Grave of a Famous Person: Edwin Booth - Mt. Auburn Cemetery, Watertown, MA

Edwin Booth

Watertown, MA

N42° 22.197 W71° 08.772

Short Description:

The grave of the famous 19th century Shakespearean actor Edwin Thomas Booth is located along Anemone Path in Mount Auburn Cemetery.

Long Description:

The grave of Edwin Booth is marked by a 5 ft. by 2 ft.by 6 in.granite monument with a bronze relief medallion showing the left profile of Booth.  The monument was sculpted by Frank Edwin Elwell in 1895. The architect for the monument was Sanford White. The front of the granite monument is inscribed:

BOOTH

{bronze medallion}

EDWIN BOOTH

BORN NOVEMBER 13, 1833

DIED JUNE 7, 1893

"I WILL TURN THEIR MOURNING

INTO JOY AND WILL COMFORT THEM

AND MAKE THEM REJOICE FROM.

THEIR SORROW" JER XXI 13 

From the Smithsonian Art Inventory, SIRIS, website

The back of the monument has a relief of the masks representing drama and comedy and the inscription from Shakespeare:

 "THE IDEA OF THY LIFE SHALL

SWEETLY CREEP

INTO MY STVDY OF IMAGINATION

AND EVERY LOVELY ORGAN OF

THY LIFE/SHALL COME APPARELED IN

MORE PRECIOVS HABIT

MORE MOVING DELICATE AND

FVLL OF LIFE/INTO THE EYE AND PROSPECT

OF MY SOVL

THAN WHEN THOV LIV'ST INDEED"                                      

                                       SHAKESPEARE

The fame of Edwin Booth has long been overshadowed that of his younger brother John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Lincoln.  Edwin Thomas Booth was born in Bel Air, Maryland on November 13, 1833. His father, Junius Brutus Booth, and two younger brothers  Junius Brutus Booth, Jr. and John Wilkes Booth, were also Shakespearean actors. Edwin is considered by many theater critics to be the greatest 19th century American actor. Edwin Booth is also famous for construction of the glamorous Booth's Theater in Manhattan which opened on February 3, 1869,featured Shakespearean productions, and  operated until 1883.

Edwin Thomas Booth died on June 7, 1893. He was 59 years of age.