The historic and beautiful Glenwood Cemetery is located on Oak Street in the town of Champlain, NY. An association was formed on December 19, 1859 for the establishment and organization of this non-denominational burring yard. Ten acres of land was purchased from Amasa C. Moore and an additional two and three quarters acres obtained from John W. and Catherine Whiteside for a total price of $1062.50. The original trustees were John H. Whiteside, George V. Hoyle, W.F. Cook, Timothy Hoyle, Hiram Dudley, Freeman Nye, James Averill, David Finley and William Dodds.
Prior to Glenwood’s establishment most of Champlain’s residents were buried in the “Old Burying Yard” which was also located on Oak Street, just south of Glenwood and opposite Maple Street. The old grounds formally ceased to exist in 1866 and by the 1870’s all persons buried there had been removed to the newly founded Glenwood Cemetery.
The unique remoteness of the Glenwood Cemetery gives one the feeling of seclusion and serenity. It is nestled at the end of a long winding drive that descends one hill, crosses a damned brook and it’s pond, then climbs steeply to the top of a second hill encircled by tall pine trees and flowering shrubs.
As welcome visitors stroll the grounds they may very well experience a trip through the history of Champlain and beyond. Pliny Moore, the founder of the town, his wife Martha Corbin, and her father Captain John Corbin lay at rest among the many lots where Moore descendants are buried. Pliny Moore had seven children, four sons and three daughters. The eldest daughter, Anna, married Julius Hubbell, a lawyer from Chazy. Many subsequent Hubbell descendants are interred on the grounds of Glenwood. Another of Pliny Moore’s daughters married Thomas J. Whiteside, the son of her father’s business associate. The Whiteside Family is also well represented in the cemetery. Pliny Moore’s brother, Benjamin, the first doctor in Champlain, rests peacefully among many of his pioneer patients.
Other early settlers buried there include Elnathan Rogers, William Beaumont and Samuel Ashmun. Ashmun’s son Jehudi spent six years in Liberia actively assisting in the American Colonization Society, which endeavored to establish a colony in Africa for former slaves.
Merchant brothers Freeman and Bartlett Nye and other family members are entombed in a distinctive vault at the base of the burring grounds, while their British-Canadian brother in-law, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Hoyle, and his wealthy brother, Henry Hoyle, lie a short distance away. Some other prominent Champlain citizens laid to rest in Glenwood Cemetery include members and descendants of the Kellogg, Averill, Hicks, Graves and Savage families.
The military is prestigiously represented among the departed in Glenwood as well. From the Revolutionary war through the Korean conflict, many veterans finally found peace in Glenwood Cemetery.
One deserving of mention was Richard Caldwell, a native of Ireland, who joined an armed rebellion against the British. After being tried for treason and condemned to death, his sentence was remitted on the promise that he and his family leave Ireland. He arrived in America in 1799, according to the inscription on his tombstone. When the War of 1812 approached, he raised the 25th Co Infantry out of Orange County NY and was elected their Captain. He died on November 22, 1812, having fought the British on two continents.
From the wealthy lawyers, doctors, merchants and prestigious military veterans to the working class farmers and laborers who contributed to Champlain’s growth, all were equally welcome then as they are today. Glenwood Cemetery remains a fitting place of rest for citizens of the area with well-maintained lawns and grounds. Lots are presently available for sale and visitors are always welcome.
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