PRENDERGAST & HUNT CEMETERIES

PRENDERGAST & HUNT CEMETERIES

CHAUTAUQUA, NY

Nearly everyone is familiar with the existence of the old Prendergast Cemetery on the Mayville end of the Stedman Road in the town of Chautauqua, but many have failed to locate it.  The historic marker faces south and is on the left side of the road in front of the old farmhouse as one rides from Stedman.
Here lie the parents of James Prendergast, founder of Jamestown.  He too once lay here, but in 1880 he and his wife were exhumed and taken to Lake View Cemetery in Jamestown.  The story of his mother, the redoubtable Mehitable, must be familiar with most as it was told in this newspaper this spring.  The Prendergasts were wealthy, educated and of strong constitution and personality.  They were well equipped for leadership and pioneer life.
This cemetery once restored by the County Historical Society has been permitted to revert to nature.  There is countywide agitation to restore it again and to fence it properly.  The new owner has said he would be willing to maintain it when accomplished.
The well-kept Hunt Cemetery on Rout 17J above the Assembly Grounds, just beyond the junction of the Stedman Road with 17J is the resting place of the second and third generations of Prendergasts.  Motorists whizzing by overlook it or assume it is a part of the Chautauqua Cemetery.  The Hunt Cemetery as an endowment assuring perpetual care and if is well mowed, but many stones have sunk and need attention.  It is located on land owned by William Hunt, a native of Dutchess Co., NY who came here via Washington County.  He lived and owned all the land of the Chautauqua Assembly Grounds and some west of it. He died in Ripley at the home of his son.
Practically every family in it intermarried with the Prendergast family:  William Hunt’s son, Samuel married Mary Predergast; their two daughters, both married Dr. Simeon Collins, William’s daughter Eunicy married Walter Cornell and Walter’s daughter Maria married William P. Whiteside.  George Irwin was the son of Jarad and Lillius Predergast Irwin.
We have not yet found a connection between Telemachus Birch and the Prendergasts except both came via Washington County.  Possibly the wife of Telemachus, Jane, whose stone is missing, might have been a Prendergast.  So far we have not found a single mention of him in any Chautauqua County book.  Are there any descendants to help us?
On arrival in America, the Prendergasts settled at Pawling, Dutchess County, NY. In 1807 they came to Chautauqua County, settling on the west side of the lake about seven miles from Mayville.  The children in the old cemetery are listed in order of age.  The eighth child, John Jeffrey, never came here but settled in Herkimer County where he served as a Senator.  The tenth child, Eleanor, died at age 13 before the family migrated from Dutchess County.



QUERIES

B26  BROWN.  Can anyone supply a list of the children of Isaac Newton Brown 1817-1840 and wife Phebe Ann Clark, early of Ellery.  The removed to Illinois.  We have 4-David N., 5-Mary C. m Thum, 6-E. Nettie m. Ripley, 7-Kate who m. Harris and 9-Edward L. died 1887.  When Phebe Ann died in 1890 he above 4 children survived her.  Isaac N. was son of David Brown and Mary Brownell and was born in Ellery.  Fenton

A27  LUDLOW, Francis Hugh 1776-1836, married 1798 Sarah Colton born 11 Apr. 1782 in Tolland Co., CT.  They moved to Ripley between 1810 and 1815.  Their children were:  Dr. Oliver Woodworth Ludlow; Nancy Ludlow Forsyth; Jane Ludlow Hutchins; Mary Ann who married Burwell L. Collier; Frances Abigail the wife of Hayden Homewood.  This last was my grandmother who went every Sunday from Ripley to Portland to attend the Baptist Church.  She called the Barnes and Perry families "cousins."  Fanny the dau. of Daniel and Lucinda Barnes married a Perry.  How were they related?  Any information on the Ludlow’s wanted. JHS Oak Park, Ill.

B28A  NEAR-LOUNSBURY.  Tammy Lounsbury 1800-1871 who married John Conrad Near.  When were they married?  His parents?

B28B  KNAPP, Sylvester and wife Betsey (maiden name unknown) had a dau. Anna b. 15 Jan. 1834 died 6 July 1908.  Anna is buried in Lake View.  She must be there under a married name.  Can anyone supply it?  Where are Sylvester and Betsey buried?

B29  Am trying to trace some ancestors.  Need the death of Haran Scofield and his wife Pamelia or Permelia. Also her maiden name.  MCF San Lorenzo, CA

B30  BURROUGHs (BURROWS).  Want data on Bela Burroughs of Portland, NY.  The 1850 census gives children Clarinda 26 (?) (later censuses vary her age), James H. 19, Mary J. 17, Amos H. 13.  Were there older children?  His wife was Sylvia Hunt dau. of Obediah Hunt and his wife Clarinda Simmons, Napoli, NY

B31  BROWN.  Does anyone have family records of the David Brown family fo Ellery?  Rhinebeck, NY

B32  PRESTON.  William born 17 Feb 1805 (where?) died 4 March 1878 at Beaver Dam, PA.  Married Electa Lamphere (when and where?).  Their sons Whitney W. Preston, born Panama, NY 22 July 1842, died 17 Oct. 1899 in North Harmony.  In what cemetery is he buried?  We didn’t find him or wife in Panama Union Cemetery but a dau. Rhoda J. died 22 April 1851 aged 3 in on the Jonas-Priscilla Lamphere lot.  Want Electa’s birth and death also.

B33  MILES, Stephen A. born 19 May 1836 Ontario Co., NY, died 29 Jan. 1894, Jamestown.  He is buried in Lake View Cemetery with wife Mary Ann born Gerry 19 Aug. 1845, died Jamestown 28 July 1918, dau. of James & Phebe Scovel Anderson who are buried in the Gerry Cemetery.  Mary Ann was survived by son Edward D. and dau. May Miles Corell 1872-1943 wife of Harry B. Corell 1879-1938.  Would like to have descendants, call Fenton, Meadville.

ANSWERS

B20  MOSIER.  A woman in North East has written offering help on the Henry Mosier line.  Fenton has the Carpenter data.

B20  HOSIER:  In the August 30 issue this name was misspelled as Moshier.

B27  LUDLOW:   Benjamin and Elizabeth Rice Hutchins purchased land in Portland in 1805 and moved their family here in 1806 from Otsego County.  In 1817 they moved to Westfield where Elizabeth died in 1818 and he in 1855.  Both are buried in the Westfield-Portland Union Cemetery.  Their children were Pelatiah, M. Mariah Dutcher and settled in Mich.; Charlotte m. John C. Minegar of Westfield.  He died in Canada and Charlotte m. Stephen LUDLOW and moved to Iowa where she died in 1868; John b. in Portland 17 Nov. 1809, m. Jane LUDLOW, 19 Jan. 1837, lived in Westfield; Lusylvia m. Samuel Covey of Westfield;  Mary lived with Mrs. Covey and died in 1865.  Clarissa m. Alanson Geer.  PVW Portland.

B27  BARNES:  Fanny, daughter of Daniel and Lucinda King Barnes was born in VT and came to Portland in 1810 when Daniel was 47 yrs. old.  Fanny m. Samuel Perry who died 1815, Fanny died 14 Feb. 1822.  Mr. Barnes died in 1854 and was wholly dependent on public charity the last years of his life.  Mrs. Barnes died some years before her husband.  Mrs. Barnes & Mrs. Perry are both buried in Portland Evergreen Cemetery.  Mr. Barnes was buried in the Brocton Cemetery.  In 1903-4 this cemetery was transferred to the Portland Cemetery and the headstones were lost at this time.  PVW Portland.

B28  NEAR. John Conrad Near was the son of Conrad & __ Fox.  He ws born 1795 at Palatine Bridge in Montgomery Co., NY. He married Tamison Lounsbury born 1817 (or perhaps that is the marriage date).  They came to Ellicott 1834.  Their children were:  Lafayette born 7 April 1843 in Ellery m. Lucinda Shaw; John m. (1) Jane Rockwell (2) Alice Shaw; Charles born 16 May 1826 m. Electa Rice; William m. May Bristol, went to Mich and on to CA; Orvilla m. Charles McHarvey went to CA; Caroline m. Adam Varderwark; Amelia m. Wm. Thayer and moved to Mich; Martha m. ___ Schuyler of Jamestown; Persis m. ___ Lee of Jamestown; Jane died 26 Dec. 1864, age 31.

B28 NEAR [15 March 2000]  John Conrad Near was the son of Conrad Near Jr and Anna Nancy Fox. He married Tamison(Tammy) Lounsbery b: 1800 in Schaighticoke dau. of Thomas Lounsbery Jr.in 1817 Their children, there were 13 of them were
1. Charles D. b: 5/16/1826 (my ggrandfather) married 1) Elisabeth Hall 2)  Electra Rice(my ggrandmother),
2. William F. b:2/29 1820 Married Mary Bristol
3. Jane E. b: 10/9/1833 maarried _____ Rhodes
4. Persis b: 3/23/1839 married Samuel Lee
5. Martha b: 10/7/1837 married John Schuyler
6. Amelia b: 11/2/1824 married William Thayer
7. Caroline b: 1/29/19 Married Adam Vanderwark
8. John B. b: 4/30/1835 married Jane Rockwell
9. Lafayette b: 4/7/1843 married Lucinda Shaw
10. Nancy b:3/16/1830
11. Mary b: 12/2/1832 married ____ Lee
12. Arvilla Ann b: 6/16/1828 married Charles McHarvey
13. Charles b:1825 died young
These names are quoted from the written version of the Near Tradition published 1965 I have a copy of it and will be glad to answer any questions on the Nears.  --  Bud Neer

B29 SCOFIELD.  Haran and wife Pamelia D. McClenathan are buried in the Sinclairville Cemetery.  Haran was born 7 Dec. 1802 and died 3 June 1867 according to his stone and Pamelia was born 9 Feb. 1804 and died 24 May 1882.  Haran’s death is also recorded in the Court House in Mayville.

B32  PRESTON:  Whitney W. Preston and wife Lois Rowland are buried at Beaver Dam, PA.  Electa Lamphere Preston died 18 Dec. 1891 age 87 (Bible Record) but her birth was not recorded in the Bible.

NEW 29 Jul 1998 I notice that on the Prendergast Cemetery notes, there is mention made that Walter Cornell probably did not come to Chautauqua County. That is true:  Walter died in Albany, NY in 1833.  He was a son of Mathew Cornell & Elizabeth Shrieve and is buried in the same small farm cemetery where his mother is buried.  The cemetery is in the southern portion of Washington County, very close to the border with Rensselaer County.
-- Margaret Ernest  -- (I am a descendant of Mathew & Elizabeth through their son Mathew & his wife Lydia Ford.  Lydia's father was Thomas Ford, also a settler of Chautauqua County.  I believe he is buried in the Magnolia Springs Cemetery)



William Hunt
I have a comment on a question posed in the Prendergast/Hunt cemetery page.  It has something to do with the Burch/Birch relationships to the Hunts.  Some of my Hunt relatives are buried in the cemetery on the Burch Farm in Schaghticoke, Rensselaer Co., NY, - namely William Hunt, son of Elvin Hunt who d. 18 Aug 1834 in French Creek and Stephen Hunt and his wife Thankful Sprague, parents of Gibson Hunt who is buried in the Hunt cemetery in Chautauqua Co..

The parents of Elvin & Stephen were Samuel Hunt who d. in 1800 in Wash co. and Margaret. Possibly Margaret was a Burch, or she could have been a Gibson since she had a grandson Gibson Hunt. Pure supposition but worth exploring.
Barb Baxter


SOURCE: Fenton Historical Society Deserted Cemetery Series.  From the Jamestown Journal 30 August 1969, compiled and written by Edna Ingham