Livingston's Historic Cemeteries

Livingston's 200th Birthday is next year and I'm on the Cemetery Committee. There are 5 historic cemeteries in town: Baldwin Family Burying Ground, Ely Cemetery, Federated Baptist Churchyard, Littell-Stiles Burying Ground and Northfield Baptist Cemetery. The committee is seeking approval to do general clean-up work and repair broken or fallen stones. We have created memorial pages on Find A Grave for all interments and  most have photographs.   

The Baldwin Family Burying Ground is a small family cemetery established c. 1784. There are 25 interments which include one soldier who served in the French & Indian War and two in the Revolutionary War. 

 

The Crowned Soul Effigy is on four gravestones. The carving is most likely the work of Uzal Ward, a stone cutter from Newark, NJ.

In memory of Robert

Son of David & Elizabeth 

Baldwin who Died

Nov'br 11 1787 Aged 8 Days

Sleep here dear babe

Till Christ revive ye day 

To join the triumph 

On the judgement day

The Ely Cemetery is the burial ground of Captain William Ely (1715-1802) and his descendants. Former mayor of New York City, Smith Ely (1825-1911) is interred here as are many members of New York society. 

This impressive monument is for Julia Ely Dow (1866-1935). I love finding "newsy" items such as this one from the New York Times, Feb. 23, 1913: 

Mrs. Smylie Weds Again
Divorcee's Marriage to Dr. Edmund Le Roy Dow is a Surprise

The announcement of the marriage of Mrs. Julia Ely Smylie to Dr. Edmund Le Roy Dow came as a surprise to all but their nearest friends...This is Mrs. Dow's third marriage. She married Benjamin Griffen after the death of her first husband, and last Fall she obtained a divorce from Mr. Griffen at Reno, Nev. She has two children by her first marriage--Miss Marjorie E. Smylie and Charles A. Smylie...

Many of the founding fathers and mothers of The Federated Church of Livingston are interred in this cemetery known as the Federated Baptist Churchyard est. c. 1848. Surnames include Teed, Force, Baker, Parkhurst and Van Zee. The earliest gravestone is dated 1848, the most recent 1991.

 

I was down on my hands and knees trying to read the inscription on this small gravestone. To my surprise it said "Laura J."

It was kind of tricky to get the camera in the correct position--this is the best I could do.  

The Littell-Stiles Burying Ground was est. c. 1815. The three remaining gravestones are located within a townhouse development.  

The Livingston Historical Society provided this plaque with the names of those who are buried there.

 

The Northfield Baptist Cemetery was est. c. 1790 when "one acre of land was purchased from Moses Edwards for burying place." There are over 340 interments--the earliest 1795, the most recent 2010. Among the many soldiers who are buried here are six from the Revolutionary War, one from the War of 1812, nine from the Civil War, and one from World War II. In addition, nine clergy including the earliest Deacon Thomas Forse (1759-1827). 

One of my favorites is this gravestone of a young soldier, Isaac Sharp, who died in 1864 at the age of seventeen.

The binders we've created for each cemetery include the history of the church, if applicable, printouts of all the memorials on Find A Grave plus any photographs and additional information. All the notable interments have been documented including gravestones of soldiers, clergy, interesting symbols, epitaphs and top surnames. 

 

Epaphras Cook d. 1809

Dear friends I bid you all farewell
Shure I no longer here can dwell
For death now on me lays his hand
And I must go at his command.

 

 

Robert Bower Made A Difference

Robert Bower, my maternal 2nd great-grandfather, emigrated from Liverpool to New York in 1856 on board the tall ship, William Tapscott. He fought for his country. He was an agitator for the ten-hour work day in the textile mills. He was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He published The Lawrence Journal. He was a labor leader. He made a difference.

Born April 28, 1828 in Stockport, Cheshire, England, Robert was a son of William Bower and Mary Andrew of whom I know nothing about. They are on my elusive ancestor list.

My 2nd great-grandmother, Phebe Marsland, was christened March 8, 1829 at St. Michael's, Ashton Under Lyne, Lancashire, England. Robert and Phebe were married December 26, 1847. In 1851, they were both 23 years old--he was a school master, she was a steam loom weaver. They settled in Lawrence, MA, where they had 11 children. Phebe died when she was only 48 years old.

Before he even became a U.S. citizen, Robert served in the Civil War as a Private with Co. C, 50th Regiment, Mass. Volunteer Infantry from 1862-63. Family lore is that he came home from the war with a dog and a young boy. Here he is at age 80 no doubt quite proud that he could still fit into his uniform.

In 1868, Robert established his own printing business. Originally known as Robert Bower, Card and Job Printer, it was later renamed Robert Bower & Co. When his son Charles Robert Bower joined the business it was known as Robert Bower & Son.

At the age of 42, Robert was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, 1870-71. He was instrumental in enacting the 10-hour work day in the textile mills and is known to have lost his job in the mill on account of this activity. He is second from the left in the bottom row.

From 1873-1877 Robert Bower & Co. published The Lawrence Journal in which Robert expressed his views about labor rights and organizations. Its slogan was "Justice to All--Injustice to None."

Here he is in the back yard of the Bower home, 20 Stafford St., Lawrence, MA.

Robert died August 21, 1912 and is buried in Bellevue Cemetery, Lawrence, MA, with his first wife, Phebe, and their two sons both named James; also, his second wife Jane Robinson Bower and step-daughter, Annie Robinson Bower.

"Tis over now and God has claimed his soul, To rest in peace, behind the Heavenly gate, Where many honest hearts have gone before, But none returned from yonder past that door."

Cabin Fever

There are so many things to do and see when you spend time at a cabin in the woods especially when you're near a river. I once thought I wanted to make a quilt of hand-drawn blocks depicting the wildlife or wildflowers I'd seen. I was even going to name it Sightings. But that idea was short-lived when I realized I was a bit overzealous about this project. I did two drawings and that was the end of that! Since then I found a much better way to tell my story using novelty fabrics instead. I started Cabin Fever in November 2010 and finished it in January though I still have to sew on a label. Each diagonal row has a theme, e.g. animals, insects, nature, dogs, birds, foliage, etc. that features 6" squares alternating with Uneven 9 Patch blocks.

I was determined not to buy any fabric for this quilt. I had enough from other projects including the "river-looking" fabric which I used along the borders and in the corners. 
 

Here she is...the "moose of my life" and the only one I've ever seen! This "lovely" girl was a traffic-stopper on Rt. 73 in Lake Placid, NY, Nov 2008. She wasn't the least bit bothered by all the attention. 

I had a small piece of this moose fabric. It was perfect!

 A red eft on a hiking trail and....

....a tiny toad that was only about 1" long.    

 

This fabric represents all the creepy-crawlies that we've seen in the woods. 

The Ausable River in Jay, NY, where people sit on the rocks to cool off on hot summer days. 

 

Great "river" fabric!

This cairn was at water's edge in Franklin Falls, NY. I don't know why but it makes me smile. 

Pebble fabric--at least that's what it's supposed to be.

On a short autumn hike we saw this colorful fungi and then added a red leaf for contrast. 

Love this mushroom fabric!

My "granddog" cooling off in a puddle. She's the featured dog for March in the Dog Days 2012 calendar published by Adirondack Life magazine.  

 

There are lots of dog fabrics but this one had "big" dogs--my favorites. 

 

I still don't know how these Great Blue Heron chicks stay in their nest. 

 Yes, they really do come from eggs. 

 

We were sort of chasing the cloud layer and took this pic atop a small mountain.

A wonderful fall foliage fabric that I purchased on a quilting trip with friends on the way to Lancaster, PA. 

This is the drawing--actually a tracing--that started it all. I put it in the center of the back of the quilt just to remind me about my original intentions!

I found this Adirondack-y fabric a long time ago and finally put it to good use!

Often Gravestones Tell A Story

There are gravestones that often give a little more information other than name, birth date and death date, for instance, where the person was born, or specifically where he or she died, parents' names, occupation, or even a short story of a life well-lived. Then there are gravestones with last names only or ones with names, death year and nothing else. Curiosity always gets the best of me when there's hardly any information at all. Who was this person? What was his or her occupation?

Hanover Cemetery, Hanover, NJ

On May 3, 1918 Charles S. Davison applied for an "Emergency Passport" at the American Embassy in Tokyo, Japan.  He stated he was born on Feb. 14, 1877 in Nagasaki, that his father was John C. Davison born in Harmony, NJ, and currently residing in Kumamoto, Japan, for the "purpose of missionary work." Charles' legal domicile was East Orange, NJ, but his permanent residence was Tokyo, Japan. He was a missionary working on behalf of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He "lived in Japan all my life with the exception of a period of twelve years residence in the United States." In 1920 he was living in Madison, NJ, with his wife, Florence Bower, and their three daughters who were also born in Japan.

 Hanover Cemetery, Hanover, NJ

 Ebenezer
son of
Eben & Maria Griffith
He enlisted to fight for
his country Jan. 5th, 1861
and died in her service
Aug. 21, 1861
In his 25th year

 Northfield Baptist Cemetery, Livingston, NJ

Frederick Hoffman is buried with his two sons, Henry and J. Frederick, and daughter-in-law, Sarah. Born abt. 1826 in Saxony, Germany, Frederick was a farmer in Livingston, NJ, from 1860 until the time of his death in 1898. His wife's name is unknown. He had three children: Augusta b. 1842, Henry b. 1850, and J. Frederick b. 1853. Son Henry was a farm laborer who lived at home and was 50 years old when he died in 1900. Son J. Frederick (John Frederick) was also a farmer in Livingston, NJ, where he lived with his Canadian-born wife, Sarah. They had no children. It is unknown when Sarah died.

First Presbyterian Church of Hanover, E. Hanover, NJ

 Sacred
to the memory of
George Henry
son of
Joseph Gaukrogw
of Brearly Hall, Halifax England
Died July 7th 1866
of sunstroke
aged 24 years

 Hanover Cemetery, Hanover, NJ

This is one of my favorites. A gravestone that prominently displays the names Tweedy and Robbins. They are  brother and sister--Forest Tweedy and Edith Tweedy Robbins.  Forest Birchard Tweedy was born 4 May 1892 in Babylon, Suffolk, NY, his older sister Edith was born May 1878. In the 1900 Federal Census they were living with their father, Sherman Tweedy, 60, a widower, and siblings, Charles B. 26, Louise 20, Harry 18 and James 16. In addition to the Tweedy family there were 5 boarders and 7 servants.

Sherman Tweedy was the proprietor of the Sherman House in Babylon, a summer resort claiming "permanent and transient guests accommodated on reasonable terms. Special accommodations for families by the day or week. Stages to and from the depot, and to any part of the village, and vicinity. Horses and carriages to let on reasonable charges." (The Brooklyn Magazine April 1888) 

By 1910 Edith was married to William A. Robbins, a dentist in Madison, NJ. They had two children, Stuart H. age 3 and Harriet E. 1-1/2. Another daughter, Caroline, was born in 1915. The family lived on Hillcrest Road. 

In 1917, Forest was 25 years old, single, and a self-employed banker at 128 Broadway, NYC. In 1942, he was 49 years old, living with his sister Edith Robbins in Madison, NJ. He was unemployed at the time. Forest died in 1961, his sister Edith in 1952. 

Pleasant View Cemetery, Wilmington, NY

This gravestone was broken when I first photographed it in September 2010. Thanks to a descendant, it has since been set upright. In an email to me, he wrote, "I am still looking for his elusive wife, Lois Wheeler (b. abt 1783 in Rochester, Windsor, Vermont).  After becoming a widow, she supposedly married William Jones and had two daughters named "Liza" and "Cynthia".

It's Almost Spring--Flowers!

Last Friday a friend and I went to the New Jersey Flower & Garden Show where we saw beautifully landscaped gardens and prize-winning flowers. There were ten Movie Classics-themed gardens, competitions, and lots of vendors. It was a nice "pick-me-up" for this time of year. I once made a quilt, Whispering Woods, featuring appliqued wildflowers and lots of pink and purple fabrics. And, I treasure two large floral applique pictures that my mother made--Violets and Black-eyed Susans.

 This Cyclamen was a blue-ribbon winner. It was absolutely gorgeous!

"Gone With the Wind" landscape.

 Lots of cotton! Can you imagine creating all these cotton plants? 

 

"Spy Pollinators Out the Rear Window"  featured a lovely garden of spring-flowering bulbs.  

This one is "Polar Expression: A North Pole Garden" with primroses and hyacinths. And lots of polyfil for snow.

A section of the "Willy Wonka" landscape with a pond. 

I made Whispering Woods specifically for Dreamscapes: The Patterned Imagery of Quilts, Works of 9 New Jersey Fiber Artists in 1989. I wanted to focus on the four wildflower blocks instead of the center of the quilt.

This one is Rose Mallow. My own challenge was to use at least one plaid and one decorator fabric to see if I could make them work together. The plaid fabric frames the floral applique and the curved decorator fabric surrounds the block.    

My daughter and I like to go on walks and hikes in search of wildflowers. A sweet little flower, Hepatica. 

 

This one is Purple Trillium found in Wilmington, NY.

My all-time favorite wildflower, Lady's-Slipper. Seen in the Adirondacks.

My mother appliqued "Black-eyed Susans" for her sister, Midge.

And "Violets" for her sister, Leila. Note the little lace rosette with a velvet bow.