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Gone But Not Forgotten
By Rebecca Jo Rosen

Frequently when a person dies, so does his legacy. However, within the boundaries of our local cemeteries, their personal marks on history are preserved, never to be forgotten. Cemeteries are not just places where people are buried, but rather outdoor libraries and museums; behind every gravestone waits a wonderful story ready to be told. There is a multitude of interesting and unusual individuals buried among the communities adjacent to the Seaway Trail. The following is a cross section-a mere sampling-of individuals, whether famous or unusual, which I feel reflects the colorful and rich history of New York State and northwestern Pennsylvania. Be assured that many others await your discovery.

Chautauqua County, NY In the southern half of Chautauqua County are buried the following: B.F. Goodrich (founder of the Goodrich Tire Company), Reuben Fenton (former governor of New York State during the 1860s and founder of the present day Republican Party) and Catherine Harris, a black woman who maintained a station for the Underground Railroad during the Civil War era. The grave sites of these individuals can be found in Lake View Cemetery in Jamestown, NY. Heading into the northern part of the county, the grave of Dr. Charles Welch, founder of the present day Welch's Grape Juice Company, is located in the Westfield Cemetery, Westfield, NY. The marker of Amos Sottle, who is noted to be the first white settler in Chautauqua County (and who was also famous for the unusual fiddles he made of a horse's skull and leg bones) can be located at the intersection of Routes 5 and 20 in Irving, NY.

Erie County, NY Within the city of Buffalo are the remains of: Millard Fillmore (13th president of the United States who approved the Compromise of 1850 which delayed the Civil War ten years), Albert J. Myer (founder of the US Weather Service) and Red Jacket (the Seneca Indian activist during the late 1700s who encouraged peaceful coexistence with the white man without the loss of his people's heritage). His name was derived from a gift of a red jacket presented to him by the British, in gratitude for his help during the Revolutionary War. The above are all buried in Buffalo's historic Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Niagara County, NY In Niagara County are the grave sites of Annie Edson Taylor, Jesse Hawley and Billy Sherman. Annie Edson Taylor was a famous daredevil who in 1901 became the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel. She is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Niagara Falls. Jesse Hawley was noted as the 'Father of the Erie Canal.' He presented the original idea of the canal in 1805. His grave site is located in Lockport's Cold Spring Cemetery. Billy Sherman was a captured Civil War horse (yes, horse!) who participated in Sherman's March to the Sea. He died in 1887 at the age of 32 years. The heroic animal's grave can be found on the Wilson-Burt Road in Wilson, NY. Incidentally, Billy is said to have been buried standing up.

Orleans County, NY Orleans County is home to the burial sites of George Pullman, Governor Rufus B. Bullock, David and Claudius Jones and Albert S. Warner. George Pullman was the inventor of the Pullman sleeping railroad car and founder of the Pullman Palace Car Company. By the end of the 19th century he had become one of America's leading industrialists. Another citizen of Albion, NY was Rufus B. Bullock, governor of Georgia during the late 1860s. He was referred to several times in Margaret Mitchell's "Gone With the Wind." Brothers David and Claudius Jones were cofounders of a mousetrap manufacturing company. On their mausoleum is the inscription: "Build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door." Finally, Albert Warner is Albion's notorious embezzler who wrecked a bank, ruined a family fortune and escaped the police by dressing as a woman. All are buried in Mount Albion Cemetery.

Monroe County, NY Rochester's grandly landscaped and highly picturesque Mount Hope Cemetery is the final resting place for: Frederick Douglass (the great antislavery spokesman), Susan B. Anthony (noted women's rights crusader), Margaret Strong (founder of the Strong Museum), Johnny Baker (foster son of buffalo hunter, scout and wild west showman William F. Cody), Nathaniel Rochester (founder of the city bearing his name) and Hiram Sibley (founder of Western Union) among dozens of other fascinating individuals. Tours are offered during the spring, summer and fall. Runners and cyclists are welcome year round.

Wayne County, NY William A. Ellis, a member of the ill-fated Greely Arctic Expedition is buried in the Maple Grove Cemetery, Clyde, NY. The expedition's mission was to discover new territory and construct a meteorological research station in the Arctic. Comprised of twenty-five men, including two Eskimo hunters, the party was to be picked up in July of 1883, but the ship never arrived. By October, the group ran out of food and starvation rapidly diminished the party. Relief finally arrived in July of 1884, to find only seven survivors. Unfortunately, Mr. Ellis was among the casualties. Rumors of cannibalism were mentioned in the newspapers of the day.

Cayuga County, NY The graves of two memorable physicians can be visited in Cayuga County . Dr. John Jakway was noted for his unusual burial request. His request called for him to be buried standing straight up so the top of his skull would be exposed, allowing the passerby to crack nuts upon his head! Dr. Jakway is buried in Cato. Dr. Julius Allen, who is buried in Port Byron, was famous for inventing the procedure for manufacturing mincemeat.

Oswego County, NY Oswego claims the remains of Silas Town, a skillful and crafty Revolutionary War spy and Dr. Mary Walker, the only woman to be a surgeon during the Civil War and to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. Dr. Walker was a leader in the Women's Suffrage Movement and was one of the founders of the present day National Congress of Parents and Teachers. Silas Town is buried on Spy Island whereas the grave of Dr. Walker is located in Oswego's Rural Cemetery.

Jefferson County, NY Jefferson County is home to the graves of Generals Hooker and Pike, officers in the Civil War and War of 1812 respectively. General Hooker's surname became synonymous with the slang for prostitute. This apparently came about as a result of his troops being followed by prostitutes known as "Hooker's Girls." This colorful individual is buried in Watertown. General Pike was killed in Canada and his body was secretly transported back to Jefferson County in a whiskey barrel. His grave site is in the historic Military Cemetery in Sackets Harbor, NY, along with many other military officers and personnel from several eras.

St. Lawrence County, NY Two noteworthy people buried along the Seaway Trail in St. Lawrence County are: Frederic Remington (the painter, illustrator and sculptor famous for his images of soldiers, cowboys and Native Americans of the western frontier) and Frances Seymour Fonda (wife of actor Henry Fonda and mother of Hollywood movie stars, Peter and Jane Fonda). Mr. Remington is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Canton, NY. To learn more about the life and works of Remington, visit the Frederic Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg.

Erie County, PA The Erie Cemetery contains the burial sites of General Strong Vincent, a hero during the Civil War at the Battle of Gettysburg and Harry T. Burleigh, who was regarded as the "Savior of the Spirituals." He created arrangements for more than 100 African-American folk songs. Also buried in Erie was General "Mad Anthony" Wayne. General Wayne was a gallant Revolutionary War officer whose body was exhumed after thirteen years at the request of his son who wished to transport his father's skeleton back to Radnor, PA. But to his amazement and dismay, the body was discovered to be almost fully preserved. Due to the difficulty of transporting a full-size body across the state, the flesh was removed and the bones were boiled clean in a kettle! The very same kettle is in the Erie Public Museum along with other "Mad Anthony" relics.

One final note: Our local cemeteries serve as a constant reminder of our nation's rich and colorful heritage. By exploring these outdoor museums one realizes that the gravestones serve as markers along a trail blazed by our ancestors whose lives are gone but not forgotten.


Rebecca Jo Rosen is an anthropologist, noted author and lecturer on the historic importance of cemeteries and gravestones. Her recent book "Reflections" is a user-friendly guide to Chautauqua County gravestones 1800-1865. 164 pp, 140 b&w photographs. $19.95 plus $5.00 s&h. To order send check to: Rebecca Jo Rosen, 1761 Martin Road, Jamestown, NY 14701 or call 716-664-5630.