Just over the Chelsea border, in the City of Everett, lies a
place of quiesence and tranquility, a place that was once a part of
the Pratt estate, the Woodlawn Cemetery. Around 1815 Caleb Pratt III
sold the land to Daniel and Thankful Atkins. Daniel Atkins was a
direct descendant of Stephen Hopkins who came to America on the
“Mayflower” in 1620. The Atkins’ were living on Cape Cod
but moved to Woodlawn, built a house and farmed the land. Daniel and
Thankful’s daughter Pomona Atkins married Caleb Pratt IV on March 12, 1828.
In 1850, Woodlawn Cemetery was founded. The area was still
considered part of Malden, the Town of Everett did not come about
until 1870. Woodlawn was originally an area of one hundred acres of
farm, marsh and woodland. A “rural cemetery” it was
described as being “two and one quarter miles from the Chelsea
Bridge and Ferry.” It was also described as “having good
roads and noted for its quietness and rural character.” Woodlawn
Avenue was still a private way, belonging to the cemetery. Wildlife
hunting continued for many years in and around the area.
During the Civil War era, a soldier’s lot was set aside to
accommodate the area war dead. It was next to this area that
Chelsea’s famed Civil War nurse, Helen L. Gilson, was buried.
Woodlawn Cemetery also contains the resting place of five Medal of
Honor recipients who passed away, either at the Naval Hospital or the
Soldier’s Home.
In 1918, the Naval Hospital ceased burial in it’s cemetery on the
hospital reservation due to overcrowding. Arrangements were made to
purchase an area of the Woodlawn Cemetery for burial from the Naval
Hospital. Exhuming the remains for transfer from the hospital
cemetery to Woodlawn began early Spring and was completed on August
5, 1920.
Dr. Charles Leeds was appointed president of the organization in
1894 retaining this office until 1923. During his term, an office
building was constructed along with attractive front gates
constructed of wrought iron, supported by pillars of granite In the
center of the gates is a large tower, thirty feet in height of
Graeco-Roman architecture, all this is connected by a battlement
wall. This beautiful work was perfected by Chelsea architect, William
Hart Taylor. Dr. Leeds had the big barn built to house all cemetery
equipment. Piping was laid, introducing city water, in 1904. In 1909,
the children of the late Elisha S. Converse, a former president,
donated $15,000 toward the construction of a chapel. By the end of
the year another $10,000 was donated by various lot owners to make
the necessary $25,000 to build the chapel. The chapel, a beautiful
building, was dedicated on September 16, 1911. A crematory and
columbarium (a vault for urns) were constructed near the chapel in 1940.
About 1949, outside pressure was brought about for the sale of a
substantial piece of land which was formerly known as Cobbett Farm.
The land was purchased by the Everett Housing Authority. The trustees
at the time of the sale, felt that this piece of property would not
be used for burial for a number of years, if ever, and it’s sale
would be beneficial to the cemetery.
The cemetery through the years, has become a horticulturist’s
dream, a garden of ornamental beauty, with it’s number and various
types of trees and colorful beds of flowers, along with it’s
extensive lawns, walks and drives, tends to make it one of the most
beautiful cemeterys North of Boston.