About the Author

A native of Newburyport, Ghlee E. Woodworth is a twelfth-generation descendant of Robert Adams, one of the first settlers of Newbury. She served as Assistant Dean of Students and Director of the Mabee Activity Center at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, before joining the United States Peace Corps in 1991. She worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Comoros Islands, East Africa, and went on to train new Peace Corps volunteers and mentor host country national staff in thirteen countries including Armenia, Namibia, Turkmenistan, Bangladesh, Niger, and China. Ghlee's travels took her to another thirty-one countries, including the Sultanate of Oman, Syria, Nepal, Madagascar, Turkey, South Africa, and Jordan.

In 2006, following in the footsteps of her father, local historian Todd C. Woodworth (1921-2006), Ghlee carried on the tradition of conducting the Oak Hill Cemetery tours he had given since 1988, "Tiptoe Through the Tombstones." She also leads tours of Newburyport's Old Hill Burying Ground, Highland Cemetery, African American history and the abolitionist movement.

A member of the Board of Trustees of Oak Hill Cemetery, Ghlee is the manager of its heritage tree, gravestone, and chapel restoration projects. Having trained in gravestone restoration, Ghlee and other volunteers have repaired over 1400 gravestones in Old Hill Burying Ground and Oak Hill Cemetery. Ghlee has also researched and managed history projects for Newburyport City Hall. For her efforts, she received a Preservation Award for Stewardship from the Newburyport Preservation Trust in May 2011.

Ghlee's first book, Tiptoe Through the Tombstones, Oak Hill Cemetery, about the lives of eighty individuals who made significant contributions to the Newburyport community during the 1800s, was published in 2009 and has won a number of awards:

New England Book Festival 2009
Winner
Runner-up Book of the Year
Book Design of the Year
Runner-up Biography/Autobiography of the Year

New York Book Festival 2010
Winner
Runner-up Biography/Autobiography of the Year

American Association for State and Local History 2010
One of 75 nationwide finalists

In late 2010, Ghlee created and designed the Clipper Heritage Trail, a series of self-guided history tours. During the past year and half, research, writing, collecting images, and securing grants has brought the Trail to life. The Trail invites Newburyport residents and visitors to learn more about the hidden history of a fascinating city - Newburyport.


 

 









Acknowledgements

I would like to express my thanks and appreciation to the following people who provided assistance and encouragement during the past couple years. Most were there for me during the writing of Tiptoe Through the Tombstones, Oak Hill Cemetery, and they joined once again in helping to tell the story of Newburyport's history.

First a special note of thanks to my editor, Jane Uscilka, who guided me through the writing of the Tiptoe book. Jane once again provided a comfortable environment for me to put words down on paper. Shawn Bush of Ursa Major Web Consulting took my vision and created a beautiful website to tell our local history. A groundbreaking, one of a kind that will be the envy of many communities! To Sarah Raleigh of Raleigh Design for creating an attractive brochure design that matches perfectly with the website. And to Brian Callahan of Helium Design who came in at the eleventh hour with a helping hand. Thank you.

Newburyport Mayor Donna D. Holaday and Ann Ormond, President of the Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce and Industry gave their unwavering support from the beginning as well as City Hall and Chamber of Commerce staff.

The Newburyport Public Library staff was always available for encouragement and valuable insights. Jessica Gill, archivist of the Newburyport Public Library Archival Center and Jay Williamson, curator of the Historical Society of Old Newbury lent a hand when needed.

Thanks to Joe Callahan, Marge and Skip Motes, Michael Bulger, Scott Nason, Dr. Richard Bagg, Sue Follansbee, Duncan and Barbara MacBurnie, and Tom Horth for historical material and/or photographs. To Bronson de Stadler and Bill and Liz Hallett for sharing their research and joining the Clipper Heritage Trail. Thanks to my Prospect and Temple Street neighbors and all the folks who smile when I talk about my latest project. And last but not least Cecile Pimental and the Archive Gang - researchers, historians, and cheerleaders. A team effort.


 

 

 
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