Ridgebury Cemetary is a pre-Revolutionary War cemetery established in 1743 when land was appropriated for the "burial of local residents." Individuals elected by parishioners of the Ridgebury Meeting House cared for the "buring grounds." The first burial was that of Ruth Smith Keeler in 1734. The oldest monument is that of Timothy Benedict (Sr.) who died June 21, 1757.
Enlarged by a gift of 1.3 acres from Ralph Keeler Reynolds and Nellie Keeler Reynolds in 1926, the cemetery comprises three acres and contains over 700 graves. In 1961 a group of lot owners incorporated the cemetery as a non-profit, non-sectarian cemetery association. Robert Keeler Reynolds has served as President of this Association ever since.
Flags placed by tombstones of the Revolutionary War veterans buried here honor Steven Allen (1766-1852), Benjamin Benedict (1678-1773), Timothy Benedict (1709-1791), Gamaliel Benedict (1760-1835), Josiah Bennett (1764-1849), Thomas Boughton (1764-1846), Eliphalet Brush (1749-1846), Daniel Coley (1729-1800), Elihu DeForest (1742-1808), Uriah DeForest (1755-1840), Benjamin Fowler (1761-1801), Nehemiah Keeler (1753-1838), Benjamin Lynes (1759-1840), Matthew Northrup (1749-1829), Jonathan Reynolds (1727-1809), Samuel St. John (1763-1848), Thomas St. John (1739-1816), Matthew Smith (1740-1823), Henry Whitney (1747-1813).
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Ridgefield Cemetery
Courtesy of the Ridgefield Press
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