Old Burying Ground (Cemetery) Cambridge, Massachusetts

OLD BURYING GROUND BURIAL PLACE OF EARLY SETTLERS TORY LANDOWNERS AND SLAVES SOLDIERS - PRESIDENTS OF HARVARD AND PROMINENT MEN OF CAMBRIDGE 1635 CAMBRIDGE HISTORICAL COMMISSION

First I would like to send a big Thank You out to those of you who researched the Hancock family, so that I could even find these graves in the first place.  Below you will find several photos of the Hancock and Prentice graves in the Old Burying Ground in Cambridge, Massachusetts, right across the street from Harvard University.  If you plan to visit there, please take the advice I found in one of my guide books: don't drive in Boston!  The subway (the "T") is a great way to get around the city, even if you have a stroller.  This cemetery is located near the "Harvard Square" station on the red line.  For directions on how to get into the cemetery (which is surprisingly tricky!) click here.  The Dunhams are rather distantly related to John Hancock through my 4th great-grandmother, Tabitha Hancock, Cornelius' mother, who shared a great-grandfather with the famous signer of the Declaration of Independence.  It leads to all sorts of questions: did our ancestors know him, or spend time with him?  Tabitha was a bit younger than John, but would they have played together as children?  Lastly, was Franklin Prentice, Cornelius' "hired man", a member of the Prentice family that is buried in this cemetery, and thereby Cornelius' cousin?  Under the epithets, I have noted the individual's birth and death dates.  Please also notice as you look at these old graves, and the other ancestors' graves, how many of them were members of the clergy.

Here Lyes Buried The Body of Deacon NATHANIEL HANCOCK Who Departed This Life April the 12th 1719 in The 81st Year of His Age (18 Dec 1639 - 12 April 1719) This is Tabitha's, and John's, great-grandfather.

To the right of Nathaniel's Grave: Here Lyes the Body of Mary Hancock, Wife to Nathaniel Hancock Senr who Died Sept 20th 1699 in the 56th Year of Her Age (Maiden Name: Prentice) (25 Nov 1644 - 20 Sep 1699) This is Tabitha's, and John's, great-grandmother.

Son of Nathaniel & Mary: Here lyes buried The body of Mr. Nathaniel Hancock who departed this life May the 10th 1755 Aged 87 years (29 Oct 1668 - 10 May 1755) This is Tabitha's grandfather.

Here lyes Buried ye Body of Mrs. Prudence Hancock, Wife to Mr. Nathaniel Hancock who departed this life July 15th Anno Domi 1742 Aged 79 Years (Maiden Name: Russell) (30 May 1670 - 15 Jul 1742) This is Tabitha's grandmother.

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