Concrete Cross on the Ground on Site of Abandoned Cemetery
The Sixth Ward Cemetery in Troy, known also as the Nail Factory Cemetery and the Iron Works Cemetery, was opened in 1836. As reported by Arthur James Weise on page 178, in his book Troy's One Hundred Years - 1789-1889, published in 1891; "The Sixth Ward Cemetery, on the west side of Vandenburgh Avenue was conveyed by the Troy Iron and Nail Factory Company to the city on May 17, 1836 for a burial place for the use of the people in that part of the city. It comprises about an acre of land."
Despite numerous inquiries, no records on when this cemetery closed and on where the remains were removed to, have been discovered. The only remaining symbol from the cemetery is a large concrete cross lying on the former cemetery grounds area which is now the property of Hudson Valley Community College. Previously, the grounds were the site of the Franciscan Monastery which acquired the property from the Burden family which owned the Troy Iron and Nail Factory Company
Roadway Leading To Site of the Abandoned Cemetery.
The following description of the Troy Iron and Nail Factory Company explains that the complex was comprised of the factory and related building, extensive housing for the workers and the cemetery where many of the factory employees and their children were buried.
The purpose of the company, disclosed in the articles of incorporation, was the manufacture of bar-iron, steel, nail-rods, hoop-iron, sheet-copper, machinery, tools and implements. The works are described in Spafford's Gazetteer of the State of New York, published in 1824 "Among the manufacturing establishments of this town, the Troy Iron and Nail Factory claims distinguished notice. It stands on the Wynantskill, in the 6th ward, 2 1/2 miles s. of the city, and is owned by an incorporated company, principally in Albany. These works embrace a rolling and slitting mill, a very extensive nail factory, sundry shops for other mechanical business, and about 50 houses, making a busy sequestered manufacturing village.... The Nail Factory is a stone edifice of great extent"
There are no complete records of interments in the Nail Factory Cemetery. The records in this data base are mostly compiled from a listing found at the Troy Library. This listing of burials was compiled by Frances D. Broderick and Warren F. Broderick, Lansingburgh, New York dated May 1977. The Broderick's compiled the records from the Old Troy Burial Books at Troy City Hall. Prior to 1850, the city owned burial grounds were usually all called "the Corporate Grounds" and for this reason it is impossible to identify the early Nail Factory burials. Starting in 1850, the burial books identified the cemetery by name, and those records mentioning the Nail Factory Cemetery were copied for the Broderick's document. Several additional burials at the Nail Factory Cemetery that were not on the Broderick's list were obtained from records on the Rootsweb Rensselaer County website. This website, run by Lin Van Buren from London, is working on a major transcription project involving the Troy Burial Records. To see some of the completed work on this project go to: https://sites.rootsweb.com/~nyrensse/cemetery.htm
(NOTE: It will also be of interest to know that the 169th Regiment, New York Infantry organized in 1862 had a Company I principally recruited from Troy which was also known as the Nail Factory Company.)
Many of the following records of interments at the Nail Factory Cemetery indicate that the person "resided at the Nail Factory". In addition to the factory housing at the Nail Factory, this statement seems to have covered a whole area or section of Troy generally around the Factory itself. Of note also, is that the great bulk of these interment records are for small children. In addition many of the records indicate city, town, state or country of birth and in some cases place and cause of death.
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