5 historic, notable graves to check out while visiting Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Taunton

TAUNTON — Local cemeteries can tell us so much about the people who lived here before us.

You can pick up so much local history, all while enjoying a nice walk, to boot.

And Taunton, with its rich history, is full of historic cemeteries.

One such place is Mount Pleasant Cemetery, a historic cemetery at Crocker, Cohannet and Barnum streets in Taunton.

It opened in 1836, based on a family burial ground dating to the early 18th century (those graves are still there). Mount Pleasant was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002.

It's the fourth garden cemetery in the U.S., based on the early Victorian model of Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge.

What is a 'garden cemetery'?

Mount Pleasant is as picturesque as the phrase "garden cemetery" suggests.

Expansive and hilly, it is particularly beautiful to visit during the fall, when the trees are showing off all of their autumnal colors.

Garden graveyard: Take a walk through Taunton's historic Mount Pleasant Cemetery

Who is buried at Mount Pleasant?

It’s also the final resting place of some of the most locally-famous names in Taunton, including community leaders, business people, scientists, war heroes, artists, writers and so many more.

There are hundreds of graves there, nearly all of them rendered interesting by their age alone.

We’ve narrowed our list down to a mere five, to get you started.

Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and stay hydrated, so you can see all the rest. You won’t regret it.

Here are five graves to check out during your visit to Mount Pleasant Cemetery:

1. Marcus Morton

During your visit to Mount Pleasant, stop by the Morton family plot, which includes the graves of Marcus Morton (1784-1864), the namesake for Morton Hospital and a governor of Massachusetts; as well as his son, also named Marcus Morton (1819-1891), who served as chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

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2. Arthur Cleveland Bent

Taunton’s own Audubon is buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Arthur Cleveland Bent (1866-1954) was a renowned ornithologist, whose contributions to science cannot be overstated. A Tauntonian his whole life, he traveled all over North America, studying birds. His work lives on today in “Life Histories of North American Birds,” a 21-volume masterwork that is now a bedrock text in the field of ornithology. His legacy also lives on in his meticulously curated bird collection, on display at the Museum of Natural History at Bristol County Agricultural High School in Dighton, and in a replica cabin dedicated to his memory at the Gertrude M. Boyden Wildlife Refuge. Bent is buried at Mount Pleasant along with his wife Madeleine and their son Frederick, who died in infancy.

3. William Mason

Mount Pleasant is also home to the tomb of William Mason (1808-1883), owner of Taunton's Mason Machine Works. He was an industrial pioneer, and his company made a number of different products over the years, from locomotives, to printing presses, to muskets for the war department during the American Civil War. One of his locomotives would go on to appear in the 1999 Will Smith movie, "Wild Wild West." The tomb is part of the Mason family plot.

4. Edmund Hatch Bennett

His gravestone at Mount Pleasant says Edmund Hatch Bennett, April 6, 1824 - Jan. 2, 1898, was "greatly beloved": "He rests from his labors and his works do follow him." Bennett was the first mayor of Taunton. He was married to Sally Crocker, daughter of Congressman Samuel Leonard Crocker. Edmund Hatch Bennett School is named for him.

5. Henry Reed and Charles Barton

The famous names behind Reed & Barton, Henry Reed and Charles Barton, were business partners in life, taking over the failing company of Isaac Babbitt and transforming it into world-renowned Reed & Barton. They helped to give the Silver City its nickname! They are also buried near each other, in adjacent plots at Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

Henry G. Reed (1810-1901) shares a plot with his wife Clarissa (1812-1847), the daughter of Isaac and Sophia Hodges White; his second wife Frances Lee (1830-1857), daughter of Jared and Fanny L. Williams; and his third wife, Delight R. (1828-1894), daughter of Christopher and Emeline Lee Carpenter.

The other half of the famous duo is buried nearby. Charles E. Barton (1812-1867) is buried with his wife Amanda (1810-1899).

Tour more of Taunton’s historic cemeteries with the Old Colony History Museum

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For future visits, be sure to keep in mind the historic cemetery tours offered by the Old Colony History Museum, 66 Church Green.

OCHM offers a different cemetery tour on the fourth Saturday of each month, from April to October.

These tours offer a history of the graveyard and and are also often centered on a theme, for example, September’s tour explored the Potter’s Field at Mayflower Hill.

In October, they’re also putting a Halloween spin on their downtown walking tour, with a Haunted History Walking tour on Saturday, Oct. 28. Please note that this tour is for mature audiences. It’s free for OCHM members, and $10 for non-members.

For more details and a full schedule of events, visit oldcolonyhistorymuseum.org.

Herald News/Taunton Daily Gazette copy editor and digital producer Kristina Fontes can be reached at kfontes@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Herald News and Taunton Daily Gazette today.

This article originally appeared on The Herald News: 5 graves to visit at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Taunton