Fall 2018

Dedicated to the furtherance of effective cemetery management and operation for better community service.

The opinions and thoughts expressed

are those of individual authors and do

not necessarily represent the opinions

and thoughts of NYSAC. Copyright

2017. All rights reserved. Do not

reproduce without permission.

Produced by Featherstonhaugh, Wiley & Clyne, LLP

Broadcaster

George Baker, NYSAC Past President, welcomed over 140 cemeterians, supplier

members and all of their guests to the 90th Annual Fall Conference held at The

Sagamore Resort in Bolton Landing, New York from September 29 – October 3, 2018.

Despite the inclement weather, conference attendees enjoyed a combination of excellent

speakers, great content, fantastic amenities and wonderful company, creating a buzzing

atmosphere enjoyed by all.

This year’s conference was another one to remember with presentations from a diverse group

of the industry’s top professionals. Keynote speaker, Tanya Marsh, got things started on

Monday morning with her presentation titled, ‘Evolution of New York Cemetery Law and

Practice from the Mid-Nineteenth Century to the Mid-Twentieth Century’. A Professor of Law

at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Tanya gave an intriguing account

of how modern cemetery law has come to be, focusing specifically on New York State.

After the President’s Lunch, where all NYSAC past presidents who were in attendance were

honored, Aaron Sachs of Cornell University gave a talk titled, ‘Cemeteries in American History

– An Alternate Landscape Tradition’. After Professor Sach’s engaging presentation came ‘Your

Landscape Trees are at Risk – Signs and Symptoms that Require a Management Response’, an

informative and detailed talk by Doak Marasco, a Manager and certified Master Arborist with

continued on page 14

Another Successful Annual Fall Conference

Upcoming Events

42nd Annual Public Affairs Seminar Monday, May 6, 2019 – Tuesday, May 7, 2019 The Desmond Hotel Albany, NY

91st Annual Fall Conference

Saturday, September 14, 2019 –

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

The Thayer Hotel

West Point, NY

PLEASE NOTE: The NYSAC office has changed its address to: 111 Washington Avenue Suite 501 Albany, NY 12210

The Broadcaster

111 Washington Avenue

Suite 501

Albany, NY 12210

(518) 434-1134

(518) 427-0452 fax

info@nysac.com

www.nysac.com

Fall 20182

Fall 2018 3

A Message from the President

Philip J. Tassi NYSAC President

Domenick Castiello, Michael Austin and Steven Sloane also need to be

thanked for their support and commitment to our Association.

Our Association is fortunate to be working with Featherstonhaugh,

Wiley & Clyne, LLP for both our association management and legal

and legislative work. Calum d’Oelsnitz works tirelessly for our

organization on many items including publications, social media, web

site, annual and government and legal affairs meetings. We are very

appreciative of the hard work and dedication David Fleming continues

to exhibit in pushing for NYSAC’s priority bills including the

Definition of Cremation, Local Laws not Applying to Regulated

Cemeteries, Sales Tax Issues, and Abandonment Legislation.

Looking forward, I will be working with the Board on a strategic plan

to increase membership, increase attendance at our Government and

Legal Affairs, Fall Conference and Regional Meetings, and to identify

and guide associates with the passion to serve and help our organization

to grow. I invite and encourage anyone with suggestions on these

items or an interest in serving on a Committee to reach out to anyone

on the Board or the NYSAC offices.

Thank you again for the honor and privilege to serve this great

Association.

Sincerely,

Philip J. TassiNYSAC President

It is truly an honor to be writing this message at

the beginning of my term as President of the New

York State Association of Cemeteries. I am

fortunate to inherit the reins of this organization

on the heels of some great past presidents, officers

and board members, and recognize that I have a

tough act to follow after the work done by George

Baker, Ray Planell, Joanne Sullivan and Andrew

Nagle, all of whom I had the pleasure of serving

under while being able to witness and learn from

their leadership skills.

We owe George Baker a debt of gratitude for working diligently and

consistently on achieving the goals laid out by the Board of Directors.

His commitment to the success of the organization was fantastic as

he worked with NYSAC’s government relations team, meeting with

many lawmakers in the state to promote the legislative and regulatory

agenda which is so important to cemeteries throughout New York.

The Board of Directors consists of a number of dedicated and

knowledgeable individuals who generously volunteer their time and

I am grateful for all that they do on behalf of New York cemeteries.

While we are privileged that George Baker continues to serve, we are

also fortunate to have three former Presidents: Richard Moylan,

Richard Touchette, and Joseph Dispenza to provide historical context

and guidance as well. Eight other members: Jeffrey Reed, Nathan

Romagnola, Mitch Rose, Joseph DiTroia, Justin Locke, William Lane,

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Fall 20184

One of the first monuments a visitor is likely to notice upon coming

through Green-Wood’s landmarked brownstone Main Gates is the

Brooklyn Theatre Fire Monument. It commemorates the tragedy on

the evening of December 5, 1876, when 278 souls were lost after a

crowded theatre in downtown Brooklyn caught fire and collapsed.

That disaster is the greatest on-land loss of life in what is now New

York City up until the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

The City of Brooklyn went into mourning as arrangements were

made for a mass burial at Green-Wood Cemetery in what was

designated the Brooklyn Theatre Fire Lot. It would be the final

resting place for those whose family could not afford to pay for a

burial or those whose remains had been burnt beyond recognition.

In lots scattered across the cemetery grounds, a total of 50 identified

individuals, all victims of the fire, were interred. For each of the

unidentified 103 who would be interred in the Brooklyn Theatre

Lot, no name was recorded; just this notation: “Unrecognized Body

Burned at the Brooklyn Theatre.”

In the 15 or so years of collecting photographs and other items on

behalf of The Green-Wood Historic Fund, we have purchased many

items relating to the Brooklyn Theatre Fire. So it was very intriguing

when, recently, we came across an online auction listing: “DONALD

ROSE CDV PHOTO CIRCA 1870 KILLED IN BROOKLYN

THEATER FIRE NEW YORK.”

We had never seen a photographic portrait of one of the fire’s

victims. Could this be the first? Was it real?

The back of the photograph had this penciled inscription: “Donny

Rose died in the famous fire at the Brooklyn Theater.”

Before bidding on this photograph, we wanted to confirm that “Donny

Rose” was, as stated in the listing, indeed interred at Green-Wood.

However, when we searched the cemetery’s database, using several

variations on the spelling of his name, nothing came up. We then put

Jim Lambert, volunteer extraordinaire, to work on this. Jim searched

Green-Wood’s chronological books of burials, starting with December

5, 1876, the date of the fire. No Donny Rose or Donald Rose. Now Jim

widened his search, checking the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, which had

extensive reporting on this immense tragedy. Here’s what he found:

Putting A Face On A Tragedy

The last sentence in the Eagle’s report is of particular interest: “The

remains of Donald Rose have not yet been identified.” We know what

happened to those killed in the Brooklyn Theatre Fire whose remains-

-long before DNA identification--could not be identified: they were

interred, unnamed, in the Brooklyn Theatre Fire Lot at Green-Wood.

Another note appeared in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on the next day,

December 9, 1876. It reported on the “Three Brothers” who died in the

Brooklyn Theatre Fire. As per that report, a funeral was held for two of

the brothers--Angus and John McCullough--on December 9. We

checked Green-Wood’s records and discovered that Angus and John

were interred together on that same date in Green-Wood’s public lot

17263, grave 310. Importantly, the final line in this newspaper account

reports that their step-brother, who accompanied them to the theatre—

identified in the report as “McDonald Rose”--”has not yet been

identified.”

Carte de visite photo-graph, circa 1870. A young man, perhaps in his early teens.

This note appeared in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle of December 8, 1876, in reporting titled “The Holocaust,” then subtitled “Biographical Incidents” pertaining to the then-recent fire.

Fall 2018 5Fall 2018 5

When we went out to the grave of Angus and John, here’s what we saw:Note the inscription on this gravestone, towards the

bottom. It is a cenotaph for Donald Rose--a memorial

for their brother, who is interred elsewhere. Green-

Wood’s records for this grave list only Angus and

John as interred there. Not Donald.

All indications are that Donald Rose’s final resting

place is just a short distance away, in Green-Wood’s

Brooklyn Theatre Lot. Donald Rose went to the

Brooklyn Theatre on the evening of December 5,

died there, and his body was one of those that was so

burnt in the fire that he could not be identified.

And yes, we were able to buy the carte de visite

portrait of poor Donald Rose, a young lad, who died

with his two brothers, in what was to have been a

special evening of joy and entertainment, but turned

into a night of tragedy. Now we can see his face.

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Winter 2014 7Fall 2018 7

Suddenly, it all seemed to fall

into place. Green-Wood’s

summer interns had gained a lot

of experience cleaning and

resetting almost 200 headstones

at the Brooklyn-based cemetery. Then Green-Wood learned of a historic

cemetery on Staten Island that needed basic restoration work. Time for a road

trip.

Eight high school students participated in this unique hands-on internship in

preservation and conservation at Green-Wood. The schools selected for the

internships –Stephen Mather High School in Manhattan and the Williamsburg

High School of Architecture and Design in Brooklyn – have a specific focus on

historic preservation. Now in its second year at Green-Wood, the program is an

important partnership between Green-Wood, the New York City Department

of Education and The World Monuments Fund.

This cemetery in question was founded to serve one of the oldest continuously

inhabited free black settlements in the United States. Captain John Jackson, the

first free African American to acquire land on Staten Island, established the

community of Sandy Ground in 1828 on the island’s south shore. His purchase

came just months after the abolition of slavery in New York State. Attracted to

the safe environment for African Americans to live in and the exceptionally

rich oyster beds just off its shores, freed black men from near and far came to

Sandy Ground to work and establish their homes. As the community grew, the

Zion African Methodist Episcopal Congregation was established in 1850 and

soon established a cemetery. In a small patch of land (1.6 acres), roughly 100

tombstones can be observed today. Dates on the stones range from the late

1800s to the present and represent the memory of over forty African American

families.

Over the years, Sandy Ground has attracted the attentions of other

preservationists whose work provided support to the Green-Wood team. The

New York Landmarks Conservancy commissioned a Cultural Landscape

Report (completed by Jablonski Building Conservation) in 2015 to document

cemetery conditions and offer conservation treatment recommendations.

Further, a unique organization that celebrates and documents important

preservation projects in New York City, the New York Preservation Archives

Project (NYPAP) played a role as well. Working with the local Historical Society

and the New York Public Library, the organization captured oral histories of

the people who have lived and worked in Sandy Ground.

Guided by the five staff members of Green-Wood’s Restoration and Preservation

Department, the students approached the Sandy Ground Cemetery with

reverence. In total, the team cleaned and reset over sixty-five gravestones. The

remarkable site is considered one of the most significant African American

Burial Grounds in the United States and was named a New York City Landmark

in 1986. Green-Wood is proud of these young people, the work they completed,

and its ability to make a difference at this important landmark cemetery.

Green-Wood Interns Bring Their Skills to a Historic African-American Burial Ground

Fall 20188

It has been a very busy year for the NYSAC

Government & Legal Affairs Committee. Thank

you to all those supporting our efforts during the

legislative session and in the off months as we

continue to push our agenda and our plan for a

new start following the 2018 election season.

The 2019-20 legislative session will bring many

new changes in the legislature from leadership

down to an astonishing number of new members of both houses.

This is an excellent opportunity for NYSAC to engage and educate

these new leaders and to share the value and importance of our

service across New York.

In the upcoming session, we will continue to focus our efforts on

several pro-cemetery initiatives. We will also be advocating strongly

for a clarification that cemetery goods and services are exempt from

sales tax. This is a critical issue to protect our consumers and to

protect our cemeteries from the retroactive application of a tax that

has historically not applied to our operations. This fact is made

clearer in that every other part of the cemetery and funeral transaction

is exempt from taxes.

Two bills of significant note have passed both houses this year. Our

priority bill to prevent cemetery abandonment and protect cemetery

operations in the event of the threat of abandonment awaits delivery

to Governor Cuomo. This bill was introduced by and championed

by Senator Michael Ranzenhofer and Assemblywoman Amy Paulin

(S7835-A/A10515). The Governor has already signed Chapter 296

by Senator Betty Little and Assemblyman Billy Jones. This new law

now prohibits standalone mausoleums and columbarium outside

cemeteries across the state without contracts to place the remains in

a cemetery should the facility or grounds where these standalones

are located become abandoned.

As you can see, there is always a great deal going on and we look

forward to sharing with you our new and full priority list of

legislation in the coming months. In the meantime, if you wish to

engage directly with our legislative and regulatory efforts, please be

sure to reach out to me directly or contact the NYSAC office. The

strength of our success in Albany relates directly to your involvement.

Thank you

Chair, Government and Legal Affairs Committee

Government and Legal AffairsBy: Steven G. Sloane, Committee Chairman

Update

Fall 2018 9

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Fall 201810

May 2018

Executive Summary

IntroductionThere are any number of reasons investors may find it difficult to achieve their financial goals. In some cases, unexpected and uncontrollable events can wreak havoc on a financial plan. But it is often an investor’s own actions that lead to the failure to meet his or her objectives.

There is a branch of science called Behavioral Finance dedicated to exploring how an individual’s propensities and predilections can short circuit rational investment decisions. Unfortunately, the investment environment — including academicians, practitioners, pundits, and the financial press — may be complicit in potentially steering the investor to return-diminishing behaviors such as Market Timing and Performance Chasing.

Fortunately, awareness can be the first step toward avoiding self-defeating behaviors. This paper looks at these two, all-too-common tendencies as well as a rational approach to combat them.

Market TimingSimply put, market timing is selling stocks just before a person thinks the market will fall and, conversely, buying stocks just before one believes the market will rise. An investor seeking to time the market is trying to accomplish the dual goals of preserving capital and achieving outsized returns.

The financial press may, at times, validate market timing and may lead investors to believe that they can and should be doing it. The question frequently asked in the financial news, “Is this the time to buy (sell) stocks?” reverberates throughout the media.

For example, The Wall Street Journal cites market strategists who advocate changes to stock holdings based on predictions of how financial markets will react to geopolitical events, economic data releases, or even past movements in the markets. Additionally, investment newsletters tell subscribers when to “get in” and “get out” of stocks, bonds, and other assets. Yet, financial markets are inherently unpredictable and there is overwhelming evidence that not only does market timing not work, it also can diminish long-term returns.

Is Successful Market Timing Possible?A market timer must be clairvoyant with respect to two decisions: when to buy and when to sell. In a 1975 study, Nobel Laureate William Sharpe determined that investors had to be right on market calls 70% of the time to beat a buy-and-hold strategy. Follow-up studies put the required winning percentage even higher — difficult to do even if the individual believes that financial markets are predictable to a meaningful degree.

The cost of being wrong is significant because long-term returns have historically been driven by a relative handful of days in the market. As indicated in the Morningstar chart on the next page, “The Cost of Market Timing,” if an investor misses those days, their performance is radically altered. For instance, if someone remained invested in the S&P 500 Index for 19 years ending in 2017, their annualized return was 7.2%. Astonishingly, missing just the 10 best performance days (out of 5,217 trading days) would cause the return to fall to 3.5%, while dropping the 20 best days results in a return of only 1.2%. Finally, an investor who missed the top 50 days would have garnered a -4.5% return! This type of analysis yields strikingly similar results over many time periods.

This paper examines

two prominent,

return-diminishing

investment behaviors.

Topics Covered Include:

Market TimingLearn why investors attempt

market timing, how the

environment may encourage

it, and if it is possible to do

successfully.

Performance ChasingThe investment industry and

human nature may foster

performance chasing, and it

can put a financial advisor in

a difficult situation.

Compelling DataA mutual fund titan outlines

what happens when investors

focus on maximizing returns.

Know the CourseA key to intelligent,

long-term wealth creation.

The assertions in this white

paper are based on Fenimore

Asset Management’s opinion.

Fenimore Asset Management

is the investment advisor to

FAM Funds.

Copyright © 2018 Fenimore Asset Management, Inc.

In-depth research.

Insightful investing.

by Drew P. Wilson, CFAInvestment Research AnalystThe Value of Patience

Submitted By Bill McCartan, Director of Sales, Fenimore Asset Management

Fall 2018 11

Fall 201812

When June rolls around and

school comes to an end, parents

begin looking for summer plans

for their young ones. All the way uptown in

the Bronx, there is a new summer camp

making a name for itself. The camp is held

on a 400-acre arboretum and National

Historic Landmark. Certified teachers and

field experts lead campers on guided tours of

the grounds and in summer time activities.

While this may not sound out of the ordinary

for a summer camp, there is one thing that

makes this camp unique, it is held at The

Woodlawn Cemetery.

Jacob Alrich, Performing Arts Department

Chair/ Performing Arts Teacher at the New

Canaan Country School, is the camp’s

director. He explains how Camp Woodlawn

Woodlawn Summer Camp

came to be founded in 2015, “Camp

Woodlawn began as an outgrowth of a

literacy program known as Story Theater, in

which parallel drama and literacy curricula

reinforced each other. In its original form,

the camp was being held at a local public

school, but various twists and turns led us to

Woodlawn, which yielded an unexpected

but welcome opportunity to connect the

Story Theater program to Woodlawn’s

history and mission. After Story Theater ran

its course, the program was reborn as Camp

Woodlawn, this time with an expanded

focus on the conservancy mission while

retaining much of what made the earlier

program great: improvisation, traditional

games, and good ol’ summer fun like kickball

and water balloon fights.”

A day at Camp Woodlawn begins in

Woodlawn’s new educational classroom,

where the theme of the day is presented.

Past themes have included Irish Heritage,

Hispanic Heritage, Jazz Greats and the

Harlem Renaissance, Women of Greatness

and the list goes on. Campers are given a

mini lesson on the day’s theme where they

gain information that they will use

throughout the day’s adventure.

After the day’s mini-lesson, campers go out

on guided tours with some of Woodlawn’s

most expert staff. This past summer,

campers went on a tree tour lead by Herb

Landmann of The Davey Tree Expert.

Campers learned about 15 different species

of trees, including five of New York City’s

Great Trees. Other tours have been led by

Woodlawn’s Director of Historical Service,

Susan Olsen. One tour Olsen led this

summer was a “Symbolism in Sculpture”

tour, where she shared the meaning of

symbols found on monuments throughout

the grounds and campers learned that

everything found in Woodlawn has

importance and meaning.

It wouldn’t be summer camp without a little

fun. Campers enjoy going for rides on the

Written by Elizabeth Cooney

Coordinator of Educational Programming

WOODL AWNCEMETERY•CREMATORY•CONSERVANCY

Fall 2018 13

Woodlawn Conservancy Trolley that allowed

them to explore every corner of Woodlawn’s

expansive property. Scavenger hunts were

another group favorite. The hunts gave campers

the opportunity to use the knowledge they

gained throughout the week and use maps to

explore the grounds to find hidden clues which

led them to prizes at the end. David Ison,

Executive Director of The Woodlawn Cemetery

said “Learning at Camp Woodlawn is fun and

connects students with the past in an

unforgettable way.”

The camp, which just concluded its fourth

summer, has tripled in size since its start in July

of 2015. Mitch Rose, President & CEO of The

Woodlawn Cemetery is hoping that the

community begins to look at Woodlawn as

more than just a cemetery. He says, “We are

proud to offer the parents in

our community a place for

their children to enjoy

learning through the unique

educational strategy of Story

Theater taught by Jake. In

combination with the

additional enrichment lessons

provided by our staff summer

learning can be fun.”

Woodlawn looks forward to

continue serving students

across the Bronx through its

summer camp and other

educational programming.

Fall 201814

The Davey Tree Expert Company. Ending the afternoon’s

lineup of presentations was Jason Engler, a cremation

historian with the Cremation Association of North

America and the National Museum of Funeral History.

Jason’s presentation, titled ‘History of Cremation

Memorials’, engaged the audience as he gave an overview

of the history of cremation and then implored attendees

to consider how deathcare is changing as a result of

increased rates of cremation.

Tuesday marked a return to action with Gino Merendino

moderating a first-ever ‘Ask the Superintendent Panel’

consisting of Domenick Castiello of Mount Hope

Cemetery Association, Lou Wasnick of Forest Lawn

Corporation, and Joe Charap of Green-Wood Cemetery.

Attendees enjoyed a well-constructed series of questions

and the discussion that ensued on topics ranging from

client interactions to burial risk management. Following

the panel, NYSAC legislative counsel, David Fleming, Jr.,

and New York State Association of Towns counsel, Lori

Mithen-DeMasi, took the stage for a discussion titled

‘Preventing the Rise of Cemetery Abandonment’. Next

up was the New York State Division of Cemeteries

Report which featured an important update from the

state regulators. Capping off the day’s presentations was

the always engaging Government and Legal Affairs

Update, delivered by David Fleming and Steven Sloane,

NYSAC’s Government and Legal Affairs Committee

Chair. David and Steven updated membership on the

legislative and regulatory affairs concerning New York

cemeteries, asking all interested to become involved in

these important efforts.

Supplier members were present throughout the

conference in a large room which was used for various

meal functions and cocktail hours, allowing for great

interaction and networking opportunities. The Annual

Banquet on Tuesday evening was enjoyed by all as

delicious food and drink were shared amongst attendees

before the swearing in of officers and directors was

conducted by NYSAC past president, Andrew Nagle. A

heartwarming speech was given by outgoing President,

George Baker, before Philip Tassi was sworn in as

NYSAC’s new President.

The Association thanks all of those members and

speakers who attended the 90th Annual Fall Conference

and encourages all members to attend next year’s

conference at The Thayer in West Point, New York from

September 14, 2019 to September 17, 2019!

Annual Fall Conferencecontinued from page 1

Fall 2018 15

Fall 201816

Setting the Stage ... In a Cemetery

Historic cemeteries like Green-Wood have staged grand

and elaborate funerals. And now, they are the ideal venue

for music lovers.

Beginning in June 2018, Green-Wood partnered with Unison

Media to co-present The Angel’s Share, a classical music concert

series in the cemetery’s famed Catacombs. (The term is taken from

the distiller’s term for the fraction of spirits that evaporates or is

“given to the angels” when they’re being made.) Normally closed to

the public, this structure which dates back to the 1850s, is located in

the center of Green-Wood’s sprawling 478 acres. The Catacombs,

with its long central corridor (nearly 160 feet in length) flanked by

thirty family vaults, was an ideal choice for those who wanted to be

buried indoors, but couldn’t afford a grand mausoleum of their

own.

Each evening of The Angel’s Share begins with a pre-concert

reception at sunset overlooking New York Harbor and the

Manhattan skyline.

The series debuted to sold-out crowds with the highly anticipated

world premiere of The Rose Elf, a new opera composed by David

Hertzberg. Just last year, Hertzberg’s work, The Wake World was

named “Best New Opera Award by the Music Critics Association of

North America. Starring award-winning mezzo-soprano Samantha

Hankey, The Rose Elf reprises the 1839 Hans Christian Andersen.

The opera was previewed in a full page article in The New York

Times, with adulations quickly following on local NPR radio

stations, WNYC and WQXR, Time Out New York, The Observer,

NY1, and NBC New York, among others.

“The atmosphere is definitely intense and charged, but not creepy

in a 1950s horror-schlock way. I think it serves as a powerful

reminder of our mortality as well as the importance of appreciating

the beauty of life’s shared moments,” says Andrew Ousley, President

of Unison Media and curator of The Angel’s Share. “I choose artists

and ensembles who intuitively understand the kind of focused,

transcendent musical experience we’re trying to create.”

Other concerts in the series include harpist Bridget Kibbey, piano

playing twin sisters Christine and Michele Naughton, The JACK

Quartet, and the premiere of the opera Sketches from Frankenstein

by Gregg Kallor.

But, as Green-Wood’s Manager of Programs Harry Weil explains,

“The main star of the show is always Green-Wood.”

Photos credit: David Allee

Fall 2018 17

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Fall 2018 19

As the seasons change, it’s important to consider the changes that

need to be made to accommodate your cemetery landscape. Winter

can be a particularly tricky season to prepare for, as it brings different

challenges and often some of the harshest conditions. While the

cold-weather months might not be top-of-mind just yet, it’s time to

start thinking about winterizing your grounds, and here are a few

things to keep in mind.

TREES:

It’s important for trees

to get a pre-winter

evaluation. This will

ensure any potential

tree defects are brought

to your attention and

can be taken care of

before the ice and snow

cause any structural

damage. Your local

arborist can identify the

trees that are high

priority and need to be

taken care of pre-winter and what can wait until spring or summer

if budget and time are running low toward the end of the year.

SHRUBS:

Any of your late-flowering

shrubs will need some

extra attention this time of

year. Pruning away any

remaining dead flower

buds will help the plant to

have a healthy blossom

next year. If they are

getting a bit overgrown,

thinning them out can go

a long way and contributes

to healthy growth after the

harsh winter months. An arborist can put together an optimal

pruning plan for the shrubbery throughout your grounds.

TURF:

The number one way to

prepare your cemetery’s

turf for winter is to mark

your roadways. Because of

plowing, turf often gets

torn up during the winter

months, but that can easily

be avoided. Take some

time this fall to clearly

mark the roadways for

your plows and your turf

will thank you when

spring rolls around.

While these are important steps to winterize your grounds, there is

one more tip that should rank at the very top of your pre-winter

checklist. Hydration! Just like people, trees and other plants need

water even when it’s cold outside. Lack of moisture is one of the

most injurious things, so it’s important to keep a close eye

throughout the year. A good rule of thumb is to give your trees and

plants a really good soaking right before Thanksgiving to set them

up for the winter. If the season brings unusually low precipitation

and the ground isn’t frozen, it is certainly a good idea to give your

landscape some extra water.

No matter the climate, it is always important to prep your cemetery

grounds for winter. For a more tailored plan to winterize your

grounds, contact your local arborist and he or she will set you up

with a plan to keep your landscape healthy and strong throughout

the colder months.

Doak Marasco specializes in caring for cemeteries and has over 15

years of experience. To ask him your tree care questions, contact him

at 508-250-2181 or doak.marasco@davey.com.

Winterizing Cemetery Trees

and LandscapeBy Brian Borkowicz, The Davey Tree Expert Co.

Fall 201820

New York’s Cemetery AdvisorsFrom project consultation and government

applications to legal review and crisis management

111 Washington Avenue, Suite 501, Albany, New York 518-436-0786 Fax 518-427-0452 www.fwc-law.com

Fall 2018 21

ANNA HUBBEL, Editor

Webster Herald | Webster, New York |

September 26, 2018

I had the pleasure of getting to know some esteemed Webster names during the Webster Museum’s tour at Union Cemetery this past Saturday. The tour was great fun, with museum volunteers dressed up to portray Webster’s earliest ancestors. The actors were really invested in their roles, giving visitors a glimpse of Webster history.

In addition to getting to know some big Webster roots, I also got to learn about Webster Union Cemetery. So in this week’s column, I want to share with you what I learned about Webster’s history, both the people and the place where they are now buried, from this wonderful community event.

Webster Union Cemetery When I first arrived, I had the pleasure of speaking with George Baker, president of Webster Union Cemetery, and the one who asked the museum to do the tour after a similar event was held last year at Webster Rural Cemetery. He talked about Union Cemetery with great enthusiasm and dedication.

The cemetery has one simple record retention method, Baker told me: “We throw away nothing.” It turns out that running a cemetery involves a lot of checks and balances to ensure everything is done legally and that no plot is accidentally sold when it’s already occupied or owned.

“It can get complicated very fast,” said Baker.

One interesting fact I never knew before is that headstones are the family’s responsibility; if anything happens to a stone, it’s covered by the family’s homeowners insurance. However, the family does not own the land where their loved one is buried. They simply retain the right of burial.

In addition to blowing my mind with interesting tidbits about cemetery management, Baker told me about the prominent Webster names throughout the Union Cemetery. The Woodhulls, Fosters, Fullers, and Curtices are just a few of the prominent family names located there. There are also Revolutionary War and Civil War veterans buried at Union. The mother of the infamous Don Holleder is buried there as well.

Baker told me that people have come from as far as the state of Washington to locate relatives at Union Cemetery.

“There’s a lot of stories here,” said Baker. “There’s some good stories, there are some sad stories, and there are some good family stories.”

It’s been his pleasure to help preserve history, Baker told me. He’s frequently cleaning stones and helping the other cemetery workers maintain the property. Baker also told me about the cemetery’s goal to dig out old stones that have fallen over and are at risk of being buried.

In 2008, the Landmark Society gave Union Cemetery an Historic Landscape award for how well the cemetery is preserved.

“There’s always something to do,” said Baker. Cleaning headstones, for instance, is a frequent practice, which is done on a volunteer basis. The cemetery has to look out for vandals as well. Back in 2000, vandals caused $15,000 in damage, said Baker. While the cemetery got the money back, Baker said it took a lot of work.

People often come to the cemetery for reasons you wouldn’t expect, Baker told me. He said he’s learned about people trying to sell drugs, sleeping in their car, “having affairs,” and even learning to drive or ride a bike. One older woman, he said, walked around the cemetery to get used to her walker.

“You never know what somebody’s going to do,” said Baker.

There is also much wildlife that goes on at Union. Baker said there are hawk nests, bluebirds, a fox, deer, and turkeys. Mother deer often have their fawns nestle up against gravestones to help them stay warm, because the stones absorb heat.

“There’s so much beauty to find,” said Baker.

You could say life in a gamut of stages happens at Union Cemetery.

Then there are the administrative details that come with working at a cemetery, like legal matters, state regulations, and insurance. Insurance came in handy after last year’s windstorm, which brought $47,000 in damage to the main building, said Baker.

Let’s not forget the most important purpose of the cemetery: helping families during their time of grief. “That’s what this is all about,” said Baker. “Making [it] as easy as you can for them

Webster People of the Past at Webster Union Cemetery

Union Cemetery President George Baker and Webster Museum Board President Tom Pellett, who is portraying his great-great-great grandfather John Fielding Whiting. Photo: Anna Hubbel

during what is probably the most difficult time in their life.”

Sadly, Baker said many Webster residents do not realize that Union Cemetery exists. When they hear “Webster cemetery,” they think of Webster Rural Cemetery in the heart of the village. But the museum’s tour has helped draw attention and foot traffic, which had Baker beaming by the time I left that day.

Baker said he told the museum to keep all the donations collected from the tour. He said it was enough just to have people come and see the Webster history that lives on at Union Cemetery.

Webster Union Cemetery is located at 345 Webster Road. I encourage you to stop by and visit it sometime.

Now I’d like to share with you a little about the people I met as I traveled back in time through Webster history.

Mark Curtice The first tour stop was presented by Mark Curtice; aka, museum volunteer Peter Elder. Mark originally came to Webster when he was

a teenager. He died in 1880. In a paragraph he wrote about himself, featured in Esther Dunn’s book, Webster Through the Years, Mark talks about how difficult life was back in those days. He remembered living on just pickles and mashed potatoes for days until they could find even a little bit of pork to eat. His wife was allegedly one of the first women of European descent to be born in Webster. Mark was a farmer all his life and was a deacon at Webster Baptist Church. He had five children, three of whom formed the Curtice Brothers corporation in Rochester, which lasted about a century.

continued on page 22

Fall 201822

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Abram and Patience Foster Patience (portrayed by volunteer Winanne Messing) was originally a Woodhull before she married Abram Foster (portrayed by volunteer Sharon Galbraith). The Fosters settled in Webster in 1806; however, at the time, it was North Penfield - not yet Webster. The Fosters are considered the first Webster settlers because although they weren’t the first people to go there, they were among the first to stay. Abram died in 1859 and Patience died in 1844.

Minerva Strowger and May Strowger Wright Minerva Strowger (portrayed by volunteer Gwen Hoffman) was the granddaughter of Abram Foster. She lived in Webster from 1830 to 1904 and was married to Charles Strowger. They had two children; Johnney, who died at the young age of 14, and May. Minerva and May ran a boarding house on Lake Road. May (portrayed by volunteer Diana Strassman) eventually inherited land from her mother, which she used to found a hotel/restaurant later known as Hedges Nine Mile Point. Minerva left an endowment for the beautification of Union Cemetery, which helped with the care of a number of graves.

John Fielding Whiting Portrayed by Webster Museum Board President Tom Pellett, his great-greatgreat grandson, John Fielding Whiting talked about how he was one of Union Cemetery’s first trustees. In 1811, John built a lakeside log cabin near what we now know to be Holt Road. He later built a lake house, now known as White House Lodge, after his father-in-law gave him land. John died in 1861.

Switching back to himself, Pellett shared that 19 Civil War veterans are buried at Union Cemetery. When he was young, Pellett said he “didn’t care for cemeteries.” But after two to three years of doing research for the museum, he now gets excited when he drives by a cemetery.

Jennie Strowger Woodhull Jennie Strowger Woodhull (portrayed by volunteer Deb Oakley) lived from 1844 to 1921, and was married to William Woodhull. Jennie shared with visitors

things she wrote in her diary, such as how both she and her husband were busy bees. While William was out selling potatoes, she’d be dressing turkeys. At the end of the day, she would be exhausted from working so hard; she also knitted, did the laundry, cooking, ironing, and other housewife responsibilities back in the day. There were times when she would get so sick that she would need to pay people to help her fulfill her duties.

Charles and Sabrina Wright Charles Wright (portrayed by volunteer Andy Naujokas) lived from 1821 to 1907, and his wife Sabrina (portrayed by volunteer Jan Naujokas) lived from 1821 to 1906. While Sabrina was born in Webster, Charles was born in New Hampshire. The two married in Webster in 1848. Sabrina’s parents had lived on Phillips Road and deeded 40 acres to their daughter in 1849. A brick home with a barn and chicken coup was built at 394 Phillips Road around 1850-56. Charles was Town Supervisor for six years. He was also in the New York House of Representatives and raised bonds for the railroad.

Helen Tompkins Helen Tompkins (portrayed by volunteer Lisa McNamara) died in 1988. She was related to the Fosters. Her family came to Webster in 1850. She eventually built and ran the store Tompkins Red and White, which is now the Country Store on Lake Road. She is responsible for introducing gasoline pumps at a convenience store to the Lake Road community.

Thank you to George Baker and all the Webster Museum volunteers who worked so hard to make this such a great event for the community. Special thanks to the museum’s Sharon Pratt, who invited me to the tour and educated me a little on the traditional mourning garb worn back in the day.

As a journalist, the tour at Webster Union Cemetery was very beneficial to me. It’s helpful to know Webster’s foundational roots because it allows me to fully appreciate the community for which I write. It gives more substance to

my mission of getting to know you.

Webster People continued

Fall 2018 23

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Fall 201824

What information is there yet to uncover about “The Seneca Union Cemetery”? (SUCA) I have many memories of visits to the cemetery especially as a teenager,

our Church choir on Memorial Day held a service at the site of the

cannons situated on the side hill under a canopy of beautiful maple

and evergreen trees. Just recently a family member noted the Cannons

were actually “Parrott guns” from the Civil War.

How did they get there and who gave them to the cemetery?So let’s return to the 1800’s and share the story of Daniel B. Smith.

Daniel and his wife Eleanor Lamoreaux were married in 1815 in New

York. Together they had 12 children and it is written in family records

from the reunion of 1896 that they likely commenced housekeeping

in a building on the lake side of Route 414 just North of Valois (it has

been used as a fruit packing barn for years and remains standing). In

1820 they built a home across the road that was used as a tavern and

stage coach stop. The cemetery (SUCA) property was purchased from

Daniel and the home remains to the north of the cemetery to this day.

The cemetery property has remained in the ownership of Daniel’s

family and currently his great –great-great granddaughter Sally Jo

Smith owns and occupies the residence.

The tavern was a meeting place for an organized GAR Post #423.

Daniel B was not a Civil War veteran but following the Civil War,

he invited local men so qualified, to gather at his tavern and

formally organized this post. Through the years the group held

many reunions, attended conventions of the Civil War veterans

and they sponsored many public events .They even had a cornet

band that gave concerts at many public events. Eventually their

numbers grew smaller due to death but they voted to preserve a

plot in a portion of the cemetery (purchased for $1.00) as a

military plot.

Hence, the acquisition of the two Parrot guns along with 10 inch

shells, shipped from the New York Arsenal on May 29, 1897, then

mounted in the cemetery in 1898. Please note the pile of cannon

balls there do not fit the guns. One corner of the plot bears a

marker stating that “This plot is dedicated to the burial of indigent

soldiers and sailors”. A bronze plaque lists the commander’s

names and their company and regiment numbers. There are many

monuments in the cemetery

dedicated to the memory of its

buried veterans. Daniel’s son

Seleh fought in the civil war

died in Andersonville prison

and is buried there. Daniel and

Eleanor are buried at SUCA,

their son Seleh has a memorial

stone there.

About the Parrott guns –used in

the civil war: they were made in

1882 and 1884 at the West Point

Foundry, each weigh 4500

pounds, have serial numbers

and have been on the National

Registry since 1989. From

information from the registry it

was most surprising to find their

value at $40,000 each.

By Susan C Rocholl – President

The Cannons of Seneca Union Cemetery

Fall 2018 25

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Fall 201826

Fall 2018 27

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If you have news of interesting

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