As cemeteries go, the Wood Family Cemetery is a small one — out of the way, in the woods, containing just two graves. They contain the remains of a father and son who died of smallpox in 1848, which explains the remote nature of their burial.
Over the years, the small burial ground had become overgrown, the wooden fence surrounding it falling down.
Kyle Paolino, 17, of Rindge, was looking for an Eagle Scout project, and when he approached the town for ways he could help, he learned about the cemetery and knew he wanted to tackle the clean-up.
According to Rindge Historical Society President Karla MacLeod, the cemetery is the final resting place of Isaac and Elbridge Wood, a father and son who died within days of each other in the summer of 1848. Elbridge died on June 30, and Isaac, died on “June 31” according to his stone — though that date does not exist, so it is likely he died on July 1.
MacLeod said that Isaac Wood was a farmer and made nest boxes. Members of the Wood family were among the earliest settlers in the area, and Wood Avenue is named for them. The Wood house still stands today on Old New Ipswich Road. Had the father and son died of natural causes, they would be buried in the town cemetery, MacLeod said.
“I’m sure they were trying to stop the spread, so they were buried on the property behind the house — pretty far behind the house,” MacLeod said. In fact, it was so separated, the cemetery was once part of the property, but has since been subdivided.
Paolino said that history was part of what drew him to the project.
“I was looking for something that was hands-on, that also had historical significance,” he said. “It’s a great historical site that’s nearby and local, and I did research, learning more about who was buried there. Everything about the site was interesting to me.”
Paolino had to coordinate a lot of moving pieces to get the project off the ground, working with the town Select Board, Historical Society, Cemetery Trustees, and the private owner of the land to get the proper permissions.
He also approached Belletetes Inc. and KDI Landscaping about donating materials, including wood to replace the fence around the graves, and mulch, gravel and landscaping fabric.
Last fall, Paolino led more than 20 volunteers, consisting of troop members and adult volunteers, in a workday, with about 110 man-hours put into clearing away brush, replacing the split-rail fence, removing saplings and restoring the landscape.
“From where we started to when we finished, it was completely different,” Paolino said.
He said the project was a culmination of everything he has learned and loved about Scouting — particularly instilling leadership qualities. Paolino had to step up early as a leader in his troop, becoming a senior patrol leader in the seventh grade — a position usually reserved for an older Scout. But at the time, Paolino was the oldest in his troop, and stepped up to take the position.
Because the cemetery is on such a small plot of land, Paolino said organizing volunteers came down to dividing tasks and keeping them rotated among the volunteers. He also had to be quick on his feet to adapt, when New Hampshire’s propensity for rocky soil led to some of the post holes for the new fence not being viable.
“We had to re-dig holes, move fencing, and working with that, while keeping younger Scouts on task was a real challenge,” Paolino said.
Paolino said his Eagle Scout project was a combination of the reasons he’s continued for so long in Scouting: the opportunities for service, leadership and growing a sense of community with his troop.
Paolino received his Eagle Scout designation this spring, and there will be a Court of Honor held to recognize his achievement this Friday at the Rindge Meetinghouse at 6 p.m. The Rindge Select Board will be in attendance to recognize his achievement and thank him for his contributions.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.