Lamphere Family Cemetery
aka/Railroad Valley Cemetery
Alfred, NY
Historian, Bill "Bubba G" Greene, of Andover, has submitted all of the material that is used for this page. Quoted is a newspaper article (unknown date, probably mid 1990s) by former county historian from Belmont, NY, Bill Greene. Do not confuse the two individuals, but, they both have the same name and both are historians.
Above is Carlton Greene farm at junction of Kenyon Road and State Route 21. At the end of the red line (at right) would be location of the RR Valley Cemetery. Photo circa 1952 from Greene Family Archives.
from article, " It's time to save the Erie----Again"
"At several points along the line there were riots between several factions of Irish and the Germans. These were mainly caused by religious differences. There were a number of fatalities on all sides. When [Edward] Green gave refuge to a family named Pardon, the militia had to be called out to save his house. There are several graves on the Carlton Greene farm in Railroad Valley believed to be some of the Irish laborers. One could even be the missing John McCarthy King of Ireland."
Additional note from Bill Greene:
“The first owner of that property was Jonathan Lanphear who was a Rev. War Vet. He got the property as a land contract for fighting in the war. The deed came from England as was signed by King George. In 1847 Edward and his wife Tacy Hamilton Greene purchased this property.
“Ed wasn't home when the big ruckus broke out. The Pardon family came to the house seeking refuse from the gang that was chasing them. Tacy held them off with a shot gun until till the local militia's arrived from Andover, Alfred and Almond. They broke the gang up and the Andover Militia escorted the John Pardon family to Andover where the raised their family and are buried there. This all happened in June of 1850.”
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TWO OLD ALFRED CEMETERIES
BY: WILLIAM A. GREENE
I have no idea of the exact date that these two old cemeteries were founded.
The first one that I will talk about was located on the Jessie Saunders’ farm, then later owned by Daniel F. Langworthy, then owned by Clifford Burdick.
I can’t tell you exactly where this cemetery was located, but I have a feeling that it was close to the Erie Railroad right of way.
Sometime around 1900 it was decided to move the bodies to other cemeteries. Some of these were moved to the Alfred Rural Cemetery and the others were moved to the Lanphear farm cemetery, later to be owned by the Greene family. They purchased the farm in 1845.
All of the bodies from the Burdick Farm were moved except 2 children, their bodies were never found.
Names of the people known to have been moved and buried in the Lanphear Farm Cemetery.
1) A man by the name Bebe, no first name, no dates
2) Lanphear, Elizabeth (Betsy) Gavitt, wife of Jonathon Lanphear. She died April 3, 1840 at the age of 64.
3) Lanphear, Maxson, son of Jonathon and Elizabeth Gavitt Lanphear.
4) Langworthy, Susan Potter and her sister (no name).
5) Norton, Arvilla Lanphear, Daughter of Maxson Lanphear.
6) Ormsby, Clifford infant son of Rowland & Guinn Wilcox Ormsby D: 192?
7) Palmer, Laura Crandall (wife of Wm. C. Day and Henry F. Palmer. B: 12/15/1823 D: 5/14/1903
8) Railroad workers. Unknown exact number
9) Saunders, Jessie Sr. D: Oct. 15, 1836
10) Thorton, unknown first name, (man)
11)Wilcox, Infant son of Albert & Alma Tucker Wilcox D: ? 1900
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Here are some pictures of the Railroad Valley Cemetery. The red * are what are left of tombstones. Notice how close the railroad tracks are to the cemetery and the Rt. 21 behind the tracks. Hope this helps. Bubba.
