemetery will not experience another Memorial
Day of shameful neglect.
