Photos from Saturday’s Cleanup at Darien’s Old Cemeteries

Members of Darien’s Masonic Lodge, Ivanhoe Lodge No. 107 partnered with Darien’s Monuments and Ceremonies Commission’s Cemetery Committee and Good Wife’s River DAR Chapter to cut brush, remove debris, rake pinecones, and clean stones at the Slawson Cemetery on Hanson Road.

— This article, an announcement from the Darien Monuments and Ceremonies Commission, is written by Karen Pollet. The pictures are by David Polett, chairman of the commission and a member of the Ivanhoe Masonic Lodge in Darien.

This cemetery is the resting place of Darien town founder, Thaddeus Bell, his wife and son. Clearing this area is especially important since Darien’s 2020 Committee and Good Wife’s River DAR Chapter plan to mark the Bell gravesite during “Darien’s 2020” honoring the 200 year celebration of Darien’s incorporation as a town.

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Good Wife's River DAR Regent, Nicole Gorman cleans town founder, Thaddeus Bell's 1759-1851 tombstone.

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Masonic brother and Co-organizer of the June 8, 2019 Cemetery Clean-up Mark Lindsay with Darien Cemetery Co-Chairman and DAR Vice Regent, Tracy Root; Masonic brother, Pete Kenyon; DAR Registrar and Monuments and Ceremonies Commission Secretary, Karen K. Polett; with Masonic brother, Andrew Melillo who repaired two stones; Ron D'Andrea with Good Wife's River DAR Regent, Nicole Gorman stand behind town founder, Thaddeus Bell's tombstone.

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Stone of Masonic brother, Charles H. Conley (1846-1870)

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Stone of Civil War soldier, Isaac A. Bragdon, Co G 6 Reg. Conn Vols died in 1887

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Stone of Daniel B. Slason (1826-1907) at Slawson Cemetery

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Stone of Eliza A. Slawson, died 1850 age 22; first wife of Daniel B. (note difference in spelling of surname)

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Stone for Elizabeth Betsey Howe Bell 1760-1833 wife of Thaddeus Bell, broken into pieces, off its base and flat on the ground.

Editor’s note: According to the Find a Grave website, a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, David A. Scofield, is buried at Slawson Cemetery:

“Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served as a Quartermaster Sergeant in the Union Army in Company K, 5th New York Cavalry. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for action on October 19, 1864 at Cedar Creek, Virginia. His citation reads “Capture of flag of 13th Virginia Infantry (C.S.A.)”