Lowell Cemetery

Dr. Sullivan Lawrence Ward was born in Thornton, NH, on July 4, 1827, and died in Lowell, MA, on this day in 1907 at age 81. He is buried on Cushing Ave.

Dr. Ward’s dentist father moved the family to Lowell to start his practice. He studied with his father for many years before opening up his own office at 18 Shattuck St. You can see a sign for his office on the advertisement in the second photo. The building is now the home of the New England Quilt Museum.

A founder of the Merrimack Valley Dental Society, Dr. Ward was elected president of the Lowell YMCA in 1870. Take a look at the second photo that explains his service. Any takers?

Horace Parmenter was born in Antrim, NH, on December 13, 1808. He died on this day in 1884 and is buried on Lincoln Ave. with his wife, Betsey, as well as their children, spouses, and grandchildren. The family lot is marked by a large central obelisk surrounded by individual markers for each family member. Generations of their family are buried together.

Emily Coburn was born on June 15, 1811, and married Edward Tuck in Boston, MA, on May 17, 1832. On the back of the photograph taken by F.L. Morrill, Katherine Parker Tucke wrote:

“Mrs. Edward Tucke
my children’s grandmother
mother of my husband
Edward Morton Tucke”

The family added an “e” to their last name in the generation that followed Emily, who died on January 10, 1890. The family lot on Chapel Ave. is circular and marked by unique headstones. The symbol on Emily’s headstone has a graphic that looks like intertwined “IHS” letters. This is a Christogram representing the first three letters of the Greek spelling of Jesus’ name: Iota, Eta, and Sigma.