Pioneer Cemetery, cemetery in Sidney, New York, United States
Pioneer Cemetery is a small burial ground on Main Street in Sidney, New York, covering less than an acre. The gravestones are made of marble or slate and display detailed carvings with motifs like willows, urns, and angels from the 1700s and 1800s.
The cemetery began accepting burials in 1787 and was one of the first burial grounds in the region. It grew alongside Sidney's early settlement by Reverend William Johnston and other families who arrived through the Wallace Patent land grant.
The gravestones here bear names of families like Johnston, Smith, and Hovey who were among the first settlers. These names carved into stone show how early communities took root and left their mark on the landscape.
The cemetery is located on Main Street in Sidney and is easy to reach on foot, with an informational marker at the entrance. It is open to visitors at no cost and offers plenty of space to walk between the 13 rows of gravestones.
Skilled carvers like Jonas W. Stewart and Joseph Crandall created distinctive gravestones with personal signatures - Stewart carved coffins and willows while Crandall added ornate flowers and stars. Their work reveals local artisan traditions from that era.
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