FOREWORD
The following cemetery epitaphs were originally compiled as "Durkees
Epitaphs" in 1874-1878, bound together for the Town of Clifton Park in the
1950s by the then Town Historian Howard I. Becker. Mr. Becker also updated
the Clifton Park Baptist Church and the Amity Reformed Church cemeteries
epitaphs to the 1950s.
The writer compiled the epitaphs so that they are displayed in
alphabetic order for all cemeteries, rather than alphabetically by
cemetery. Some minor modifications were made, including elimination of the
Clifton Park Village Cemetery records, to be included with Town of Halfmoon
cemetery records.
Thanks to John Scherer and Doris Cole for help in locating these
cemeteries. They also indicated the location of other small family
cemeteries that were not included in Durkee's or Becker's work. Perhaps
these can be included in the future.
Thanks also to John Scherer for his contribution of "A Bit of History;
Exploring Clifton Park's Cemeteries."
Charles Filkins, a member of the Clifton Park Baptist Church, has spent
considerable time developing current records for the church and creating a
data base of the information. He has provided the data base to us and Don
Meierdiercks has converted that information into this web page.
Each epitaph has been coded to the cemetery where it is located. Those
codes are:
ADR - Amity Dutch Reformed Church Cemetery in Visscher Ferry, located on
the River Road east of the intersection of Visscher Ferry Road behind the
Amity Reformed Church. According to Mr. Becker, these epitaphs were
copied and indexed in 1940 by Miss Katharine Furman and Mrs. Marie Noll
Cormack for the Schenectady Genealogical Society. Information about the
Visscher, Weldon and Irish relationships were furnished by Erna Visscher and
her mother.
BCC - Clifton Park Baptist Church Cemetery, located on Clifton Park Center
Road between Visscher Ferry Road and Miller Road behind the church. These
were not a part of Durkee's Epitaphs but were copied by Mrs. Albert C.
Stevens and her Sunday School Class. Genealogical notes were provided by Mrs.
Clayton Dockstader.
CHA - Chadsey Cemetery, a small family site located opposite to the entrance
to Maureen Court, off Spruce, off Torrey Pines Road, east off Jonesville's
Main Street. Information is from Durkee's and copied by H. C. Ritchie in
1942.
DGC - DeGroff Cemetery, located off Pierce Road, .2 miles south of Ushers
Road on a drive into Northway 10 Industrial Park on the north side of
that drive on a slight knoll .1 mile from Pierce Road.
GAR - Garnsey Cemetery, located on the north side of Route 146 just west of
Nott Road, across from the Edison Golf Club garage. Information copied by
H. C. Ritchie in 1942.
GME - Grooms Methodist Church Cemetery. This cemetery should be familiar
to many local residents, being located next to the entrance of the town's
landfill/recycling site on Visscher Ferry Road south of Grooms Road.
JOC - Jonesville Cemetery, located at the intersection of Ushers and
Longkill Roads.
JON - Jones Cemetery, located according to Durkee: "2 1/2 miles NE from
Rexford Flats E side of road running N 1/2 mile north of School 7." We can
guess that it may be on Waite Road north of Route 146 but were not able to
locate it. Information copied by H. C. Ritchie in 1942.
MDR - Millious Dutch Reformed Church Cemetery, located on the south side of
Clifton Park Center Road a short distance east of Moe Road. Information
copied by Mrs. Grace Vanderwerker in 1945.
NVC - Nanning Visscher Cemetery. This is a small family cemetery with
seven graves, located one half mile south of the Grooms Methodist Church
Cemetery, not visible from Visscher Ferry Rd. and on private property.
RFC - Rexford Flats Cemetery. This was a small family cemetery of the
Rexford and Knowlton families. It was located on River Road between the
fire department at the intersection of Route 146 and the Edison Golf Club.
The graves have been moved to Vale Cemetery in Schenectady. Information
copied by H. C. Ritchie in 1942.
SVC - Shepherd Cemetery, located on Sugar Hill Road, about one mile south
of Ray Road on the Bowman Orchards property. Information copied by H. C.
Ritchie in 1942.
Please note that some names listed do not include a date of death.
For the most part these are the names of parents listed on the gravestone
of a child. They are included for their genealogical value, but it should
not be assumed that they are buried at the cemetery indicated.
Any project like this may have some errors or omissions. Please
consider this a "work in progress" and feel free to advise of any changes.
The best way to submit an addition or correction would be to E-mail the
writer at the address below. Any such valid information received would be
used to update these records periodically.
Frank Goodway
fgdwy@juno.com
May 1997
Last updated July 2001