Historic Cemeteries Receive Restoration Help from CFOC

By DARLA M. YOUNGS
SPRINGFIELD

Back in March of this year, the Community Foundation of Otsego County announced that it was accepting applications for the Otsego County Cemetery Restoration Fund, to support preservation and historic renovation in small cemeteries. As of today, eight projects have been awarded and three more are in the pipeline, awaiting approval.

Executive Director Jeff Katz said in a recent e-mail that CFOC was contacted by an anonymous donor who “sought to support the preservation and historic quality of Otsego County cemeteries with small historic renovation projects.”

These awards—up to $5,000.00 to applicants with at least partial matching funds—are helping to ensure that Otsego County’s outdoor museums and the history of its towns remain accessible to all.

“The history of Otsego County can be told through the people in our cemeteries—people who had the vision to found towns and villages, establish long-standing businesses, and even fought a revolution,” Katz said. “What could be more visionary than that? These founders of Otsego County are all around us in our cemeteries, and improving those settings is important to county residents.”

More than 330 historic cemeteries have been identified here in Otsego County, according to data mapped by Otsego County Planning Department intern Brendan Ceccolini in 2015. According to Katz, projects have been approved by CFOC for eight cemeteries thus far: Harmony Cemetery, Morris; Lakewood Cemetery, Cooperstown; Huntley Cemetery, Plainfield; Exeter Cemetery, Exeter; Westville Cemetery, Westville; Milford Cemetery, Milford; Laurens Village Cemetery, Laurens; and Draper Hill Cemetery, Westford.

There are multiple ways in which grantees are planning on using the funds from CFOC. In Harmony Cemetery, for instance, tree removal is underway on the Brooks plot, resting place of a prominent early Morris family, along with repair, resetting and cleaning of the stones.

The headstone will be cleaned and stone steps repaired on the Ryerson plot in Cooperstown’s Lakewood Cemetery. Improvements to Huntley Corners include the scraping, cleaning and repainting of a historic wrought iron fence and a replacement for the old, weathered sign.

Exeter Cemetery will clean, reassemble and provide new foundations for nine headstones in the oldest section of the cemetery, while the Westville Cemetery project—now completed—involved restoration of gateposts, gates and the cemetery sign.

“The grant given to the Westville Cemetery Association for the restoration of its gates and signage by the Community Foundation of Otsego County was very much appreciated due to the fact that the cemetery has a very limited means of income,” said association Treasurer Donna Francis. “We have only three lots left for sale in the cemetery and lot sales are a major source of income, along with burial fees. And now that many families elect to be cremated as opposed to having full burials, another source of income has been greatly diminished.

“However, the cost of maintaining the grounds of a cemetery continues to increase every year, making it impossible to do anything extra, like restoration projects. Thanks to the Community Foundation of Otsego County, our gates and signage are beautifully restored and will look lovely for many years to come,” Francis said in an e-mail.

“The Westville Cemetery dates back to the late 1800s and reflects the past history of the hamlet of Westville in the Town of Middlefield in Otsego County. We are often called by families who are tracing their genealogy and we are able to help find the information for which they are searching. This is an important part of Otsego County’s history,” Francis added.

Milford Cemetery plans to mark every Revolutionary War veteran’s grave with permanent signage and to conduct walking tours. Laurens Village and Draper Hill cemeteries are focusing on veterans as well. Six veterans of the Revolutionary and Civil wars will have stones and markers at the Laurens location; a walkway to Westford’s Draper Hill site leads to a number of Revolutionary War veterans.

Roxanne Murray, a member of the Iroquois Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, said they have discovered that, of the 60 known burials in the Draper Hill Cemetery in Westford, there may be as many as five or six patriots who served in the American Revolutionary War.

“We are pleased that this project has been in collaboration with the Westford Town Board, the Westford Historical Society, and many community members who have shown an interest in restoring and learning more about the cemetery,” Murray said.

A community dedication is planned for the country’s semiquincentennial in 2026, the 250th anniversary of the 1776 United States Declaration of Independence, Murray added.

At this time, Katz said, all available funds have been spoken for.

“We’re hoping to get funding for a second round,” he added. “We also encourage people to donate to the fund. Community engagement is important. Donors can specify a cemetery they would like to see the funds used for.”

Katz said the application process for cemetery funds was simple, starting with a conversation with interested applicants.

“We were looking for historic renovation projects that were complete projects,” Katz explained. “There’s such a large need for help that we wanted to focus on assisting with projects that could be completed, as opposed to a cemetery having 100 stones that needed repair and being able to fund the repair of only 10.”

Katz said one of the best things anyone ever told him was that “history is a great rudder and a terrible anchor.”

“In our cemeteries are the stories of the people who built Otsego County, who had vision and acted upon it, despite, I have no doubt, people telling them their ideas wouldn’t work or were pipe dreams. Again, people fought a revolution! Imagine if they had listened to [those] who told them they’d never succeed.

“This is the Otsego County history we should have in mind when we think about our present and future,” Katz emphasized.

The Laurens Village Cemetery Improvement Association received a grant from the CFOC to restore six historic veteran cemetery stones.

“The purpose of the restoration is to recognize the burial site of all of our American Revolutionary War and War of 1812 veterans and honor these veterans. Unfortunately, due to environmental and biological factors, our stones from this time period have become difficult to read, with some having cracked stones and/or unsteady bases,” explained Peggy Jenkins. “Each of these grave sites will also receive grave markers for flags commensurate with their war service.

“The public benefit to this project includes education to Laurens Central School American history students and a ceremony upon completion sponsored by the Laurens Historical Society and Laurens American Legion to honor our Revolutionary War and War of 1812 veterans. Preservation of our veterans’ gravestones is in preparation for the 250th celebration of our country’s birth being recognized throughout the [United States], including Otsego County,” Jenkins said.

Those interested in supporting further Otsego County historic cemetery renovations can donate on the CFOC website,
https://cfotsego.org/fund/otsego-county-cemetery-restoration-fund-foi/.