An undated item
(probably about 1883) in the VonTobel scrapbooks reads
as follows;
Chester Case died
at Prarie du Chien on the 13th at the age of 87
He came to harwinton
at the age of 12 to live with his uncle, Phineas W.
Noble. He worked in his store several years and then
became a traveling merchant. His first wife was the
daughter of Stephen A. Clark. After her death he married
Miss Harriet Dart of Haddam. While a resident of Harwinton,
mr. Case laid out the North Cemetery and his wife was
the first one to be buried there.
In the cemetery
I found a marble shaft with the following engraved on
the west side; "Marilla Case wife of Chester N.
case Died Feb. 9, 1847." Then on the south side
is engraved, "First person buried in this grave
yard."
An examination
of the Acts of the General Assembly disclosed the following:
Incorporating
the
Harwinton Rural Cemetery
Passed 1847
"Upon the petition
of Truman Kellogg and others, praying for an act of
incorporation for a burying ground:"
"Resolved,
That Truman Kellogg, Phineas Noble, John Scoul, Chester
N. Case and Abijah Catlin, and such other as have or
may herafter associate with them, be and they are hereby
incorporated be the name of "The Harwinton Rural
Cemetery", and by that name they and thier seccessors
may be capable of purchasing and holding real estate
not exceeding two acres, may have succession, be capable
of sueing and being sued, and shall have power at their
meetings legally warned, to make such rules and regulations
as they shall judge proper, for the well ordering and
managing said burying ground, and settleing and conveying
and making good title to several lots into which said
ground may be delivered; and there shall be a clerk,
who shall be sworn to keep and make true entries and
records of all proceedings of said corporation, who
shall, upon any three of the proprietors or owners of
lots make application, warn all meetings by posting
up notices thereof upon the signpost nearest said Cemetery
in Harwinton, at least five days before the same is
to be holden. And the proprietors may tax themselves
to defray all necessary expenses in the well ordering
of the same, and said Phineas W. Noble shall be the
first clerk of said corporation, and shall continue
in office until another is chosen; or in case of abscence
or death of the clerk, any three on the proprietors
may warn a meeting as aforesaid."
