Southeast, NY
PLEASE NOTE: This burial ground is on private property. Please do not trespass on private land. This info is provided for historical and educational purposes. If you have ancestors in this cemetery and want to visit, contact us at stvnmattson@gmail.com and we can get you in touch with the property owner.
Townsend Cemetery is one of the town of Southeast’s historic cemeteries. There are conflicting opinions regarding the exact number of burials. Some say about 21 people are buried here. Reverend Fisher’s 1972 book refers to it as Gilbert Cemetery, and claims there are about 35 graves. Barbara Buys’ 1975 book refers to it as Townsend Cemetery and lists 17 interred. There are a number of Revolutionary War Soldiers buried in Townsend/Gilbert Cemetery. One of the interred, Peleg Bailey, purchased a plot of land in 1781 from the Commission of Forfeitures that later, after passing ownership and being combined with other parcels, was eventually sold to the Brewster brothers – and became the Village of Brewster.
It is located off of Brewster Hill Road, up in the woods. But as mentioned, it is on private property. Do not trespass.
Work was done on the cemetery in 2006 when local resident and history buff Carol Bailey, along with Brewster VFW member Bob Palmer got together to do some clean-up. In 2008, a large new memorial stone was added, paid for by Ms. Bailey and the Brewster VFW. The same year, Ms. Bailey obtained new government-issued headstones for a number of the interred veterans, and they were installed by Chris Milano of Beechers Funeral Home.
According to Barbara Smith Buys’ 1975 book “Old Gravestones of Putnam County, New York” the interred at Townsend Cemetery are:
1.Bailey, Peleg. Died Jan 22, 1810. 70 yrs old. **Revolutionary War Veteran**
2. Bailey, Rachel. Died Dec 10, 1810, 61 yrs old.
3. Bailey, Samuel. Died 1820. 62 yrs old. **Revolutionary War Veteran**
4. Bailey, Susanna. Died July 1802. 40 yrs old.
5. Cowing, David. Died Aug 15, 1792 in 51st year. **Revolutionary War Veteran**
6. Cowing, G.W. Died Oct 1777 in 63rd year.
7. Dickinson, Major Tertullus. Died Jan 7, 1801 in 58th year. **Served with British during the Revolution War** Epitaph on 2008 stone: “Sacred to the memory of Major Tertullus Dickinson in whose character, energy and enterprise, industry and fortitude were united. Kind as a husband and affectionate as a parent. Warm, faithful and frank as a friend. He had the felicity of being beloved and respected by his family and highly regarded by his connections.”
8. Haskin, Joseph. Died May 18, 1807 in 73rd year.
9. Kirk, James L. Born 1840. Died 1925.
10. Marvin, Abigail, wife of Ephraim. Died April 2, 1818. 75 yrs old.
11. Marvin, Ephraim. died July 27, 1793. 49 yrs old. **Revolutionary War Veteran** See # note below.
12. Reynolds, John. died Aug 18, 1817. 49 yrs old.
13. Reynolds, Ruth, wife of John. Died Nov 3, 1849. 70 yrs old.
14. Townsend, Charles. Born 1791. Died Feb 7, 1852. 61 yrs 7 mo old.
15. Townsend, Hannah, wife of Isaac. Died Feb 12, 1844 in 91st year. (Rev. Fisher’s book lists her death as 1846, age 91)
16. Townsend, Isaac. died Sept 10, 1803. 61 yrs old. **Revolutionary War Veteran**
17. Townsend, Rachel. Died Sept 12, 1839. 59 yrs old.
The large memorial stone that was placed in 2008 also lists the following interred, who are not listed in Ms. Buys’ book:
18. Morgan, Gertrude. 1865-1918.
19. Marvin, Ephraim. Died Sept 2, 1818. 75 yrs old. See # note below.
# There are two Ephraim Marvins listed on the stone placed in 2008. One is listed as having died July 27, 1793 at the age of 49 – which implies a birth year of 1744. There is a government-issued Veteran’s footstone for the Ephraim Marvin who died in 1793. The other is listed as having died Dept 2, 1818 at the age of 75 – which implies a birth year of 1743. As of yet, I am unable to clarify this inconsistency.
The 2008 stone also indicates that Rachel Bailey was the wife of Peleg, and Susanna Bailey was the wife of Samuel.
Sources:
A Historical Sketch of Brewster, NY by Laura Voris Bailey, accessed via http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nyeccdar/index.htm Accessed 12/18/12.
Gravestones of Revolutionary War Patriots in Putnam County, NY. Enoch Crosby Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Published 2011. Edited by Jeanne Marie Perry. Researched by Libby Baker and Carol Bailey.
Old Gravestones of Putnam County, NY. Barbara Smith Buys. Gateway Press. Baltimore, MD. 1975.
They All Rest Together: Burial sites of the early settlers southern Dutchess and Putnam counties by Rev. Floyd Fisher. New York. 1972.
www.putnamgraveyards.com accessed 12/18/12.
Bailey, Carol. Via email communication 12/30/12.
Palmer, Bob. Via personal conversations, various dates.
Personal visit.