Far from the
noise of the thriving town in the edge of a dense wood lies the little
cemetery commonly spoken of as Indian Burying Ground. Why this
name was given to the sacred spot is not definitely known.
The common conjecture is, however, that it
was thus named on account of its close proximity to Indian Hill, being
but a few hundred rods remote.
The plot is on the farm known as the
David Hibbard farm, now owned by Mrs. Eva F. Hibbard of Manlius and
occupied by Charles Ferris. It is about one and one-half miles from
the village and some distance from the public highway.
There are perhaps fifty graves which can be easily found.
Many are marked by plain white slabs, while others have brown stones and
still others gray. Here and there the stones have fallen
and the rains of many summers and snows of many winters have erased all
writing from them.
Among those still readable we note the following:
Dr. Daniel Weston
died Feb. 26, 1843
Aged 50 years, 7 months
and 5 days.
Camilia L.
youngest daughter of
Daniel and Lucy Weston
died
Sept. 9, 1845
aged 12 years
"Beloved and mourned."
Lewis Beebee
son of
Ransomb and Susan
Williams
died July 29, 1819
aged 7 years, 9 months
and 16 days.
Erected
to the memory of
Polly
wife of
Nathan Williams III
who died Aug.
31, 1828,
In the 43d year of her age.
Mayo C.
son of
Ransomb and Susan
Williams
died Sept. 15, 1841
aged 16 months.
Stephen Isaac
son of
Isaac and Keziah
Williams
died March 14, 1845
aged l year, 9 mos. and 22 days.
In memory of
Levi W. Ketchum*
son of David and Patience Ketchum
who died
Aug. 19, 1812
Aged 3 years, 2 months
and 12 days.
In memory of
Patience
Consort of
David Ketchum*
who died Nov. l, 1832.
Aged 55 years.
In
memory of
Isaac Ketchum*
who died Sept. 18,
1820
Aged 58 years.
In memory of
Luke D. Ketchum*
who died Dec. 29,
1826
Aged 22 years.
In memory of Clarissa
Potter, Consort of Henry
H. Potter, who died Nov. 29,
1817. Aged 23 years.
In
memory of
Jacob Cleveland
who died Jan. the 13th
1827
In the 77th year
of his age.
No mortal woes
Can reach the peaceful sleeper here
For angels watch his sweet repose.
In memory of
Ansel Cleveland
son of Jacob
and Charity Cleveland
who died Oct. 28, 1808.
In the 19th year of his age.
Ye blooming youth behold me cast
Where death will bring you all at last.
In memory of
Charity
wife of Jacob Cleveland
who died
Aug. 26, 1808
In the 52d year of her age,
Jesus guard the sleeping dust
For in thy name she put her trust.
In memory of Mrs.
Eliza Ladd
Consort of Mr.
Dan. Ladd
She died the 20th of March
1808. Aged 31 years.
Henry C.
son of
C.C. and Charlotte
Midler
Died Aug.
13th, 1835
Aged l year, 2 months and 9 days.
Erected to
the memory of Charlotte W.
wife of Columbus Midler
who died June 24, 1834
aged 23 years
6 mo. and 22 days
Harriet Cornelia,
daughter of
James L. and
Alma C. Beebee
Died Sept. 3, 1845
Aged 4 mo. and 10 days.
A more beautiful spot than this could not be found for the last
resting place of the dear departed. In the morning the
bright sun struggling through the dense foliage on the east side
makes the place truly beautiful. The tiny stream at the foot of the
hill sings merrily as it bends its course to the ocean. The birds
seem to understand and sing their sweetest song and the bright faced daisies
lift their heads to greet the rising sun.
It is evening and the scene is changed. The last rays of the setting sun cast weird shadows here and there among the graves. The tiny stream which sang so merrily in the morning has assumed a murmuring air. The birds take up a plaintive strain and the daisies which were so bright and gay in the morning now bend their heads reverently in keeping with the scene.
* * *
*Other burials found in this cemetery, according to a 1925 list at
the Onondaga Co. Historical Society, include:
Nathan Ketchem d. Jan. 1806, ae 77y
Clarissa Porter d. June 29, 1817, ae. 23y, wf. of Henry H.
According to POMPEY: Our Town in Profile, Vol. 1 (Township of Pompey, Pompey, NY, 1976), the 1924 obituary of Martha Ketchem Armstrong "stated burial in 'The old Ketchem Cemetery, later 'Hibbard,' on the farm now owned by Charles E. Ferris," p. 232.
Submitted 30 April 1998