Oak Lawn Cemetery (Fairfield, Connecticut) Explained

Oak Lawn Cemetery
Established:	1865
Location:	1530 Bronson Road, Fairfield, Connecticut
Country:	United States
Coordinates:	41.1639°N -73.2739°W
Size:	<100 acres
Interments:	<10,000
Website:	https://www.oaklawnct.com/
Findagraveid:	1000492

Oak Lawn Cemetery is a cemetery in Fairfield, Connecticut.

History

In 1864, the Connecticut General Assembly authorized Captain Jonathan Godfrey to purchase twelve acres near Bronson Road for "no more than $12,000". On December 29, 1865, the Oak Lawn Cemetery Association was incorporated.^[1] The oak was regarded as a symbol of immortality in the 19th century and there was a white oak tree across the street from the parcel at Bronson Street.^{[1] [2]} Captain Edwn Sherwood served as the first president of the Oak Lawn Cemetery Association from 1865 to September 1886.^[1]

Sturges Ogden was charged with the care of the white oak in 1818. The David Ogden House was renovated in 1935 and opened to visitors to the cemetery.^{[3] [4]}

In 1866, sixteen people were buried at Oak Lawn. In 1867, 46 people were buried. More than half of the first 170 burials were transferred from the West Burying Ground.^[1] As of 1881, there were 435 burials at Oak Lawn.^[5]

As of May 2006, Oak Lawn Cemetery includes the remains of "nearly 10,000 people" and was "almost one hundred acres".^[1] As of 2015, the cemetery had over 1,200 veterans remains.^[2]

In 2021, a memorial of two granite towers on top of a pentagon granite structure was built in honor of 9/11 victims.^[6]

Notable burials

• Hugh D. Auchincloss (1858–1913), merchant and businessman
• Frederic Bronson (1851–1900), lawyer
• Mario Dal Fabbro (1913–1990), sculptor, furniture designer, and author^[7]
• Michael J. Daly (1924–2008), U.S. Army officer and Medal of Honor recipient
• Charles I. DeBevoise (1872–1958), U.S. Army officer and Distinguished Service Medal recipient
• John H. Esquirol (1900–1970), bishop of Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut^[8]
• Mary Tyler Moore (1936–2017), American actress^[9]
• Jason Robards (1922–2000), American actor^[9]
• James C. Shannon (1896–1980), judge and governor of Connecticut^[10]
• Franco Ventriglia (1922–2012), opera singer^[11]
• Mabel Osgood Wright (1859–1934), American author

See also

• List of cemeteries in Connecticut

External links

• Oak Lawn Cemetery (official website)
• ProPublica - Oak Lawn Cemetery Association

Notes and References

1. Web site: History – Oak Lawn Cemetery . oaklawnct.com . 2022-11-10.
2. Web site: Town Receives Donation for Historic Cemeteries . 2015-12-07 . . 2022-11-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220320115147/https://www.fairfieldct.org/news/?FeedID=698 . 2022-03-20 . live.
3. Book: MacRury, Elizabeth Banks . This is Fairfield, 1639-1940 . 1960 . . 90,132 . 2022-11-11.
4. Book: Deming, Wilbur Stone . The First Church of Fairfield . 1963 . . 76 . 2022-11-11.
5. Book: History of Fairfield County, Connecticut . 1881 . 341 . . 2022-11-11.
6. News: New memorial dedicated to 9/11 victims seen in Fairfield . 2021-09-10 . news12.om . 2022-11-11.
7. Web site: Find a Loved One . 2024-05-06 . Oak Lawn Cemetery & Arboretum . en-US.
8. News: State Mourns Death of Bishop Esquirol . 1971-01-05 . . 6 . . 2022-11-11.
9. News: Mary Tyler Moore laid to rest in Connecticut . 2017-01-30 . . 2022-11-11.
10. News: James Shannon Dies at 83; Former Governor, Judge . 1980-03-08 . . 4 . . 2022-11-11.
11. News: Francis "Franco" Ventriglia . 2012-12-05 . legacy.com . 2022-11-11.