E3 Row E, place 3
WILLIAM BURROUGHS
US Navy
Name read from the stone; the records not yet searched. Revised November 1, 2026.
The stone reads
WILLIAM BURROUGHS
U.S. Navy
[lower half under earth]
Transcription as recorded in the plot register from the photograph; square brackets mark letters not legible or below ground. Photograph by B. Brennan, October 30, 2026. [1]
Life
William Burroughs lies in grave E3 of the Prescott Post lot. His stone names his unit as US Navy. No date of death has been read from it. [1]
The National Park Service's index of Civil War soldiers and sailors has not yet been searched for him.
His service record, any pension file, and his life before and after the war have not yet been researched. This page will grow as the records are read.
The records
Headstone photograph (shown above) — Headstone of William Burroughs, grid E3, Prescott Post lot, photographed October 30, 2026. [1]
What we don't know
- The lower half of the stone is under earth; no date has been read.
- Which ship or ships did he serve on? The Navy's enlistment records and the NPS sailors index have not yet been searched.
- When and where did he enlist, and what did his company do? His compiled military service record (National Archives, RG 94) will say.
- Did he or his widow apply for a pension? The General Index to Pension Files (NARA T288/T289) has not yet been searched for him.
- Where was he born, and how did he come to Providence?
- Where did he live and work in Providence? The city directories and the censuses of 1870–1920 have not yet been read for him.
- Did he marry, and did he leave children?
- When was he buried here, and what does the City's interment record say? The City lot record has not yet been matched.
Sources
- Gravestone of William Burroughs, grave E3, Prescott Post plot, North Burial Ground, Providence, Rhode Island. Photograph by Bernard Brennan, October 30, 2026; transcription as recorded in the plot register.
Help research this man
Do you have a record of William Burroughs — a census page, a pension card, a city-directory entry, a newspaper item, a family story? You can upload it to the project without an account. Please say what the record is, where you found it, and why you believe it is this man. Every contributor is credited on this page.
Credits
Researched by Bernard Brennan. Records courtesy City of Providence, Department of Parks, North Burial Ground. Revised 2026-11-01.