(With parenthetical editorial commentary sprinkled in)

Public spirited citizens in 1847 felt the need for a cemetery outside the village of Alfred. A corporation was registered in the county clerk’s office., and six men were named as Trustees for terms of one, two and three years.

Ground was purchased near the present junction of Routes 21 and 244, where a few gravestones are still to be seen. (Editor’s note~ not anymore, in 2026!) But in May 1857 land was secured for the present cemetery and most of the earlier graves were moved there including those from Church Street and at the foot of Palmiter Road. (Editor’s note~ Whaaat? Who knew?!!) This tract of approximately five acres was later increased. In 1857 the cemetery trustees had a well drilled to afford water for flowers and shrubs in the cemetery, and presumably for the horses who brought visitors to the graves. (Editor’s note~ the well still pumps water! It needs a good priming to do so~ ask Judd Stearns how to do that.) A tool house was built in 1914. In 1915 the Barber Mausoleum was erected as a memorial to Mrs. Nancy Barber of Bradford, PA. Evergreen trees lining the drive were planted in 1938.

Many well known men served as trustees of the cemetery, Jonathan Allen, President of Alfred University, William C. Burdick, a leading business man of that day, and J. Nelson Norwood, teacher and university administrator. A.B. Kenyon, Dean of Alfred University was treasurer for many years. Annual meetings of the corporation were usually held in the church “vestry” or in one of the university buildings~ usually the Gothic.

Perpetual care was included in the price of burial lots, but this virtually meant annual mowing with a scythe. Maintenance of the driveway was a recurring problem until the roadway, near the recently opened Steuben Trust Co bank, (Editor’s note~ now Dunkin’ Donuts) could be raised with a ton of gravel.

Ira L. Pierce of Alfred Station served as superintendent of the cemetery for 35 years, 1926-61. Earlier sextons, so called, were C. A. Maxson and C.N. Gavitt.

Capital Funds were given by Orville and Ida Rogers in 1931, and income from such funds gradually replaced the earlier reliance on Perpetual Care. A generous gift from Mrs. Mabel Fenner Lyon of Olean more recently increased the endowment. Once a year, all users of the cemetery are invited to contribute to its upkeep. (Editor’s note~ please see the “information” page.)

(Editor’s note~ the following is as written in 1988 for the Alfred Sun) Charles Jessup, Mrs. Delores MacCrea and Mrs. Edith Place have served terms as treasurer of the Cemetery, and Miss Jean Button of Andover is the present treasurer. Present officers besides Miss Button are Nelson Snyder, president; Rev. Albert N Rogers, secretary, and Robert P. Lewis, superintendent, with Mrs. Florence Lewis in charge of records. Board members include W. Burr Woodruff, finance chairman, Herman Sicker, Murray J. Rice, Donald VanHorn and Mrs. Gertrude Obuhanich.