Westminster Cemetery 250th plaque application reaches national review; missing burial records slow approval

Representatives of the private nonprofit that manages Westminster Cemetery told the Historic District Commission that a 250th‑anniversary plaque application has been submitted to national reviewers and is under review, but the application flagged missing burial documentation for three Revolutionary War servicemen interred in the cemetery.

The cemetery’s representatives said the three veterans were buried before permanent deed records existed at the site; the cemetery was not formally organized or incorporated until 1864, and early burials predate available deed and burial registers. Staff and local volunteers confirmed the headstones display birth and death dates but the cemetery lacks formal burial register entries for those interments. The national reviewers have asked for burial documentation; staff said they will provide other forms of proof of service where available and noted that service records confirming Revolutionary War service do exist for the individuals.

Commission member Kathy (who performed local research) was thanked in the meeting for research assistance on the three veterans; staff said the cemetery will continue to compile documentary evidence and will notify the commission when the national review outcome is available.

Ending: The application remains under national review; staff and volunteers are seeking alternate documentation to meet the reviewers’ requirements.