Riverside Cemetery and the Delano Influence

The wars with England were over, and the maritime trade and whaling industry were booming. The small coastal town of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, was growing rapidly and Fairhaven was soon a major shipping center with a flourishing economy. By 1838, Fairhaven was the second largest whaling port in the United States and train service was needed -- but the construction of the Fairhaven Branch Railroad required the purchase and excavation of part of the Burial Ground east of Main St. 

In the winter of 1846/47, Warren Delano II, a native of Fairhaven, prosperous China trader and grandfather of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, purchased a 14-acre parcel of land that was once part of the Jonathan Nye farm. His goal was to create a more rural garden-style cemetery, designed with an appreciation of nature, and donate it as a gift for the town of Fairhaven. Four years later, on 7 March, 1850, Fairhaven leading citizens met at the Fairhaven Insurance Company for the organizational meeting. Warren Delano I was named as the first President of the Riverside Cemetery Corporation, and he served as president until 1861. On Sunday, 7 July, 1850, the cemetery was dedicated with a large town celebration and the first burial, that of Mary E. Delano, took place a month later in August. Graves from the old Burial Ground Cemetery were exhumed and remains were moved to the beautiful new Riverside Cemetery. The railroad was completed in October, 1854.  In 1889, Warren Delano added more land, enlarging the cemetery to its current size of 44 acres.  

The Delano tomb at Riverside Cemetery was built in 1859 by Edward Delano (1809-1898), a brother of Warren Delano II. It was designed by Richard Morris Hunt who later designed three of the Newport R.I. mansions, including The Breakers. Most of the descendants of Warren I are interred in the Riverside Cemetery tomb, except for Sara Delano Roosevelt and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who are interred at Hyde Park, N.Y. See Find a Grave Memorial ID #79868797 for pictures of the tomb.

Fairhaven Tourism Committee, Fairhaven on Foot Walking Tour, Riverside Cemetery.

Fairhaven Cemetery Records, https://fairhavencemeteries.org

www.wikitree.com Warren Delano

stronghaven@substack.com (Fairhaven Branch Railroad by Chris Richard, historian)

Find A Grave https://findagrave.com