Bushnell's Burial Place

Town of Sodus

Wayne County, NY

Photograph Contributed by and
© 2005 Daryl VerStreate Jr. and Amanda VerStreate

2005 Driving Directions - Same as Swales, Bushnell Cemetery is just past the end of Pulver Rd. on the left hand side.

From records taken by Mr. Lewis H. Clark circa 1880, copied 1952.

ELLSWORTH Edwin dau Levi & Isabel, Feb. 28, 1840, 3y 4m
ELLSWORTH Lewezer dau Levi & Isabel, Mar. 2, 1840, 1y 14d
In memory of Julia Ann ELLSWORTH Feb. 11, 1832, 18y
ELLSWORTH William, July 12, 1853, 42y 7m
ELLSWORTH Ammi, Oct. 6, 1854, 84y 1m 6d
      "Beloved in life, lamented in death"
ELLSWORTH Chloe, Feb. 21, 1859, 85y 3m 2d
      "Now ye mourners cease to languish
      O'er the graves ye love
      Far removed from pain and anguish
      They are chanting hymns above."

HATHAWAY Hannah, Oct. 27, 1810, 80y

KNAPP In memory of Rubie, wife of Abijah who departed this life March 16, 1825 in the 56th year of her life.
      "When God shall raise our sleeping dust
      The dead in Christ will rise first."

KELLY John G. Aug. 25, 1845, 53y 22d
KELLY Myrrick, Feb. 11, 1850, 61y
KELLY Sally, wife, July 19, 1862, 73y

SCHERMERHORN Jacob, son John B. & C. R., Aug. 22, 1846, 22y 3m 5d

POMEROY Sarah J. dau. A. S. & M., Apr. 12, 1851, 8y 8m
POMEROY Edward F. son A. S. & M., May 1, 1860, 9y 8m
POMEROY Emma dau. A. S. & M., Apr. 16, 1855, 5 weeks
POMEROY A. S. 1810-1870
      "I do this in memory of my husband"

BOYD Flora inf dau John A. & Maria, Oct. 11, 1856, 3m 12d
BOYD Clara dau John A. & Maria, June 10, 1859, 4y 9m 15d
BOYD Polly, wife of Thomas, June 11, 1857, 73y 6m 17d
      "And I heard a voice from Heaven saying unto me write!
      Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth
      Yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labors
      And their works do follow them. Rev. 14:13"

KELLY William M. son Chester & Hannah, May 29, 1842, 21m 14d

STONE Thomas, son G. & S., Apr. 2, 1863, 3y 7m 28d

SERGEANT Israel A., 2nd son John & M., Oct. 19, 1865, 1y 16d
SERGEANT John H., son John & M., Sept. 18, 1865, 3y 6m
      "Suffer little children to come unto me"
SERGEANT Israel A., son Nathan & Mermelia, May 31, 1860, 21y 2m 2d
      "This marble slab was reared to show
      Whom it is that sleeps below."
SERGEANT Nathan, Jan. 20, 1866, 66y 11m 15d
      "Gone but not forgotten"
SERGEANT Frank Everett, son J. A. & D. H., Oct. 4, 1862, 1y 2m 15d
SERGEANT Margaret, wife James, June 17, 1878, 69y 11m 24d
SERGEANT Lydia, dau. J. & M., July 26, 1877, 40y 7m 14d
SERGEANT Margaret, dau. J. & M., Sept. 13, 1850, 1y 10m 5d
      "Happy infant early blest, rest in peaceful slumber, rest
      Lasting only and divine, is an innocence like thine."
SERGEANT Geo. L., son Artemus & Hannah, Aug. 26, 1849, 18y 7m 14d
      Friends nor physicians could not save
      This mortal body from the grave
      Nor can the grave confine it here
      When Christ in judgment doth appear."
SERGEANT Artemus, Aug. 8 or 9 (typed over-typist note), 1841, 40y 2m 8d
SERGEANT Richard, Aug. 31, 1832, 35y 7m
      "Farewell my friends, dry up your tears
      For I must sleep till Christ appears."
SERGEANT Hester Ann, dau. Geo. & Ann E., May 12, 1838, 5y 1m 24d
      "Short the race our friend has run"
SERGEANT........An infant son of Ge. & Ann E., Aprpil 1, 1839
      "Cut down and withered in an hour"
SERGEANT Hannah, wife of Richard B., Aug. 16, 1839, 61y 12d
SERGEANT Richard B., May 6, 1846, 78y 6m 23d
      "Behold and see as you go by, as you are now so once was I
      As I am now so you must be, prepare for death & follow me."
SERGEANT Emeline L. wife of Wm., Sept. 10, 1839, 22y 28d
      "When life's bright joys in bloom appears
      And friends that seem most near and dear
      Are from our bosoms swiftly riven
      How sweet to have a home in Heaven."
SERGEANT Phebe, dau. G. & A., Feb. 17, 1874, 29y 8m
      "I part with earth and sin, and shout the dangers past
      My Saviour takes me finally in, And I am His at last."
SERGEANT George, Feb. 27, 1870 74y 10m 27d
      "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes
      And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor cying
      Neither shall there be any more pain."
SERGEANT Ann Eliza, wife of George, Feb. 15, 1852, 38y 3d
SERGEANT Hannah, dau. Wm. & Emeline, Aug. 27, 1839
      "Sleep on sweet child and take thy rest
      God called thee home, He thought it best."
SERGEANT Emeline, dau. Wm. & Emeline, Feb. 17, 1836
      "Far from afflictions toil and care
      The breathless clay shall slumber here."
SERGEANT An infant son of Geor. & Anne, April 8, 1831
      "Then go, dear infant spirit, go"
SERGEANT Miner, son N. & P., Dec. 31, 1835, 1y 4m 3d

MUNSON Caleb, Aug. 15, 1826, 63y 7m 3d
      "He is gone to a land of love
      His cares and afflictions are no more
      And may we soon meet him above
      When our troubles and trials are o'er"
MUNSON Mahitable, wife of Caleb, Aug. 9, 1841, 76y 7m 8d
      "The Lord is righteous in all His works"
MUNSON Sarah, wife of Glover S., April 1, 1832, 32y 4m 14d
      "Consistent in life, happy in death, her immortality is bles
MUNSON Catherine, wife of Glover S., May 22, 1800-March 22, 1871
MUNSON Albert, son G. & Catherine, Dec. 13, 1843, 10 m 24d
MUNSON Sarah C. dau G. & Catherine, Aug. 12, 1847, 2y 11m 25d

GARLOCK Mary H. dau W. W. & C., Sept, 25, 1868, 19y 7m 10d
      "Gone but not forgotten"
GARLOCK Joshua, son Wm. W. & Charlotte, July 12, 1863, 3y 9m
      "Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not"
GARLOCK Jacob, Jan. 23, 1872, 76y 1m
GARLOCK Rachael, wife, March 8, 1858, 62y
      "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle we
      dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made
      with hands, eternal in the heavens."
GARLOCK John P., son Jacob G. & Mary M., Jan 5, 1863, 2y 2m
      "Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not"
GARLOCK Elizabeth, wife of Geo., March 28, 1881, 48y 7m 6d
      "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. Rev. 14:13"
      "Thou are gone to thy tomb but tis not cheerless
      Hope dispels the gloom, while we are weeping
      O'er the hallowed ground thou art but sleeping,
      Till the trump shall sound."

DECKER Benjamin Aug. 27, 1860, 74y 9m 24d
      "Children and friends as you pass by
      As you are now so once was I
      As I am now so you must be
      Prepare for death and follow me."
DECKER Elizabeth, wife, Sept. 15, 1847, 60y
      "Consistent in life, happy in death
      Her immortality is blessed."

DOVIEL Almira, dau. Daniel P. & Jane BATES, wife of Francis, died March 23, 1881, in the sixtieth year of her age
      "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth
      Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors
      and their works do follow them."
DOVIEL Emma wife of Francis & dau. of Jacob GARLOCK June 5, 1867, 46y 4m 4d
      "In her narrow home so dark and low
      Will the sunbeams never go.
      Ah, though all around be light
      Sightless are those eyes so bright."

HULETT Henry S. Oct. 17, 1835, 37y
HULETT Rhoda, wife, Sept. 22, 1837, 50y

FEATHERLY Wm. H. son A. & G., Mar. 29, 1853, 15y 10m 20d

WALKER Sarah U., wife of John R., Sept. 9, 1847, 45y

CLEVELAND Lois A. dau. I. N. & C. J., Aug. 25, 1851, 4m 13d
CLEVELAND Corp. I.N., Co D, 160th N.Y. Inf., Dec. 4, 1876, 49y 8m
CLEVELAND Geo. W. son E. W. & Ann, Sept 22, 1840, 3y 11m 26d
CLEVELAND Mary A. dau. E. W. & Ann, Aug. 25, 1839, 6m 19d
CLEVELAND Ellen M. dau. E. W. & Ann, Sept. 3, 1842, 1y 10m 17d

FIELD Charlie son G. & M. J., Mar. 24, 1863, 1y 5m 3d

ROBINSON Jessie dau. Wm. & Maria, Sept. 29, 1865, 2y 7m 16d

BUSHNELL Infant son of S. H. & J., Jan. 20, 1855, 10 days
      "Little infant but tasted, the cup of pain and woe,
      And then away he wasted, where joys unceasing flow."
BUSHNELL Josephine dau. S. H. & J., Apr. 12, 1851, 2y 7m 11d
      "Grieve not parents that I sleep peaceful on my Saviours brea?
      While you linger morn and eve I take everlasting rest."

BATES Jane, wife of Daniel P., Apr. 28, 1854, 75y

COMSTOCK Frances Amelia dau. Reuben & Elizabeth, Sept. 17, 1861,3y 8m

CLARK August M., dau. J. & Mary, July 12, 1859, 3y 2m 12d

BEEKMAN (see also Sodus Rural pg. 26)
BEEKMAN Rachel, wife of James S., Mar. 10 1870, 65y 8m 18d
      "Pass a few swiftly fleeting years
      And all that now in bodies live
      Shall quit like me the vale of tears
      Their righteous sentence to receive."
BEEKMAN Ayesya, dau. James & Rachael, Sept. 25, 1865, 22y 5m 14d
      "Dearest sister thou hast left us
      Here thy loss we deeply feel
      But tis God that has bereft us
      He can all our sorrows heal."

WOOD Della Augusta, dau. M. G. & E. S., Oct. 4, 1862, 2y 1m 7d
WOOD Infant daughter, Jan. 3, 1862, 13 days
WOOD Samuel, son Abraham & Adaline A., May 11, 1854, 22y 10 m 13d

ANDREWS Sarah, wife of Joseph, Jan. 27, 1875, 73y
      "She has gone to rest our mother dear
      Then why should we complain
      Or grieve, or sigh or shed a tear
      Or wish her back again."
ANDREWS Julia E. dau J. & Sarah, Oct. 22, 1858, 14y 10m
ANDREWS Ann dau J. & Sarah, May 18, 1851, 30y 11m 8d

DOYLE Francis, Jan. 25, 1862, 41y 7m 13d

YORK Alexander born in Bedfordshire, England, Apr. 27, 1802,died July 9, 1852, 50y 2m 12d
      "Therefore be ye also ready for in such an hour as ye
      think not the son of man cometh."

DUGGLEBY Francis P. Apr. 5, 1861, 24y 9m 27d
      "O weep not for him, Tis unfriendly to weep
      This weary weak frame, Has but fallen asleep."

GIBBS Allen L., March 20, 1855, 38y 6m 22d
      "Farewell dear husband thou art gone to thy Redeemer's breast
      Farewell, farewell may we at last meet in that world of rest
GIBBS Cornelia A. dau Solomon & Mary, Dec. 18, 1853, 1y 8m
GIBBS Dr. Elijah G. Jan. 23, 1829, 57y 28d
      "Adieu my dear parent they suffering here is o'er
      No tears shall dim thine eyes with grief
      Or pain molest thee more."

ALLEN Livonia wife of Charles, Dec. 28, 1847, 27y 11m 24d
      "Fond parent hoped a lovely bride
      We placed her by her sister's side."

ORTON Phebe A. dau Wm. & J., Sept. 4, 1847 24y
      "This marble slab was reared to show
      Whose dust it is that sleeps below
      Likewise to tell the passerby
      That she in life prepared to die."
ORTON Jerutha wife of William, June 13, 1848, 51y
      "A faithful wife, a parent dear
      When we read thy conduct here
      Our love in thess would find no blame
      And love divine will do the same."

COURTRIGHT Debey E. Aug. 10, 1864, 2y 1m 3d
COURTRIGHT Ida J. Oct. 22, 1866, 7y 7m 20d
Children of L. & B. E. "Gone but not forgotten"

WILKES Jane, July 12, 1831, 23y, wife of Joseph
WILKES Mary wife of Joseph, June 23, 1849, 41y
      "A fatal call yet tis obeyed
      And side by side these two are laid
      Their spirits free have made their flight
      In that blest world of heavenly light."

HARBERTSON David, Apr. 14, 1862, 95y 2m
      "Pass a few swiftly fleeting years
      And all that now in bodies live
      Shall quit like me this vale of tears
      Their righteous sentence to receive."
HARBERTSON Richard, June 21, 1851, 38y
      "Friends nor physicians could not save
      This mortal body from the grave
      Nor can the grave confine it here
      When Christ shall call it to appear."

HUGHSON Patience W. dau Jeremiah & Pamelia, May 4, 1848, 20y 9, 27d
      "Yet again we hope to meet thee
      When the day of life is fled
      Then in heaven with joy to meet thee
      Where no farewell tear is shed."

DOOLITTLE In memory of Maj. Joel who died Oct. 22, 1814, aged 50y

ALLISON Joseph, son Wm. & C., Jan. 1, 1850, 5y 7d

SMITH Wm. son Thos. & Hannah, Nov. 3, 1853, 2y 2m 14d
SMITH Isabella dau Thos. & Hannah, Sept. 4, 1853, 3y 9m 11d

McINTYRE Samuel W., Nov. 23, 1850, 52y 8m 19d
McINTYRE Ann B. wife Sept. 22, 1871, 65y 8m 2d
McINTYRE Huldah dau S. W. & A. B., Feb. 15, 1842, 7y 10m 6d

SCOTT Mary dau Robt. & Jane, Nov. 4, 1859, 8y 10m 25d
      "Anguished hearts bereft and lonely in the angels keeping
      Are your three lost ones tonight, no, not dead but sleeping
SCOTT Augusta dau Robt. & Jane, Apr. 25, 1852, 8m 8d
      "O Lord Thou gavest, thou has recalled
      The lovely one was Thine
      Teach me that I in truth may feel
      Thy will be done not mine."
SCOTT Ellen dau Robt. & Jane, Sept. 21, 1849, 1y 11d
      "No writhing disturbs its sleep, no murmer can we hear
      No shrinking from the monster death, no sign of grief or fear."

IRWIN William P. Apr. 6, 1863, 74y 1m 15d
IRWIN Mehetabel wife Aug. 20, 1863, 58y 11m 23d
IRWIN Evilena M. dau Co. Wm. P. & M., July 17, 1860, 16y 11m 12d
      In memory of Margaret wife of James, Dec. 22, 1832, 69y
      "Afflictions sore long time she bore
      Physicians all in vain
      Till God was pleased to give her ease
      And free her from all pain."
In memory of Mille, consort of Col. Wm. P., Sept. 10, 1819, 2?
      "Dear husband, children and all
      Dry your tears, I must lie here till Christ appears."
IRWIN Milla D. dau W. P. & Mille, Nov. 11, 1849, 30y 11m 23d

BURBANK Lauria Ann wife of Solomon, dau. W. P. & M. IRWIN, July 5, 1843, 27y 8m 2d

FIELD Oliver Aug. 17, 1820, 72y
      "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was
      And the Spirit shall return unto God who gave it."

POLLOCK In memory of Capt. Wm. W., May 13, 1813, 54y
      "No more shall we thy much loved face review
      Adieu forever best of friends adieu."

SHUTTS Amanda wife of Milton, Jan. 30, 1853, 27y 2m 17d
      "behold and see as you pass by as you are now so once was I,
      As I am now so you must be prepare for death and follow me.

SHIRTS Peter, Ja. 8, 1850, 31y

MASON Susan wife of D. J., Feb. 20, 1849, 29y
MASON Adelia L. dau David J. & Susan, Feb. 13, 1860, 18y 4m 15d
      "Adelia she has gone and took her flight so soon
      For God hath called her home her exit was at noon.
      And shall we mourn and weep for her who happy is
      Or wish to call her from a sleep of everlasting bliss.
      Oh, no, we'll let her rest til the last trump shall sound
      Then among the blest Adelia will be found."

PHILLIPS Sophia wife of Nehemiah & former wife of Nathaniel DANFORTH (DANFORD), Aug. 24, 1865, 64y 2m 5d "Our Mother"

DANFORTH Nathaniel Sept. 9, 1829, 33, War of 1812 (DANFORD)
DANFORTH Joshua son Saml. & Sophia, Jan. 21, 1825, 6y 9m
DANFORTH Lucretia wife of Joshua 1845
DANFORTH Joshua Feb. 22, 1815, 59y

BUYS Jacob, Nov. 21, 1866, 61y 4m 14d
BUYS Adelia wife of Wm. E., Jan. 29, 1829-Nov. 1, 1870
BUYS Anna wife of Wm. E. Feb. 26, 1877, 42y 7m 12d

PORTER Rebecca wife of John, Dec. 26, 1854, 27y 3m 13d
      "Oh youth thou art a dream of bliss too bright, too pur to la??

TEETOR Stephen H. son Ephraim & Eliza Sept. 8, 1850, 11y 4m 7d
TEETOR Mary dau Ephraim & Eliza Oct. 22, 1850, 1y 7m 25d
TEETOR Emeline dau Ephraim & Eliza Nov. 10, 1837, 3y 5m 3d
      "Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not
      For of such is the kingdom of heaven."
TEETOR Philo D. son David & Eliza Aug. 28, 1834, 3y 1m 3d
TEETIR Wm. R. son David & Eliza Oct. 10, 1853, 24y 7m 18d

TIFFANY Hezekiah Sept. 28, 1839, 78y 10m 18d
      This mortal body from the grave
      "Friends and physicians could not save
      Nor can they confine it here
      When Christ shall call it to appear."

HOPKINS Infant dau of Benj. & Ruth, June 20, 1856

MAINS James Nov. 29, 1869, 56y 3m 18d

SHEPERDSON Mary A. wife of Wm. Aug. 5, 1863, 59y
      "Weep not for me, my husband and children dear
      I am not dead but sleeping here
      As I am now, soon you must be
      Prepare for death and follow me."

RICHMOND Ann wife of Nicholas, Sept. 10, 1850, 66y

FELLER Mary wife of John P., Feb. 12, 1859, 68y
      "Weep not for me my children dear
      I am not dead but sleeping here
      As you are now so once was I
      As I am now you soon may be
      Prepare for death and follow me.
FELLER William son Philip & Mary, July 8, 1842, 9 1m 13d
FELLER John son Philip & Mary, Oct. 13, 1841, 5y 11m 13d

BALDWIN Jane A. dau W. H. & J. M., Jan. 18, 1862, 9m 4d
BALDWIN Paul D. son W. H. & J. M., June 25, 1863, 10y 5m 29d

BREESEE Jacob H. Sept. 16, 1847, 22y 6m 3d
(BRIZZY) Elizabeth wife of Jacob, Nov. 15, 1855, 51y

BUSHNELL Stephen Oct. 10, 1830, 87y, 1812 Inf.

BUYS Emma G. dau Wm. & Sarah, Dec. 28, 1887-July 27, 1891
BUYS Wm. E. March 26, 1828-June 24, 1904
BUYS Sarah wife Feb. 22, 1845-Nov. 1, 1900
BUYS Lucy wife of Jacob 1901, 85y 7m 26d

TETOR Ephraim Oct. 21, 1878, 70y
TETOR Eliza wife Aug. 24, 1881, 69y

[FIELD] FIELDS Rudolphus 1866, 80y, 1812 Inf. [See Note at End of Listing]
FIELDS Polly wife of Charles, March 21, 1836, 84y 11m 24d

BOYD Thomas June 19, 1828, 47y, 1812 Inf.

PHILLIPS Nehemiah Oct. 12, 1876, 85y, 1812 Inf.

MUNSON Glover S. Mar. 28, 1883, 89y

ELLSWORTH Aurelia Oct. 29, 1889, 84y 10m 26d

POMEROY Mary wife of A. S., Feb. 4, 1894, 79y 9m

COOPER Chas. Henry Jan. 31, 1801-July 12, 1887, Co H, U.S. Cold.Inf
COOPER Frances dau Henry & Josephine, Oct. 7, 1872-Dec. 1, 1897

NEWPORT Harry son Chas. & Frances, Dec. 27, 1873-Nov. 22, 1892

WILLIAMS Daniel Aug. 10, 1899, 78y, Co H, 26 Reg. U.S. Inf.

GARLOCK Capt. Geo. O. 1832-1906

MAY Peter Sep. 24, 1905, 62y, Co F, 1st N.Y. Cav. Lincoln

ALLISON William son of William 1856, 95y

HENRY John B. son Wm. J. & M. Feb. 18, 1885, 24y

BALDWIN William H., July 31, 1831-June 23, 1901
BALDWIN Jane wife Nov. 16, 1831-Dec. 28, 1908

ROSE Philip Aug. 15, 1882, 60y, Co D, III Inf.

JOHNSON Stephen H. Sept. 9, 1835-Jan. 2, 1874, Co I, 65 N. Y. S. Inf.
JOHNSON Luke Oct. 5, 1876 (no age given) 1812 Inf.

HOUSE Edward 1835-1856

WILKES Joseph Oct. 11, 1832, 81y

GARLOCK Jacob G. Apr. 20, 1877, 50y
GARLOCK Mary wife March 21, 1830-March 8, 1901
GARLOCK William W. April 8, 1886, 62y
GARLOCK Charlotte wife Nov. 4, 1900, 73y
GARLOCK Melvin son 1887, 19y

KELLEY John son John O. & Harriett, 1844, 2y

SHIRTS Phebe M. dau Peter & Nancy, 1843, 5y

HARBERTSON Charity Feb. 20, 1902, 83y
HARBERTSON John Nov. 23, 1815-1892

From Clark records circa 1882
"In the Bushnell burial place: Mrs. NEWPORT (our informant) has five children buried: John, Calvin, Cornelia, Caroline and Ernestine. Other colored burials there are: Mrs. Margaret PROVOST, Ann LLOYD, Elizabeth LLOYD, Frances LLOYD, John TAYLOR, Wm. ROBINSON, George COOPER, William WILBUR, Betsy WILBUR, Andrew WILBUR, Mrs. Margaret NEWPORT, Annie SWAN and Helen ALLEN.

12/14/06   Contribution from Daryl VerStreate: "Asa is not on the Bushnell list. According to this book he is buried there.

Military History of Wayne County, N.Y., Lewis H. Clark. Sodus, N.Y.: Lewis H. Clark, Hulett & Gaylord, 1883.

Asa Hewitt, (grandfather of Spencer Hewitt,) was in the Revolutionary army as a musician blowing a fife for five years. He died in Sodus and is buried in the Bushnell burial ground. (page 107).

12/1/06   From: Tanya White
Note: this is a consolidation of two separate emails.

I think there is a mistake in the BUSHNELL BURIAL RECORD you have on-line.

The record below could not be possible:

Fields, Rodolphus 1866, 80y, 1812 Inf.

There was only one RODOLPHUS FIELD, and that was my gr-gr-gr-gr-grandfather who came from Conway, Mass and settled in Sodus, New York.

MY RODOLPHUS FIELD WAS STILL LIVING IN THE 1870 SODUS CENSUS - AGED 82 YEARS OLD!!!!!!!! He was living with his wife and son and their children. He was listed as 82 years of age in the 1870 Census which was off by two years. Rodolphus Field was 90 in the 1880 Sodus Census. He was born in 1790 Conway, Mass.

There has been some kind of transcription error.

Mistakes should not be left there for other people to have the wrong data.

Not only is there a great mistake in the cemetery records of Busnell's Burial Ground but there is NO MENTION OF HIS WIFE OF 55+ YEARS, RACHEL WHO MUST HAVE DIED IN THE 1870S IN SODUS.

Thank you.

Tanya White

Coordinator's Note: Lewis H. Clark was one of the most revered historians in Wayne County, author of the history of the county in the Civil War. As this reading has individuals listed under both the surname "Field" and "Fields," it's possible that Rodolphus Field's headstone error was a stone-cutter's error.

Coordinator's Note Regarding Cemetery Transcription Errors: this particular reading was done in the 1880s by a man who had the foresight to go out and read many cemeteries, as well as preserve the county's pre-1900 history through his respected writings. If not for his taking the time out of his life to do so back 120 years ago, we'd not have evidence of some of our ancestors' resting places at all, as many of the stones would be worn with age or not have survived to 2006. Mr. Clark is not here for us to point out his errors to him, but if he were, I would accept his heartfelt apology that his intentions were good and his errors were certainly not intentional. There are many reasons why there is an error or omission on a cemetery reading, to name a few - getting distracted and missing a stone, intending to go back to finish a reading and not being able to do so, illegibility conditions such as surface wear / abrasion or flaking off, lighting and weather conditions, forgetting to read the side or back of a stone, missing a small stone due to snow or debris, the stone-cutter cut in the wrong number, it was a hard call for the reader to distinguish a "4" from a "7", a stone was face down and the reader not strong enough to upright it, etc. After a reading was written down by hand, a typist or the reader themselves perhaps weren't able to interpret handwriting after coming back from a long day of reading, or a typo was made in the days before digital spell-checkers, and so on. Most of our readings were done in the 1880s by Mr. Clark or in the early 1950s by a group of local historians. Anyone making the effort to read a cemetery, an altrustic act of kindness to strangers down through the years, sincerely wants to do the best job possible. We tend to be grateful to the person who took the time to walk a cemetery - even with spelling and dating errors, we're usually able to recognize our own ancestors on a reading and are happy to see their being listed, if only as a clue to further research. When I had the time to work on my personal genealogy, to find an elusive ancestor in an online census database under a misspelling of their name, especially after years of non-productive searching, it was a great day for me. I didn't think about the census taker's original error in not spelling the name right or the data entry person's misinterpretation of old handwriting.

Additionally, researchers must understand that for some people there never was a stone in an expected place, e.g. there were no monument cutters in a locale, the extended family was too poor to have a stone cut, the family intended to place a stone and then one was never placed, the family didn't like or was ashamed of their relative and didn't ever intend to place a stone, the individual was buried elsewhere, a woman remarried and we don't know the spouse's surname or are unaware of a remarriage, a man died away from home with no "picture i.d." or identifying papers, and so on. Some people were never buried in a cemetery at all. Consider how many people were buried along the Oregon Trail or other 19th century migrational treks with no markers, or passed away at a rural poorhouse that didn't do much in the way of record-keeping. Who has not had or heard about the experience of finding out that indeed an ancestor died while away on a trip or while visiting a relative in another location or while at a hospital or veterans' facility, and been buried far from home? In some local cases, the cemetery or burial plot long ago disappeared or was plowed under, especially if a person was buried in a field or yard with no marker but a tree and the family moved on. In large cities all over the U.S., cemeteries were dug up and the remains unceremoniously dumped, to build housing, busineses, and new streets. After four centuries there are few cemeteries remaining in Manhattan (and some of them were church cemeteries), traditionally the most densely-populated city in New York State. We are fortunate that Wayne County has many surviving cemeteries, that an attempt was made to read most of them at some point in time, and that their records were preserved by our County Historian's Office. Our kudos also go out to those who are rereading or otherwise documenting cemeteries in these busy times we live in, such as Daryl and Amanda, who've figuratively walk the rows in Mr. Clark's boots, who have pictorially documented cemeteries on weekends through rain or shine and ordering veterans markers. Future generations will thank all of you as much as we thank Mr. Clark. Most of our online cemetery lists were provided to us to post online by the Historian's Office back in the late 1990s. To all who are new to this site, it was a privilege, at the time and in hindsight, to work with the dedicated group of volunteers who spent countless hours digitally transcribing the historian's hard copies back in the '90s, and with Marge Lutzvick who coordinated the project, to post for FREE on this site. Kudos also go to researchers who use these readings and take a few minutes to contact us to virtually update the old readings by providing corrections and information to post with our online lists, which will also be added to the Historian's Office hardcopy readings. We all look forward to the time that ANY one of these cemeteries may be someday re-read. Perhaps researchers will considering planning vacations to beautiful Wayne County (or any other ancestral location) with the mission of re-reading a cemetery.

This brings us up to today, and the position all volunteer GenWeb site coordinators all across the U.S. are in. We receive email that an individual isn't listed on one of our lists and are asked WHY they were omitted. Some of these emails are kindly stated, but some berate us, and we ask ourselves why we're doing this volunteer work. Again, most of the Wayne County readings are OLD (some over a century) and the reading stopped short of our ancestor's burial date. Many of the readings were made before the site coordinators were born. Add to this any of the previously-stated reasons for a name not being on a surviving list. If GenWeb site coordinators know that something is in error, why would they intentionally post incorrect data? We are usually only aware of our own relatives' particulars, and then only if we've had the luck to find and compare multiple sources of data. If you have corrections to a cemetery list, please **kindly** let us know about them, and back up your corrections with census or other comparative data. As the surviving readings in typescript are historical documents, it's not our policy to compromise historical integrity by making corrections directly on the resource and "erasing" what was there, but to place the correction at the end of the page. There is an alternative to the posting of online information that may contain unknown errors - that site coordinators simply refrain from posting cemetery readings at all, or remove those posted, as they might contain bad data, and refer researchers to a historical society or library that will have the same readings.

All that said, this list was graciously contributed to us by the Office of the County Historian, Wayne County, NY.

Volunteer Typist - Town of Sodus Page Coordinator, Dorathy Hardie

Back to Town of Sodus Page

Back to Wayne County NY Cemeteries Index Page