By CARLA CHARTER
For Athol Daily News
A Candlelit Living History Tour of Old Centre Cemetery in Royalston on Oct. 23 will allow North Quabbin residents the chance to meet historical figures from Royalston’s past.
The event is sponsored by the Royalston Historical Society.
“This is not a haunted cemetery tour it is a living history cemetery tour,” said Beth Gospodareck, secretary of the historical society and organizer of the Candlelit Cemetery Tours, adding that the event is very family oriented.
Among the former Royalston residents people will meet, include Joseph Estabrook, the man who provided money to create the Old Center Cemetery. Estabrook, a well to do resident, was known for his palm leaf hat business, a popular industry in the area at his time. He also raised cattle and sold the beef to Boston stores, according to Gospodareck.
Isaac Royall, a slave trader, will also be portrayed. The town was named after Royall, as he invested the most money in a real estate deal to buy the charter for the town and then sell off the lots. said Gospodareck. Royall never visited Royalston, she added.
The town’s first minister, Rev. Lee who arrived in 1763 will be portrayed. Lee was married three times after each of his wives Lucy, Hannah and Sarah, passed away.
Joseph Nichols, who learned embalming during the Civil War then came back to be Royalston’s first undertaker, as well as his wife Martha will be portrayed.
Revolutionary War Soldier, Nahum Green who in served the Battle of Bunker Hill, will be among those re-enactors speaking about his part in history. During Green’s military service, he contracted small pox and came back to Royalston, where he died of the disease.
During the Civil War, Abigail Bosworth, who will be part of the tour, stayed in town to run the family farm but all three of her sons, grandson and nephew all enlisted in the war. The grandson came home after he was discharged with dysentery escorted by his father, Bosworth’s youngest son, who had been discharged to care for him. Bosworth lost her other two sons in the war. The grandson eventually died of dysentery and his father died in a sawmill accident where he was working.
Hannah Heywood will be depicted. She lost all five of her children, ages 2, 5,10, 13, and 14, between April 18 and May 30, 1795 due to a diphtheria epidemic.
Other Royalston residents from the past who are expected to make an appearance include the Wildman who haunted his own farm, so his mother would let him move west. There will also two grave robbers who were medical students and dug up a cadaver to practice on and were promptly apprehended.
Many of the re-enactors portraying the Royalston residents are students from local schools completing their community service hours required by every student at the school. These include students from Athol High School, Mahar High School, Narragansett High School and Four Rivers School in Greenfield.
Along with meeting some of the residents who are buried at the cemetery, guides will be pointing out other interesting grave stories and information about the gravestones themselves. This is the third time the society has created the cemetery tour with last year’s event being canceled due to Covid restrictions.
“It is different every year so it is worth coming again even if you had come before,” Gospodareck said.
The event and refreshments are free. The tours run from 7-8 p.m. and each tour takes 25-30 minutes. No reservations are needed and those attending will meet at the Historical Society and tours will leave from there.
The Historical Society will be open during this time as well. It is suggested that those attending dress warmly as they will be outside and the Historical Society is not heated either. Donations are welcome and will be used to improve the museums building including restoring the cove ceiling as well as adding climate-controlled heating.
Carla Charter is a freelance writer from Phillipston. Her writing focuses on history with a particular interest in the history of the North Quabbin area. Contact her at cjfreelancewriter@earthlink.net.