Mount Auburn Cemetery

June 22^d [18]69

Edward Baldwin Esq.

Dear Sir: --

Yours of 9^th with $4. for bill of 1868 on the I.P. Davis lot was duly received, as also yours of 21^st inquiring after same. --

I have had yours of 9^th with bill receipted and an envelope addressed to you lying before me ever since, waiting for me to see F.O. Prince Esq about the succession to the lot, so that I might reply to you understandingly. I called several times & could not find him in, and on Saturday did see him, & should have written you yesterday if I had had time.

As I am accustomed to gather from the Probate offices the facts connected with the estate of deceased persons as bearing upon the inheritance of their burial lots, I had noted an intricate class of facts connected with the Davis Estate. By our Charter, a burial lot is real estate, subject to the rules of descent & devise applicable to other real estate. -- And when a proprietor dies our board of Trustees are required to designate which one of his heirs or devisees shall represent a lot. After the death of Mr Davis, Mrs Davis was so designated. Upon her death a vacancy has occurred in the representation.

I find from Mr Davis' will that one half of his estate was disposed of to certain of his heirs under trust -- the other half to Mrs D. for life, with power in her to appoint in what manner it should go after her death. Mrs Davis, after certain legacies, gives her half of the residence to Mrs Wood &

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Mrs Prince, her neices. I learn that no children of Mr Davis (and I believe) no grandchildren survive -- but that his half has descended to certain nephews & neices -- one or both. However that may be, by the operation of his will, his lot belongs, one half to his heirs & one half to Mrs D's heirs, or rather devisees.

Mr Prince desires me to say to you that Mrs Davis' heirs are provided with a burial lot, and will relinquish all their intereset to the Davis heirs.

Upon your reply to this proposition of Mr Prince, and stating to me who the Davis heirs now are, their degree of relationship &c. -- I will send you one of our representative blanks, filled out so far as may be, for the signatures of the parties in interest.

Truly yours

A.J. Coolidge Sec. & Tr.

July 20^th [18]69

H.H. Hunnewell Esq

Dear Sir,

The few week since I wrote you inquiring about Mrs Eliza Smith's decease, but presume you have overlooked the note, as I have rec^d no reply.

The question is whether Mrs Eliza Smith prop^r of lot 132 Willow Av^e is dec^d, & if so, when she died? May 12, 1868 you signed an order for interm^t of F.S. Greenleaf in her lot in the words -- "H.H. Hunnewell Ex^or of Eliza Smith."

I find Eliza Smith (whom I suppose to be the mother of Mr Durant) was interred in lot 484 upon order signed by Henry F. Durant, Feby 20, 1868.

Unless she is the same as your testator, I do not find any record of the death & burial of the prop^r of lot 132.

Your ready reply will oblige.

Yours very Respy

A.J. Coolidge

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