In 1835, four years after the founding of Mount Auburn Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story was elected the first President of the Cemetery.  He was a logical choice for the job as he had been greatly involved in the meetings to establish the Cemetery – serving on the Horticulture Society committee and then the board of managers and finally giving the main address at the Consecration Ceremony.  A committee voted and “At an adjourned meeting, April 23^d, 1835, the Hon. Joseph Story was chosen President.” Bigelow’s History, 34.

Over Mount Auburn’s 185 years there have been 12 men who have served as president:

Joseph Story (1835 – 1845)
Jacob Bigelow (1845 – 1871)
John T. Bradlee (1871 – 1874)
Israel M. Spelman (1874 – 1905)
Prentiss Cummings (1905 – 1917)
William T. Richardson (1917 – 1918)
Charles Almy (1918 – 1934)
Oakes I. Ames (1934 – 1963)
Francis B. Richardson (1963 – 1967)
Oakes I. Ames (1967 – 1968)
Alan D. Chesney (1968 – 1988)
William Clendaniel (1988 – 2008)
David Barnett (2008 – Present)