SIGN LOCATED AT THE EASTERN ENTRANCE AT THE END OF CEMETERY AVENUE, OFF BROADWAY (NY ROUTE 32), IN MENANDS. MUM HAD A SUPRISE, WHEN SHE FOUND DRUING HER GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH, THAT HER FATHER, WHO WAS FROM HUDSON, NY, NEARLY FIFTY MILES SOUTH OF ALBANY, HAD BEEN BORN ON CEMETERY AVE...ALMOST IN SIGHT OF THE STREET MY MUM AND DAD BUILT THIER HOUSE ON, OVER FIFTY YEARS LATER.
Well, seeing as I've mentioned some stuff about the Albany Rural Cemetery, I thought I'd share some of the very true stories I'd encountered during my research, so many years ago. While I no longer have most of my notes, most stories are so well ingrained in my mind, I really don't need them, anymore. But first, a little background--just some facts off the top of my head.
In the early 18th century, the city of Albany, NY was overun with little cemeteries. Often these were really horrible places: exposed graves, dead animals, rats, starving dogs--you get the picture. Not good. So, a mess of the prominent citizenry got together, chose some ground and called it a cemetery...367 acres worth. Many graves were moved there--and in the 1860's, I believe, a huge burial plot, known as the State Street Burial Ground--consisting of a bunch of churchyard cemeteries all thrown together, dating from the late 1600's (some stones removed to ARC still bore Dutch inscriptions)...and a place was set aside for this cemetery (near where my late mum, grandfather and great aunt are buried). Anyway, there was this big parade and a grand opening and tra-la! A grand cemetery was born--which in the height of the Victorian era, would be considered one of the most beautiful in the world.
But enough history...I could go on, but it can get a bit boring, I suppose--let's plunge right into the more interesting stuff.
Tragic (and sometimes bizzare) stories:
These are stories I either was told about, read about, or simply stumbled across on my own.
One day, while photographing a monument near the cemetery pond, I noticed at the base, that the two little headstones were of little children who'd died close together. While walking around to the back, I found that there was an inscription on the back of each stone: They were each child's last words, just before each one died.
In the northern section, there's the graves of a man and wife, from the 1900's. They died on the same day. The story: The husband and his wife were walking to a movie house one Saturday. As they walked over the railroad tracks, one of the heels on her old-fashioned high buttoned shoes got caught. The train was coming. He couldn't pry her loose, no matter how hard he tried. So, when the train came upon her, her husband gathered her in his arms and they died together. Their daughter, when later asked by a local historian/journalist about it, wasn't nearly so romantic about it. She never forgave her father.
Near this same section, just a little to the east, a young Victorian girl was with her family paying their repects to the family grave plot. She decdided to wait for her family in the carriage. Just as she got in, something spoooked the horses and they took off--upsetting the carrige. She was thrown out, and was flung into a headstone, dying instantly....the headstone was in the family plot---right next to where she would soon be buried.
In the 1900's, a young chemist was accused of murdering his new wife, but putting poison into her medicine. He was tried and found guilty. To the end, he vehemently protested his innocence. He was the first man ever to be executed by the electric chair, in the state of New York. He was buried on the hill near the eastern entrace of the cemetery. As his coffin was lowered into the ground, it was noted that a brass plate on the outside of it bore the inscription, They would not if they had known." There is no formal marker marking where the young man is buried.
"Unique" monuments:
The cemetery also contains some very unique monuments, as well.
Probably one of the most unusual monument, is a mable pylon, encirled by a series of bronze umbrellas going up the sides. The umbrellas at one time, had little silver bells attached to each "rib," but these were later stolen.
On the same hill where the alleged wife murderer is laid to rest, there stands two small children's monuments, a boy and a girl. The girl's monument depects a very detailed sculpture of her high-button shoes and little straw hat.
Further on, up the hill a ways, stands the outline of the foundation of what once was a good sized brick crypt. It was torn down. Why? Because word got out the that the eccentric old lady who was buried in there, had ordered that after burial, that the lock be filled with lead, and the key thrown into the nearby Hudson River. Well, word got out, as it will do, and people tried to break in to the vault...didn't succeed, but the vault was damaged so badly it had to be torn down. If any "treasures" were ever found in there, nobody talked about it.
Nearby is a granite pyramid. No design, just a pyramid, with a small, approx. 1 inch square inprinted on one side, for no apparent reason. There's also some gigantic balls (no jokes please) made of various materials in the cemetery, as well as several life size and smaller broken off "trees," one of brownstone, most of marble. And huge Celtic crosses are quite popular in some areas.
Even further along is a stone depicting a young boy in his knickers (the short trousers, not the undershorts), holding his schoolbooks in one hand, his other hand outstretched with one finger pointing. At one time--before mention was made of the stone in local papers and it was vandalized---the outstretched finger had a bee sitting on it. "Howie" was killed by an alergic reaction to a bee sting on his way home from school. How's that for a bizzare but touching memorial?
Near the cemetery pond, there's a simple modern stone, that tells of the heroism of a ship's captain, who, in the 1950's, saved passengers on a sinking ship. The back of his monument bears part of a famous nautical poem.."I want to go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and sky..."
In another section, the 19 ton monument of one Lyman Root, was, when it was installed at the time, accidentally set to the exact points of the compass.
A monument on the far eastern hill, facing the old Delaware and Hudson railroad tracks, sits a simply plinth...surmounted by a finely detailed fireman's helmet on a padded cushion, all done in marble. It's dedicated to firemen who died in a horrific hotel fire in Albany in the late 19th century. The plinth also depicts a fireman's speaking trumpet on the side, and, if I recall correctly--but my memory's a bit fuzzy--I think some of those ball-type fire extinguishers they used to use.
There's some empty chair monuments, as well. One is a tiny marble chair, all padded and tufted, just like the real thing, on a child's grave.
There's an oriental stone as well--of course, I can't read the inscription--oriental stones are tall and narrow, it seems.But, I can't say for sure, as it's the only one I've ever seen.
Some of the more elaborate Civil War soldier's graves contain, Republic sheilds, draped flags, swords/buckles, crossed cannon and cannon balls, eagles, medals, kepie caps (hats), and other accourtements.
THE WESTERN ENTRANCE OFF OF STATE ROUTE 378 (just four drives above my own street that I grew up on). THIS IS WHERE THE LOCAL PRESBYTERIAN CHRUCH HELD ITS SUNRISE SERVICE ON EASTER MORNING. ONE TIME, WHEN I WAS IN MY EARLY TEENS, THE "MR PIBB" SOFT DRINK HOT AIR BALLOON, HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING HERE...AND US KIDS GOT TO HELP THEM TAKE IT APART AND ROLL UP THE BALLOON--THAT WAS REALLY FAR-OUT.
There's a bell tower in the cemetery, that used to be rung for funerals. It's still there, located behind the main office. However, they had to stop using is as the cemetery grew, as it got so the bell was ringing almost constantly, and the neighbours started to complain.
Some of the more famous people buried there, include President Chester A. Arthur (a service is held at his graveside every year), President Martain Van Buren's son, most of the early prominent politicans of New York state, a famous 19th century American actor named Joseph "Fritz" Emmett, is also buried here, as well as the promenant Albany sculptor, Erastus Dow Palmer, who's memorial works include some large monuments, as well as some bronze medallion portraits. He also has some regular sculptures on dispaly in a local museum.
General Stephen Van Rennselaer--last of the old Dutch patroons (lords)--he founded RPI college (the famous American engineering school, Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute( in Troy, NY. He also a state senator, leutenant govenor, state assemblyman, a US congressman, and fought in the War of 1812. He was a key factor in the anti-rent wars---tenant farmers protesting unfair rents, dressed as indians in calico, and blowing tin horns--rebelled against the Van Rennslaers (who, at one time, owned most of the Albany, NY area--many square miles of it-- and these tenants broke the patroon system once and for all in the early 1800's. One of my direct anscestor particpated.
Unitl I was in high school, about the time I was 17 or so, Albany's evening paper was--and had always been since the mid-1800's--the "Knickerbocker." My granddad worked on the Knickerbocker for a while, as a pressman, after he left the Daily News in New York City. I used to help my friend Tommy, deliver that paper when I was around 14 or so. Anyway the founder of that paper, which lasted over 100 years, is buried in the cemetery. He founded this grand old paper---on a total capital of: $7. (That's just a bit over 3 pounds, ey?) Qutie a man, was ol' Hugh J. Hastings.
Another historical figure is that of Samuel Stringer. He was an officer in the British medical department, and was present at Lord Howe's side, when he fell at Fort Ticonderoga. He was later appointed by the Contentntal Congreess as Director-General of Hospital for the Northern Department.
There was Thomas Spencer Llyod, who was a famous American hymn composer in the 19th century. His stone at one time bore his autograph, but acid rain and the harsh northeastern winters have made it difficult to read.
Another historical NY state figure, is Govenor William L. Marcy (for which our tallest state mountain--located here in the Adirondacks, at over 5000 feet--is named) besides govenor, he was also supreme court justice, US senator, Secretary of War under President Polk, Secretary of State under Govenor Pierce. It's wrtitten that his funeral procession to the cemetery was two miles in length, and contained 27 military companies and 17 fire companies. Additionally, his monument--by Erastus Dow Palmer--was the very first granite monument to be placed in the cemetery--until then, stones were strictly marble or brownstone.
Yes, there are several slaves buried in Albamy rural as well. And a Souix indian girl.
The black graves were kept seperate from the white graves, when they were moved from the State Street Burial Grounds in Albany to make room for what is now Washington Park. The black graves are in roughly four mass graves, located off into the woods, all alone. No effort has ever been made to rectify the situation (and yes, I did notify people, but was totally ignored.)
Of the infamous sorts, there is a Mr. Morrisy, a famous 19th century boxer, who was involved in the famous New York City Tamminy Hall scandal, and also help establish the now world famous Saratoga Race Course.
Several early 20th century gangsters are reportedly buried here--but I never got around to confirming that.
