The Pioneer History of
 Orleans County, NY

Chapter XIV
Burying Grounds

Mount Albion Cemetery -- Boxwood Cemetery -- Hillside Cemetery.

Burying places for the dead were established in convenient localities, in the early settlement of Orleans County. One of the oldest of these if at the village of Gaines, on the Ridge road. Mr. Oliver Booth, who owned the land, gave half an acre, on condition that the neighboring inhabitants would clear off the trees with which it was covered, which they did.

Under the statute in such case made, many of these rural old burying places have been put under the care of Cemetery Associations, duly incorporated under the general law. Others have been vested in the towns in which they are situated, under an old law, which provided that burying grounds, which before then had been used a certain length of time by the public, should be so vested.

In the vicinity of the large villages, however, more extensive grounds have been devoted as burial place. The most considerable of these is "MOUNT ALBION CEMETERY," situate two miles south-east from the village of Albion. This burying place, including about twenty-five acres, was purchased by the village of Albion, in may, 1843, for $1,000. It was then an unbroken forest. The natural advantages of this Cemetery, for the purpose designed, can scarcely be equaled by any similar grounds in the country. It was dedicated Sept. 7, 1843.

Before Mount Albion was purchased, a burying ground was used on the south side of the canal, east of the creek, in Albion. The bodies have all been moved from that ground, and burying there discontinued.

From the first, and until 1862, Mount Albion Cemetery was under the care of the trustees of the village. By an Act passed March 26, 1862, the control of the Cemetery was vested in three commissioners, to be appointed by the village Trustees. Dr. Lemuel C. Paine, Lorenzo Burrows and Henry J. Sickels, were appointed such commissioners, and they have been ever since continued in office. Lots in this Cemetery are sold to whoever will buy, the purchasers not being confined to inhabitants of the village of Albion, and owners of lots reside in every town in the county.

The first persons dying in Medina, were buried wherever their friends could find a place; but in the fall of 1830, Mr. David E. Evans, by his agent Mr. Gwynn, gave an acre of land for a burying ground, on the east side of Gwynn street, south from the railroad depot, on which the first corpse buried was the wife of Edmund Fuller, in 1830.

These grounds have been used for burials ever since. in1860, Mr. John parsons interested himself in getting the fences around these grounds repaired, with contributions furnished him for the purpose; and in order suitably to mark the spot, by some fitting memorial, which at small expense would be likely to stand many years; he procured and planted, as near as might be, in the center of the grounds, a fir tree, under the center of which, in a glass jar, inclosed in lead, he deposited various articles, as mementos of the times and people of Medina at present. This tree is now growing vigorously.

"BOXWOOD CEMETERY," lies a little north of Medina, on the east side of the gravel road leading to the Ridge, and contains about six acres, and is owned by the village of Medina. Messrs. S. M. Burroughs, Geo. Northrop, Caleb Hill and others, bought this ground while a forest, of Mr. Gwynn, for a Cemetery, in 1848. They sold it to the village for $600, and it was laid out in lots, and formally opened for burial purposes in 1850. David Card was the first person buried here, in 1849.

Many bodies of the dead buried in the old ground in Medina, have been removed to Boxwood Cemetery, and this is now the principal burying place for the village and vicinity.

"HILLSIDE CEMETERY," is the name of a burying place belonging to "The Holley Cemetery Association,' which was organized Dec. 11, 1866. In Jan. 1867, the association purchased about seven and three-fourths acres of land, lying about half a mile south of the business part of Holley village, and south of the corporation limits, at a cost of $1,100. A large sum has since the n been expended by the Association in improving these grounds, grading the street, and ornamenting and fitting up the premises.

A large part of this burying place has been laid out in lots, carefully numbered, mapped and the map filed in the County Clerk's office. These lots are sold by the Trustees and deeded to purchasers.

August 17, 1867, this Cemetery was formally dedicated by appropriate religious ceremonies.

The affairs of the Association are managed by nine Trustees, who serve in classes, three years. Trustees now in office, (1871), are John Berry, Sargent Ensign, Nelson hatch, James Gibson, Samuel Spear, Humphrey Ruggles, Simon Harwood, Ely H. cook, And orange A. Eddy. John Berry, President, orange A. Eddy, Secretary.

Shade trees have been set around the grounds, and many trees and ornamental shrubs planted.

The soil is well adapted to the purpose designed.--the location is pleasant and commodious to the village of Holley and surrounding country and the good taste and liberally displayed by the people of Holley and vicinity in founding and fostering this Cemetery is creditable to their public spirit, refined feelings and proper regard for their best interests.