ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS SITE:
Reservior Cemetery
MORE WRITINGS BY OWEN EVANS:
Road Improvements
282 Burials in Abandoned Cemeteries in Town of Nelson
First in 1800, Last in 1917
This historical record was written by Owen Evans. Comments by the website owners are indicated by <>. Where the gravestones were illegible, dashes indicate missing information.
The seven abandoned cemeteries in the town of Nelson contain 282 burials, according to a recent survey. The largest number of burials is in the Lyon-Hardscrabble cemetery with 107, the next largest Pleasant Valley 102, Weaver cemetery 30, Payne 25, Togg Hill 12, Bliss Road 4, Chaphe Road 2. The first burials were in Lyon-Hardscrabble cemetery, Benjamin Alvord a Revolutionary: soldier, who died in 1800 at the age of 73; and in Weaver cemetery, Sarah Wever, aged 16, also died in 1800. The last burial was in Weaver cemetery, Charles Weaver, in 1917.
During the summer of 1948 the various town boards throughout Madison County received a letter from Miss Clezzie Gallup of Cazenovia which read as follows:
"It has come to my attention that there are many abandoned cemeteries in Madison County containing the burial places of the early settlers of our county. These burial places are fast becoming obliterated as there were few burial records kept in the pioneer days, the data on the markers in these cemeteries is valuable as matter of history. I am wondering if a project can be started in the county whereby these inscriptions can be copied and preserved."
After reading the letter, her suggestion was carried out as well as possible for the town of Nelson. Many of the markers are down and others are so obliterated by time that it was impossible to read them.
One whole cemetery has been lost. Here is what happened. Shortly after the year 1800, the Baptist church of Nelson was organized and meetings were held in a building erected for school and religious purposes. It was called the "Temple" and was located about a mile north of Erieville on what is now known as the John W. Marland farm. As was customary in the early days, a burying ground was located near the meeting house.
In 1888, the State bought land for the location of Erieville reservoir and, according to history, the descendants of people buried in this little cemetery refused to let the State use the land for the reservoir with the result that the dam which was constructed in 1857, had to be built south and east of the burying ground. Had it not been for this reason the dam would have been extended north along the present highway.
The markers in this cemetery have all been removed and the only proof of its existence is the memory of some of our older inhabitants.
The markers in the old abandoned cemeteries commemorate people long since forgotten, early settlers who layed <sic> out out highways and built many of our homes that are now in use.
Weaver Cemetery, pictured at right, is located 400 ft. W of Erieville Road and 400 ft. N of Stearns Rd in the Town of Nelson. It is located on private property.
WEAVER CEMETERY on the Erieville-Nelson road is surrounded by a well built, dry stone wall. The burial plots are completely covered with myrtle. The first date on the markers is 1800, the last 1917. Rufus Weaver is buried there. It was at his residence the first town board meeting in the town of Nelson was held in 1808.
The 30 burials together with dates of deaths: Emily Bates 1909, Caroline M. Bates 1911, Joseph D. Bates, 1830, Hannah Bates 1806, Archibald Bates 1838, Anna Bates 1839, Elizabeth Ann Brown 1852, Seth Dawson 1835, Lydia Seth Dawson 1846, Charles Dawson. Lydia Bates Evans 1853, Polly Marshall 1819, William Sims 1899, Florilla M. Sims 1844, Lydia Sims 1852, Joseph Sims 1861, Andrew R. Simsoctio 1816, Elizabeth Sloane 1878, Dea. Nathan Smith 1849, Aurelia Smith 1852, L. Chester Smith 1816, May L. Dimmick Smith 1878, Cobnfha Smith, Charles Weaver 1917, J. Delos Weaver 1855, Lowis 1874, A.M.Y.185-, Sarah Wever 1800, Mrs. Hannah Wever 1829, Rufus Wever 1814.
The slate gravestone of Leander Chester
(at left), son of Nathan and Aurelia
Smith, died May 11, 1816, AE 5, is one
of two markers of this type found at the
Weaver Cemetery.
It is engraved with the following verse:
Happy the babe, who privileg'd by fate
To shorter labour and a lighter weight
Receiv'd but yesterday the gift of breath
Order'd tomorrow to return to death.
LYON CEMETERY on Hardscrabble road is on land donated by Ebenezer Lyon, a Revolutionary soldier, with the understanding that a fence be kept around it at all times. Ebenezer Lyon was the first supervisor of the town of Nelson and was also appointed as judge by the Governor of the State.
The first burial was 1800, the last 1908. The l07 burials: Ira Alvord 1851, Cynthia Alvord 1835, Benjamin Alvord 1800, Susan Anthony 1847, Ann Anthony 1842, William Pitt Bassett 1832, Dency Bassett 1845, Sarah A. Bassett 1876, William Riley Bassett 1904, Olive Biddlecom 1883, Laura Billings 1832, Susan Burdin 1851, Isaac Burdin 1842, George Burdin 1831, Asa Burdin 1844, Infant 1846, Sylvanus Burdin 1857, Betsey Burdin, 1900, Melinda Burdin 1860, Ira Burdin 1871, Joseph J. Burdin.1866, Betsey E. Swarder 1866, Johnie T. Burton 1858, David D. Burton 1908, Helen M. Burton 1856,
Charles Burton 1842, Patience Burton 1851, Calvin Burton 1860, Phebe Burton 1873, Alma Burton 1882, Laura Jane Burton 1883, Laura Billings 1832, Abigail Card 1866, Lydia Card 1825, William Card 1865, George Cook 1827, Hewet Able Covel 1829, Dwight Denniston 1886, Mary Miles Denniston ----, Wife of Samuel English 1824, Eliphalet Elmore 1850, Sarah Freeborn 1839, Lucy Freeborn 1858, Stephen Freeborn 1852, Lydia Gilbert 1837, James ?1827, Franklin Gordon 1862, Margaret A. Gordon 1862, Garrabelia Lyon Gordon 1889,
Isaac Griffith 1860, Joanna Griffith 1876, Otis Friffith <sic> 1857, Margaret Burdin Friffith <sic> 1812, Abigail Griffith 1840, Juliaett <sic> Grover 1847, William Harris 1866, Sarah M. Irish 1885, Sarah Lovina Irish 1841, Hannah Irish 1837, Capt. Joseph C. Irish 1869, George Irish 1867, Charles Irish 1847, Robert Irish, Jr. 1823, Hannah Irish 1845, Robert (Irish) 185-, Moranda D. Johnson, Louisa Kent Howard 1845, Eliphus Lyon 1866, Mary Ann Lyon 1868, John Lyon 1886, Ruth Card Lyon 1848, Ebenezer Lyon 1829, Cloe Lyon 1849,
Silas A. Hunt 1834, Sally Hunt 1874, Abithar Mann 1866, Sarah E. Miles 1897, Landon Miles 1886, Henery <sic> A. Miles 1867, Laura Mullner 1854, George H. Peek 1890, Eliza Elmore Peek 1904, Joseph Peak 1858, Helen Reed 1870, Abrigale Savage 1826, Patience Savage 1872, Mrs. Amy Savage 1818, Helen 0. Savage 1836, John R. Savage ----, John Savage 1870, Joel Shattuck 1875, Lydia A. Shattuck 1869, Nathaniel Shattuck 1880,
Victoria A. Shattuck 1882, Smith Shattuck 1869, M.Winnie Shattuck 1870, William Sims 1809, Caleb Smith 1860, Lucy Taber 1861, Mary Taber 1849, Phillip Taber 1827, E.W. Thomas 1858, Joseph White 1820, Mary White1839.
PAYNE CEMETERY in the southeastern part of the town, is on land given by Ruggles Payne, one of the first settlers in the town. He came from Ashfield, Conn. and bought his land from John Lincoln of Cazenovia, agent for the Dutch Land Bank. He located on what is now known as the Joe Gaiser farm.
He lived alone in a hollow tree until he built his cabin, his only neighbors being bears and Indians.
He afterward went back East and married Susie Daniels who returned with him. They spent the remainder of their lives on this farm and brought up a large family. They are buried in this cemetery. The first burial here was 1806, the last 1878.
The 25 burials: DeWitt C. <?V.> Benson 1858, Marinda Childs 1845, Dea. Rueben Daniels 1823, or '26, Sophina D. Daniels 1865, Sarah Daniels 1869, Elijah Daniels 1852, Austin W. Daniels ----, Alford Daniels 1812, Jerusha Daniels 1821, Mrs. Mehitable Hudson 1806, Charles (Ruggles) Payne 1857, Susannah Payne 1829, Lyman Payne 1839 <?1829>, Sarah A. Payne 1873, John W. Payne 1861, Rufus R. Payne 1874, Abiel Payne 1849, James M. Smith 1841, Sarah Smith 1839, Sally Smith 1834, James Smith 1847, Susannah Smith 1844, Lyman P. Smith 1827, Charles Smith 1889, Elizabeth Smith 1878.
PLEASANT VALLEY OR WESTCOTT CEMETERY is about half mile north of Route 20 on the Bucks Woods-Peterboro road. A deed to the farm, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Evans, shows that the land on which the cemetery is located was given for the consideration of one peppercorn annually. Deed was "conveyed" to Haven White, David Lindsley and Nathan Graves as a committee for certain inhabitants of the town of Nelson, to be held and used by the said committee, their heirs and assigns as a burying ground and for no other purpose.
The description of the land on this farm is distinguished by a survey made by Nathaniel Locke in the year 1793 and on a map of said land filed in the clerk's office of the then county of Herkimer as Lot No. 16. John Buck, who was tragicly <sic> murdered near what is now Buck's Woods, is buried there, but his marker has been taken away by someone. The first burial was in 1810, the last 1902.
The 102 burials: Palmer Bennett 1893, Olivia Farnham Bennett 1863, Wealthy Booth 1830, A. R. Villa Carr 1852, Elijah S. Cary 1851, Berkley G. Cary 1861, Rufus Chapin 1852, Louisa Clark 1873, Melesia Cutler 1839, Samuel Dexter 1856, Mercy A. Dexter 1860, Oralostic Donaldson 1835, Calvin Farnham 1889, Nancy Donaldson Farnham 1887, Cornelia Farnham 1859, Samuel Gage 1860, Lucinda Edgehton Gage 1831, Rhoda Griswold Gage 1857, Frazier Gutler 1865, Levia Gutler 1877, Nathan Graves 1868, Lydia J.Graves 1855, Amanda Hammond 1846, Thadeus Hazelton 1845,
George Hazelton 1839, Mary Hazelton 1839, F. Albertus Howard 1862, Arad Howard Howard 1887, Edward B. Howard 1834, Arones Judd ----, Nelson H. Judd 1810, Eliza Judd,1855, Sybil Judd 1840, Betsey Keith 1842, Elbridge Keith 1876, Cornelia Clark Keith 1889, Levi Keith 1862, Simeon Lindsley 1848, Fanny Merrell Lindsley 1863, Daniel Lindsley 1842, Jerusha Merrell Lindsley 1878, Lousia Ann Lindsley 1876, Thankful P. Lindsley 1848, Elizabeth Mason 1829, Isaac Mason 1879,
Mary D. Matteson ----, Freddie Matteson ----, Myron N. Mead 1879, Martha Westcott Mead 1842, Nathaniel W. Osborn 1863, Roxa L. Osborn 1884, Charles Osborn l888, Harriette Osborn 1922, Henrietta Parks 1840, Frederick W. Putman 1880, Maria Putman 1834, Fred W. Putman 1867, Josiah Putman 1892, Elizabeth Bailey Putman 1902, Lillie Putman 1877, John Putman 1891, Anna D. Putman ----, Maronette <sp?> Scott 1844, Jeanett Scott 1833, A.A. Putman 1867, Mary Putman 1851, Mary E. Putman 1857, Poley Chapin 1838, Erasmus D. Sherman 1841, Emoline L. Smith ----, Emely Smith 1836, Hannah H. Summers 1881,
Haven White 1838, Isbil White 1841, Laura White 1866, Emelia White 1836, Dea. Eli White 1863, Lydia White 1865, Charles White 1844, Lois M. White, 18--, Jason White 1836, Caroline Dexter White 1870, Polly White 1830, Ona White 1862, Alvin H. Wilber 1852, Harriet Wilber 1885, Mary M. Wilber ----, James E. Wilber 1832, William W. Wilber 1838, Fanny Wilber 1849, Richard Wilber 1842, Elizabeth H. Wood 1886, Mary E. Wood 1835, Danforth Wood 1883.
Last names are not given Lydia A. L. 1850, Amy, John, Charlotte.
TOGG HILL CEMETERY is on the extreme southwest corner of Theodore & Lloyd Jones farm, Route 20. Past generations of the Jones family acquired this farm about 90 years ago. There is no record of the beginning of this little cemetery. Joshua Whitney and his family, who are buried there, are descendants of Eliga Whitney who came from Kent, England, before the Revolutionary War. He settled in Massachusetts, served all through the Revolutionary War and became a captain. Some of his descendants are now living in Eaton.
The 12 burials are: Eben Blakeman 1840, Sally Blakeman 1871, James Clark 1772, Submit Clark 1856, Sally Whitney 1812, Orlando B. Whitney 1813, Polly Whitney 1843, Mary Whitney 1818, Lois Whitney 1818, Amy Whitney Card 1840, John Whitney 1815, Joshua Whitney 1850.
BLISS CEMETERY is near the town line, about one-half mile south of Route 20, on the Bliss road. A little family cemetery, it is the final resting place of the Lord family who were early settlers from Connecticut. First burial in 1831, last 1834. There are only four, the dates of death of two not being inscribed on the stones: Mrs. Sarah Lord, R. E. Lord, John Lord 1831, Saralo Lord, Henery Martyn Lord 1834.
CHAPHE CEMETERY in which two members of the Humphrey family are buried, is on the Chaphe farm. They were former owners, ancestors of Francis Chaphe who lives on the farm. The farm has been owned by generations of the Chaphe family since 1804. The two burials: Norman Humphrey 1854, Jane Humphrey 1845.
In conclusion I wish to commend Miss Gallup for originating this worthwhile project which will serve further to perpetuate the memory of those worthy citizens of yesteryear who lived, toiled and passed on.
The website owners "thank" the private landowners who graciously allowed us access to their properties in order to take pictures and to conduct research for this site. Many of the gravestones are fragile -- we used care not to disturb the historical traces that remain -- we ask that others do the same.
Additional information about local cemeteries, including the Erieville cemetery, can be located on our links page.
Can you tell us more about the Erieville pioneers listed above, or have pictures or a story you'd like to share? Please email us:
