All Saints Catholic Cemetery

In 1880, Father Thomas J. Brady, pastor of St. Paul's Catholic Church, purchased eight acres of land at the corner of Elm Avenue and Gosport Road (now Portsmouth Boulevard) from J. H. Gayle to establish a Catholic cemetery in Portsmouth. The cemetery was consecrated on June 29, 1884 by Bishop Keane. Father Brady noted in his diary that $2,300 had been spent to establish St. Paul's Cemetery, $800 for the land and $1,500 for improvements. There were 597 original lots, each measuring 20' X 20'. In 1883, an additional eight acres were purchased, but in later years that property was sold. In 1976, the name of the cemetery was changed to Portsmouth Catholic Cemetery, and its management was transferred to a board composed of members from the local parishes. By decree of Bishop Francis X. Di Lorenzo, the cemetery was renamed All Saints Catholic Cemetery in June 2013. It is still managed by a board of directors from the local Portsmouth and Chesapeake parishes. Burial lots are available for purchase, and there is sufficient room for future expansion.