Thomas Roberts (1600-1674) Cemetery
This historic site, on Dover Point Road, is the oldest cemetery in Dover and the final resting place of the first English settlers who established the Dover Colony, the oldest, permanent settlement in New Hampshire and the seventh settlement in the new world. Formerly known as the First Settlers Burying Ground, the cemetery holds the remains of most of Dover’s founders and initial leaders, and many early church Ministers and Deacons. Burials began here in the mid 1600’s and continued for over 300 years until the late twentieth century.
Unfortunately, a great number of graves were not marked. According to historian George Wadleigh, in his book entitled Notable Events in the History of Dover, NH, “No monuments exist of the dead for the first hundred years after the settlement of the town. The dead of that early period probably were buried without much ceremony.” Of the headstones that were placed, many have been damaged or lost. Although it is hard to tell by looking at the grounds today, there have been at least 112 individuals interred in this cemetery.
The first colonists to settle in Dover arrived with Edward Hilton and Robert Thomas in 1623. This graveyard was established c. 1633 from a parcel of Thomas Roberts’ land for the use of those early settlers and their families. Thomas Roberts was the last Chief Magistrate and Governor of the Dover Colony before it came under the rule of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was married to Rebecca Hilton. His grave is in the northeast corner of this burial ground, and now has a slate stone, which is inscribed as follows:
Thomas Roberts Born 1600- Died 1674 Pioneer Settler at Dover Point With Edward Hilton, 1623 Colonial Governor of Dover 1640-1643
The Historic Preservation Project of identifying all those buried at the Thomas Roberts (1600-1674) Cemetery was begun by Joanne Gail Nutter Eaton (1959-2021) of Dover, NH. She was a member of the Margery Sullivan Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR), and a certified genealogist. Having found her ancestor, Elder Hatevil Nutter (1603-1675) buried here, Joanne hoped her research might help others locate their ancestors or delight and inform those curious about this important site. These pages highlighting the significance of the property and honoring the first settlers of Dover are dedicated to her memory.
In 2021 the Margery Sullivan Chapter NSDAR continued Joanne’s research. With careful and persistent work and with the greatest of diligence, eventually 112 burials were verified. The spreadsheet below identifies the people buried, the dates of their birth and death, any pertinent information about them that would be useful for genealogical research, along with the sources used for identification. Admittedly, it is possible not every burial has been identified in this historic cemetery. The Margery Sullivan Chapter has used all the sources available in creating the informational spreadsheet and is confident in its accuracy. As more is learned and proven, this information may change.
If you believe you have additional information about a burial in this cemetery, please contact the Dover Cemetery Board, Dover Public Library, or the Margery Sullivan Chapter NSDAR.
Click here to download the spreadsheet!
