Notice:
Twice a year, on April 1st, and November 12th the caretaker removes all previous seasonal decorations. If there are any items you would like to keep, please remove them before those dates.
The cemetery is open from April 1 - December 1 from dawn to dusk.
Please call for more information on scheduling a burial. Please note: burials are not held on Sundays or on holiday weekends (Friday through Monday).
Forms and Applications |
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|---|---|
| Burial Authorization Form |  |
| Burial Lot Permission Form | |
| Foundation Order Form | |
| 2023 Price List | |
| 2024 Price List | |
| 289:5 Cemetery Records | |
CEMETERY RULES AND REGULATIONS
For every interment, the use of a cement liner of cement vault shall be mandatory.
The family or memorial monument company shall conform to the following regulations:
- Not more than one upright monument shall be placed on any one plotted lot.
- All monuments shall be set to conform to the plan of the Cemetery Trustees.
- Any individual markers shall be set in the ground on cement foundation but must not project above ground level.
- If corner markers are desired, the markers shall be placed at the four corners but must not project above ground level, under the direction of the Cemetery Caretaker.
- No shrubs or plants shall be planted except under the supervision of the Cemetery Caretaker.
- Ground maintenance of said lot would be under the supervision of and at the expense of the Town of Alton, Cemetery Trustees.
- The placing of anchor wires, wires that protrude from the ground or wiring of any kind are not permitted.
- The placing of boxes, shells, toys, metal, balloons, designs, ornaments, chairs, settees, loose stones, vases, and similar articles upon plots will not be permitted and if so, placed, the management reserves the right to remove them.
- Driving any motor vehicle across of upon any grave, lot or lawn or parking the same thereon is prohibited.
- No animals allowed in Cemetery.
Request for Flag Placement in Alton Cemetery
USA Flags are placed on Veterans Graves by the Town of Alton each year to honor our Veterans. Flags proudly fly Memorial Day through Veterans Day. Please click here to Request a Flag.
Claim for Standard Government Headstone or Marker:
https://www.va.gov/vaforms/va/pdf/va40-1330.pdf
VA Burial Benefits FAQ:
https://www.cem.va.gov/faq.asp
Application for United States Flag for Burial Purposes:
https://www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/vba-27-2008-are.pdf
Guidelines for Purchasing a Burial Site
1. Sites can be pre-purchased with advance planning or purchased through the Alton Cemetery Department at the time of the burial. Please call 603-875-0202 or email- cemetery@alton.nh.gov to schedule an appointment to select the burial site. Payment is by check or money order to “Town of Alton- Cemetery Department”;
2. With assistance from the Cemetery Sexton and consultation of the availability map, sites can be chosen in New Riverside Cemetery. Options include a niche for one or two cremations or a lot for one full burial and up to six cremations. Please see the price list for current costs.
3. Take time to think about your site and complete the final paperwork and payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Do I need to be a resident to purchase a lot or niche?
No. The Cemetery does not have an Alton resident requirement.
2. How do I purchase a cemetery lot or niche?
Please see the tab- Guidelines for Planning a Service.
3. What is the cost to purchase a lot or niche?
Burial sites are available for purchase at the New Riverside Cemetery located on Suncook Valley Road/Rte. 28.
A lot can be purchased for $800- for sections 100-149- and will accommodate one full burial and up to six cremations. There are additional fees associated with the open and closing of the grave sites. Please see the Price List for current costs.
A niche, used for cremations and located in the Columbarium, can be purchased for $800 for one person and $1,000 for two people, and includes the open and closing costs. Please note that when purchasing an urn the dimensions of the niche is 12”H x 12”W x 14”D. If two people will be in the same niche the urns need to be half of the dimensions in order to fit correctly.
4. Can I pre-buy lots as part of pre-planning for a funeral? Can I install a headstone in advance?
Yes, to both.
5. How do I arrange for a burial?
Please see the tab- Guidelines for Purchasing a Burial Site.
6. What type of monument may I purchase to have set on my grave?
The design of monuments, markers, and stones must be approved by the Town before being placed. Forms and instructions for submitting a design may be obtained from the Cemetery Office. Only one upright monument shall be placed on any one plotted lot- maximum size is 42”W x 4”H. All upright monuments shall be set on a cement foundation. Individual markers shall be set in the ground and must not project above ground level. Corner markers if used shall be placed at the four corners but must not project above ground level. Benches are not allowed.
7. What type of plantings, flowers and decorations are permitted and when are they removed?
Flowers, plants or wreaths may be placed or planted within 12” in front of the headstone. Trees or shrubs of any description may not be planted on any lot, grave or property in any Town Cemetery. Benches are not allowed. Please remove items for retention on your own by April 15 and November 15. Seasonal items are removed by Cemetery staff in the spring and fall if withered or faded. Please do not place boxes, shells, toys, metal, wires, bark mulch, balloons, stones, vases, chairs, ornaments, pumpkins etc. on the site- these items may be discarded.
8. How do I find the location of someone buried in a cemetery?
Please contact the Cemetery Office to set up an appointment with the Cemetery Sexton at 603-875-6808 or cemetery@alton.nh.gov and they will be able to assist you with your search.
9. When is the Cemetery Department open?
The Cemetery is open April 1-December 1. For assistance or to speak with the Sexton please call ahead to schedule an appointment at 603-875-6808 or email at cemetery@alton.nh.gov. Appointments are available year round.
10. I purchased a lot, but I decided I do not want to keep it. Can I sell it back to the Town?
Yes. You can sell the lot back to the Town at the original purchase price if none of the graves in the lot are occupied.
11. Can I bring my dog to the Cemetery to exercise or to visit?
Dogs are not allowed in the Cemetery. They must remain in your vehicle.
12. Can I do a Green Burial at the Alton Cemetery?
Green Burials are not permitted at this time in Town Cemeteries.
13. Can I do stone rubbings for a keepsake?
Stone rubbings are not permitted by RSA 289:22.
14. How do I get a Military Marker and/or USA flag placed on my grave?
Please see the tab- Veterans Resources for details on requesting a Military Marker and USA Flag provided by the Town of Alton.
Guidelines for Planning Service
The common practice when planning a service is to use a licensed Funeral Home that will assist in the navigation of the service details but if families are organizing the service on their own please consider the following:
1. Contact the Alton Cemetery Department to purchase the burial site, schedule the burial date and time, and complete the paperwork;
2. Contact clergy and arrange a meeting with them to discuss the plans and size of the service;
3. Schedule the service location (Church, Cemetery, Function Hall) and ensure there is ample parking for guests;
4. Schedule the reception location, and determine what kind of reception you are planning. Be mindful of the capacity for guests and parking;
5. Consider what amenities and details are needed at the service: tents for sun or rain; tables; chairs; flowers; military honors; recognition from organizations/clubs;
6. Consider inviting friends and family to assist with the planning arrangements, and to delegate responsibilities.
Helpful Resources
How to Write an Obituary
www.funeralbasics.org/write-great-obituary
Find a Grave
www.findagrave.com
Funeral Homes
Baker-Gagne Funeral Home: 603-569-1339
Peaslee Funeral Home: 603-755-3535
Wilkinson-Bean-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home: 603-524-4300
Monument Companies
Charlie Beattie: 603-528-4348
Perry Brothers Monuments: 603-225-6721
Stephen R Roy Monuments-Marker: 603-332-6545
Other Resources
What to do the first 24 hours of death
www.funeralbasics.org/what-to-do-first-24-hours-following-a-death
Funeral planning checklist
www.funeralbasics.org/funeral-planning-checklist
Notable Interments and Unique Headstones
***Open/Close a selection by clicking on the title.***
Lt. Colonel George Savage of the 12th NH Volunteer Regiment, he preferred to be called Major, was a Civil War Hero who was instrumental at the battle of Chancellorsville, VA. This is the same battle that featured General Robert E. Lee and Lt. General Stonewall Jackson; Jackson was severely wounded and died after the battle. Major Savage returned to live in Alton after he was severely wounded in the war. Major Savage is buried here in a place of honor marked by a white fence and an American Flag.
Major Savage’s brothers, Moses and Benjamin, also served in the Civil War. Captain Moses Henry Savage was shot through the eye at the battle of Chancellorsville and died. Moses’ son, Henry, bought the Savage House, and dedicated it to his father. The “GAR” (Grand Army of the Republic) building was a place for Veterans to go for help including food and boarding. Today the building still remains in the Monument Square parcel, and holds several town businesses.
George, Moses and Benjamin are buried in Row E, Lot 6-7 at the Family Plot.
Major Savage’s battlefield horse, Old Tom, who is credited with saving Major Savage’s life in battle, is buried here too and is also recognized as a Civil War Veteran and Hero. At the site of Old Tom’s grave, also marked with a white fence and an American Flag, there is a historical summary, and photo of Old Tom and his master (a copy is on the web site too).
Old Tom was originally refused interment by Cemetery Trustees, and was interred just outside of the Cemetery. Some years later the Cemetery expanded, and as a result of the expansion, Old Tom’s grave was included inside of the Old Riverside Cemetery.
Buried in Row H, Lot 20.
Charles H. Estes Co. “J” of the 3rd NH Volunteer Regiment was a Private in the Civil War and was wounded in battles at Secessionville, SC and twice at Fort Wagner, SC. He is noted as serving guard duty in Washington, D.C. while recovering from battle wounds, and being one of the soldiers who carried President Abraham Lincoln’s body from Ford’s Theatre, after being mortally wounded, to the rooming house across the street where President Lincoln died from his wound.
Buried in Row J, Lot 29.
Samuel E. Jones of Co. “B” of the 18th NH Volunteer Regiment was in the Civil War. He was a Sergeant of Guard at the Capitol during the trial of Mrs. Mary Surratt, co-conspirator in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. He was a great leader in getting the Alton Civil War Monument funded, built and erected in Alton’s Monument Square. His brother, James M. Jones of Co. “A” NH Volunteer Regiment, was killed at Chancellorsville, VA and lies buried in an unmarked mass grave on the battlefield. His brother James is the first name on Alton’s Civil War Monument.
Buried in Row F, Lot 5.
William Rockwell Clough, Sr. enlisted in Co. “G” of the 50th MA Inf. Regiment during the Civil War. He was an inventor and manufacturer who is known for inventing a wire twisting machine and manufacturer of various styles of wire corkscrews. He also invented the paperclip, but did not patent it. His inventions won prizes at the Paris Expos of 1878, 1889 and 1900, as well as the World’s Expo in Chicago in 1893 and the Cotton States Expo in Atlanta, GA in 1895. His factory was in a barn behind his house on the corner of Main Street and Route 140 known as the White Lodge.
Buried in Old Section A-2 just in the main gate, second lot on the left.
Harold S. Gilman was born in Massachusetts and moved to Avery Hill Road in Alton when he was two years old. His father was the Town’s mailman for twenty four years. Harold S. Gilman left Alton as a young man and worked for a company based in New York City that selected golf courses bases on their soil and grass mixtures. As a hobby Mr. Gilman and his wife, Pearl Bassett Gilman, collected unusual items and antiques. Upon his death in 1967, Mr. Gilman left his home and his collection of antiques to the Town of Alton in addition to $36,800.00 in order for the Town to build a museum and display the Gilman’s treasured collections. The Gilman Museum opened its doors to the public on August 15, 1976.
Harold S. Gilman was a distant cousin of Oliver J. M. Gilman, who left funds to the Town of Alton for the Gilman Library and Gilman Home.
Both Harold S. and Pearl S. Gilman are buried in Row G, Lots 2 and 3.
Frank C. Gilman was a PFC in Co. “D”, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division. He was killed in action in World War II during the Battle of Hurtgen Forest, Germany at the age of 35 years. He was awarded the Purple Heart. The Frank C. Gilman Highway (Route 140) was named in his honor. His name is listed on the WWII Memorial Plaque in Monument Square.
Frank C. Gilman was born in Alton and lived on Route 140 at the Coffin House, known as the halfway house, on the corner of Route 140 and Horne Road. His mother was Etta Belle Coffin and father was Fred Gilman.
Buried in Row G, Lots 2 and 3.
Jacob Chamberlain, Jr. is recognized as the first born child in Alton (Alton Gore) from one of the first families that settled in Alton in 1770. He was born on November 8, 1771 in a cabin built by his father, Jacob Chamberlain, Sr. and his brother Ephraim Chamberlain, Sr. on Meaderboro Road in south Alton. The homestead still stands. Jacob Jr. married Mary Stockbridge and died February 24, 1856. Jacob was a veteran of the War of 1812, known as (President) Madison’s War.
Jacob Chamberlain, Jr. is buried in the Bay Cemetery on Route 11 in Alton Bay, originally called “The Village Cemetery”, Alton’s first municipal cemetery.
Unique Headstones
In West Alton Cemetery there is a unique headstone for a young child, Ella J. Glidden. She was born on January 21, 1861 and died October 7, 1867 at six years old. Her parents are Benjamin C. and Melinda Glidden. The headstone has a resting sheep and it is intact. These headstones are rare, small and always used for a young child. Also noteworthy is that people have been placing small, colored stones near the headstone.
**Thank you to Marty Cornelissen for providing the historical data and cemetery photos.