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East Thompson Cemetery 

East Thompson Road, Thompson    3.62 acres total (West side = 1.62; East side = 2.0)
GPS Latitude 41.98743 Longitude -71.82413

The East Thompson Cemetery is composed of two sections. Originally referred to as the Jacobs Cemetery, the oldest part of the cemetery became known as the “Old East Thompson (West)”. In 1865, across the road, one acre of land was opened to later become the “New East Thompson (East)” cemetery. Since 1947, it has been one cemetery under the East Thompson Cemetery Association.

Burials in both sections of the East Thompson cemetery began long before the properties were deeded. On the West side burials are documented from the mid 1700’s and on the East from the early 1800’s.

In 1848, Ithiel Jacobs deeded one and one-half acres to the Town of Thompson “bounded by stone walls, on the left side of the Boston Turnpike”. Originally referred to as the Jacobs Cemetery, this became known as the West side. Over the years additional land was acquired from Victor Conant and Rinaldo Hoyle. This portion of the cemetery on the west side of East Thompson Road has two (2) acres.

In 1865, across the road from the then “Jacobs Cemetery”, one acre was opened and laid out by George Tourtellotte to later become the New East Thompson Cemetery. Later in 1879 he deeded the unsold lots to his daughter Horetta Tourtellotte Soper; she retained ownership of these until her death at which time the title to the property was abandoned; when the East Thompson Cemetery Association was formed in 1947, it acquired the property. Over the years more land was acquired from Forest M. Rhodes, Rinaldo Hoyle, Ashley Mills and in 1974 from the Hoenig family; there are now 4.62 acres on the east side of East Thompson Road.

In 1850, the Town bought a hearse for the Burial Ground in District #11 (East Thompson). This hearse was used until around 1885 and then was stored in the hearse house at the cemetery; it later disappeared. After the East Thompson Cemetery Association was formed, it became one of the first goals of the group to find the “Old Hearse”. The hearse was found at an antique dealer’s shop in Abington, CT. It was returned and restored. In 1984 it was moved to Old Sturbridge Village.

The majority of the historic markers associated with the East Thompson Cemetery are on the older side, i.e., the west side of the cemetery. The burial vault, also called the Old Tomb, was built and donated by Joseph Cutler (1824-1897). Memorial Day 1910, iron gates at the entrance to the West cemetery, which were donated by Irving J. Hoyle, were dedicated in memory of “Connecticut Soldiers of All Wars” as shown on the plaques on each side of the gate.

In 1996, a monument to honor the nine founders of the East Thompson Cemetery Association was donated by William Kingsbury. In 2013, a new permanent founders’ monument was dedicated.

The design and materials used for headstones vary from generation to generation. James Slater in his Colonial Burying Grounds of Eastern Connecticut (p. 284) noted the use of various kinds of slate and Connecticut Valley sandstone; he states that the engravings of at least seventeen (17) carvers have been identified in East Thompson. One of these is that of James Willson, a “white Sikes” stone meaning that it was carved by Elijah Sikes. Many of the stones are dark blue slate.

The older side has grave markers for military who served as early as the French and Indian War including this one for Captain Ezekiel Smith.

There are at least eleven stones of those who served in the 11th Militia during the War of 1812; these men participated in the defense of New London, Connecticut.

Military interred in East Thompson reflect all the major conflicts and all branches of service. Each year on Memorial Day, the names of all miliary persons buried in East Thompson are recited in remembrance.

Copies of Memorial Day Programs from the East Thompson Cemetery can be found at the Town Hall, at the Thompson Public Library and at the Thompson Historical Society.

Private Joseph Robinson, Co. D, 18th CT Regiment who served in the civil war and was captured at New Market, VA is marked with a cenotaph, a grave where the body is not present; cenotaph derives from the Greek words kenos taphos meaning ’empty tomb’. He died at Camp Sumter, Georgia, commonly known as Andersonville Prison, of diarrhea on September 29, 1864 where he is buried in lot 10020.

Andersonville Prison Tombstone

The East Thompson Cemetery, as stated previously, includes the “New East Thompson Cemetery” and the “Old East Thompson Cemetery”. In the document section below you will find a listing of each of these which may help in locating a tombstone; this is the original Hale’s List of Cemetery Inscriptions which records the gravestone locations as the person who collected the information walked through the cemetery.

Ida Ransom, July 2024

Documents:
New East Thompson Cemetery- Hale’s List of Cemetery Inscriptions
Old East Thompson Cemetery – Hale’s List of Cemetery Inscriptions