Messina Springs, ever hear of it? Its no longer on the map. -
I headed out early Sunday morning taking advantage of a bit cooler air. Location for my first stop, Messina Springs. Now I'll tell you where it used to be.............first of all heading out of Syracuse, New York on James Street, you come to Eastwood, and if you continue following James, you'll run into East Syracuse. Where I went, is in between, or at least it used to be. If you find Friendly's Restaurant just before Thompson Road, that's the area where Messina Springs used to be, how long ago? I have no idea. Same side of the road as Friendly's, the next thing you see is the Water Tower, large, you cant miss it. I parked in the water tower access driveway. Right along their driveway is a broken down metal fence, that's Messina Springs Cemetery, in there, or as I was originally told, the plague cemetery. After reading as many stones as I could in there and checking dates, I see no indication that this had been a plague cemetery of any kind. The "Burying Ground" is in very rough shape. Grass, weeds, vines, trees, branches, 3/4 of the stones visible are broken and scattered. On the border of the grounds, you'll see stones buried in the trees and weeds and a couple on the wrong side of the fence. What it looks like is the typical Founders Cemetery for that area, in other words, a human dump, with emphasis on "Dump." Heres a sampling of what I found in here..................... In memory of Margaret Ward who died Feb 15, 1858 age 29 years, 4 months and 11 days Jacob Ward died March 2, 1859, 28 years, 1 month and 25 days William J. Slocome(< some of his relatives spell it differently) died Jan 1, 1885 aged 55 years. Eliza Slocome died Feb 8, 1905 aged 74 years Job Slocomb(<still pronounced the same) died Feb 6, 1851 Joanna S. Clear(<is that clear enough for 'ya?) born Jan 22, 1806 and died April 21, 1890 Elisabeth Beth wife of H.P. Bogardus died Oct 2, 1871 aged 75 years. George Price(< I guess he paid the price eh ! ) died March 1, 1860 aged 72 years, 9 months and 20 days John Smith died July 27, 1855 aged 66 years Harrison W. Alvord died Nov 1, 1870 aged 37 years and 5 days Lorinda W. Church died Jan 17, 1830 age 24 years Lucinda W. Church died March 18, 1843 age 37 years. Richard Spencer born Nov 9, 1794 and died Aug 12, 1867 aged 73 years Margaret Ann Harhower died March 1, 1847 Julia A. Miller wife of William H. Hawkins born April 15, 1830 and died Feb 2, 1866 Lewis Sweeting died April 2, 1842 aged 90 years, 2 months and 16 days Caroline White died July 28, 1834 aged 71 years Anna Wolf wife of John Dickenson Jr. born March 20, 1778 at New Jersey and died Aug 23, 1836 in New York aged 58 years Lena M. Baumgardner 1845-1911 Time to leave and its 7:45am now, I started early today..............I walked 2/10ths of a mile in here. Next stop is Minoa, N.Y. Old St Mary's Cemetery, not many stones remaining or showing in here. They may have been moved to the new cemetery? Its well kept, see repairs, but a good many of the stones are unreadable. But heres a few.................... Barbera(< different spelling) Hemlinger died Feb 11, 1856 aged 25 years. Ignatz(< male or female?) Helfer died age 68 years, dates unreadable Mary Markle died Feb 7, 1863 aged 4 years and 5 months Two stones showed the last name of TOOLE, but couldn't read more than that. John Hoff died Sept 12, 1865 Mathias Seon died 1865 Joseph Seon killed at the battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia May 3, 1863 That's it for here and did 1/10th mile walk here and vacated this one at 8:15am. A bit further down the street brings me to New St Mary's "Underground City" This first guy you can just fill in the blank............ Lawrence_________ PVT. Co E 149th Reg, N.Y. Inf. died Feb 24, 1896 aged 82 years. Guess I better tell 'ya, his last name was blank, really, that's what his last name was BLANK. Lawrence Blank........................... Mary Seacfriet died Jan 4, 1890 aged 69 years Heres a great name............... Walburga wife of Joseph Pindle died Feb 8, 1888 aged 52 years, 8 months and 20 days. PVT. 1st Class John F. Hackett Co. F 348th Infantry 87th Division born in Collamer, N.Y. May 9, 1892 died in Carbon Blanc, France Feb 1, 1919 Done here and did another 1/10th mile and picked up 1 flag, it was well kept. 9:20am and entering Fayetteville, N.Y. cemetery on Route 257. PVT. Floyd R. Stanard 10th Co. 3rd Casual(< never heard of a casual battalion before) Battalion, Camp Syracuse, N.Y. (< nor this) born Dec 2, 1895 and died Sept 30, 1918 Charlie Morgan accidentally shot himself June 14, 1856, 17 years, 2 months and 5 days. (bet he wont do that again............) "Our Little Dellie" Atkinson died 1865...................(short and to the point) Charles H. Kellogg died Oct 9, 1898 aged 47 years, Buried in Masonic Cemetery, San Francisco, California John Q. O. Hartop US Navy died Oct 31, 1870 "To the defender of Our Country" Shipman O. Griffin, a member of Co. C, 122nd Regt. N.Y. Volunteers died at J________ Hospital, Washington, D.C. April 3, 1863 aged 18 years and 10 months Luthena B. Lawrence died Dec 12, 1864 aged 52 years, 2 months "Then who knew her best, loved her most." Rhuamah Mead died Aug 28, 1852 aged 51 years, 5 months and 10 days Theodotia H. Foote died April 1, 1844 age 50 years In memory of Capt. Sanford Palmer who died Oct 1, 1828 on the 66th year of his age, Revolutionary War Veteran Nabby widow of Del. N. Chapman of North Stonigton, Connecticut, Instantly killed at Fayetteville, N.Y. age 84 years (I would have loved to have heard the details of this one) I found George Bush.......................... George H.(<wrong initial) Bush died 1871 "Little Tina" Has gone home ...................(again short and to the point, no dates) Another presidential name........................ James M. Madison a volunteer in the 11th N.Y. Cavalry. Was killed at Manlius Station Oct 7, 1865 aged 25 years, 11 months and 10 days Erected by the Citizens of Fayette Ville(< as it appeared on the stone) to the memory of Jasper Huntley who gave to the public this burying ground. He died Dec 24, 1812 aged 43 years. Capt. Walter Worden served through the Revolutionary War and volunteered for the War of 1812, Fought at Chippewa and Lundy's Lane, Ontario, Canada died near Batavia, New York Sept 20, 1814. (Obviously from wounds suffered at Lundy's Lane) In memory, Hervey Edwards died Nov 13, 1868 aged 70 years His last words......." Born of the Spirit." Addison, son of Frederick and Mary Pratt, died at Macon, Georgia, March 22, 1841 aged 25 years, 7 months and 20 days "So fadeth the Glory of the world" In memory of Origen Eaton who died Sept 22, 1839 aged 74 years Revolutionary War Vet. PVT. Waite Alfred Cross Co. C 18th Infantry, Killed in action in the Meuse-Argonne offensive Oct 6, 1918 age 24 years. Jeannette P. Smith 1919-2000 "If tears could build a stair way And memories a lane We'd walk right up to heaven And bring you back again" Mary Augusta Bangs 1830-1904 Timothy Teal, Connecticut Militia, Revolutionary War, died June 14, 1822 age 34 years David Collin born Feb 22, 1767 and died June 2, 1844, War of 1812 Veteran Lydia Babcock relict of Col. John Sprague born May 5, 1782 and died Nov 2, 1864 Col. John Sprague born March 12, 1779 and died May 30, 1861, War of 1812 Veteran Asel Wilcox died June 5, 1867 age 83 years Hellenda Foster died March 12, 1868 Obediah Williams died March 15, 1871, War of 1812 Veteran Charles John Obrist 1912-1993 The only reason I have listed Charles, as he had a nice, different stone, totally carved into a park bench/love seat size, which sat in the shade and at the time had a nice breeze. His name and dates inscribed on the back support. Thanks Charlie.............I enjoyed sitting here a while resting.............................so some people are still getting use out of you.............. What's that I hear?????????? Carrie E. Nightingale 1861-1935 I wonder if this next guy was a philosopher??????? Alexander Platto died July 23, 1869 aged 38 years In memory of John Orville Evans son of Arad(<odd) and Eleonore W. Evans who went home on Christmas morning 1881 aged 45 years. Arad Evans son of Thomas Evans of Plymouth, Connecticut died Nov 11, 1801 aged 35 years That's the end of this "People Garden." I walked 1 and 3/10ths miles here and picked up 10 flags and vacated the area at 12:15pm Manlius Village Cemetery is next on Route 173 East end of the Village. Its large and old and not on the map. Neat old black stained grave stones................... Lemuel Nims died Jan 9, 1859 aged 72 years John Fleming died Oct 14, 1841 in the 89th year of his age Aseneth Fleming died Dec 3, 1828 aged 71 years John Fleming Attorney at Law died Aug 1, 1846 aged 48 years Abijah(< male or female?) Yelverton died Feb 24, 1841 age 62 years Mary St Lawrence from Ireland died Dec 12, 1828 aged 70 years William Ward died 17th Sept 1795 aged 49 years William Taylor M.D. departed this life Sept 16, 1865 in the 74th year of his age "Full of years, and in the bright hope of a blessed immortality" Lt. Joel Huntington 1742-1850, Manlius Rifle Battery, War of 1812 Capt. William Tryon died Sept 17, 1837 Veteran of the Revolutionary War Sylvester Gardner Esq. died July 30, 1830 aged 60 years "We weep, our tears are wiped away We smile, and soon our smiles are hid We hope, our earthly hopes decay We live, then sleep among the dead To rise again to life and joy." James E. Voorus died April 2, 1870 aged 20 years Peter Wormwood died July 12, 1894 aged 94 years Harriet Everson died Jan 19, 1835 aged 6 months and 17 days "Sweet babe, no more, but serapo (<?) now Before the throne behold her bow Her soul enlarged to angel's size Joins in the triumph of the skies." Margaret Wade Perry born in Unity, New Hampshire Dec 21, 1789 and died Feb 20, 1875 In memory of Mr. Daniel Wattles who died July 3, 1812 age 57 years Azariah Smith born at Middlefield, Massachusetts Dec 7, 1784 and died at New Haven, Connecticut Nov 12, 1846. During the last forty years of his life he was a resident on Manlius Village. Zilpah Mack daughter of David Mack born at Middlefield, Massachusetts Feb 3, 1788 and died March 14, 1788 at Manlius, wife of Azariah Smith. Sylvanus Tousley died at Syracuse March 30, 1838 age 53 years John Wilkie born at Hatfield, Massachusetts Aug 24, 1790 and died June 20, 1874. Coral(<male or female?) Mills died Aug 26, 1837 aged 34 years Jekiel Foot, 2nd Massachusetts Reg. Revolutionary War 1761-1843 John R. Outt 1908-1998 Gitty Alida Moyer died Feb 11, 1867 age 22 years and 5 months Friend Chapman died in his country's service at Winchester Hospital, Virginia Jan 6, 1865 aged 24 years, Civil War Vet. Junius B. Hunt of Connecticut who died Aug 9, 1838 aged 23 years Alice Nims Hughes 1851-1878 Charles Nims 1822-1854 Sarah W. Scott wife of Alfred Nims died Feb 1, 1860 Marietta Nims died July 11, 1868 aged 42 years, 5 months and 8 days. At this point my legs don't wanna' do anymore walking for today. I easily gave in with the heat and only got this "Underground City" 3/4s done. But will return here on the next cemetery trip and finish it. 8/10ths of a mile walked here and vacated at 2:30pm. An uneventful day for a change................................. so, 2 1/2 miles walked for today. Best Bill
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