ELLERY CEMETERIES

ADDITIONAL ELLERY CEMETERIES
DRIFTWOOD PUBLIC CEMETERY

The Driftwood Public Cemetery was located on the farm of Elijah Ensign Hale, on Lot 17, Township 2, Range 12, about 19 rods south of the corner where the road leading from Jamestown to Mayville and the Lake Road (Driftwood Road) crosses each other.

The deed is recorded in Liber 8, page 64 at the Mayville Court House.  The deed was dated April 1, 1829, witnessed July 10, 1829, and recorded July 28, 1829, from Samuel Cheney to Robertson Whiteside, Supervisor of the Town of Ellery, consideration $2.50, for a burying ground, containing one-quarter acre and two square rods.

When the right away for the Chautauqua Lake Railway was surveyed out this small cemetery was in the right of way.

In the proceedings of the Board of Supervisors, November 14, 1878 at Mayville is the following:

An Act to authorize the sale of the lands of a certain cemetery in the town of Ellery, and also remove therefrom all the bodies interred in said cemetery lot, to the cemetery lot of the Fluvanna Cemetery Association.

Passed November 14th, 1878, by the Board of Supervisors of Chautauqua County by authority of Chapter 482 of the laws of New York, passed June 5th, 1875, a majority of all the members elected to the Board voting in favor thereof, on the filling of an application of the Supervisor, Town Clerk and Justices of the Peace of the Town of Ellery.

THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1.  The Supervisor of the town of Ellery in said county is hereby authorized to sell and convey the cemetery lot situated in said town of Ellery, and in the county of Chautauqua, bounded and described as follows:  All that certain piece or parcel of land situated on Lot 17, Township 2, Range 12, bounded by a line beginning 19 rods south of the corner where the road leading from Jamestown to Mayville and the road running from north to south, cross each other, thence southerly along said road 7 rods, thence easterly 6 rods to the place of beginning, containing twenty-one eightieths of an acre of land.

SECTION 2.  The Supervisor of said town of Ellery is hereby authorized and empowered to remove from, or cause the removal of all bodies in the above described cemetery lot, to the cemetery lot of the Fluvanna Cemetery Association, provided the consent of the proper authorities of the said Fluvanna Cemetery Association is obtained, and subject to such rules and regulations as the Fluvanna Cemetery Association have in force at the time of such removal.

SECTION 3.  Before such removal shall be made, at least thirty days personal notice shall be given by said Supervisor, or when said notice cannot be given by reason of the nonresidence of the party to be notified, a publication in the newspaper published nearest to the place of burial of such bodies to the representatives of the person whose bodies are proposed to be removed, if there be such representative known, of the intention to remove such bodies.  And, such representatives shall be allowed not less than thirty days to remove such bodies.

SECTION 4.  The bodies so removed by said authority shall each, when distinguishable be enclosed in a separate box or coffin, and every monument, headstone, footstone, slab, board or other designation or distinguishing mark, shall be carefully removed and properly placed with the body with which it is connected, and properly set up at the time of the interment of such bodies, and members of the same family shall be placed in contiguous graves.

SECTION 5.  The balance of the proceeds of the sale of said lands, after the removal of said bodies, shall be appropriated for the improvement, embellishment and preservation of the cemetery of the Fluvanna Cemetery Association.

SECTION 6.  This act shall take effect immediately.

Journal, 1878; Pages 91 - 93.

Asa Cheney was Supervisor of Ellery in 1878.  The removal of the bodies to the Fluvanna Cemetery was made.   The old Driftwood rail road station was located near the center of the former cemetery.

References:
Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors.
Chautauqua County Court House Records.
Doris W. Carlson, former Historian of Town of Ellery.

Submitted: Loraine C. Smith.  2002

DUTCH HOLLOW BURIAL SITES

DUTCH HOLLOW BURIAL SITE

On the Will Hale farm on Dutch Hollow Road.  No longer exists.

Elmer E. Rundell in 1949 states that Polly Loucks was buried in a little cemetery at this location in  the late 1820’s or early 1830’s.  He says with certainty that these remains were never removed  to Fluvanna  as some had believed.

This cemetery was located on the lower end of Dutch Hollow Road, in the Town of Ellery, at the top of the hill back of the old Will Hale farm, (once owned by Dr. Julius Prince) close to the northern boundary line of Lot 11, Township 2, Range 12, also across the road from the once Thomas Arnold farm.
Most of these graves were removed to the Fluvanna Cemetery.
William G. Youker came to Ellery in 1818.  His wife Polly Loucks, the daughter of Joseph and Margaret (Maybe) Loucks, along with others  was buried in this cemetery.

SOURCE:  Loraine C. Smith, 2002.

DUTCH HOLLOW PRIVATE CEMETERY

A private cemetery was located on top of the hill behind the former Percy Warner farm.  This is located very close to the southern boundary line of Lot 12, Township 2, Range 12, on the lower Dutch Hollow Road, near the bridge.
John William Gray, an early settler, distiller, owned this farm.  At an early date he was a Methodist Exhorter.  He became paralyzed in his lower limbs, was bed ridden many months and doctors seemed unable to help.  It was finally decided he was "bewitched". Considerable chicanery was resorted to.  He died and was buried on top of the hill behind his home.  Others may have been buried there, also.
In 1904, the father of Clayburne B. Sampson, Alexander Sampson, plowed this field, by orders of Ben W. Hayward, then owner of the farm, and the field was tilled for many years after that.

Reference: Clayburne B. Sampson records; Doris W. Carlson records.
Submitted by: Loraine C. Smith, 2002.

ELLERY-ELLICOTT TOWN LINE CEMETERY

A private cemetery of the Lovell and Blowers families was located in Ellery on the Ellery-Ellicott Town Line Road, on Lot 7, Township 2, Range 12, first known as the Lovell farm, then the Blowers farm and later as the John Akin farm.

Catherine Ploss first married Jessie Lowell and within a few years she buried two infant daughters and her husband, Jessie, in a private burial plot on their farm, located about three miles north of Fluvanna.

Her third daughter was born on this farm ,June, 30, 1820 and was named Catherine Lovell, but always called Carrie, who married Varcel Gates at the Blowers farm on August 27, 1837.

Phoebe Way Blowers, first wife of John Blowers died with the birth of their fourth child, Phoebe Blowers, born in the 1820’s.  The other children were: Mary Blowers, James Blowers and Keziah Blowers.

In 1829, at the age of 44 years, John Blowers married second, the widow Catherine Ploss Lovell.  Catherine P. Lovell Blowers was always called Mary Ann, because her husband John Blowers disliked the name Catherine.  She was born in the Town of Ellery.  At the time of her second marriage her daughter Carrie was eight years old.  John moved from Jamestown with his three daughters and son to her farm where he lived 33 years and died there February 2, 1863, age 78 years and is buried in the Fluvanna Cemetery.

Five children were born to John and Mary Ann Blowers: Emily Blowers; Jessie Lovell Blowers; Lucy Ann Blowers; Hannah E. Blowers; Lorenzo Blowers.

Burials on the farm plot included:
1.  Jessie Lovell (first husband of Catherine Ploss Lovell Blowers - called “Mary Ann”).
2.  Infant daughter of Jessie & Catherine Ploss Lovell.
3.  Infant daughter of Jessie & Catherine Ploss Lovell.
4.  Jessie Lovell Blowers, born June 2, 1832, died at age 7 years and is buried on the farm in the family plot.
5.  Lorenzo Blowers, born December 5, 1837, died 20 days later, on Christmas Day and is buried in the private burial plot on the farm.

Reference:
Records of Clayburne B. Sampson.
Records of Doris W. Carlson
Chautauqua County History Books

Submitted by Loraine C. Smith.  2002

PLEASANTVILLE CEMETERY

Hartfield - Centralia Road
This cemetery was in existence when the area was part of the Town of Ellery 1820-24
In the Town of Chautauqua since 1824

The Pleasantville Cemetery is located on the north-west corner of Lot 8, Township 3, Range 13, (Hartfield-Centralia Road) in the Town of Chautauqua.

Mr. Jonathan Freeman of the Town of Chautauqua gave a deed dated July 8, 1822, received July 12, 1822 to Henry Walker, Shadrack Scofield and Nathaniel Green, Trustees of a Society formed by the inhabitants of the Towns of Stockton, Ellery, and Chautauqua by the name of  “Friendship Society” for the purpose of purchasing a cemetery, consideration $10.00, for one-half acre of  land more or less.

Soldiers buried in the Pleasantville Cemetery are:
1.  Jonathan Freeman, who gave the land, died May 17, 1854, age 73 years. He was in the War of 1812.

2.  Peter E. Freeman, son of Jonathan, born December 24, 1803, veteran of the Civil War.

3.  John E. Freeman, son of Peter, born August 7, 1842, died June 1, 1864, killed at the Battle of Cold Harbor.

4.  Isaac D. Miles, son of Daniel and Phebe Miles, Co. H., 112th, Regt. N.Y.S.V., died at Beaufort, North Carolina, December 2, 1863, Age 25/9/0.

5.  Stephen Washburn, died November 12, 1820, age 29-16-0.

6.  Asahel Russell, born July 8, 1786, died January 20, 1866,

7.  John Miles, died June 29, 1840, age 73 years.

8.  Joseph Green, died September 19, 1831, age 48 years.

Revolutionary Soldiers with their epitaphs:

9.  Samuel Waterbury, died March 1, 1834, age 72-3-16. “Soldier of the Revolution.”

10. Levi Stedman, died October 28, 1833, age 65 years.  “Here lies the body of Levi Stedman, 7 years and 8 months a faithful soldier of the army of the Revolution.”

11. Naham Parkhurst, died August 28, 1833, age 65 years.  “With Wayne in battle side by side unharmed our hero fought, 1776.”

12.  Elijah Look, died August 27, 1852, age 95-5-0.  “A Soldier of the Revolution and of the Cross of Christ.”

References:
Soldiers of the American Revolution
Pleasantville Cemetery Headstones.
Records at the Mayville Court House
The 1854 Chautauqua County Map

Submitted by Loraine C. Smith.  2002

UNION ELLERY CEMETERY

Union Ellery Cemetery was located on the south-east corner of Lot 3, Township 3, Range 13 (corner of Maple Springs and Ellery Center Road and the Lewis Road).  On legal records three to five graves are refered to as being on this plot.

Robertson Whiteside of the Town of Ellery gave a warranty deed dated May 2, 1826, in Liber 5, of deeds at page 357, consideration $10.00 to Elias Clark, Elihu Carpenter, and Daniel Hartwell of the same place, Trustees of a society formed by the inhabitants of the said town by name "Union Society" for the purpose of purchasing and keeping in repair a cemetery about one acre of land to be used and occupied by said society for a burying ground and for no other purpose what ever.  To be fenced by rails, boards, or any material suitable to enclose the same so as not to injure or prejudice the said party of the first part, his heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns.

There seems to be no court record of when this cemetery was closed or abandoned.

Reference:
Court records at Mayville, NY.
Clayburne B. Sampson files
Doris W. Carlson files
Ralph Jones

Submitted by Loraine C. Smith.    2002 
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   An Act to authorize the trustees of Union Cemetery Association in the Town of Stockton, in the County of Chautauqua, to fence said cemetery and improve the lots therein.
   Passed November 16, 1882, by the Board of Supervisors of Chautauqua County, by authority of Section 1 of Chapter 482 of the Laws of New York, passed June 5, 1875, a majority of all the members elected to the Board voting in favor thereof.
   The Board of Supervisors of Chautauqua County do enact as follows:
   Section 1.  The trustees of Union Cemetery Association of the Towns of Stockton and Ellery, in said county are hereby authorized and empowered to build and properly maintain a fence around said cemetery lot or any part thereof, to improve the lots, grade, change and improve the drives and passage ways of said cemetery.
   Section 2.  It shall be the duty of the trustees of said association to prepare an assessment roll, in which shall be sufficiently designated and described the lots in said cemetery, and a fair and equitable assessment shall be made of each of said lots within the bounds of said cemetery that shall be occupied for burying purposes, and that shall be owned, improved, by or appropriated to the separate use of any person, for the purpose of building said fence and the improvements hereinbefore mentioned; and the sums so assessed shall be inserted in said roll opposite each lot so assessed and the names of the owner, person appropriating or improving the same, or occupant thereof; and the said assessment shall be made at the actual value of said lot, so near as may be.  The aggregate sum hereby authorized to be raised shall not exceed the sum of two hundred dollars, and shall be collected as in the preceding section of this act is provided.
   Section 3.  The said sums so assessed against the several lots in said cemetery, after the same shall have been demanded of the owner, person or persons improving, occupying or appropriating the same to their separate use, shall be recovered by the trustees of said association, with costs of suit, before a Justice of the Peace of the Town of Stockton, or a town adjoining the same, in the manner provided by law.
   Section 4.  The trustees of said association are further hereby authorized and empowered to disinter and remove any of the bodies interred in said cemetery who are unknown to the trustees, for the purpose of grading, making driveways, passageways, in said cemetery, and the general improvement thereof; provided, however, that said trustees shall decently inter said bodies so disinterred in said cemetery, at such place as in their judgment is consistent and proper to make the improvements aforesaid.
   Section 5.  This act shall take effect immediately.

Reference:  Board of Supervisors of Chautauqua County 1811-1923.

Submitted by Loraine C. Smith.  2002.

SOURCE: Information provided by Loraine C. Smith, 2002.