BEACON HILL, Boston.- A 300-year-old gravestone discovered and restored at Boston’s Granary Burying Ground has revealed new details about the life of a free Black resident who died in colonial Boston in 1728/29.
The marker, which bears only the name “Boston,” had been obscured for decades and was not included in modern surveys of the historic cemetery. Conservation work revealed the inscription and allowed researchers to identify the individual as Sebastian, a formerly enslaved man whose later records referred to him as Bastian and Boston.
The discovery offers new insight into the lives of Black Bostonians during the colonial era and highlights the presence of free Black residents in the city’s early history.
The gravestone was identified during an ongoing conservation project led by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department’s Historic Burying Ground Initiative. Kelly Thomas, director of Historic Burying Grounds, noticed the inscription while documenting preservation work at Granary Burying Ground.
Further historical research connected the gravestone to Sebastian’s life, which is detailed in Gloria McCahon Whiting’s 2024 book Belonging: An Intimate History of Slavery and Family in Early New England. Researchers determined that the man identified in historical records as Sebastian and the person memorialized as Boston were the same individual.
Historical records indicate Boston was a respected member of the colonial community. An obituary published in the New England Weekly Journal on February 24, 1729, described him as a trusted and respected person whose death was mourned by his neighbors.
According to Whiting, Boston spent part of his early life enslaved and worked to secure legal recognition of his marriage to his wife, who was also enslaved. Historical evidence suggests his efforts contributed to early discussions and legal developments involving marriage rights for enslaved people in Massachusetts.
After obtaining his freedom, Boston became the father of six children, whom he baptized in a local church and supported economically. Whiting said his relationships extended across different segments of colonial society, including both enslaved people and members of wealthy and politically influential families.
The gravestone itself had suffered significant structural damage from centuries of weather exposure and had been partially buried beneath soil. Conservators from Daedalus, Inc. documented the marker before transporting it to a climate-controlled conservation studio.
During restoration, conservators cleaned the stone, repaired damaged sections using conservation-grade materials, and stabilized areas where layers of stone had begun separating. The work restored the inscription enough to support the historical identification.
Following treatment, the gravestone was returned to Granary Burying Ground and reset vertically at its original location, identified as GR-A-141.
Historians believe the marker may be the oldest gravestone for a free Black person in the United States. Its discovery expands understanding of burial practices in colonial Boston and provides additional evidence of the role Black residents played in shaping the city’s history before the American Revolution.
The discovery comes as Boston commemorates the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding and the 75th anniversary of the Freedom Trail.
“This discovery highlights the important role of historic preservation and the historic burying grounds in bringing to light overlooked stories in the city’s rich history,” Thomas said.
Granary Burying Ground, established in 1660, is one of Boston’s oldest cemeteries and is located along the Freedom Trail. The restored gravestone remains accessible to visitors at the historic site.
