Hello! I am from rural Vermont, and there is a quite small cemetery local to me that I visit semi-frequently. I have family buried there. Many of the stones in it are from the mid to late 1800s though there are more modern ones as well.
The particular stone I have a question about is dated in the 1800s ( I think mid, not late, though I am not certain). I do not have a photo of it, as I was worried that would be disrespectful, though I can get a photo of it later in the week if that is needed for identification. The stone is pretty standard whitish, rectangular, and rather tall. There is no special design or words on it. It is clearly next to several other family members' graves. I can't remember the name on the stone but it was a man's. I would consider it unassuming except for the fact that there are (or was) chains around it. There are two stone posts in front of the stone as well as two stone posts a bit to the back of the stone (about where the actual casket would end). The front posts are connected by heavy and rusted chains, and so are the back two posts. They have rusted chain loops on the other sides which suggest that there may have once also been chains connecting the back posts to the front ones. Essentially, it looks like the stone and actual grave were intended to have been chained in, although two sides of chains are not present.
My initial assumption was that maybe the man who was put to rest there was someone dangerous or spooky that they wanted to keep from haunting people. Or, that at some point odd things happened with the gravestone that made it seem haunted and it was then cordoned off. These are assumptions I had made when I was a kid but still generally think make sense. However, when I finally remembered to Google it today, I was unable to come up with any results explaining why this might be. I'd thought maybe this was more or less a common practice in general or, at least, in my area. Now, it seems like it might actually be more odd than I expected.
I would love to hear about the historical/cultural context of this both in the world in general and in my area if that makes any difference. I know New England has been prone to have a lot of weird graveyard/ghost/witch/vampire lore and scares so maybe that has something to do with it. I am extremely curious as to why this random grave in a small cemetery in the relative middle of nowhere has such an unsettling feature. Further, I was wondering if it is common for older graves to have the burial site behind the stone. The way that the chains are oriented would suggest that the man is buried behind the stone (it has a very clear front and back), while I am pretty certain most other graveyards bury the person in the front. I know we seem to always do it that way now, and the newer graves in that same cemetery do for sure.
Thank you to anyone who takes the time to respond!
edit: every year for my whole lifetime my family has had a tradition of going to all of our family plots on memorial day. This is probably around 15 different cemeteries in Vermont with a few also in New Hampshire. I've seen a lot of graves, and this one in particular has always seemed odd to me. It is the only one I've ever seen with chains around it like this.
Chains like these are common in older New England cemeteries and they usually served a variety of purposes. You’re more likely to see them surrounding a family plot rather than an individual grave, but they’re fairly common in rural New England cemeteries. In one regard, it’s a fairly practical solution to a common rural problem — it would keep livestock and wild animals from stepping on the graves. It was also, as many things seem to become, a status symbol — the larger the gravestone the more money you spend, and when you add metal posts and chains it becomes even more expensive. Many of the family plots with chains are actually raised and have granite edging, making them even more sophisticated. Later in the 19th century you’d find wrought iron fencing, sometimes simple bars in granite posts, sometimes relatively complicated grilles not dissimilar from the elaborate wrought iron balconies and grilles you’d find in Boston, New Orleans, Baltimore, etc. from the same time period.
"The way that the chains are oriented would suggest that the man is buried behind the stone (it has a very clear front and back), while I am pretty certain most other graveyards bury the person in the front. I know we seem to always do it that way now, and the newer graves in that same cemetery do for sure."
What is the orientation of the grave and stone? Many older cemeteries in eastern North America oriented the grave to face East so that on Resurrection Day the body would face Jerusalem. That being said usually the stone would also face East and mark the head of the grave.