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The Revolutionary War Cemetery

Established in 1716 as the Burying Place, the Revolutionary War Cemetery is the oldest burying ground in Sudbury, Massachusetts. In 2026, the Sudbury Historical Commission (SHC) installed a new Revolutionary War Cemetery map and informational kiosk from research completed by the Sudbury Historical Society (SHS).

Click on the map to enlarge it. Or, click here to see it in another window.

List of Buried Individuals

The oldest surviving gravestone marks Sarah Noyes, who died in 1727, as the first known burial, and the last recorded one was Eunice Haynes in 1895. The exact number of those laid to rest here remains uncertain. While 509 names have been documented, this figure does not account for the many individuals whose identities have been lost over time. In 2012, ground-penetrating radar revealed the likely presence of 976 burial sites and approximately 70 buried headstones.

While associated with the American Revolutionary War, most individuals buried here were everyday townspeople, shopkeepers, farmers, parents, sons, daughters, and siblings. The gravestones themselves reflect early New England beliefs. Made of slate, limestone, and granite, the stones often feature symbols such as cherubs, skulls, and willows. Inscriptions often quote the Bible, reminding the living of such aspects as mortality, repentance, and the hope of the afterlife.

The cemetery contains the remains of many Revolutionary War Patriots. One of the most notable is Deacon Josiah Haynes, who at the age of 78, was killed on April 19, 1775, while marching to Concord. He was the first Sudbury soldier to die in the war. Other Patriots of note include: Captain Jonathan Bent, Captain Daniel Bowker, Corporal Jonathan Fairbank, and Colonel Ezekiel How. In 2022, former Sudbury Historical Society (SHS) trustee, Edward V. Kreutz, identified 61 marked graves of these soldiers, with many more believed to be at rest in unmarked sites. Each year on April 19th, reenactors from the Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute honor these patriots with a musket-firing salute before marching to Concord.

Three Sudbury ministers are buried in this cemetery: Reverend Israel Loring, Reverend Jacob Bigelow, and Reverend Rufus Hurlbut. A notable underground tomb, inscribed with the name of Hopestill Brown from 1731 contains descendants of Deacon William Brown, as well as of Reverend Loring and his wife, Mary Loring. Today, the Revolutionary War Cemetery stands as a link to the history of Sudbury. The cemetery honors its early settlers, community leaders, their families, and those who took part in the struggle for independence.

Below is a comprehensive list of individuals known to be buried in the Revolutionary War Cemetery. Soldiers are marked with an asterisk (*). Click on a letter to see individuals whose last name starts with the letter. Or click here to see all the names.

Last Names Starting with B

Last Names Starting with C

Last Names Starting with D

Last Names Starting with E

Last Names Starting with F

Last Names Starting with G

Last Names Starting with H

Last Names Starting with I

Last Names Starting with J

Last Names Starting with K

Last Names Starting with L

Last Names Starting with M

Last Names Starting with N

Last Names Starting with O

Last Names Starting with P

Last Names Starting with R

Last Names Starting with S

Last Names Starting with T

Last Names Starting with W

Background Information

  • The burial records of Reverend Jacob Bigelow (1743-1816) of the First Parish of Sudbury can be found on Sudbury Archives here.
  • Edward V. Kreutz (1953-2024), former member of the SHS Board of Trustees, shared his significant research on those buried in the cemetery. For reference purposes, that research may be downloaded here.

Last updated by the Sudbury Historical Society in May 2026.