Riverside Cemetery is a small burial ground located on Old Mill Road (which is actually someone's driveway), off Daniels Farm Road in Trumbull, Connecticut (not to be confused with the Riverside Cemeteries in Oxford and Shelton). It seems all of the burials date from throughout the 1800s. It does not appear to still be in use. Riverside is on the Connecticut Freedom Trail because it is the burial place of Nero Hawley.

Nero Hawley (1742-1817) was born into slavery in North Stratford (now Trumbull), Connecticut. He enlisted in the Continental Army on April 20, 1777 in place of his owner, Daniel Hawley, during the American Revolution. Private Nero Hawley spent the winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania under General George Washington. On July 28, 1778 he fought in the Battle of Monmouth (New Jersey), and he spent the winter of 1778-1779 camped at Redding, Connecticut, at what is now Putnam Memorial State Park. Serving during the Revolutionary War secured Hawley his freedom and he was discharged on April 12, 1781 after being wounded in battle. After the war, Hawley became a brick maker. Hawley's grave is a point on the Connecticut Freedom Trail and his life was profiled in the book, "From Valley Forge to Freedom."

Estimated number of interments, as of January 2024: at least 226.

Photos taken 23 October 2008 and 5 February 2019.

The entrance to Riverside Cemetery. 

Ephraim Beach, member of the Connecticut Militia, veteran of the War of 1812. 

Son of George C. & M.P. Sterling

Born Sept. 30, 1875

Died July 20, 1876.

Daughter Annie (1841 - 1867), 

mother Lydia (1813 - 1870) and 

father Elijah Beach (1809 - 1869).

A view of the cemetery, with the monument of Andrew Tait (1799 - 1890) and family in the background.

According to Andrew Tait's obituary, he was "the oldest and one of the best-known paper manufacturers in the country". He built the Tait and Sons Paper Mill on what is now Tait Mill Road, which borders the Pequonnock River and is walking distance Riverside Cemetery in Trumbull. The mill manufactured paper and strawboard products. The strawboard was used to make boxes which were designed to package corsets. The Tait and Sons Paper Mill remained in this location from 1836 until 1895. 

The Tucker plot. 

All photos copyright by the author, 2019. Not to be used or reproduced without permission.

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