Founding Documents

To the Trustees of the Mount Auburn Cemetery

The undersigned proprietors of lots in Mount Auburn respectfully invite your attention to the subject of building a Conservatory in or near the Cemetery.

We believe that many proprietors would be glad to ornament their lots with plants and flowers which are killed by winter. They are among the most beautiful and fragrant in summer, and might with little with little labour or cost, be taken up in autumn, preserved in a conservatory and replanted in spring. It is believed that all concur in the desire to make this place of burial beautiful and attractive. In this wish the Cemetery originated and the cons-ervatory would be in itself a valuable and pleading addition, and would effectually promote all the purposes of the institution.

We therefore ask that a conservatory may be built unless objections of which we are not aware occur to the Trustees.

(left side) Cambridge. Nov 27, 1855.

(right side) Theophilius Parsons (sp?) (?) Lowell Willard Phillips

(left side going down margin) E.S. Discwell (sp?) James Munroe Charles Beck Jared Sparks Jane Livermore George Livermore JW Trull Thomas (Sp?) Harriet J. Allen Sarah J. Chaplin. Martin Lane Jas. D. Green. Henry W. Longfellow Edward T. Channing James Walker, for the (?). Moses Warren Mrs. ? Valentine Ephraim Masston G.W. Chickering. Mrs. ? P. Parker. George Braman George Hower Edward Collmass John ? Parker

(right side of margin) Mrs. C. ? by J.B. Parker Landimer S. Hubbard Charles D. Gibson by GGH ? John Stierny John ? B.F. Burgess John Blake Edward Everett. Z. Hosmer L. Wyeth W.G. Bond. George R. Noyes C.L. Donnison John Read. Oliver Hastings Charles W. Homer. Louis W. ? Henry Lyon Timothy T. Sawyer. Adeliron Gage W.G. Stewart Mrs. C. Sharp.