Find-A-Grave Listing (contains information on individual burials, including gravestone photos)
Location: 43.83698 -70.9108
This cemetery is just north of the intersection of Spec Pond Road and Town Farm Road, on the west side. It is across from the original Isaac Bickford house, which was later owned by Jesse Brooks and now (2019) by the Carpenters. The gravestones in this cemetery were removed in the distant past and used for other purposes around the old Bickford farm. The Carpenters found the stones and are keeping them safe until they can be returned to the cemetery. The cemetery site has been used for multiple purposes in the past and is no longer recognizable.
Historical Information:
Isaac Bickford is listed on the 1850 census, living across from the cemetery. Along with him are his second wife, Mary B., and his surviving children: Sarah L., Merilla M., Lovina A., Isaac, Martin, and Mary J.
When Isaac sold his homestead farm to Daniel Brooks in 1852 (Book 33, Page 213) the following statement was included: “I hereby reserve that portion of the burying ground containing the graves and all westerly of the maple tree for the purpose of burial should I choose to use it for that purpose.”
Gravestones were found for the following people:
Bickford, Mary Jane–daughter of Isaac and (1st wife) Sally Bickford, d. 7/30/1847, aged 25y9m18d
Bickford, Ceselia —daughter of Isaac and (2nd wife) Mary Bickford, d. 1/27/1844, aged 6m21d
Bickford, Hortense–daughter of Isaac and (2nd wife) Mary Bickford, d. 10/16/1846 aged 9m
Bickford, Joseph–son of John C. and Almira Bickford, d. 2/25/1846, aged 3y1m11d
Bickford, Benjamin P.–son of John C. and Almira Bickford, d. 3/25/1847, aged 7d
(John C. was the son of Isaac and (1st wife) Sally Bickford)
It is also probable that Isaac’s first wife Sally (Fox) Bickford is buried here. Isaac and his second wife Mary B. (Weeks) Bickford moved to Illinois after selling their land in Porter.
Condition (9/16/19):
Currently the remaining gravestones are in the lawn and on the wall near the corner of Spec Pond Road and Old Meetinghouse Road. The goal is to return them to the original cemetery location in the spring. However, since the tablets appear to not have had bases, it will be impossible to know exactly where each grave is. The stones will be placed in a way to make it clear that it is a memorial.
