Replacement Headstones for Revolutionary War Patriots -obtained from Memorial Programs Service, Dept. of V.A.
This project started out for me many years ago. I dare say about 12 to 14 years ago, but I don't know the exact date. It all started when a couple of neighbors and myself became concerned over a very overgrown cemetery a half mile up the road in our neighborhood. And so began my education about abandoned cemeteries. New York State Law requires the local municipality to clean up and/or mow the cemetery three times a year. The problem herein lies with the the lack of funds to accommodate the state law. Every municipality has numerous abandoned burial grounds and cemeteries. Further complications arise when the old cemetery or burial ground is located on private property! (The term burial ground is usually reserved for primitive and small cemeteries, likened to a family plot.)
The Daughter's of the American Revolution, (DAR), in a nationwide program in the 1930's, known as the "Staver Records" sent local chapters to canvass their cemeteries, recording the inscriptions of all grave markers. This program is a valuable source of information for genealogy research, some 80 years later. Many markers read at that time, no longer exist today.
The DAR survey listed our little cemetery as having some 60 graves. You wouldn't know that to look at it now but even more interesting, it held the graves of five Revolutionary War Patriots and one War of 1812 Patriot! After some persuasion and persistence the town board found two volunteers willing to step up to the plate and they have done a wonderful job not only maintaining the cemetery but they have uncovered grave markers hidden by layers of dirt and sod and reset them. Not an easy task. The little cemetery or burial ground I've been telling you about is Dutchtown Cemetery on Wilawana Road, Town of Chemung. It looks very nice from the road and there is easy access to it now.
Gary & Dave Smith and I began researching military and genealogy records for two of the Revolutionary War Patriots, whose grave markers were irreparably damaged. I find each time I research and order a replacement grave marker, it is always a learning process. No two are alike. We were very happy to receive the replacement markers. Gary and Dave set both markers in the cemetery, in the year, 2008.
One of the replacement markers was for a Private Samuel Westbrook. We were met with great difficulty in our research as there were two Samuel Westbrook's, and they were both Patriots and were buried less than 25 miles apart. After a lot of research and searching for graves in the neighboring town of Van Etten, many months passed before I determined the patriot buried in Van Etten was Major Samuel Westbrook. Our Dutchtown patriot was Private Samuel Westbrook. They were not related to one another. That was in 2007-2008.
It was the spring of 2012 when my Mother and I found a family genealogy belonging to my late sister's family, tucked away in a attache case. It was a very interesting read. But when I read the name Major Samuel Westbrook, it began to jog my memory. I have to say, when I do research, I never throw it away. You just never know when you might need it someday. I pulled out my file on Maj. Samuel Westbrook and low and behold, it was one in the same. His family matched my records. This was an incredible find and spurred my curiosity enough to take my husband and I back up to Van Etten to look once again for his grave. We were unable to locate his grave in the Westbrook Cemetery, but we found his wife's and son's graves. We'll after much Ado and I mean a whole lot of research, two replacement markers were obtained for Major Samuel Westbrook and his son, James Westbrook. The best part, my grand niece and nephews are Samuel's 7th Great Grandchildren. Pretty neat, isn't it?
While I researched Samuel and James, relying mostly on Fold 3.com records from the National Archives which were mainly deposition's used in order for them to receive pensions, I found the name Swartwood. It kept popping up everywhere. It seems the Swartwood family lived near the Westbrook family in New Jersey and they moved to the Van Etten area around the same time together. It didn't take long to realize they all served together in the Rev. war and were used as witness's for each ones' deposition's. I was a bit reluctant to the idea at first but soon realized that I couldn't leave the Swartwoods out of replacing their broken or lost grave markers. The research was very time consuming. The VA rules tightened, probably due to monetary constraints and the process became more difficult. But I am happy to say, the four markers requested were received and are now set in the cemeteries. James Swartwood is located in the Old Scotchtown Cemetery in Erin, NY. Lieut. John Swartwood, Private Peter Swartwood and his son, Brigadier General Jacob Swartwood are located in the Swartwood Cemetery in Van Etten, New York. This project finishing up May of 2014 in time for Memorial Day. - Mary Ellen P. Kunst
On a side note, Lieutenant John Swartwood was buried with his family in the Rumsey-Swartwood Cemetery. This cemetery washed away in one or more major floods and the cemetery no longer exists. His headstone now sits in the Swartwood Cemetery with the heading reading: "In Memory of".
The Daughter's of the American Revolution, (DAR), in a nationwide program in the 1930's, known as the "Staver Records" sent local chapters to canvass their cemeteries, recording the inscriptions of all grave markers. This program is a valuable source of information for genealogy research, some 80 years later. Many markers read at that time, no longer exist today.
The DAR survey listed our little cemetery as having some 60 graves. You wouldn't know that to look at it now but even more interesting, it held the graves of five Revolutionary War Patriots and one War of 1812 Patriot! After some persuasion and persistence the town board found two volunteers willing to step up to the plate and they have done a wonderful job not only maintaining the cemetery but they have uncovered grave markers hidden by layers of dirt and sod and reset them. Not an easy task. The little cemetery or burial ground I've been telling you about is Dutchtown Cemetery on Wilawana Road, Town of Chemung. It looks very nice from the road and there is easy access to it now.
Gary & Dave Smith and I began researching military and genealogy records for two of the Revolutionary War Patriots, whose grave markers were irreparably damaged. I find each time I research and order a replacement grave marker, it is always a learning process. No two are alike. We were very happy to receive the replacement markers. Gary and Dave set both markers in the cemetery, in the year, 2008.
One of the replacement markers was for a Private Samuel Westbrook. We were met with great difficulty in our research as there were two Samuel Westbrook's, and they were both Patriots and were buried less than 25 miles apart. After a lot of research and searching for graves in the neighboring town of Van Etten, many months passed before I determined the patriot buried in Van Etten was Major Samuel Westbrook. Our Dutchtown patriot was Private Samuel Westbrook. They were not related to one another. That was in 2007-2008.
It was the spring of 2012 when my Mother and I found a family genealogy belonging to my late sister's family, tucked away in a attache case. It was a very interesting read. But when I read the name Major Samuel Westbrook, it began to jog my memory. I have to say, when I do research, I never throw it away. You just never know when you might need it someday. I pulled out my file on Maj. Samuel Westbrook and low and behold, it was one in the same. His family matched my records. This was an incredible find and spurred my curiosity enough to take my husband and I back up to Van Etten to look once again for his grave. We were unable to locate his grave in the Westbrook Cemetery, but we found his wife's and son's graves. We'll after much Ado and I mean a whole lot of research, two replacement markers were obtained for Major Samuel Westbrook and his son, James Westbrook. The best part, my grand niece and nephews are Samuel's 7th Great Grandchildren. Pretty neat, isn't it?
While I researched Samuel and James, relying mostly on Fold 3.com records from the National Archives which were mainly deposition's used in order for them to receive pensions, I found the name Swartwood. It kept popping up everywhere. It seems the Swartwood family lived near the Westbrook family in New Jersey and they moved to the Van Etten area around the same time together. It didn't take long to realize they all served together in the Rev. war and were used as witness's for each ones' deposition's. I was a bit reluctant to the idea at first but soon realized that I couldn't leave the Swartwoods out of replacing their broken or lost grave markers. The research was very time consuming. The VA rules tightened, probably due to monetary constraints and the process became more difficult. But I am happy to say, the four markers requested were received and are now set in the cemeteries. James Swartwood is located in the Old Scotchtown Cemetery in Erin, NY. Lieut. John Swartwood, Private Peter Swartwood and his son, Brigadier General Jacob Swartwood are located in the Swartwood Cemetery in Van Etten, New York. This project finishing up May of 2014 in time for Memorial Day. - Mary Ellen P. Kunst
On a side note, Lieutenant John Swartwood was buried with his family in the Rumsey-Swartwood Cemetery. This cemetery washed away in one or more major floods and the cemetery no longer exists. His headstone now sits in the Swartwood Cemetery with the heading reading: "In Memory of".
Recognition we received for the project was in the way on a newspaper article. It was a very nice write up. Surprisingly, I received a copy of the article nicely laminated with a thank you note from Chris Friend our State Assemblyman. And to even greater surprise I received two Presidental Appreciation Certificates. I am not sure if they are chosen at random or if they are submitted, but out of eight headstones, two certificates were received. One for Peter and one for Jacob, appropriately father and son. The certificates will be forwarded on to the Swartwood family.
I have posted photographs of each cemetery project below, and I'm starting off with the photos and certificates we received as recognition for a good job done. I didn't do any of this for a pat on the back or a thank you, but in the end, it's nice to know someone appreciates the hard work put forth.
I have posted photographs of each cemetery project below, and I'm starting off with the photos and certificates we received as recognition for a good job done. I didn't do any of this for a pat on the back or a thank you, but in the end, it's nice to know someone appreciates the hard work put forth.
Dutchtown Cemetery, Town of Chemung, Replacemet Headstone Project. Completed 2008.
Westbrook Cemetery, Village of Van Etten, Replacement Headstone Project. Completed 2013.
Old Scotchtown Cemetery, Town of Erin, NY Replacement Headstone Project. Completed 2013.
Swartwood Cemetery, Town of Van Etten, NY Replacement Headstone Project. Completed 2014.