WILSON FAMILY CEMETERY
Town of Mohawk
Montgomery County, NY
11/14/99 1999 Condition Update, including photos.
This transcription of the Wilson Cemetery was sent to us by Paul Russell. In August 1997 Paul provided us with two then-current black and white photos, a little background on the family farm where the cemetery is located, as well as the special provisions made by Jacob Wilson for the future of the cemetery. Paul writes:
"The Old Trail is today a county road; originally, it was the old Indian Trail on the North side of the Mohawk River. The Wilson farm was originally a land-grant for service in the French & Indian War to James Willson & John Willson. The Willsons moved there from Albany in 1763. The cemetery is located off the Old Trial, via the Collins Rd. and is located behind the old Dutch barn on the left. The farm remained in the Wilson family until it was sold in 1923.
It is explicitly mentioned in the Will of Jacob Wilson in 1838: "I devise and bequeath to my son Ira the farm on which I now reside...except thereout on my said farm where the burial ground now is a piece of land forty feet square, which is forever to be devoted to the sole purpose of a burial place for myself and my connections and descendants." There are sixteen plots in the cemetery proper, behind which is an old slave cemetery without markers. The cemetery is maintained by the Wilson family. The marked graves in the cemetery proper have the following inscriptions":
James Wilson, died 1774 in his 89th year
In Memory of John Wilson, who died January 12, 1789 in the 68th year of his life
In memory of Barbera DIEFENDORF, wife of John Wilson, who died September 8, 1792 in the 68th year of her life
Ann, daughter of Ralph & Ann SCHENK, wife of Jacob Wilson, 1784-1876
Jacob Wilson, died September 15, 1838 in the 76th year of his age
Lydia, daughter of Sampson & Ruth SAMMONS, wife of Jacob Wilson, 1768-1799
Lydia, daughter of Jacob Wilson, died May 22, 1835, age 17 yrs., a mo., 10 days
Charlie E., son of Adam and Anna Maria Wilson STOLLER, died March 8, 1865, age 28 mos
Jacob, son of Henry & Elizabeth Ann Wilson, who died January 1, 1854, age 25 yrs, 1 mo., 18
days
Jacob, son of William& Sarah Wilson, died March 3, 1851, ae. 3 yrs. 11 days
Henry Wilson, died 21 May 1841, age 36 years
Burials in the cemetery without stones [from the Fonda Reformed Church record]:
Child of Henry Wilson, died 25 Apr 1877, age 3 weeks
Gary Wilson, died May 13 1877, age 3 yrs, 11 mos
Mrs. Elizabeth A. Wilson, died January 8, 1897, age 87
Source: This list was provided by Paul Russell, a descendant of the Wilson family. Paul has also provided us with extensive obituaries of people of the Wilson surname. He'd appreciate hearing from people who want to share information about his family.