Click here to see a fully researched spreadsheet of burials at Pine Grove Cemetery
MOCA Code: OxBrf25
Location: 43.937621, -70.904331
This is a large maintained cemetery and is located on the east side of 160, about 0.2 miles southeast of its intersection with Main Street.
Historical Information:
From the Oxford Democrat, October 31, 1899: “The Brownfield Cemetery Association has completed the fence around the grounds, moved the hearse house to the back part of the grounds, and filled in and graded up to the line. A short history of the association will be given in a short sketch. Forty years ago Samuel Tyler brought and gave to the town for a public burial place, a tract of land–in 1857, and the first person buried in it was a sister of Isaac Spring. In 1887 was organized the Brownfield Cemetery Corporation, which bought of Wm. Spring a tract of land, and Eli B. Bean gave an acre which was added to the Tyler plat. The association fenced the same and have maintained the same by selling lots. In the spring it will be enlarged. Last spring at a meeting, E. B. Bean, Cyrus Durgin, and Jay L. Frink were chosen a committee to raise funds and build an iron fence with granite posts. Through the donation of lot owners and others about $400 was raised, and the present handsome fence is the result, the same being erected by Eugene Stanley of Kezar Falls, Frank Quint doing the stone work. There is a balance left in the hands of the committee which will be turned over to the corporation at its next meeting. George Keniston, C. E. Whitney and A. W. Grey have been the trustees since the corporation was first formed.“
It is to be noted that there were many burials in this cemetery prior to its official incorporation in 1857. Eli Bean did keep a list of the donations as well as who worked in the cemetery in October of 1899.
Many small family graveyards were moved to Pine Grove in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The organization of the cemetery committee and the work at Pine Grove probably prompted many families to do this.
Eli B. Bean noted in his diary that on January 19, 1904 that the receiving tomb was first used. The remains of a J. Prescott were brought from Fryeburg and no grave was yet prepared. The tomb was not complete and did not yet have a lock.
Cemetery records only show who bought each lot and not when they did so or who is buried there. This poor record keeping makes it difficult to know who is in each lot. Research is still ongoing, but a spreadsheet of burials can be found here.
Condition (2024):
This large cemetery is owned by an association and is still selling lots. The mowing is done three times a year. Some stones are leaning or fallen. Each year the association hires Arthur’s Memorials and/or Jess Davis to reset some of the most needy stones.