Local History: Stories from the Prospect Hill Cemetery

BRATTLEBORO — On a recent sunny day we wandered through the oldest section of Prospect Hill Cemetery and looked at some of the early gravestones. We came across a few that stirred us to do a little research. Here are a few stories.

The cemetery is located on South Main Street. When it was first established in 1796, it overlooked the Connecticut River to the east and the beginnings of downtown Brattleboro to the north. At the time, it was known as the East Village Burying Ground. The cemetery continued to grow with added land parcels until 1869.

It is believed Freedom Clark was the first person buried in the cemetery. Mrs. Clark died April 3, 1796. She was 35 years old. On her slate gravestone was carved the inscription, “Amiable consort of Mr. Joseph Clark who died in childbed April 3, 1796 in the 35th year of her age.” Her child, a daughter, would survive and was also known as Freedom Clark.

The next summer tragedy struck when two young men drowned while attempting to cool off in the Connecticut River on a hot July day. Their bodies were recovered and buried next to one another in the newly established graveyard.

The Federal Galaxy newspaper reported the news, “On the morning just passed were drowned in the river Pardon Taylor, an apprentice to Dr. George Hall and Edward Palmer, an apprentice of this newspaper — they were youths about 17 years of age — A number of young men went into the water to cool off and bathe — Palmer, who could not swim, advanced 3 rods (about 50 feet) into the river, being unaware of the sudden depth of the water, became greatly terrified and called for help. Taylor saw he was in imminent danger and rushed to Palmer to provide relief.

"However, Palmer seized Taylor in such a manner that Taylor could not use his arms to swim. Taylor was an excellent swimmer but they both sunk to the bottom. Their bodies were found in about 30 minutes but they could not be revived.

"Thus, an unfortunate and generous youth, who braved every danger and risked everything dear to himself, lost his life in an untimely sacrifice when attempting to rescue a friend from death.”

In the old section of the cemetery there is an extra-large slate stone that reads, “Bathing in the river near this spot on the second of July 1797 were drowned age 17 years Pardon Taylor and Edward Palmer age 17. The former lost his own life through his generous efforts to preserve that of his youthful friend. They were lovely and pleasant in their lives and in their death were not divided. Reader-if you knew them you will weep with their friends.”

Dr. George Hall was the first doctor in the East Village of Brattleboro. He began his practice around 1790 and owned property at the junction of what became High and Main streets. He was well-known for his elaborate gardens on both sides of what would become Main Street. He also operated a store for the sale of drugs, medicines and New England goods. The store was located where Pliny Park is today.

Pardon Taylor was an apprentice working in Dr. Hall’s store at the time of his drowning. Later in 1797 Dr. Hall’s store was completely destroyed by fire. A clerk placed a lighted oil lamp too close to an open cask of distilled spirits and the cask exploded. The flames grew so quickly in the wooden building that there was no time to save anything. Dr. Hall would live another 10 years but, according to Henry Burnham’s local history, “It was a blow to Dr. Hall from which he never recovered. He died in 1807, aged 44 years.”

Burnham went on to say, “Two sons of Dr. Hall became successful traders in this town. One married Sarah Holbrook, daughter of successful businessman and trader John Holbrook. The other son became, at one time, the most extensive merchant in this county.

"While doing a large wholesale and retail business in dry goods, hardware and West India products, he engaged in the manufacture of linseed oil, cotton fabrics and iron. His name was Gardner Hall and he encouraged industry in town by finding markets for Brattleboro-produced goods.”

Burnham published his history in 1880 and remembered the trade that traveled up and down the Connecticut River. “Not the least interesting event in our old times was the arrival of one of Hall’s flat-bottomed ships, laden with 20 or 30 tons of merchandise from the port of Hartford, Ct. The large white sails, swelling up the rapids on their important mission, along the shore of tall trees and banks of summer vegetation, were assisted by hard-handed, swift watermen, who, on arrival at the landing, were sure to gratify their weakness for the spirited contents of the old back store of their patron.”

In other words, Burnham remembered how the workmen struggled to pull and guide the flatboats through the rapids just south of the boat landing. The landing was located at the bottom of the road we now call Arch Street. Burnham was humored by the memory of the workmen enjoying an alcoholic beverage at the expense of the proprietor, Gardner Hall, after landing and unloading the flatboat.

Dr. George H. Hall, Freedom Clark, Pardon Taylor and Edward Palmer are all buried in the first section of Prospect Hill Cemetery. It is the most northern area of the burying ground and the oldest. We have found there are many interesting stories attached to those who are buried in our local graveyards. The gravestones found in the cemeteries often shed light on the lives and times of those who have come before us.

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