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The FACSI Newsletter Volume 15 Issue 3 Friends of Abandoned Cemeteries of Staten Island Pearse O'Callaghan Org.1982 Inc.1983 |
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Civil War Veteran Burials at Fountain Cemetery and at Staten Island Cemetery |
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FACSI Membership Form |
Projects
Archival Database of Obscure Burials on Staten Island
FACSI has compiled death and burial records from various sources, including Old Town Deaths on microfilm from the NYC Municipal Archives, cemetery and mortuary records, and published sources such as Vosburgh, Davis, and others. The data covers burials performed at now abandoned or closed cemeteries beginning in the early 19th century and continuing into the first half of the 20th century.
Available information was entered into a searchable database program to be made available to local institutions, such as the Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences, Staten Island Historical Society, and the public library, both on computer disk and in loose leaf bound volumes. Public access to these records will also be provided on the Internet at the Staten Island Genealogical Resources web page, the official site of Richmond County NY USGenWeb: www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nyrichmo/
The work on this extensive project took two years and its first volume is to be issued in late February 1999. The initial volume will be limited to Lake Cemetery in Graniteville and to the three cemeteries on Richmond Terrace in West Brighton, Staten Island, Fountain and Trinity Chapel. A second volume to be issued later in the year will cover various smaller cemeteries along the West Shore, the Lutheran churchyard on Jewett Avenue, Silver Mount and Woodland Cemeteries, and others. A third volume to be issued in the year 2000 will contain institutional burials, such as the Seamen's Retreat, Sailors Snug Harbor, Quarantine Cemeteries, etc.
Annual updated versions of the material, reflecting further data as might come to light and to include revisions and corrections, will be issued as warranted.
This project was funded by a New York State grant arranged by Assembly Member Elizabeth Connelly and was conducted by Dick Dickenson and Doris Lane.
Bank Foundation Grants
FACSI Counsel Len Robusto has applied for grants from several local banking institutions, including Staten Island Savings Bank, Richmond County Savings Bank, and Northfield Savings & Loan. The charitable funds from these grants would provide FACSI a better capability for maintenance and repair of cemeteries, tree-cutting, and resetting of fallen gravestones.
Membership
Len Robusto reports 101 members; 67 in good standing; 12 large donors considered paid up; 16 members whose dues expired July 1998; and 6 in arrears. New members in 1999 are: Janet Britton, Mariners Harbor; Elizabeth Brady, Severna MD; James Elbrecht, Schenectady NY; Elise A. Epple, Olmstedville NY; Thomas V. Fitzgerald, Cape Coral FL; James Fountain, Wenatchee WA; Jennifer Hyatt, Eltingville; Mike Lee, New York NY; James and Susan Livingston, Spokane WA; Memorial Properties, Marlboro NJ; Howard Snyder, Stapleton; Marie Williams, Invernes FL;
New Fences
With the help of Borough Hall grant money, FACSI was able to install new fencing at both Lake Cemetery and Fountain Cemetery. At Fountain, the new fence has resolved a recent problem of trash dumping. At Lake, it is hoped the fence curtails expansion of a homeless encampment at the rear of stores along Forest Avenue into the cemetery.
Cemetery Tours
FACSI is contemplating guided tours of abandoned cemeteries if public interest in attending such tours exists.
Cemeteries
In addition to our regularly scheduled cleanups, we periodically walk through the cemeteries, picking up trash, checking for vandalism, encroachment and dumping. To volunteer to assist Fred Crane in this important work, please call, XXX.
Fred Crane has been consulted by Major Phillips who is writing a book about the burial sites of Civil War Generals on the location of General Duffie's grave and FACSI has provided photographs of the site.
Friends of Abandoned Cemeteries of Staten Island
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Dick Dickenson, President
Fred Crane, Vice President & Secretary
Marjorie Johnson, Treasurer
Lenny Robusto Counsel/Membership
Janis Kiernan, Recording Secretary
Doris Lane, Editor
Juan Santiago, Production Assistant
James O'Brien, Production Assistant
FACSI Statement of Purpose To initiate the preservation and cleanup of neglected or abandoned cemeteries, graveyards, burying grounds and churchyards; and to assist in the beautification, rehabilitation, and/or attempt to restore, and maintain, the markers, stones and history of such final resting places.
Kudos! Our Heroes for 1998
J&R Tree Company. FACSI hired J&R to cut down ten trees we knew needed cutting. Out of the goodness of their heart and for free, J&R cut down four additional trees that were in bad shape, piled the dead wood and made a supply of woodchips FACSI uses for paving walkways. Thank you to this good and generous business concern.
Borough President Guy V. Molinari. Once again we thank Borough President Molinari for his staunch support of our efforts. Through his good will FACSI received a Borough Hall grant that paid for fencing at Lake and Fountain Cemeteries.
Inmates of Arthur Kill Correctional Center. We especially thank the incarcerated men who volunteer to join in the cleaning up of cemeteries throughout the year. They not only clear out debris, but assist in cutting and pruning, and we could not do without their energy and good spirit. We also thank Superintendent Bert Ross and Guards Frank Duffy and Dennis Staubito for their invaluable participation.
October 11 1998. Col. Robert Gould Shaw's birthday commemoration was held at the gravesite. The 54th Massachusetts Regiment was represented by James Knowles dressed in uniform. After firing a volley to open the ceremony, he gave a speech on the significance of this remembrance. Mr. Knowles gives a talk on the 54th Massachusetts at Fort Wadsworth on Saturday, February 27, at 1:00 p.m. Moravian Florist donated the wreath FACSI placed on the grave.
On Lincoln's Birthday, February 12, at 11:00 a.m., FACSI will unveil a historic street sign at Davis Avenue between Richmond Terrace and Henderson Avenue, (where Col. Shaw lived before entering the Civil War), reading "Col. Robert Gould Shaw's Glory's Way." City Councilman Jerome X. O'Donovan sponsored the Council resolution making the name change possible.
Letter to FACSI.
August 27 1998
Dear Folks -
Thank you for reminding me of dues. You are a great organization - I wish I could help but at age 78 - I would only be in the way.
Please continue the good work.
My Love and Prayers to All
Marie Sellenthin
Photocopying and paper for this issue of the FACSI Newsletter courtesy of United Federation of Teachers.
Local Businessman Adopts Cemetery
Sylvan Grove Cemetery, Travis.
FACSI has enthusiastically endorsed a plan put forth by John Pabone, proprietor of the Amoco station and 24/7 convenience store on Arthur Kill Road in Rossville. Mr. Pabone is leasing a triangular lot of land on Victory Boulevard for a new service station near the on-ramp to the West Shore Expressway in Travis. This city-owned lot borders Sylvan Grove Cemetery, which has seen harmful encroachment by development and damage by vandals.
Mr. Pabone promises to "construct a fence around Sylvan Cemetery and provide all the necessary landscaping works to maintain the property and its facilities. I will also provide three foot sidewalk around the property and a sign of your approval of Sylvan Cemetery."
Mr. Pabone pledged himself to sponsoring the cemetery in a letter dated January 14, 1999, to Dick Dickenson, President of FACSI. In addition, Mr. Pabone plans to design security lighting that shines from his service station into the cemetery to discourage night vandalism .
FACSI is hopeful that other civic-minded business owners may model themselves after Mr. Pabone's good neighbor effort. Local business owners who wish to step up and sponsor a neighboring cemetery may call Dick Dickenson at 718-816-2137.
Volunteer! Call xxx
At Fountain Cemetery
William Hogg - 73y died February 9 1888; 1st NJ Light Inf; buried Lot 87
Adj. Anthony W. Goodell - 74y died March 2 1896; 48th NY Vol Inf; buried Van Street
William H. Wilton - 53y died April 6 1887; Co A 133rd NY Vols; buried Lot 76
James B. Burbank - 66y died October 5 1888; Co A 82nd NY Vols; buried Lot 88
David Redhead - 43y died December 11 1865; Co B 175th Reg NY Vols; buried Lot 77
Michael Kirkman - 68y died April 1 1894; Co B 79th NY Highlanders*; buried Van Street - *raised by Lt. Col. Samuel MacKenzie Elliott, developer of Elliottsville (early Livingston)
Joseph Barrett - 52y died January 7 1894; Co D 1st Reg Connecticut Art; buried Van Street
William Rodie - 68y died December 7 1896; Co D 65th NY Vols; Van Street
John McTamney - died September 1 1892; Co K Illinois Vols; buried Lot 95
John T. Eckett - 63y died October 31 1897; Co L 4th New Hampshire Art; buried Van Street
John Seage - 74y died Nov 25 1883; Vet 1861 4th Michigan Vol Inf; buried Lot 127
Edwin Fountain - 24y August 7 1864; Vet 61-64 Co I 12th Reg NY Vols; buried Lot 173
Thomas Simpson - 77y died 1907; Vet 61-65; buried Lot 3/6
Charles E. Burbank - died April 18 1899; Vet 61-65; buried Lot 118
H.G. Buell - Vet 61-65; buried Lot 67
Isaac M. Brown - 63y died May 23 1886; Vet 61-65; buried Lot 2
General Alfred N. Duffie* - 45y died November 8 1880; Vet 61-65; buried Lot 137/139 - *Son-in-law of abolitionist Daniel Pelton
Heitman - Vet 61-65; buried Lot 74
Francis W. Homer - 63y9m died September 2 1899; Vet 61-65; buried Lot 158
James Brown - 53y5m died November 18 1895; Vet 61-65; buried Lot 106
William Brice - 68y died 1897; Vet 61-65 US Navy; buried Van Street
James C.W. Mills - 47y2m16d; Vet 61-65 USS Hendrick Hudson; buried Lot 172
Col. Henry Harrison Hadley - 62y died 1903; Vet 61-65 119th USCT* GAR**; buried Lot 49 - *U.S. Colored Troops **Grand Army of the Republic
Richard Smith - 71y died 1911; Vet 61-65 42nd GAR DPNY; buried Lot 119
James Brice - 52y died April 6 1882; Vet 61-65 Co A 133rd NY Vols; buried Lot 170
Edmund Blake - Vet 61-65 Co I 156th NY Inf; buried Lot 36
Charles Ladsch - 61y died February 5 1897; Vet 61-65; US Marines; buried Lot 31
S.C. Higgins - 30y; Vet 61-65 Co B 1st NY Mounted Rifles; buried Lot 73
Daniel A. Bedell - 54y May 19 1890; Vet 61-65 Co C 21st Reg NJ Vols; buried Lot 91
Capt. Edward A. Decker - 58y died July 23 1881; Vet 61-65 US Navy; buried Lot 92
J.B. Lane - War Dept, Co A 133rd NY Inf; buried Lot 70
Lt. R.W. Seage - War Dept, 4th Michigan Inf Vols; buried Lot 127
William H. Housman - War Dept, Co C 9th Cav NY; buried Lot 167
William McHenry - War Dept, Co D 6th NY Inf; buried Lot 55
Note: "Van Street" refers to a burial ground at the eastern edge of Fountain Cemetery; "War Dept" refers to engraved brass military grave markers placed by the United States Government.
And Some Civil War Veterans Buried at Staten Island Cemetery
Thomas Donne Doubleday - 48y died May 19 1864; buried Lot 165 (GAR* 524 Plot) - *Grand Army of the Republic Post 524
Phillip L. Moser - 75y died January 10 1912; Co E 47th Pennsylvania Vols; buried Lot 165 (GAR 524 Plot)
Edward A. Sargent - 71y died February 25 1914; buried Lot 165 (GAR 524 Plot)
John H. Brice - 49y died August 8 1876; War Dept; buried Lot 19
William Russell - 83y died 1909; War Dept; buried Lot 19
Lt. James B. Horner - 75y died May 22 1914; 9th NY Infantry Hawkins Zouaves; buried Lot 15/16
John Champe Carter - 66y died November 24 1870; GAR and US Navy; buried Lot 161
[Unmarked] - Vet 1861-65; buried Lot 112
James Maguire - 78y died June 27 1912; Vet 1861-65; Co A 133 NY Inf; buried Lot 112
Tompkins Simonson - died November 10 1899; Vet 1861-65; Co A 1st California Inf; buried Lot 128
Willard H. Bodine - 28y died August 19 1874; Vet 1861-65; Co C 14th Regiment NJ Vols; buried Lot 89
Thomas Van Horn - 72y died July 9 1911; Vet 1861-65; Co C 30th NJ Infantry; buried Lot 69
Cornelius Van Buskirk - 58y died February 16 1888; Vet 1861-65; Co E 4th NY Heavy Art; buried Lot 68
Thomas Wright - 65y died October 1 1901; Vet 1861-65; Co I 156th NY Vols; buried Lot 134
Benjamin A. Wilton - 57y died April 14 1888; Vet 1861-65; Co K 79th NY Vols; buried Lot 107
Robert A. Kelley - 58y died July 7 1902; Vet 1861-65; Co K 79th NY Inf; buried Lot 91
Thomas H. Metcalfe - 57y died 1883; Vet 1861-65; buried Lot 128
Japhet Alston - 85y died 1901; Vet 1861-65; buried Lot 151
Jacob H. Hatley - 28y died 1862; Vet 1861-65; 6th NY Ind Battery; buried Lot 123
Source: FACSI Archival Database
Are These Your Ancestors?
This list is from the record books of the Staten Island Cemetery in West Brighton. If these are your ancestors, and even if they are not, won't you help us show respect for their memories by contributing to the upkeep of their resting places. Please join us in our work by using the FACSI membership form on the back of this issue and volunteering a few hours of your time.
Original Lot Owners of Staten Island Cemetery:
Owner/Lot No.
Adams, Hugh/88
Ahrens, August/106
Alston, Mrs. S./150
Alston, Japheth/151
Beverage, Edward/4
Barber, Dr. J./26
Belknap, Dayton C./29
Burbank, David/32
Burgher, William/38
Barnes, Stephen D./39
Burbank, John/50
Barker, John/55&57
Bird, Abm. S./79
Brower, Susan T./85
Bush, Wm., and J. Van Name/86
Bodine, Mrs. Sarah/90
Banta, Wiert/91
Burgher, Jane, and L. Haggerty/111
Blake, R.C., and A. Britton, Jr./122
Britton, Mary A./129
Barrett, John T./138
Barret, Nathan/139&140
Britton, Abm./143
Britton, Cornelius/144
Burgher, Jane/148
Bush, Joseph/155
Butler, Abm./158
Christopher, Richard/1
Currie, Mrs./13
Cadmus, George/41,42&43
Crabtree, John/59
Crabtree, Richard/61
Cook, Benj. F./77
Chambers, William/115
Chorlton, William/117
Cary, R.M./141&142
Clark, Rutherford, and Benj. Steers/145
Cary, Thomas C./146
Carter, Mrs. John C./161
Denklesser, Mrs. C.M./3
Decker, Isaac B./19
Drew, Mrs. L.G./27
De Groot, Jacob/53
Dongan, W./54
Daniels, L., and C. Coyle/70
Decker, David M./81
Denny, W.H./109
Depuy, David L./116
Dehart, Nicholas/135
Drisler, Catharine/154
Doubleday, Mrs. Mary/165
Ellis, G.M./133
Eadie, J./162
Foggin, Thos, and David Simonson/37
Ford, Mrs. George/45
Francis, Jas. D./51
Frary, Mrs. E.L./110
Frary, Dwight/127
Ford, Samuel/137
Guyon, Peter/2
Groshon, Fred/10
Rakestraw, Mrs./30
Gordon, George/33
Gibson, Philip/64&66
Gibson, Abm./124
Houseman, Geo. W./20
Houseman, Anthony/58
Heal, Joseph H./63
Hillyer, James A./67
Hunt, John/71
Hall, S.C., and S. Smith/118
Hilliker, E., and Nelson/123
Heal, E.B./152
Heal, N.M./153
Hatfield, Jacob/159
Jones, Raymond A./8
Jackson, Mrs./18
Johnson, Richard/34
Johnson, Israel D./48&49
Johnson, John/73&75
Jones, James B., and John Bush/84
Johnson, Edward/120
Jones, Abm., and Margaret Swinton/125
Jones, C.C./157
Johnson, Eleanor/164
Kirtland, H./14
Larkin, James/60
Lamb and Fulcher/76
Munger, Mary/5
Marshal, Squire/15
McCrum, James/24
Mallett, Joshua/25
McMullen, Thos./68
Middlebrook, Chas. B./69
Murray, A.C./72
Merritt, Edward/78&80
Martineau, Gabriel/89
Moulton, Eliza/92
McGuire and Johnson/112
Monroe, M.C.A./114
Mersereau, Joshua/130
O'Neil, John C./36
Pinckney, Mrs. F./12
Post, Mary and Maria Waltears/23
Pollock, James B./74
Pero, John/83
Parker, Mrs. Edward/87
Pelton, Daniel/136
Phelps, Justus/149
Ritz, L./16
Squiers, Stephen/6&7
Swift, Mrs. Benjamin/9
Simonson, Mrs. J.P. and S./11
Sleight, Henry/21
Simonson, Mrs. Sarah/28
Scott, Mrs. George/35
Spear, H./44
Sleight, Cortlandt/46&47
Smith, Jeremiah/65
Solfelder, Louis/82
Stephenson, Mrs. John/105
Steers, John/113
Stilwell, R.D./119
Swayne, Geo. T./126
Simonson, Clarissa/128
Smith, Jas., and Thos. Wright/134
Sharp, James/160
Sother, Thos. M./163
Tysen, Henrietta/17
Tomes, R.D./52
Voss, George C./31
Van Pelt, Nicholas/56
Van Sickles, Stephen/108
Van Names, William/156
Ward, Irene/22
Wright, John/40
Wood, Walter D./62
Wilton, Richard/107
Wells, Reuben P./131&132
Watson, William/147
Unoccupied/93 to 102
Occupied with removals from church property/103&104; Occupied with single graves/166 to 171;171 Lots as per Cemetery Map.
Friends of Abandoned Cemeteries of Staten Island
Membership Form
Name ______________________________________ Enclosed please find:
Address____________________________________ Dues $6.00 ________
Telephone_________________________________ Tax Deductible Contribution $ ______
Please call me about volunteering ________
Return this form and your enclosed check or money order to:
Marjorie Johnson, Treasurer
115 Townsend Avenue, Staten Island NY 10304
==================================================================FACSI
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Staten Island NY 10301