Bronze plaques stolen off headstones in Newburyport cemetery
Police are on the hunt for two bronze plaques stolen from a Newburyport cemetery. Both plaques are more than a hundred years old, and one belonged to a famous author.
Newburyport Police believe the theft and vandalism occurred at Oak Hill Cemetery around 12 p.m. on July 6.
"Probably used a crowbar and ripped the family's bronze plaque," said Ghlee Woodworth, a Massachusetts historian and the director of Restoration Projects at Oak Hill Cemetery. "It's just so upsetting to me to see the disrespect that's shown when they stole these family's plaques. They all have friends or family buried somewhere, and would they want this action, this vandalism, to their families?"
Woodworth says the two stolen plaques belong to the Dodge family and to author James Parton. She says the Dodge family lived in the town from the late 1800s through the early 1900s, and they owned a horse and buggy carriage business. As for Parton, his contributions to the writing world are still being felt today.
"He is known as the father of the modern-day biography," explained Woodworth, "He wrote biographies on Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, Aaron Burr, and Voltaire."
Parton's bronze plaque was in the shape of a scroll with a feather quill at the bottom.
"It was looped up as a scroll on a piece of paper. It was absolutely beautiful," remembered Woodworth, "It's absolutely devastating to come here a couple of days ago and see it gone."
On the lookout for the plaques
Woodworth says now it is important to get the word out to other cemeteries, so they can be on the lookout. In addition to contacting the police, she has also reached out to area junkyards and foundries in case the thieves are trying to make money off the bronze plaques.
"Maybe the thieves will have a change of heart and drop it off somewhere," hoped Woodworth.