The Granary Burying Ground is one of Boston’s oldest and most historic cemeteries, established in 1660.

Located on Tremont Street, it is the final resting place for many notable Revolutionary War-era patriots, including Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Robert Treat Paine. It also holds the graves of the five victims of the Boston Massacre and Mother Goose.

The story of Mother Goose in Boston is quite interesting. The myth of Mary Goose, who is buried in the Granary Burying Ground in 1690, was married to Isaac Goose. After Mary’s death, Isaac married Elizabeth Foster, and they had a daughter named Elizabeth, who married Thomas Fleet.

Thomas Fleet, a printer, published a book called “Songs for the Nursery, or Mother Goose’s Melodies for Children” in 1719. The myth began that Mary Goose was the original Mother Goose, but the book was a compilation of nursery rhymes from various sources.

The name “Mother Goose” was used because of the association with the Goose family.

The character of Mother Goose first appeared in literature in 1697, This collection included famous fairy tales like “Cinderella,” “Sleeping Beauty,” and “Little Red Riding Hood,” and featured a frontispiece with an illustration of an old woman spinning tales to children, labeled “Contes de ma mère l’Oye” (Tales of My Mother Goose).

The first mention of Mother Goose in English literature was in 1765, when John Newbery published “Mother Goose’s Melody: or Sonnets for the Cradle” in London.

This collection of nursery rhymes became immensely popular and cemented the character of Mother Goose as a beloved figure in children’s literature.

Mother Goose has become an enduring symbol of children’s literature and storytelling. Her name is associated with countless nursery rhymes, fairy tales, and songs that have been passed down through generations, bringing joy and imagination to children around the world.