The persons buried in this tomb can be determined with high probability. All persons there died in Concord, MA before 1850 and are not known to be buried anywhere else. They all relate to Ruth (Stimpson) Kettell (1717-1797), the first of only four Kettells to die in Concord, and the earliest to die of any of those in the tomb.

John Thoreau (1754-1801), grandfather of Henry D. Thoreau. married in Concord one of Ruth Kettell's daughters, Rebecca Kettell (1762-1814) in 1797 as his second wife after his first wife died in 1796 in Boston where they lived. In 1799 John Thoreau bought property from the White family in the middle of Concord and moved there with Rebecca eight children from his first marriage. They lived right beside Rebecca's sister Esther White, married to Deacon John White, who operated a variety shop there for many years. John Thoreau died in Concord in 1801 and was buried in the tomb where his wife's mother was already buried. That tomb was almost certainly bought earlier by his successful, shop owner brother-in-law, neighbor, Deacon John White. John Thoreau had the only direct connection of the Thoreau family to the Kettell family by virtue of his marriage to Rebecca Kettell.

The Thoreaus almost certainly buried in this tomb with their father John Thoreau are (in order of death year):

Mary Thoreau (1786-1811), unmarried daughter

Sarah Thoreau (1790-1829), unmarried daughter

Elizabeth Thoreau (1782-1839), unmarried daughter

The order of names on the plaque would relate to the greater wealth of Deacon John White and his closer connection to the Kettells than to the Thoreaus.

It is interesting that buried in a separate chamber of this tomb with his own wall plaque is the notable Concord, MA clergyman, Rev. Ezra Ripley (1751-1841), who performed in Concord the marriage ceremonies for Deacon John White and Esther Kettell in 1778 and for John Thoreau and Rebecca Kettell in 1797. It is most likely that he presided at the funerals of most if not all of the Whites, Kettells and Thoreaus buried in this tomb, save for Mary Kettell (1758-1849) who died after Rev. Ripley.

Ray A.