Pine Hill Cemetery - Rush Public Library

Rush Pine Hill Cemetery
Pine Hill Cemetery
Current Board Members:
Selden Chase, President
Robert Kuhls, Vice President
Robert Bock
Barbara Bittner
John David
William Meister
Richard Schneider
Susan Mee, Sec/Treas.
Kurt Knapp, Supt.
American Cemeteries
• The Rural Cemetery Movement: 1830-1855
-From Family Cemetery to “Garden of Graves”
• Term “cemetery” comes into use
• The Lawn Cemetery: 1855-1917
-More organized appearance & design
-Planned landscape
-Easier to maintain
Pine Hill Cemetery
• 1730 Rush Scottsville Road
Rush, New York
• Cemetery Association founded 1863
• Formed by interested Rush community
members
Key Developments
• 3 Acres Land Purchased from Cynthia P.
Martin, May 1, 1863
• 16 Rods Deeded from Nathan Jeffords,
May 1, 1863
• Cemetery Lots Sold at Public Auction on
August 22, 1863
• Common Seal of the Rush Cemetery
Association adopted, Aug., 1863
Rush Cemetery Association
Common Seal - 1863
• 200 evergreen trees donated by Ellwanger &
Barry Nursery, May 1865
• Trustees designate 2 lots on southeast corner
for the “burial of strangers”. Susan Palmer,
age 17, buried same afternoon, May 9, 1865
• 9 additional acres purchased from Cynthia
Martin, January 1880
• Association referred to itself as the Rush Rural
Cemetery Association, Minutes of early 1900’s
• $1.00 annual assessment for lot care
• Establishment of “permanent fund”. Could
elect to pay $25; receive a certificate for
permanent care instead of annual fees, Early
1900’s.
• 244’ of Wrought Iron Fencing, Posts and Gates
purchased, July 1903. Hitching Post @ no
charge. Total Cost: $346.25
• 1,000 seedlings purchased from NYS
Conservation Dept., May 1918. Cost of $3.85
• May 1936: Annual lot assessment increased to
$2.00, permanent fund increased to $40.00
• August 1940: Letter to Security Trust Bank
clarifying the name of the cemetery
• Purchase of additional 8.62 acres from Mr.
and Mrs. George Luedemann, April 1946
• Name of the Rush Cemetery Association
changed to Pine Hill Cemetery Association in
June 18, 1956 by-laws
• Rush Pine Hill Cemetery – becomes
incorporated, May 19, 1998
Letter Clarifying Name
Monument Types and Symbols
The basic tablet
tombstone or
headstone is rectangular
in shape, with no
curves, angles or
tapering. It is generally
found set directly into
the ground.
Domed Tombstone Markers
Generally
rectangular in
shape with a
domed or curved
top
Shouldered Tablet
Rectangular at the
base, with plain or
intricate curves
and angles
embellishing the
top
Scalloped Top
Shouldered
tablet
headstones
come in a
wide variety
of shapes
and sizes
Gothic Style
Steep curves angling to
a point differentiate the
gothic style tablet
tombstone from the
domed or shouldered
tablet headstones.
Pediment Tablet
The pointed
top of the
pediment
tablet is
triangular in
shape, instead
of rounded
Botanical Symbolism
• Ivy - memory
• Oak leaves –
immortality
• Poppies - sleep
• Acorns - life
Foot Stones
Clarissa Phillips Blood
Foot Stone: CPB
Monument Styles
The urn is a Greek symbol of mourning. The body acted as a
vessel of the soul – and was a popular symbol of mourning.
Draped Urn Monument
The draped urn symbolizes immortality
Obelisk Monuments
Founding Members of the Pine Hill
Cemetery Association
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Warren Foote
Thomas J. Jeffords
John Lyday
Peter Martin
Matthew C. Martin
Socrates Smith
Warren Foote
• First Cemetery Board President
• Mill Owner, Foote and Darrone, in East Rush
• 1865 (June)Town Census:
– Warren Foote, age 47, Occupation: Miller
– Rhoda Foote, wife, age 44, 5 children
– Josephine (20), Seeley (17), Ella (15), Libbie (12)
and Carrie (4)
Not buried in Pine Hill Cemetery
Honorable Thomas Jefferson
Jeffords
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First Cemetery Board Secretary
Born in Rush, April 2, 1811. Died 1891
Son of Joseph and Susanna Morris Jeffords
7th son in family of 12 children
North Rush Merchant
Public Office from 1835-1874
Justice of Peace: 2 terms; Rush Supervisor –
15 years; Elected Board President 10 times
Honorable Thomas Jefferson
Jeffords
• County Chairman of Committee on Bounties
• 1860: Elected to the County Assembly
• Chairman of the Committee on Public Lands
and Indian Affairs
• Attended Albany Law School
• 1865: Admitted to Bar of Supreme Court
• Represented Rush at the county convention
for 37 consecutive years
Thomas J. Jeffords
Photo credit: History of Monroe County 1877 by H.W. McIntosh
Honorable Thomas Jefferson
Jeffords Grave
Jeffords Burial Grounds
John Lyday
• Died May 9, 1874, age 72
• 1865 (June) Town Census: John Lyday, age 62
from Maryland, occupation farmer, married to
Susan Faust Lyday, 2nd wife., age 48
• First wife was Mary Martin, died at age 28
• Son John I. Lyday, Jr. died at age 19 in Civil War
John Lyday Grave
Old Section: Row H, Lot 5
John Lyday’s Family Plot
Peter Martin
1822 – July 6, 1916
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First Cemetery Board Vice-President
Died at age 92
Occupation: Farmer (1865 Town Census)
Married to Jeannette Ellis, 1825-1909
Children: Charles E. Martin (1856-1865), Ella L.
Martin (1854-1935),
Peter Martin Grave
Old Section: Row F, Lot 5
Mathew C. Martin
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First Cemetery Board Member
Died April 16, 1872, age 49
Occupation: Farmer (June 1865 Town Census)
Married to Harriet Martin, 1st wife – died Nov
16, 1867 (Mathew was her 2nd husband)
• Married to Lydia A. Martin, 2nd wife – died
March 22, 1904
Mathew C. Martin Grave
Old Section, Row K, Lot 1
Dr. Socrates Smith
Oct. 21, 1801 – Aug. 27, 1870
• First Cemetery Board Treasurer
• Born in Vermont , graduated from Castleton Medical
College
• June 1823 moved to Rush
• Married Matilda Markham Smith (1805-1903) ,
February 1829. Matilda was the daughter of Col.
William Markham
• Same year, built his residence – located in hamlet
• 1 daughter, Louisa, married Rev. Isaac Gibbard
• Mrs. Smith affiliated with DAR (Daughters of American
Revolution)
• Eminent physician of the time; well respected,
“more than ordinary intellect”
• Temperance leader
• Trustee of the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary &
Genesee College
• Dr. Smith’s habit was to “review the lessons of
the day”
• A fellow well respected of the time stated
“ We used to think Socrates Smith was half of
western New York”
Dr. Socrates Smith
Source: Findagrave.com
Family Plot of Dr. Socrates Smith
Old Section: Row E, Lot 5 – at the top of the hill
Other Early Rush Settlers Buried in
Pine Hill Cemetery
• Chauncy & Mary Norris: 1st burials in Pine Hill
• John Galentine: 1804-1871, Attorney. Several
Galentine family members lived in Rush in
mid-late 1800’s: the Little family farmhouse at
5 Pts was originally a Galentine home
• Gilbert Brothers: John A., age 17, Dec. 13,
1862 and Granville M, age 24 , June 23, 1864
- both died in the Civil War
• Nathan Jeffords, Sr.: 1757 – 1816 or 1819
Arrived in Rush in 1806
• Samuel H. Kinsey:1845 – 1929. Farmer and
Storekeeper. Town Hall was above his store in
1890’s. Built a sugar mill on his property
• Jacob Martin: 1746 – 1825. Settled here in
1808. Had 1st grafted apple orchard in Rush
• Honorable Peter Price: 1791-1848. Self-taught
lawyer elected to many offices; 1st town clerk
in 1818, Supervisor 1821-1831, Monroe Cty
Judge
• Rebecca Jeffords Price: 1791-1888. Daughter
of Nathan Jeffords, came with family to Rush
in 1806; only 4 families here then. Married
Peter Price, lived to age 97
• Joseph H. Sherman: 1835-1914. Farmer and
Rush supervisor intermittently from 18791901
• Barbara Shinster Smith: 1851-1934. Spent her
life helping others. Caretaker of veteran graves
• Susannah Price Stull: 1788 – 1847. Only daughter of
Philip and Susannah Price who lived to maturity;
Married Jacob Stull; 1802 their son was first white
child born north of Honeoye Creek
• Jacob Stull: 1771-1845. One of earliest settlers;
arrived with or shortly after Philip Price family &
built first house north of the creek
• Christle Thomas: 1759-1844. Arrived in Rush about
1801. Built the first sawmill in town and first bridge
over Honeoye Creek
-Biographical information from Town of Rush 175th Anniversary Tour of
Pioneer Gravesites in Pine Hill Cemetery
Pine Hill Cemetery Website
http://pinehillcemetery.org
Website Tour:
-Maps
-Burial Search
-Related Links
-Veterans
-Images
Rush Pine Hill Cemetery
Questions?