Harmony Grove Cemetery

From Salem Links and Lore
  • Established in 1840 as a private, non-profit cemetery by four established Salem families. The original cemetery spanned 15 acres off Grove St. Over the years it has expanded and now covers 98 acres of land, 90% of the area is in Salem and 10% in Peabody.
  • Blake Memorial Chapel designed by Ernest Machado, is on the grounds and was dedicated in 1925.
  • Some of the more notable people buried there are: Frank W. Benson, Rev. William Bentley, George Peabody, Charles Lennox Remond, Leverett Saltonstall, Nathaniel Silsbee, Frederick Townsend Ward, John Bertram, Luis F. Emilio, Jean Missud, Daniel Low, and Frank Poor.
  • An old burial ground, called Gardner Hill, was situated a little west of Harmony Grove. When the area of Boston Street and Grove was developed in the 1840s, one hundred fifty graves were moved from Gardner Hill to the cemetery. One of the graves was that of Thomas Gardner (1592–1674) who came to the area, from Cape Ann, with Roger Conant in 1626. Thomas' daughter, Seeth, and grandson, Abel, were also moved to Harmony Grove.
  • One of the stones moved from the old burial ground was for Robert Buffum who arrived in 1634, from Yorkshire, England, and was buried in 1669. His is the oldest grave in Harmony Grove.
  • Harmony Grove is the site of the only crematorium on the North Shore.

See Also

  • Vertical File in Salem Collection - Cemeteries
  • "A walk through Salem's historic Harmony Grove" Salem News, Aug. 27, 2007 p. A11