I read about this cemetery after my first trip to Block Island and decided to look for it on my second trip. I had never been to an “Indian” cemetery before and was curious to see one. This graveyard was used by the Manisee tribe who originally inhabited the island. Upon the introduction of white settlers, it was also used to inter slaves. The natives’ graves are simply marked with rocks, although there are a few more recent headstones to be found as well.
Of course, the reason you don’t tend to see Indian Cemeteries is because white people built their houses and buildings over them. :/
It’s cool that they have preserved this one. Horray Rhode Island historical society!
Those are my relatives in those tomb stones 🙂 That was so cool to see and very unexpected. My grandmother, Mary Payne. taught me a lot about our heritage. Glad she did… On the Island in the historical library, one of my relatives also from the Mannissean tribe fought in WWI (or WW2) can’t remember which one. Hold on…I just saw his name (Captain Charles Paine…)But thank you for the awesome pictures! very cool 🙂
My relatives are the Paines and Carters which are buried here thank you .. I intend to make a trip there soon .. to see. and visit.. !!
Rebecca Carter,
If you are related to the Paines in this picture then I believe we may be related via my grandmother’s side of the family!
Just discovered that my 5th-great aunt Lydia Port and her husband Zachariah Sheffield are buried there. Her parents and grandparents are, in all likelihood, buried there as well. I’ll probably never know for sure. Every fall my wife and I visit the island and we always stop by and say a prayer for those buried there. I hope they can see how well things turned out for us. I’m forever grateful for the life they ultimately gave to me.