CLASSIFICATION: Friends' burial ground.
LOCATION: In the city of Poughkeepsie, south of the upper Church street school.
CONDITION: In 1911 almost impenetrably overgrown with sumac bushes, large trees and poison ivy. In 1922 incorporated into the Poughkeepsie playground.
INSCRIPTIONS: 49 in number. Copied May 31, 1911, by J. W. Poucher, M. D., and Miss Helen W. Reynolds. Published in the Poughkeepsie Eagle of July 13, 1911.
REMARKS: A Friends' Meeting was organized at Poughkeepsie early in the nineteenth century. In 1821 Isaiah Green deeded to the Society a half acre of his farm for burial purposes. The deed conveyed a right of way to the burial lot from the Dutchess Turnpike (now Main street) along a lane, which lane was thenceforth known as "Quaker Lane."
It is greatly to be regretted that the old and distinctive name of "Quaker Lane" has, with the growth of the city in this neighborhood, given way to commonplace modern usages and become "Palmer street". When the Society of Friends divided Into Hicksite and Orthodox in 1828 the Hicksite Meeting at Poughkeepsie retained this burial ground. In 1911, after the publication in the Poughkeepsie Eagle of the inscriptions copied by Dr. Poucher and Miss Reynolds, the Hon. Charles N. Arnold of Poughkeepsie, representing the Hicksite Meeting, had the burial lot restored to order at his personal expense. All wild growth was cleared away and a fence built. In the course of this work nine inscriptions were found on stones overlooked in the tangle which have been incorporated in the following list. There were also old stones in this ground which, in accordance with Quaker custom, were unmarked. In 1922 the burial ground was entirely dug over and its boundaries obliterated in the course of creating a public playground.
1. Arnold, (Benjamin) C., s. of David & Jane, d. 5th 11th mo., 1817, a. 2 m.
2. Arnold, Jane (C.), dau. of David & Jane, d. 4th of 9th mo., 1826, a. 7 m. 26 d.
3. Arnold, Mary S., w. of Nathan, d. 7th of 12th mo., 1860, a. 46 y.
4. A-----, "M. S. A."
5. A-----, "N. A."
6. Barker, B. T., d. 29 of 11 mo., 1838.
7. Barker, Caleb, d. 21 of 11 mo., 1852.
8. Barker, F., d. 20 of 5 mo., 1851.
9. Barker, Lydia, d. 23 of 4mo., 1852.
10. Barker, M. H., d. 12th of 5th m., 1830.
11. Birdsall, Mercy, w. of James Broomfield, d. Nov. 27, 1849, a. 80-7-18.
12. Caller, Elizabeth S., b. 28th of 11th m., 1816, d. 23d of 8th m., 1838.
13. Caller, Laura S., b. 15th of 3d m., 1821, d. 21st of 9th m., 1838.
14. Caller, Sarah Southwick, w. of John, b. 12th of 6th m., 1789, d. 12th of 4th m., 1845.
15. Caller, Stephen S., b. 14th of 9th m., 1822, d. in California, 4th of 5th m., 1851.
16. Caller, Susan E., b. 4th of 3d m., 1832, d. 30th of 8th m., 1836.
17. Clark, Anna, d. 11th mo.4th, 1848, a. 47-2-2.
18. Clark, Benjamin, b. 19th of 4th m., 1774, d. 2d of 3d m., 1840.
19. Clark, Deborah M., b. Nov. 18, 1784, d. Nov. 27, 1867.
20. Coffin, Alexander I., d. "4 mo. 23rd, 1868," a. 73-4-7.
21. Coffin, Caroline, d. "5th mo. 3rd, 1868," a. 27-6-24.
22. Coffin, Mary G., d. 1869.
23. Dickinson, Elizabeth, w. of John, d. Oct. 19, 1867, a. 84 y.
24. Dickinson, John, d. May 5,1845, a. 73 y.
25. E-----, "R. E."
26. Fox, Emma, w. of William W., d. Feb. 11, 1871, a. 29 y.
27. Fox, George, s. of William W. & Charlotte L., b. in New York, 11th m. 6th, 1809, d. 5th m. 9th, 1865.
28. Fox, Mary Pauline, dau. of John Paul & Caroline, d. Jan. 15, 1847, a. 6-3-10.
29. Fox, William W., s. of George & Maria F., b. Aug. 22, 1834, d. May 9,1871.
30. Franklin, Maria, b. Jan. 12, 1787, d. Nov. 19, 1867.
31. F-----, "A. F."
32. F-----, "E. F."
33. Gildersleeve, Margaret, d. Sep. 11, 1851, a. 78 y. 6 m.
34. H-----, "E. C. H."
35. Irish, Cornelia B., d. 1st m. 26th, 1832, a. 20.
36. Jackson, Walter H., s. of Robert & Nancy, d. Aug. 30, 1845, a. 7 m. 4 d.
37. L-----, "A. F. L."
38. L-----, "W. F. L."
39. Merritt, William G., d. July 27, 1865, a. 71 y. 7 d.
40. Schnerin, Mary, d. "20 of 3rd mo., 1856," a. 24-9-26.
41. S-----, "A. R. S."
42. S-----, "W. H. S."
43. Townsend, Henry D., d. Dec. 23, 1847, in 28th y.
44. Underhill, Phebe.
45. Underhill, William.
46. Wilbur, Martha, d. June 29, 1839, in 62n y.
47. Williamson, G.
48. Wood, G.
49. W-----, "M. W."
Copied by Charlotte Carey Dingee and transcribed by Liz DuBois