The Old Bradford Burial Ground Progress Report

 

Barron, Melanie, Debby and Joe doing some grounds keeping.

My Cousins,

We have made great strides in our goal of providing a dedicated memorial headstone for Thomas Tenney Sr. in the Old Bradford Burial Ground (OBBG) in Bradford, Massachusetts at the 2009 TFA Reunion. The major issues we face are funding shortages, OBBG clean up and the construction of  TT’s headstone.

Here are the highlights:

1. City
   1. We have secured permission from the City, owners of the burial ground, to clean and have the headstone dedication at our 2009 TFA reunion. In addition, there will be NO MORE NEAR ARRESTS FOR DIGGING UP BODIES.
   2. They City  has agreed to use the DPW to haul away debris from the clean up. They have no funding to do more at this time.
   3. The City has agreed to file necessary paperwork to gain grant money for clean up in the future.
2. OBBG Clean up
   1. Three quotes were obtained for the clean up of the poison ivy and small brush only. All quotes were extremely high and beyond our budget.
   2. Volunteer Cemetery Restoration Group

                                                              i.      We have received assistance from Thomas Spitatlere, Manager of the local Buttonwoods Museum, in locating Thomas Tenney Sr.’s original headstone. No, we haven’t found it yet, but we’ve has a couple close hits.

                                                            ii.      Tom Spitalere and his volunteer cemetery restoration group (of which I am now a qualified member) will be doing some clean up every other week for the summer. It’s a huge job with lots of poison ivy.

                                                          iii.      TFA has presented a 1904 MJ Tenney book to Tom  for his dedication and assistance.

3. John Hardy contacted me. He has descendants in the OBBG. He saw our article in the Tenney Times. John has offered to pay for the clean up. He has done these clean ups previously in Marblehead, MA. He asked that I get two quotes for the clean up, one for just the poison ivy and one for the PI and the brush. I am doing that now. We hope to have John work in conjunction with Spitalere’s restoration group.
4. I personally have managed to clean about 700 sq. ft. around the old Tenney plot.
5. A local non-TFA member, Donna Sadoski, currently residing in Haverhill, became so upset by the condition of the OBBG, that she has offered to assist us in cleaning it up. She has some great ideas on how to promote the OBBG clean up. We hope to have Donna work in conjunction with Spitalere’s restoration group.
6. Bruce Carlton visited me in Haverhill and we spent the day researching the Carlton’s in Haverhill / Bradford. Bruce has done a video which is available on UTUBE showing the poor condition of the OBBG and asking for assistance, either funding or physical labor, to help get the clean up done. It will be put up on UTUBE shortly for your viewing pleasure. Bruce has sent us a generous donation.
7. Tom Spitalere arranged to have a short article published in the local Lawrence Eagle Tribune newspaper about the search for the headstone and the need for OBBG clean up.
8. The Lawrence Eagle Tribune newspaper wants to interview Spitalere and me for a more in depth article regarding our OBBG project.
2. Headstone
   1. We have submitted the wording for the headstone to Atwood Memorial for a quote. We are waiting.
   2. We have decided on the location of the headstone.
   3. We have decided on the style of the headstone.
3. Funding / Donations
   1. Joe, Debby and I are writing a series of articles on the Tenneys in the King Philip’s War, circa 1675-6, one for each son of TT Sr. My son, Thomas Jacob Tenney (yes, I named him after TT Sr.), and I went to South Deerfield, and Hadley, MA this week. Thomas Tenney Sr.’s son, Thomas Jr., and his company were mustered in at Rowley in June, walked to Salem to join companies from surrounding towns, and then walked 130 miles, where they were garrisoned in Hadley. While returning from Deerfield with wagons of grain to supply Hadley over the winter, the Indians surprised his company of about 90 men and attacked them. The attacked was made at Muddy Brook in South Deerfield and there was so much blood from the slaughter of the colonists (64 died) that the brook was thereafter renamed Bloody Brook and the battle came to be know as the Bloody Brook Massacre. We believe that Thomas Jr. was one of 7 or 8 that survived this massacre). Sixty-four colonists were buried in a mass grave the next day. The slab below is currently is someone’s front lawn.

After Bloody Brook, Thomas Tenney Jr. returned to the garrison in Hadley where he helped keep the peace until November 1675. Thomas Jr.’s company then walked to Bristol, Rhode Island in late November – early December, camped overnight in a snowstorm and attacked the Indian fort at Mount Hope the next morning, December 10, 1675. This was known as the Great Swamp Fight. (fascinating stuff).

The proceeds from the sale of these articles will be going to the headstone project and continued OBBG maintenance.

2. We have received some significant donations form TFA members and non-members alike, but it still is not even close to what is needed for the headstone. We don’t have enough. I am not good at begging.
3. Joe Williams has put together a funding request letter to go to other OBBG families. It should go out soon.
4. Kathryn and Debby Montgomery have put together a flyer for a funding drive for donations from non-TFA members.
5. Please send your member and non-member suggestions to Barron at BarronTenney@Comcast.Net.

 SUMMARY: We seem to be right on schedule for completion of this project for our 2009 TFA Reunion in Haverhill, MA.

TFA’s Obedient Servant

Barron Tenney