04 November 2011

Judea Cemetery, Washington, CT



Located: From Washington Green go south on Rt 47. Judea Cemetery Rd (it forms a triangle so there are technically two entrances onto the road) is on the left. The cemetery is on the right. 

Google Maps Visuals: satellite view

Type of site: Town cemetery, still in use

Condition: Very well cared for, mowed, many broken stones have been repaired. 

History and Notable Features: The far back of the cemetery is the location of the older stones. There are several beautiful death's head stones and there's another stone with a carved angel wearing a crown -- even the footstones have carvings. It is quite scenic and looks over a road and field where there were deer grazing during our visit. Also of particular note, a man by the name of Jeff Liberty is buried here. According to the display that was up at the Gunn Memorial Library at the time (in Fall 2011), this gentleman was a black slave who became a civil war veteran. He does not have a stone but a small metal plaque which reads "Jeff Liberty and His Colored Patriots" with an American flag beside it.












And we had another little visitor spend some time with us while we were there:





1 comment:

  1. David Babington24 February, 2014

    Noted an error in your comment on Jeff Liberty. Jeff Liberty served in the American Revolution not in the US Civil War. Not sure how you might gotten this impression from the Gunn Memorial Historical Museum that Jeff Liberty served in the US Civil War. Jeff was given his freedom by his owner for enlisting for service in the American Revolution. Jeff took the surname Liberty at that time. The marker for "Jeff Liberty and His Colored Patriots" was erected by the Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution in the 1920's per an article on the CT SAR in the Spring 2014 issue of Connecticut Explored magazine.

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