 Matteson Family Cemetery WG076 
This cemetery located within the Big River Management Area is on land believed to have once been owned Henry II (Capt. Henry Matteson). The burials span a time period of over 100 years and all use simple fieldstones placed as both headstones and footstones which accounts for the varitaion in size, shape and the type of stones used. All of the burials we have identfied so far have proven to be of Matteson descendants or of their spouses and inlaws. Henry Matteson our immigrant ancestor is buried here as are his sons Thomas and Henry. This can truly be called "The Matteson Family Cemetery".
One of the most interesting features found on some of the earlier markers is the unusual lettering. The letters I and V can be found where one would expect to find a J or a U, while later burials are found to have used the alphabet that we still use today.
The letters J, U, and W of the modern alphabet were not fully adopted until mid-18th century. In their place the letter I was used for J, V for U, and double interlocking V's were used as a W. The carvers of these early stones located here drew a line through the letter I when it was being used a J so that it could never be misconstrued as an I. Below are some examples of these unusual stones.
History of the alphabet on Wikipedia
Ancient and modern Latin alphabet on Omniglot
Bill MacIndoe has been working at mapping out the cemetery. It can be viewed here: http://macindoe.org/MattesonCemetery/
| Previously Unrecorded Burials |
| M [Matteson] | J [Judith] | ([Andrews/Weaver]) | Dec 3, 1753 |
| M [Matteson] | C | | Jul 17, 1754 |
| M [Matteson] | E | | Aug 11, 1749 |
| M [Matteson] | J | | Feb 14, 1807* |
| W [Weaver] | J [Joseph] | | 1740 |
| C [Cooper] | C [Catherine] | ([Weaver]) | 1748 |
| M [Matteson] | J [James] | | Feb 16, 1754 |
| M [Matteson] | J | | 1777 |
| M [Matteson] | F | | March 26, 1754 |
| M [Matteson] | S | | June 21, 1792 |
| _ | _ | | September 15, 1809 |
| M [Matteson] | H [Henry] | | 1693 |
| | | |
*Previously recorded as: M D - Feb 19, 1801
MATTESON LOT - WG076
WEST GREENWICH NOOSENECK HILL RD ->700 ft. E of tele. pole # 77
68 burials with 30 inscriptions from 1740 to 1822
Recorded by Blanche Albro in the 1970s
Source: The Rhode Island Historical Cemeteries Transcription Project Cemetery Database
Last Name First Name (Maiden) Birth Death Cemetery
C [COOPER] M [MANSIR] - 8 JUN 1752 WG076
D M - 19 FEB 1801 WG076
M [MATTESON] A - 23 AUG 1778 WG076
M [MATTESON] A - 23 AUG 1781 WG076
M [MATTESON] D - 2 APR 1814 WG076
M [MATTESON] E - 16 MAY 1755 WG076
M [MATTESON] E [EBENEZER] - 29 FEB 1752 WG076
M [MATTESON] H - SEP 1779 WG076
M [MATTESON] H [HENRY, CAPT] 1671e - 13 APR 1752 WG076
M [MATTESON] H [HENRY] 1696e - 2 MAR 1754 WG076
M [MATTESON] I (OR J) - 1750 WG076
M [MATTESON] J [JONATHAN] - 11 AUG 1822 WG076
M [MATTESON] J [JONATHAN] - 6 OCT 1784 WG076
M [MATTESON] L - 31 DEC 1793 WG076
M [MATTESON] L - 24 JAN 1801 WG076
M [MATTESON] R - WG076
M [MATTESON] R [RUTH] ([SWEET]) - 1 APR 1789 WG076
M [MATTESON] S - 1 JUN 1792 WG076
M [MATTESON] S - 29 OCT 1774 WG076
M [MATTESON] T - 1740 WG076
M [MATTESON] T [THOMAS] - 1750 WG076
M [MATTESON] ____ - 8 OCT 1799 WG076
M [MATTESON] ____ - WG076
S S - 25 FEB 1743 WG076
S [SWEET] M [MARY] 1664e - 2 MAY 1752 WG076
W A - 21 APR 1797 WG076
W I - 9 APR 1758 WG076
W M - 22 DEC 1757 WG076
W M - 1800 WG076
____ ____ - 1784 WG076
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