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Lake View Cemetery
A History
At the time of the earliest settlers in this area there was only
one township, Ovid. As more people moved to the area Ovid was divided
into three townships, Ovid, the northern half of the original 100
military lots; Lodi, the southwest quarter; and Covert, the
Southeastern quarter. From those earliest times in 1797 until 1845
many of the burials were in family cemeteries in a corner of a farm
field or on knolls or along Cayuga and Seneca Lakes. There were also
several church cemeteries, including McNeil's cemetery on the Ovid
Gospel Lot[i]
the Baptist Church of Farmer burying ground, (first burial noted as
1824) and the Reformed Dutch Church of Farmer burying ground (first
burial noted as 1831).
On April 27th 1847 the New York State Legislator passed a law
providing for the incorporation of Rural Cemetery Associations by lot
owners. "At a meeting of the citizens of Farmerville and its vicinity
in the County of Seneca and State of New York held at the House of
Stephen Wilkins in Farmerville on the 31st day of May 1847...
adjourned to meet on the 4th day of June 1847...” There were ten
prominent local citizens at the June 4th meeting where, “On motion
Resolved that we form an association to be called and known by the
name of the Farmerville Rural Cemetery Association.]”
Ten days later the Trustees of the Association voted to purchase one
and a half acres of land from William Rappleye near the Baptist.[
By similar action, a second group, mainly from the Reformed
Dutch Church, formed the North Cemetery Association and purchased land
from Abram Ditmars.
Many of the earlier burials from the Dutch Reformed church burying
ground were relocated to the new grounds which were on the road north
of the village connecting the main Ithaca to Geneva “turnpike” with
the lake shore area known as Morehouse landing.
On 23 June 1849 the North Cemetery Association of Farmerville
purchased an additional portion of lot 34 from Abram Ditmars,
thereby doubling the size of their cemetery. These first two purchases
form much of the area of Lake View Cemetery along the front fence.
“At a meeting of the officers of the North and South Cemetery
Associations of Farmerville at the Consistory Room of the R D Church,
Nov 26, 1860. . . Resolved, the south purchase two acres more land &
pay for the same, adjoining the North, on the west & north of the
same. Individuals owning lots in the south may take as many in said
purchase of same size . . . Resolved that we will purchase 2 to 2 ½
acres more land than the above named if the people of this vicinity
will subscribe a sufficient amount to pay the same.”[vi]
On July 1st 1861 at the Reformed Dutch Church, “Resolved that we
form an association to be called & known by the name of the
“Farmerville Union Cemetery”[vii]
The Trustees elected at that meeting were John Booram (Pres), Isaac
Covert, Ira Almy (VP, Superintendent & Sexton), John P. Rappylee, for
one year terms; Abram Ditmars, James C Knight (Treas), Caleb H.
Parshall, Jacob D. Wintersteen (Secty), for two year terms and Bennett
E. Bassett, Ansel Rappylee, Lockwood Hinman, John C. Hall for three
year terms. The officers were John Booram (Pres), Ira Almy (VP,
Superintendent & Sexton), James C. Knight (Treas), and Jacob D.
Wintersteen (Secty).
In August 1861 a set of By-Laws were adopted and the price of
interment “not to exceed three dollars ($3) which amount is to pay for
digging & filling graves & supplying plank for the same...”[viii]
On December 2nd 1861, the Trustees of the Farmerville Rural
Cemetery Association sold the original 1.5 acres from the South
Cemetery Association, lot 50, back to William Rappleye.
[ix]
At the March 1865 Annual meeting it was resolved that the
Association purchase an additional five acres from Abram Ditmars.This
purchase occurred on February 12, 1866.This purchase defined the maximum size of Lake View Cemetery until
1994.
After three successive ballots, at the annual meeting for the
years 1874, 1875, and March 8th 1876, the name of the cemetery was
changed to Lake View Cemetery Association.]A final name change was made in May 1908 whereby the Association would
be known as the Lake View Cemetery Association of Interlaken, New
York.
Lake View Cemetery
The Facilities
The first burials at Lake View Cemetery were family and
community affairs. The family bought the lot, and cared for it during
the year. There was a Sexton, but his main responsibility was for the
location of lots and digging of graves. Over the years, and even as
early as 1874 the trustee had to take up the need for keeping the
cemetery looking its best. Trees were cut, bushes pruned, stones
straightened and the lawns mowed. The trustees had met at the cemetery
ground in 1861 for a working discussion of where to place the main
entrance, and the necessary driving paths. As you walk through the
cemetery today there are many of these “avenues” still visible either
through the location of shrubs which boarder the lots, or the location
of corner stones and the absence of grave stones between two sets.
One of the concerns noted in the early minutes of the
Association and the Trustees was the recording of the sale of lots.
And several times it was noted that a new map had been drawn, lot
lines adjusted and the approved map placed on file in the county
clerk’s office. Many of the lots along the front fence line are 11
feet wide (East to West) and 15 to 20 feet deep (North to South). As
the area on the North side of the upper road was laid out the sections
were marked in 16 by 20 foot lots with a path running North to South
after two rows of lots. Two books remain that detail the lot sales
over the years. One dates from approximately 1876 as the pages are
headed “Lake View Cemetery” on the left page and “Farmer Village, N.
Y.” on the right page. The earlier lot purchases were copied into this
book which was used until about 1910. The second and larger book
contains a copy of the previous recordings along with lot sales up to
the Spring of 1976.
A new fence along the south side was purchased in 1907 for $400.
At the Annual meeting on March 4, 1907, “A verbal report of P.W.
Rappleye, Superintendent, was given, suggesting the need of a
receiving vault and a well.”[In April 1913 a committee was appointed to look into the costs and
feasibility of building a vault; in July 1914 the matter was still in
committee. The vault was built prior to the Annual meeting of March
1915 at which time the treasurer noted money received for the vault
$203.58; paid to Thomas Briggs for vault $903.25 and to HP Minor for
Vault Doors $85.00.
On “July 21, 1920 a Special meeting of the board of trustees
[was] held . . . The object of the meeting is in regard to the
erection of a Soldiers Monument in memory of the Late Madison Covert
who in his will left Lake View Cemetery association one thousand
dollars for soldiers monument and three thousand dollars for Chapple
(sic).” January 1923 the Trustees met to discuss the building of the
chapel and on November 26, 1923 they met in the new Chapple (sic). The
annual meeting of 1924 notes that $3,000 was paid to Briggs & Kennedy
for Chapel, $11 for a stove and $44.98 for chairs.
The ordering of the monument for the soldier’s memorial caused
one of the few noted rifts in the ranks of the trustees. Two meetings,
days apart and two separate votes were taken to determine which
memorial company should get the order. On September 24, 1920 the vote
was 5 for the Ithaca company and 4 for Elmira. On the 29th
of September a second vote was taken, again, 4 votes for the Elmira
Company and 6 for the Raymond Hoare Company. The committee was
instructed to purchase a monument of Mr. Hoare, whereupon the
committee resigned and a new committee was appointed to carry out the
vote.
Many people have cared for the cemetery grounds over the years and to
them we are all grateful for their time and labors. To mention any
would be hazardous as no doubt someone would be left from the list
Lake View Cemetery
The Association, A Corporation
The board of Trustees is elected by and from the lot owners as
provided by the 1847 act incorporating Rural Cemeteries. In 1847
there were nine Trustees; this was later raised to twelve. At one time
it was suggested that six would be sufficient, but that item was voted
down. Trustees are elected for a three year term, unless filling a
vacancy, with four trustees being elected each year. Over the years
the roll call has been answered by many prominent men and women of the
community,
and generations of
families have succeeded each other. The 2006-2007 Board of Trustees
includes: Richard Bassette, Mark Beardsley, Paul Brown, James Close,
Paul Ditmars, Sally Hubbard, Gary Hunt, Diane Bassette Nelson, Charles
Pell, Mike Westervelt and Yvonne Williams.
The
board annually elects officers, originally four: President, Vice
President, Secretary and Treasurer. In recent years, the positions of
Secretary and Treasurer have been combined into one office. The
2009-2010 officers are: Mark Beardsley, President; Richard Bassette,
Vice President and Diane Bassette Nelson, Secretary-Treasurer.
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