Mount Auburn Cemetery

Feb.y 29, 1864

Capt. D.L. Winsor

Dear Sir,

Please report upon lot no 2113, on Lime Av^e, belonging to heirs of late Henry Gassett for Perpetual Repair. Mr Gassett, the representative informs me that there are several brick graves or catacombs which have cost quite a sum. - If you do not know about these, or cannot leave the facts at Mt Auburn, I will ask him for the underground data.

Truly yours

A.J. Coolidge

March 1, 1864

Capt. D. L. Winsor

Dear Sir,

I have just rec^d a note from Sam^l S. Osgood Esq of New York City, the Prop^r of lot no. 2151, Orange Path, - where the broken or unstrung hasp surmounts the monument, - in which he desires to know for what sum the Corporation will keep his lot in perpetual repair. Will you please report upon this lot also.

He says he wishes the grave kept in good order -- the single rail around it painted, but does not wish flowers planted in front.

Yours truly

A.J. Coolidge Sec.y

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have thought he had better leave unfilled for the present, as I suggested to you the Committee might, upon reviewing the numerous details, respecting which nothing was said to them before their estimate of fifteen hundred dollars for the care of the lots, - think that the sum was insufficient. I know that this sum is low when compared with some other trusts assumed, and none, as yet, is loaded with so many provisions. I should advise Mr Appleton to get expressed about what he desires, and I will submit the proposed contract to the Committee. Perhaps they will not wish to change the sum - perhaps they will: but I doubt not, they will be reasonable in their views.

I will confer with you or Mr Appleton at any time about what I have written.

Very truly yours,

A. J. Coolidge

March 10, 1864

C.P. Curtis Esq^r, Chairman Com. on Lots.

Dear Sir,

Will the Committee please consider the sums for which they will recommend the guaranty of perpetual repair of lots 2113, belonging to the heirs of the late Henry Gassett, and 2151, belonging to Sam^l S. Osgood, of New York, husband of the lamented poetess.

I send the reports of the Superintendent: and have added to his report upon the Gassett lot (the underground condition of which he was ignorant - the work having been done in 1853 and 1854) the several items of cost of lot and appartenances as appear from the bills exhibited to me by Mr Gassett, the Representative.

Very respy yours

A.J. Coolidge Sec.y

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March 22, [186]4

S.S. Osgood Esq 54 East 20^th St., New York

Dear Sir,

The subject of the amount requisite for the perpetual care of your lot no. 2151 in the Cemetery has been considered by the Committee on Lots, who have instructed me to inform you that they will recommend the Trustees to assume such care for the sum of five hun-- dred dollars.

This amount may seem somewhat large to you, but it is believed that the value of the lot and its erections together with the increased cost of such repair would not justify the Corporation in estimating it for a lower sum.—

I am very respy yours

A.J. Coolidge, Sec.y

March 29 [186]4

S.S. Osgood Esq^re New York

Dear Sir,

I regret to perceive from your note of 26^th last which is just rec^d, that my explanation of our regulations respecting the perpetual care of lots, when you were at my office, was to so little purpose.

If you will turn to Art. 29 of our printed by-laws, which are contained in the two last editions of the catalogue (1857, 1860) you will find the following language— "The Trustees will receive in trust from any proprietor a sum of money not less than one hundred dollars, the income of which shall be appropriated to the repair of his lot, according to the terms of trust given in the appendix".

"The Trustees may also guarantee

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the perpetual repair of lots, containing three hundred feet and upwards, on the pay-- ment of a sum not less than three hun-- dred dollars, and of lots containing less than three hundred feet, on the payment of a sum not less than one hundred dollars, according to the terms of Trust given in the appendix. In this case, if the Repair Fund should ever be lost, the whole property of the Corporation is held for the per-- petual repair of such lots."—

Upon the supposition that you under-- stood the above clauses, which I either showed or explained to you, when you wrote on 27^th Feby. asking— "what will be the amount to be paid to secure perpetual care of my lot no. 2151"?— I very nat-- urally supposed you desired the guaranty contract. With that supposition, I submitted that question to the Committee on Lots. Your lot contains 300 square feet as shown by the catalogue, and by the [Corporation?] [last sentence on page hard to read]

the only place proper for reference to obtain certain knowledge on that point. I have the usual examination made by the Super-- intendent in back cases reported in writing to the Com^ee, which paper is returned to me and placed on the files. In that paper is -- "size of lot -- 300 square feet."— Your suggestion, therefore, that "the Committee must have made a mistake in the size of my lot 2151"— is, I must think, somewhat out of place.

You have evidently confounded the two kinds of contract. If you notice the lan-- guage of the by-law again you will see that there is no absolute measure for the care of a lot. No sum less than $100 can be received. You can pay in $100, if you choose, and the Corporation will faithfully apply the income, to the purpose— but if it is insufficient for all that may be required, no one can certainly find fault for the Corporation not going beyond the means at their disposal. It is a trust. The Trustees are mere fiduciary

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June 16 4 [1864?]

Capt. D. L. Winsor

Dear Sir,

Mr Austin states that "you have not been notified that lots 1676, 2151, 3324, 126, 417, + 801, are to be taken care of by the Corporation", and requests me to so inform the Treas^r-; but as the Treas is in Washington, I think it easier & safer to acquaint you directly. Lots 1676, 3324, 126 & 801 have the guaranty of perpetual repair; 2151 + 497 have not.

Mr. Austin further wishes me to "obtain from the Superintendent, a list of all lots that are in bad order, that the proprietors may be notified."

If you had any conversation with him about this, I presume you know whether he refers to all lots in the cemetery coming under [identical?] [?], or only those cared for by the Corporation, & subject to the inspection of the Committee on Lots. I don't know which he wishes, as I have not seen him. His request is in writing.

Mrs. Marion S. L. Churchill has just deposited with the Corporation $300 to be added to the Repair Fund, for the perpetual care of her lot no. 243, on Woodbine Path, the northwesterly side of Appleton Hill. Neither Mrs. C. nor I could tell what amount would be sufficient - but I think this will do whatshe wishes. She has for years been accumu-- lating this sum and now puts it into the hands of the Corporation as a safe place of deposit & accumulation, if more should be necessary. I will give you her idea, and you will please report about her lot. She has never had anything done to the lot - and wishes but little done - likes the pines there, but wishes a stump dug out - a

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