The original entrance appears to have been on the south side. The oldest legible gravestone in Taunton is that of Elizabeth (Phillips) Walker, my Grandmother of eleven generations ago - she died August 14, 1678. Her husband James, who died February 15, 1691, is also buried here. My line is through their son James Walker b. about 1645 d. May 19,1750 and Bathsheba (Brooks) Walker d. Feb 24, 1738.  One of their children was David Walker b. about 1681 who married Mary ( )d. 1750.  They lived in Dighton and may be buried Walker-Blake Graveyard as their burial location is unknown.    I have other ancestors buried in this cemetery. They include Ann (Hanover) Blake who died 11/21/1790 in her 93rd year and her husband Edward Blake who died July 25, 1759 in his 70th year.  One of their children was Mary Blake b. 12/5/1717 who married Nehemiah Hoskins Jr.  The y moved to Winchester, NH.  These are the great grandmothers and grandfathers only. There are many other people, Walkers and Blakes and people who married into those families, with whom we are related. Of course, I am only one descendant. Today, there are thousands of descendants from these colonists.

From my first visit I could see the graveyard was in disrepair and neglect. Over the years on other trips to Massachusetts, I revisited the graveyard and showed the graveyard to our children. On these visits I could see some additional vandalism and desecration. Some of the problems were caused by natural events but most were the result of vandalism. A hurricane had toppled over about 11 trees. Fortunately, no gravestones appeared to be hit or damaged. The graveyard had not been taken care of for so long that trees had grown through, enclosed, and destroyed a number of gravestones. Vandals had toppled over many gravestones and had smashed many gravestones with boulders. There were shot gun shells on the ground and ruts from dirt bikes going through the sacred grounds. There was no practical way for the police to patrol the area.

Shortly after that trip I decided something needed to be done to preserve and protect the graveyard. After talking with Taunton officials, I found out that the city did not own the graveyard and the city had no funds to take care of it. The graveyard had been privately owned but the deed was lost in history. At the same time I was making inquiries about who owned the graveyard, a Taunton attorney was making the same inquiries on behalf of a Connecticut attorney. On January 10, 1995, the city official told the Taunton attorney that I was asking questions about who owned the graveyard and soon the Taunton attorney and I were sharing notes. I explained that something needed to be done to preserve and protect the graveyard. The Taunton attorney said he would inform the trustee of a fund for the care and protection of the burial ground that I was interested in getting work done for the benefit of the graveyard.