TILLOTSON CEMETERY

HARMONY, NY (Panama-Bear Lake Road)

The Tillotson Cemetery is located on the Panama-Bear Lake Road just a little past the Niobe turn. This small cemetery was permitted to become a "deserted" cemetery, but in the 1950s George Fowler, the town historian and a descendant of several of the families interred there, cleaned up the spot with the assistance of other interested persons. The stone were straightened and the fallen ones reset. Some stone, however, were missing or were too badly broken to erect. Mr. Fowler’s family histories give missing dates and names of those for whom there is no stone and his information has been taken from the stones, family records, notes, letters and personal talks with old residents. The Miller data was written by the late Charles Judson Miller who wrote up an account of the Miller family in 1940 when he was in this 84th year.
About 1825, or possibly a little earlier, Asa Drave Tillotson and his wife Hannah Chapman Hall came from Sherburne, Chenango County, NY. Mr. Fowler believes that they came from Harrisville about two miles out of Sherburne. The Holland Land Co. records show that he took up land, two parcels, on lot 26, town 1, rage 13; one on the west side of the trail and one on the east leading from Panama south through the four corners to the Pennsylvania State line and on south into Pennsylvania. He built a house just east of the four corners and the place became known as "Tillotson’s Corners." His family consisted of two sons and four daughters. John Miller, his son-in-law, also bought on this same lot. The original log house was replaced by a frame house on the southwest corner. This one burned in 1914. Ernest Cross bought the farm and in 1915 built a new house on the same location. In their large house the Tillotsons ran a tavern or sorts, keeping travelers overnight and serving meals. The boys stayed on the farm and the girls married and settled nearby.
About 1858, Asa Jr. and his family moved down south of Union City where he bought a large farm on a four corners which he named Tillotson’s Corners in memory of his former home. Asa and his son Jasper ran this farm for about 20 years. Then Asa sold out to Jasper and returned to Harmony and he and his brother Jonathan continued to run the farm until Jonathan died. Then Asa and his wife sold out and returned to live with their son Jasper.
The Tillotsons early set aside about one-third of an acre on the west side of the road for a burying ground known today as the "Old Tillotson Cemetery." At the same time they set aside land on the east side for a school which was built of logs. This was later replaced by a frame school on the Muzzy Hill side of the four corners.
The Tillotsons brought up a girl by the name of Blance Denner. She was not adopted but went by the name of Blanche Tillotson. She married Frank Cook, son of Charles Cook who lived on Muzzy Hill. They are buried in the Grant Cemetery at Niobe. They had one child, Louise, who married Rev. Ivan M. Shreve.
On a lot in the front part of the Cemetery is a square shaft. One one side is cut "Jonathan Tillotson born Jan. 14, 1805"; on the opposite side "John Estee born Feb. 15, 1815 died Sept. 14, 1889." On the south side of the shaft there is room for two graves but no stones. Jasper Tillotson told Mr. Fowler that Jonathan Tillotson and wife Emily Estee are buried in this space. On the lot south of this space is a grave with a stone marked John Estee. On the same lot, north of the monument are two graves with stones and next to the monument a grave marked "Mary wife of Silas Estee died April 16, 1876 age 90-8-18" and another stone north of the monument marked "Silas Estee died Nov. 18, 1842, age 56-9-7." George M. Daniels daid Silas was a Veteran of the War of 1812. Mr. Fowler believes that the above Silas and Mary Estee are the parents of John Estee. Emily Estee who married Jonathan Tillotson Jr. John Estee never married and always lived with the Tillotson family.
Asa’s wife, Hannah Chapman, first married Jonathan Hall and had one daughter, Amy Hall. Hannah died in 1865 after which the farm on the east side of the four corners passed out of the family.
Lucinda, the wife of Cornelius Darrow, was the daughter of Asa Tillotson Sr’s brother Stephen, who is buried in the Magnolia Cemetery on Rout 17J. She is the grandmother of the late Floyd Darrow and his sister, the late Lucy Darrow Peake. Cornelius Darrow was born 13 Jan. 1802, probably in Herkimer County. He left Lucinda and went "out west" where he died 2 Feb. 1882 and is buried in Eagle Lake, Minn. (Data furnished by Floyd Darrow.) Marietta, with wife of Stephen Darrow, was Marietta Coats. She married (2) Charles Dodge and (3) Thomas Ransom. Mr. Darrow said also that Stephen Tillotson and Catherine Huntley were married 29 Dec. 1796.
About a mile from this Tillotson Cemetery on the State Line Road is a cemetery once abandoned to the weeds but about ten or 15 years ago cleaned up and put back in use by the neighborhood, many of them young folk. It is known as the Webster Cemetery, the Chadwick Cemetery and the State Line Cemetery. In it is Rufus Tillotson who died 17 Feb. 1889 aged 80-9-2 and his wife, Lemira, who died 10 Feb. 1858 aged 48-5-29. On the lot Lavern who died 8 March 1887 aged 23-11-29 and Orlean died 8 May 1869 aged 22-3-13. Mr. Fowler was unable to identify this family.
We know that in those pioneer days that families seldom traveled alone. Relatives and neighbors came along with them or joined them shortly. Most of the families in the cemetery are related to Asa Tillotson who was born at Lyme, CT 2 Jan 1774 (Bible record) and who died in Harmony 23 May 1849. His wife, Hannah Chapman Hall, was born in CT 18 Sept. 1778 and died in Harmony 16 April 1865. They had seven children.
Calvin, the eldest son of Asa Drake Tillotson, was born at Sherburne, Chenango County, NY in 1802 and died there in 1806. The second child was Jonathan born in Sherburne 14 Jan. 1805 and died in Harmony in 1893 aged 88. He married Emily Estee who died in Harmony and is buried here with him. Dates unknown.
Phebe, the third child, was born in Sherburne in 1806 and died Harmony 18 April 1851 age 44-7-22 and is buried beside her parents. She married John Miller and died when her twelfth child was born. It is enfolded in her arms. John Miller born 2 Feb. 1802 was the son of Draic K. Miller and in 1854 married secondly, Maria D. Bogardus, nee Purdy, and widow of Henry Bogardus who died in California as a forty-niner. Maria was born 29 Dec. 1821 in Rensselaer Co. They migrated to Douglas, Minn. Where he died 4 Dec. 1871. She returned to Chautauqua County and died here August 1914. She is buried in the Mayville Cemetery.
The fourth child was Permelia born at Sherburne 23 April 1806 and died in Harmony 8 May 1866 (no stone for her). She is buried beside her husband, Pellum Barker who was born 25 Feb. 1801 and died 18 Feb. 1853 at Lockport, Erie County, but he is buried here in Tillotson. They had six children.
Mary, the sixth child, was born at Sherburne 12 May 1812 and died in Harmony 189 Feb. 1894. She married 1 Jan. 1828 Francis W. Mather, born 30 Jan. 1801 in Lyme, CT, son of Nathaniel Mather the Revolutionary War Soldier. Francis died 28 Dec. 1878 in Harmony. They had three children.
Asa Tillotson Jr., the seventh child was born at Sherburne 12 March 1814 and died at Tillotson, PA 25 Dec. 1896. He married Louisa M. Estee who was born 28 Aug. 1818 and died at Tillotson, PA 28 March 1896. Both are buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery two miles east of Tillotson, PA. They had six children.

BADGLEY, Nathan, born 12 March 1825, died 27 Dec. 1864.
BADGLEY, Asa, died 23 Oct. 1877, age 59-5-16 "our father."
BADGLEY, Alzina, died 12 Jan. 1880 age 59-11-15 "our mother."
BADGLEY, Ellen, dau. of Asa & Alzina died 11 May 1863,a ge 15-0-12.
BADGLEY, Little Emma, 1850-1852.

BARKER, Pellum, died 18 Feb. 1853, age 52.
BARKER, Permelia Tilltoson, his wife, here also (see notes).
BARKER, Jonathan son of Pellum and Permelia died 27 May 1838 age 2-9.
BARKER, Lafayette son of Stephen and Catherine Barker, died 12 Sept. 1853, age 1-3-?.

BEALS, Sumner 1805-1873 (came from around Columbus, PA).
BEALS, Hannah, his wife, 1829-1873 (she was dau. of Pellum and Permelia. She married (1) William Jordan Benedict, son of Daniel. He died early and she then married Sumner Beals).
BEALS, Permelia 1858-1876.
BEALS, Judith 1862-1864. (Stone matches Beals but is 30 feet away in front of her grandfather Asa Tillotson.)

BENEDICT, Daniel died 9 Dec. 1889, age 97-1-25.
BENEDICT, Sally his wife, died 27 Dec. 1864, age 69-6-27.
BENEDICT, William J. their son (and husband of Hannah Barker Beals) died 27 June 1853, age 34.

BROOKS, Seth C., died 9 May 1866, age 61-11-?.

COMSTOCK, Malinda, wife of William, died 23 March 1874, age 71-5-16.
COMSTOCK, William, died 5 Sept. 1887, age 68-1-? "rest husband—" (he died before Marlinda so why the "rest husband" Did he remarry?) [Yeah, I don’t get it either. Newspaper article is messed up. JP]

CORNISH, Aaron T., born 18 March 1819, died (no date).
CORNISH, Sarah, his wife, born 10 Oct. 1823, died 2 Dec. 1885.

DANIELS, Louis Clyde son of George M. and Ellen Daniels, died 2 Sept. 1875, age 8 mos.

DARROW, Lucinda "mother" died 7 Nov. 188?, age 69-6-? (see notes).
DARROW, Stephen, her son, died 20 Dec. 1873, age 39-3-24.
DARROW, Marietta, his wife, 1841-1907 (see notes).
DARROW, Lucena, her daughter, died 21 Nov. 1833, age 6m 6 days.
DARROW, Mary R., her daughter, died 25 Sept. 1854, age 3-7-7.

HUNTER, James H. died 24 Sept. 1866, age 64. He is buried on the Purdy lot and has a matching stone (Oliver Mather, son of Francis and Mary (Tillotson) Mather married a Harriet Hunter, 4 July 1851… Possibly James was her father.)

DAVIS, Lt. O.S. 23rd Mich. Inf. GAR flag. He is buried beside Nathaniel Fernald.

DEVEREAUX, Almeda L., wife of G.W. Devereau, died 12 Feb. 1857, age 26-9-5.

ESTEE, Silas, died 18 Nov. 1842, age 56-9-7. War 1812.
ESTEE, Mary his wife, died 16 April 1876, age 90-8-18.
ESTEE, John, born 15 Feb. 1815, died 14 Sept. 1889. He is buried on the Tillotson lot.

FERNALD, Nathaniel R., died 7 June 1845, age 17-7-2. Buried beside Lt. O.S. Davis.

FOWLER, Samuel G., died 17 March 1870, age 67-6-9.
FOWLER, Naomi, his wife, died 18 Nov. 1865, age 55-8-21. (She was a dau. of Asa and Hannah. Since her first child was born in 1830 and the Tillotsons came in 1825, she was probably married in Harmony. No one seems to know when Samuel Gordon Fowler came to Harmony or from where he came. He and Naomi had six children.)
FOWLER, Azariah A., their son died when about 21, unmarried.
FOWLER, Daniel is said to be here. He was a son of Samuel G. and Naomi born in Harmony in 1832 and died at Niobe in Dec. 1912.
FOWLER, Rhoda M., his (1) wife died 25 June 1863 age 25-10-25.
FOWLER, Vella, their dau. died 18 Feb. 1864 age 10 mos 4 dys.
FOWLER, Sylvia (Pierce) second wife of Samuel G. is supposed to be here. Sylvia also had a dau. Vella, born either in Harmony or in Mayville. Thought to have died at Gowanda State Hospital. She married Charles Wolf and had a son Earl who lived and died in Jamestown.

JOBES, Della May, adopted dau. of W.P. and J.L. died 10 Sept. 1875, age 4-7-10.
JOBES, Minnie Lulu, dau. of Wm. and J.L., died 25 Nov. 1875, age 7 m 25 dy.
JOBES, Infant son died 14 Dec. 1876, age 2.
(Wm. was a railroad agent at Niobe. He may have been a son of Jefferson (1848-1911) and Belle W. Jobes buried at Niobe).

LOOMIS, Frank F. son of Seth and Jane Loomis, died 7 Jan. 1864, age 3-10-7.

MATHER, Nathaniel of Connecticut, a Soldier of the Revolution, aide to his uncle, an officer, died 30 Jan. 1852, age 92-8.
MATHER, Eunice DeWolf his wife died 23 June 1834 in Lyme, CT (her name and death inserted by writer).
MATHER, Nancy M., his dau. and wife of William H. Price died 11 April 1845, age 64.
MATHER, Eunice his dau. died 7 June 1884, age 86-8-25, unmarried.
MATHER, Dr. Nathaniel, his son, born 13 Aug. 1799 (at Lyme, CT), died 5 Sept. 1868, age 69-0-23. He never married-he was an herb doctor.
MATHER, Francis W., 1801-1878,
MATHER, Mary his wife 1812-1894. She was a dau. of Asa Tilltoson. She and Francis were married over 50 years and after his death she married Ward Risley who died before she did. His burial place unknown.

MCKISSICK, David R. 1861-1897.
MCKISSICK, John F., died 5 Oct. 1881, age 17-9.

MILLER, John died 18 April 1851, age 44-7-22.
MILLER, Phebe, his wife, is here but on her father’s lot. She died 18 April 1851, age 44-7-22. [Another obvious error here! JP]

PURDY, Silas, died 7 Aug. 1858 age 79-2-11.
PURDY, Mary Elizabeth, his wife, died 28 April 18__ (broken and eroded, think probably 60-something) age 79-5-7.
PURDY, Patience, wife of Stephen, died 19 Oct. 1866, age 66. (Stone badly eroded and is broken).
PURDY, James, died 4 Feb. 1873?, age 87-8-21.

SERVOSS, Albert, born 22 Sept. 1816, died 14 May 1906.
SERVOSS, Eunice, his wife, born 2 Nov. 1826 died 14 July 1891.
SERVOSS, Mark G., their son, born 1853, died 5 Jan. 1870.
SERVOSS, Daniel L., born 19 Oct 1850, died 10 April 1870, son of A. and E. Servoss.
SERVOSS, Jay, died 1 Nov. 1869, age 47.
SERVOSS, Paris, 1814-1892 and on same stone,
SERVOSS, Harriet, 1818-1892.

SMITH, John B. died 18 Oct. 1874, age 69-9-23.
SMITH, Patience, died 2 June 1901, age 89-1-11. These stones are just alike with tassels.
SMITH, Mortimer L., son of Levi R. and M.E. Smith, died 7 May 1862, age 1-5-15.
SMITH, Phebe M. dau. of Benjamin and Hannah A. Smith died 5 Dec. 1853, age 1-1-2.
Benjamin and Hannah are buried in Panama Union Cemetery.

TILLOTSON, Asa, died 23 May 1849, age 75-4-11.
TILLOTSON, Hannah, his wife, died 16 April 1865, age 87.
TILLOTSON, Jonathan H., born 14 Jan. 1805, died (uncut) (died 1893, age 88, Mr. Fowler said.)
His wife Emily Estee is also here without a stone. Her dates are unknown. There were no children.

WILBOR, Betsey (Atwood) wife of William Wilbor died 13 Sept. 1851, age 35.
WILBOR, Mary, their dau. died 11 Sept. 1851, age 6-3.
Betsey’s mother, Betsey Atwood is buried on this lot.

TILLOTSON CEMETERY
A letter from Spartansburg, PA says that he is the son of Jasper Tillotson, the branch that went to PA…

TILLOTSON CEMETERY
Received a letter of appreciation from Charles E. Gardner MD, formerly of Jamestown now of Lebanon, PA. He says that Asa Tillotson’s wife Hannah Chapman Hall was a sister to Stephen Chapman 1767-1854 who is buried in the Lake Cemetery in Bear Lake, PA with his wife and all his children and all his grandchildren except one.

QUERIES

B35 HAZZARD, Evans R. born 8 Dec. 1804 perhaps in Chenango Co., NY. He married Ellis Love dau. of John Love of Ellery and they lived for a time in the Town of Carroll. Their son John Augustus was born in Carroll, 9 Aug. 1830. When were they married? Ellis was born in Oneida Co. What was the date of her birth? Jason Hazzard was a brother of Evans. Does any descendant have any family records? H.H. Little Rock, Ark.

B36 VANRENSSELAER, Mae (Chapman) born 20 April 1887 in Conewango died 20 Aug. 1916 in Cherry Creek. She was the daughter of Rathbun Chapman and Martha Cunningham and she was buried in the Rutledge Cemetery in Conewango. Who was her husband? Did she leave any children? E.G. Jamestown.

B37 POST, Thomas, 1810-1887 and wife Miranda D. Who were her parents? When was she born and when did she die? Where are they buried?

B38 POST, Eugene A. 1847-1937 married Sarah Roberts. Where are they buried? Isaac Roberts 1822-1908 and wife Ann C. 1827-1920 parents of Sarah. Where are they buried? EHJ, Jamestown.

B39 SWETLAND (also spelled Sweatland and Sweetland). My mother Colette Swetland was the dau. of Horace. He was the son of Addision. They were in the Jamestown area. Wish to contact relatives. RLT, Long Beach, Calif.

B40a WHITE. Searching for maiden name of Betsey wife of James White Sr. and names of her parents. Also the name of the wife of James White Jr. and her parents. James Sr. lived in Chaut. Co., from about 1822 to 1849 when he moved to Medina Co., Ohio. James Jr. died about 1849. The record of Deeds for 1948 Vol. 44 p 467 shows the father administering his son’s estate and he sold property to pay the debts. What is death date for James Jr. and where is he buried.

B40b WEAVER CEMETERY: Wish to have a copy of this Peebles-Weaver Cemetery as written up by the Fenton Historical Society. JTW, Evansville, Ind.

FENTON: JTW refers to the Weaver Cemetery on the Center Road in Arkwright. We have heard before that there were Peebles buried there. No stones remain for them. A close neighbor told us that a man drove up one day, loaded on some tombstones, and drove off. Perhaps it was then that the Peebles stones disappeared. There are some in the old Christian Church Cemetery on Bard Road about two miles out of Cassadaga, toward Hamlet and Balcom’s Cors. This is not too far distant from this Weaver Cemetery.

B41 AYLESWORTH. My grandfather Julius Preston Aylesworth was apprenticed in Jamestown to be a blacksmith either before or just after the Civil War. HE later lived on a farm near Lander, PA. Think he enlisted at Busti. Where could I get his enlistment record? NET, Richmond, VA.

B42 BARNES, William H. born 7 Aug. 1819 in Chaut. Co., married at Sheridan 11 Oct. 1843 Harriet Thomas born 1 June 1819 at Perch River, NY. They moved to Aurora, Ill. Wanted, the parents of each. GLB, Bristol, Ill.

B43 STEWART (D) or STUART 1832-1901 lived at 630 Palmer St. Jamestown. His wife Mary Barbour (don’t have her dates). They are buried in the old Greenwood Cemetery in Panama. Who were their parents? Is she the dau. of William HH Barbour and wife Mercy Ann buried in Panama Union Cemetery? MJG, Jamestown.

ANSWERS:

B35 HAZZARD. From the Jamestown Journal 24 March 1871: “Died in Ellicott on the 12th inst. Louisa, wife of Robert Hazard aged 50.” And the same issue “At the Moniter House in this village (Jamestown) on the 21st inst by the Rev. E.S. Gillette Mr. Charles Hazard of Ellicott and Miss Sarah A. Fisk of Ellington.

B40 This querist sent us a copy of his family genealogy which gives several Arkwright families. We are pleased to add it to our library.

SOURCE: Fenton Historical Society Deserted Cemetery Series. From the Jamestown Journal 27 September 1969, compiled and written by Edna Ingham