The Spurling Cemetery
Great Cranberry Island, Maine

Compiled by
Bruce Komusin
Great Cranberry Island Historical Society

read the report
names in alphabetical order
virtual tour: "stroll through" the cemetery

The Spurling Cemetery is on Spurling Point. Starting from the Town Dock, go about 100 yards down the main road to the first dirt road on the right; then go about 100 yards on that dirt road. The cemetery is on the left and is easily recognized by its surrounding chain-link fence.

Grave Site Layout

To "stroll through" the cemetery:
1. click on a stone to see the inscription
2. click your browser's "Back" button to return here to the cemetery
click on any stone...

LEGEND:
= stone with name(s) and dates
= obelisk with name(s) and dates
= minor stone or footstone – most lie to the north of corresponding

The Spurling Cemetery is shaped like two rectangles attached together. The front rectangle -- the older part of the cemetery -- is 40 feet wide and 46 feet long. The back rectangle is 25 feet wide and 43 feet long. Both front and back parts have their own 8-foot wide double-swinging entrance gates. The whole cemetery is surrrounded by a chain-link fence, with the gates of the same material.

Inscriptions

The following list gives our best rendering of all the inscriptions. A few inscriptions are pitted and difficult or impossible to read, or have unknown words in places. Some extra work with rubbings, by a person with a good poetic imagination, could probably clear up all but the one or two eroded inscriptions. We welcome corrections from old family records or from your own personal research.

A
[All stones face south.]

A-9
<fern> S <fern>
HIRAM L.
1850 - 1931
NETTIE A.
1862 - 1925
STANLEY [on base]

A-10
<wilted rosebud>
INFANT
Son of Hiram L. & Nettie
A. Stanley
Died Oct. 1, 1885
AE. 1 mo. 7 dy.

[facing north]
We loved this tender little one,
And would have wished his stay,
But let our Father's will be done.
He shines in endless day.

A-11
<three flowers> [fallen over]
ASENATH M.
Wife of
Benjamin Spurling.
Died
Apr 10, 1899
AE. 65 yrs, 4 mos.

Dearest loved one, we must lay thee,
In the peaceful grave's embrace,
But thy memory will be cherished,
Till we see thy heavenly face.

A-12
<Anchor motif>
CAPT.
BENJ. SPURLING,
Died July 4, 1887
AE. 59 y's, 3 m's, 17 d's.

Jesus, while our hearts are bleeding
O'er the spoils that death has won;
We would, at this solemn meeting,
Calmly say, Thy will be done.

B
[All stones face south.]

B-2
IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE
CAPT.
WILLIAM H.
BULGER
JUNE 19, 1845
MAY 27, 1927

B-3
B
IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE
DENA J.
WIFE OF
Capt. Wm. H. BULGER
Dec. 17, 1864
Oct. 31, 1923

B-4
BELOVED AND LAMENTED
<rose>
ELVA A.
Wife of
WILLIAM H. BULGER
Died June 13, 1875.
AE. 18 yrs. 6 mos. &
5 days.

She's gone, she's gone, dear Elva gone.
Her toils are o'er, her victory won.
Just in the morning of her day,
When hopes were bright she passed away.

B-5
<wilted bud> [fallen over]
MARY E.
dau. of Joseph
& Matilda F.
Spurling
died Mar 8 1861
AE. 2 ys. 10 ms.
6 days

Fare thee well our fondly cherish'd
Little darling fare thee well,
He who lent thee hath recalled thee,
Back with Him and His to dwell.

B-6
<wilted bud>
OUR DARLING
FREDDIE

Of such is the
kingdom of heaven

B-7
OUR DARLING BOY
<wilted bud>
FRANKIE E.
Son of Horatio N. &
Wealtha H. Trussell,
was Drowned
Aug. 25, 1879
AE. 6 y's, 10 m's, 3 d's.

The icy hand of death
Has touched this tender flower
And borne away its breath
Within a fleeting hour.

B-8
<open book>
WEALTHY H.
wife of
Capt. A. C. Stanley,
Died Nov. 3, 1882
AE. 39 y's, 4 m's, 24 d's.

Lo, where the silent marble weeps
A friend, a wife, a mother sleeps.
A heart, within whose sacred cell
The peaceful virtues loved to dwell.

C
[All stones face south.]

C-3
ALICE J.
dau. of Benj &
Asenath M. Spurling
DIED
Nov. 9, 1860
AE. 4 yrs, 2 m's.

From our circle dearest Alice
Early hast thou passed away
??? the angels say ??? annot???
??? holy song to d???.

[The stone was broken at the base, then reset and patched with cement, rendering the bottom unreadable. But I've since found similar inscriptions which finish:

"But the angels say -- Another
Joins our holy song to day." ]

C-4
LILLIAN E.
dau. of Robert &
Fannie Spurling,
died July 13, 1861,
AE. 2 yrs, 4 mos.

I take this little lamb said He
And lay her on my breast
Protection she shall find in me
And be forever blest.

C-5

<leaves and two buds>
ADA A	LUCELLA A
DIED	DIED
Mar. 6 1860	Dec. 3, 1852
AE. 5 y'rs.	AE. 11 weeks
Children of G. N. &
M. A. Spurling

These lovely buds so young and fair,
Called hence by early doom
Just came to show how sweet a flower
In paradise could bloom.

C-8
MARIA A.
wife of
Geo. N. Spurling
Died Apr. 18, 1881
AE. 43 y's, 5 m's, 7 d's.

We loved our Mother, none can tell
How much we loved her, and how well;
God loved her more and He thought best
To take her home to be at rest.

C-11
<fern> <formée cross> <fern>
GEO. N. SPURLING
Died
Jan 16, 1901,
AE. 83 yrs.

He lives enshrined within our hearts
In deep and lasting love.

C-12
BULGER [top]
RICHARD SAFFORD
DIED
Oct. 10, 1915
AE. 2 mos. 22 ds.

D
[All stones face south.]

D-3
JOSEPH NEWMAN
DIED
Dec. 28, 1879
AE. 90 yrs. 9 ms.
& 11 days.

Gathered in a good old age
To the assembly of the righteous.

D-4
ENOCH SPURLING
DIED
Oct. 26, 1838
AE. 49 yrs.

Thou art gone dear father,
But we will not complain
For we know 'tis all right,
We shall meet you again.

D-5
HANNAH
wife of
ENOCH SPURLING
DIED
May 9, 1856
AE. 65 yrs.

Though bound to earth by strongest ties
Of pure affection's chain,
She meekly gave up all for Christ
And felt to die was gain.

E
[Both E-1 stones face west.]

E-1a
NELSON ELIOT SPURLING
COMMANDER U.S.N.R.
WORLD WAR II KOREA
JUNE 13, 1910 - [date of death blank]

E-1b
ALYS MADOLYN BULGER
SPURLING
DEC. 2, 1907 - [date of death blank]

E-6
ADDIE E. [flat stone facing east]
DUREN
1886 - 1973

F
[All stones face south.]

F-2
CHARLES E.
1850 - 1925
EMMA F.
1860 - 1934
SPURLING

F-4
[Four-sided obelisk, about 4 feet tall, mounted on two pedestals, with a solid urn on top - but the urn is broken off and lies on the ground.]

[facing south]
<ferns>
JOSEPH S. SPURLING
BORN
Aug 23 1817
DIED
Apr 6 1890
SPURLING [on base]

[facing east]
MATILDA T.
1821 - 1912

MOTHER [footstone to northeast]

FATHER [footstone to northwest]

F-7
<flowers>
Mrs.
JENNIE M. GOOGINS
Dau of Joseph S. &
Matilda Spurling
Born Aug 27, 1852
Died June 7, 1890

She faltered by the wayside
And the angels took her home.
Just when we learned to love her most,
God called her back to heaven.

G
[All stones face south, except where indicated.]

[All three G1 stones are flat, face west.]
G-1a
"EBBIE" S.
BROOKS
1937 - 1952

G-1b
CARL A.
BROOKS
1909 - 1989

G-1c
BARBARA S.
BROOKS
1912 - [date of death blank]

G-2
S
ELLEN M. STANLEY
1842 - 1929

G-3
<sheave> [fallen over]
<anchor>
ASA D. STANLEY.
Died
May 12, 1900
AE. 67 yrs 11 mos

Farewell dear father take thy rest
Heavy with years and worn with pain
Farewell, till in some happy place
We shall behold thy face again.

* Note:
Asa D. Stanley's age is engraved as 67 y 11m. From a contemporaneous newspaper clipping we read:

"On Saturday morning, May 12th, Asa D. Stanley, aged 67 years on the 24th of this month, died of dropsy... Only five months ago his daughter, Flora, wife of Charles H. Coulter, the present mayor of Brockton, Mass., was brought to her childhood's home and buried from the Union church... The writer who has known him intimately all her life, thinks..."

From these comments we believe that the stone is engraved in error; he was 66y 11m when he died, in 1900.

G-5
<wreath of flowers>
FLORA L. COULTER
DIED NOV. 20, 1899
AGE 28 YRS. 1 MO. 10 DYS.

LOVING FRIENDS, WEEP NOT FOR ME
I LONG TO BE AT REST
HOW HAPPY, HAPPY I SHALL BE
WHEN PILLOWED ON MY SAVIOUR'S BREAST.

[Wife of Charles H. Coulter, Mayor of Brockton, Mass. -BK]

G-7
<flower><flower>
EDGAR R. COULTER
DIED
SEPT. 20, 1898
AGE 3 YRS. 5 MO.
8 DAYS
<flower><flower>

G-8
<lamb>
ARTHUR P.
Son of
Asa D. & Maria E.
STANLEY
Died May 19, 1873
AE. 9 yrs. 9 mos. 6 das

Sleep Arthur sleep, thy rest is sweet
From sin and sorrow free
When Jesus calls thou'lt come again
To shine eternally.

H
[All stones face south.]

H-3
IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE
CHARLES SAMUEL SPURLING
1880 - 1911
HIS WIFE
EDNA MAE HATFIELD
1877 - 1967
SPURLING [base]

H-5
RICHARDSON
<flowers>
ELWOOD F. RICHARDSON
1856 - 1906
CORA L. CHAPMAN HIS WIFE
1863 - 1941

+ end of inscriptions +

NOTES:
On the west side of the cemetery, thrown outside the fence, are the following items:

footstone "E. R. C." apparently of Edgar R. Coulter, G-7, d. 1898
blank footstone
footstone "FATHER"
footstone "J. M. G." apparently of Jennie M. Googins, F-7, d. 1890
footstone "A. P. S." apparently of Arthur P. Stanley, G-8, d. 1873

Table of Names in Alphabetical Order

This table duplicates all the names mentioned in the inscriptions, but here they're in alphabetical order by family name, so you can find a particular name easily by eye. Click the grave coordinate -- immediately to the left of the given name -- to see the inscription.

Please be aware that a person may be mentioned on more than one inscription. They may have their own stone, as well as being mentioned on another stone as "son of ..." or "father of ..." for example. However, the table has only one link to an inscription. It may not be the only reference. So study the inscriptions carefully for multiple references.

Stones with "dau. of ..." are especially useful as they reveal a woman's maiden name. Where possible, I've listed women under both their maiden and married names.

Family members were often buried close to each other. Note but don't click on the grave coordinate immediately to the left of the given name. Then click on the cemetery name just to the left of that, to go to the grave site layout, and click on nearby stones to see their inscriptions.

CEM_LOC	GIVEN	FAMILY	BORN	DIED	AGE	NOTES
		*				Spurling Cemetery database last updated 10 April 1999
Spurling G-1a	"Ebbie" S.	Brooks	1937	1952	15
Spurling G-1c	Barbara S.	Brooks	1912			lives in Ellsworth ME
Spurling G-1b	Carl A.	Brooks	1909	1989	80
Spurling E-1b	Alys Madolyn	Bulger	1907			born a Bulger
Spurling B-3	Dena J.	Bulger	1864	1923	58	2nd. wife of William H.
Spurling B-4	Elva A.	Bulger	1856	1875	18	1st. wife of William H.
Spurling C-12	Richard Safford	Bulger	1915	1915	2 months
Spurling B-2	William H.	Bulger	1845	1927	81	husb. of Elva A. & Dena J.
Spurling H-5	Cora L.	Chapman	1863	1941	78	born a Chapman; wife of Elwood F. Richardson
Spurling G-7	Edgar R.	Coulter	1895	1898	3	son of Flora L. & Charles H.
Spurling G-5	Flora L.	Coulter	1871	1899	28	dau. of Asa D. & Ellen M. Stanley
Spurling E-6	Addie E.	Duren	1886	1973	87	dau. of Asa D. & Ellen M. Stanley
Spurling F-7	Jennie M.	Googins	1852	1890	37	dau. of Joseph S. & Matilda Spurling
Spurling H-3	Edna Mae	Hatfield	1877	1967	90	born a Hatfield; wife of Charles Samuel Spurling
Spurling D-3	Joseph	Newman	1789	1879	90
Spurling H-5	Cora L.	Richardson	1863	1941	78	born a Chapman; wife of Elwood F.
Spurling H-5	Elwood F.	Richardson	1856	1906	50	husb. of Cora L.
Spurling C-5	Ada A.	Spurling	1855	1860	5	dau. of George N. & Maria A.
Spurling C-3	Alice J.	Spurling	1856	1860	4	dau. of Benjamin & Asenath M.
Spurling E-1b	Alys Madolyn	Spurling	1907			born a Bulger
Spurling A-11	Asenath M.	Spurling	1834	1899	65	wife of Benjamin
Spurling A-12	Benjamin	Spurling	1828	1887	59	husb. of Asenath
Spurling F-2	Charles E.	Spurling	1850	1925	75	husb. of Emma F.
Spurling H-3	Charles Samuel	Spurling	1880	1911	31	husb. of Edna Mae Hatfield
Spurling H-3	Edna Mae	Spurling	1877	1967	90	born a Hatfield; wife of Charles Samuel
Spurling F-2	Emma F.	Spurling	1860	1934	74	wife of Charles E.
Spurling D-4	Enoch	Spurling	1789	1838	49	husb. of Hannah
Spurling C-4	Fanny	Spurling				cited; wife of Robert
Spurling C-11	George N.	Spurling	1818	1901	83	husb. of Maria A.
Spurling D-5	Hannah	Spurling	1791	1856	65	wife of Enoch
Spurling F-7	Jennie M.	Spurling	1852	1890	37	dau. of Joseph S. & Matilda Spurling
Spurling F-4	Joseph S.	Spurling	1817	1890	72	husb. of Matilda T.
Spurling C-4	Lillian E.	Spurling	1859	1861	2	dau. of Robert & Fannie
Spurling C-5	Lucella A.	Spurling	1852	1852	11 weeks	dau. of George N. & Maria A.
Spurling C-8	Maria A.	Spurling	1837	1881	43	wife of George N.
Spurling B-5	Mary E.	Spurling	1858	1861	2	dau. of Joseph & Matilda F.
Spurling F-4	Matilda T.	Spurling	1821	1912	91	wife of Joseph S.
Spurling E-1a	Nelson Eliot	Spurling	1910
Spurling C-4	Robert	Spurling				cited; husb. of Fannie
Spurling B-8	A. C.	Stanley				cited; husb. of Wealthy H.
Spurling G-8	Arthur P.	Stanley	1863	1873	9	son of Asa D. & (Ellen) Maria
Spurling G-3	Asa D.	Stanley	1833	1900	66*	husb. of Ellen M.
Spurling G-2	Ellen M.	Stanley	1842	1929	87	wife of Asa D.
Spurling A-9	Hiram L.	Stanley	1850	1931	81	husb. of Nettie A.
Spurling A-10	infant	Stanley	1885	1885	1 month	son of Hiram L. & Nettie A.
Spurling A-9	Nettie A.	Stanley	1862	1925	63	wife of Hiram L.
Spurling B-8	Wealthy H.	Stanley	1843	1882	39	wife of A. C. Stanley
Spurling B-7	Frankie E.	Trussel	1872	1879	6	son of Horatio N. & Wealtha H.
Spurling B-7	Horatio N.	Trussell				cited; husb. of Wealtha H.
Spurling B-7	Wealtha	Trussell				cited; wife of Horatio N.
Spurling B-6	Freddie	Trussell?				supposed son of Horatio N. & Wealtha H. Trussell

Variations of Names Mentioned on the Stones

If a search engine brings you to this page, please scan the Table of Names in Alphabetical Order to find the person you're looking for. The following list is not for human consumption. It has several variations on all the names mentioned on the stones, for the benefit of web search engines such as AltaVista.

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Ebbie S. Brooks, Ebbie Brooks, E.S. Brooks, E. S. Brooks, E. Brooks
Barbara S. Brooks, Barbara Brooks, B.S. Brooks, B. S. Brooks, B. Brooks
Carl A. Brooks, Carl Brooks, C.A. Brooks, C. A. Brooks, C. Brooks
Alys Madolyn Bulger, Alys M. Bulger, Alys Bulger, A.M. Bulger, A. M. Bulger, A. Bulger, Alys Madolyn Spurling, Alys M. Spurling, Alys Spurling, A.M. Spurling, A. M. Spurling, A. Spurling
Dena J. Bulger, Dena Bulger, D.J. Bulger, D. J. Bulger, D. Bulger
Elva A. Bulger, Elva Bulger, E.A. Bulger, E. A. Bulger, E. Bulger
Richard Safford Bulger, Richard S. Bulger, Richard Bulger, R.S. Bulger, R. S. Bulger, R. Bulger, Dick Bulger
William H. Bulger, William Bulger, W.H. Bulger, W. H. Bulger, W. Bulger, Wm. H. Bulger, Wm. Bulger, Bill Bulger
Cora L. Chapman, Cora Chapman, C.L. Chapman, C. L. Chapman, C. Chapman, Cora L. Richardson, Cora Richardson, C.L. Richardson, C. L. Richardson, C. Richardson
Edgar R. Coulter, Edgar Coulter, E.R. Coulter, E. R. Coulter, E. Coulter
Flora L. Coulter, Flora Coulter, F.L. Coulter, F. L. Coulter, F. Coulter, Flora L. Stanley, Flora Stanley, F.L. Stanley, F. L. Stanley, F. Stanley
Addie E. Duren, Addie Duren, A.E. Duren, A. E. Duren, Addie E. Stanley, Addie Stanley, A.E. Stanley, A. E. Stanley, A. Stanley
Jennie M. Googins, Jennie Googins, J.M. Googins, J. M. Googins, J. Googins, Jennie M. Spurling, Jennie Spurling, J.M. Spurling, J. M. Spurling, J. Spurling
Edna Mae Hatfield, Edna M. Hatfield, Edna Hatfield, E.M. Hatfield, E. M. Hatfield, E. Hatfield, Edna Mae Spurling, Edna M. Spurling, Edna Spurling, E.M. Spurling, E. M. Spurling, E. Spurling
Joseph Newman, J. Newman, Joe Newman
Elwood F. Richardson, Elwood Richardson, E.F. Richardson, E. F. Richardson, E. Richardson
Ada A. Spurling, Ada Spurling, A.A. Spurling, A. A. Spurling, A. Spurling
Alice J. Spurling, Alice Spurling, A.J. Spurling, A. J. Spurling, A. Spurling
Asenath M. Spurling, Asenath Spurling, A.M. Spurling, A. M. Spurling, A. Spurling
Benjamin Spurling, B. Spurling, Ben Sperling
Charles E. Spurling, Charles Spurling, C.E. Spurling, C. E. Spurling, C. Spurling, Chas. E. Spurling, Chas. Spurling
Charles Samuel Spurling, Charles S. Spurling, C.S. Spurling, C. S. Spurling, C. Spurling, Chas. Samuel Spurling, Chas. S. Spurling, Chas. Spurling
Emma F. Spurling, Emma Spurling, E.F. Spurling, E. F. Spurling, E. Spurling
Enoch Spurling, E. Spurling
Fanny Spurling, F. Spurling
George N. Spurling, George Spurling, G.W. Spurling, G. W. Spurling, G. Spurling, Geo. W. Spurling, Geo. Spurling
Hannah Spurling, H. Spurling
Jennie M. Spurling, Jennie Spurling, J.M. Spurling, J. M. Spurling, J. Spurling
Joseph S. Spurling, Joseph Spurling, J.S. Spurling, J. S. Spurling, J. Spurling
Lillian E. Spurling, Lillian Spurling, L.E. Spurling, L. E. Spurling, L. Spurling
Lucella A. Spurling, Lucella Spurling, L.A. Spurling, L. A. Spurling, L. Spurling
Maria A. Spurling, Maria Spurling, M.A. Spurling, M. A. Spurling, M. Spurling
Mary E. Spurling, Mary Spurling, M.E. Spurling, M. E. Spurling, M. Spurling
Matilda T. Spurling, Matilda Spurling, M.T. Spurling, M. T. Spurling
Nelson Eliot Spurling, Nelson E. Spurling, Nelson Spurling, N.E. Spurling, N. Spurling
Robert Spurling, R. Spurling
A. C. Stanley, A. Stanley
Arthur P. Stanley, Arthur Stanley, A.P. Stanley, A. P. Stanley, A. Stanley, Art P. Stanley, Art Stanley
Asa Doane Stanley, Asa D. Stanley, Asa Stanley, A.D. Stanley, A. D. Stanley, A. Stanley
Ellen Maria Stanley, Ellen M. Stanley, Ellen Stanley, E.M. Stanley, E. M. Stanley
Hiram L. Stanley, Hiram Stanley, H.L. Stanley, H. L. Stanley, H. Stanley
infant Stanley
Nettie A. Stanley, Nettie Stanley, N.A. Stanley, N. Stanley
Wealthy H. Stanley, Wealthy Stanley, W.H. Stanley, W. H. Stanley, W. Stanley
Frankie E. Trussell, Frankie Trussell, Frank E. Trussell, Frank Trussell, F.E. Trussell, F. E. Trussell, F. Trussell
Horatio N. Trussell, Horatio Trussell, H.N. Trussel, H. N. Trussell, H. Trussell
Wealtha Trussell, W. Trussell
Freddie Trussell, Fred Trussell, F. Trussell

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