Clay Meadows Cemetery, Bolton township, Warren county, New York

On our trip in May 2013 we were able to find the Clay Meadows cemetery and I've decided to write about it today so others can find it more easily than we did.

We stayed in Bolton Landing on the banks of Lake George for two days. It was early May and not much was open yet including the historical museum. So I went to the library and asked about the Clay Meadows cemetery that I had learned about online. The librarian found the same webpage as I did but then made a few phone calls and found someone who told her that it was about five miles north of Bolton Landing in the northwest bay area of Lake George. And that the cemetery was near a state park and you needed to climb a hill at the end of the guard rail just past the creek.

We drove north that day but didn't have time to find it since we still needed to go south to the county offices/historical room before it closed. (Which we had a difficult time finding because of the town/village designations which we didn't understand.) But the next day after we checked out we headed north towards Ticonderoga and were able to find the cemetery on the way!

So to find it: drive north out of Bolton Landing on Lake Shore Drive/9N for a little over six miles to Northwest Bay Brook. We didn't find a state park but there is a turn-off road to a fishing access area right before the brook - we parked there.

Northwest Bay Brook (looking down from the road)

There is an unmarked trail up the hill just past the guard rail - see arrow

Cross over the brook and right at the end of the guard rail climb the unmarked trail up the hill.

Circle is around my husband climbing toward the cemetery

My husband climbed the hill and after a bit found the cemetery. It had been fenced and there was a sign. There aren't many grave markers left intact. Through the years time and vandals have taken their toll. The fence was added in the 1990s and in 2003 the cemetery was cleared of brush and overgrowth by members of the Bolton Historical Society and seniors from Bolton Central School.

And he found Burgesses!! Martin Burgess is a brother to my ancestor, William Burgess Sr. Martin Burgess and his family are interred in this cemetery. I think that Christian Burgess lived in this area until the family moved to Putnam Station area in the early 1800s.

Mike coming down the hill from the cemetery

At one point in time there was a community in the area called Clay Meadows. The residents had clear cut the trees to sell and so they could farm. In the 1930s a Civilian Conservation Corps camp was located on the old Burgess farm in this area. The CCC boys replanted the area with thousands of 5-inch seedling pine trees. These trees are now 80+ feet tall and it is hard to find any sign of the early settlers other than this cemetery. Read more about this camp in the wonderful article found here: http://www.lakegeorgemirrormagazine.com/2013/04/24/the-civilian-conservation-corps-comes-to-bolton/

Map:

43.627126,-73.607154 - Clay Meadows Cemetery

Rebecca Nurse Homestead visit part two: The Cemetery

Rebecca Nurse home from the parking area

Nurse Homestead Cemetery

Across the field from the house is the Nurse Homestead cemetery. It is believed that the Nurse family surreptitiously took her body in the night and buried it on the family farm. There are two unmarked rocks in the cemetery. This could be where Rebecca was interred.

You can see the cemetery under the trees across the field from the house.

Nurse Homestead Cemetery

Two plain stones that may mark the graves of
Rebecca Nurse and her husband, Frances Nurse.

A beautiful monument for Rebecca is found in the cemetery.
Sorry for the reflection that obscures the words.

The monument states:

REBECCA NURSE

YARMOUTH ENGLAND

1621

SALEM MASS

1692

~~~

O Christian Martyr

shoe for Truth could die

When all about thee

owned the hideous lie!

the world redeemed

from Superstition's sway

Is breathing freer

for thy sake to-day

back side of monument

close view of back of monument

The cemetery has many burials mostly those of the Nurse and Putnam family. There is also a stone honoring those who supported for Rebecca Nurse.

I took four shots and sadly this is the most readable I think it says:

This tablet contains the names of those who at

the risk of their lives gave written testimony

in favor of Rebecca Nurse in 1892

Elizabeth Porter  Israel Porter

Nathl Putnam  Saml Abbey  Danl Rea

Hannah Bishop  Lydia Putnam

Sarah Rea  Hepzibah Rea  Edw Bishop

Sarah Putnam  Sarah Andrew

Danl Andrew  Sarah Leach  Joshua Rea

Jonathan Putnam

I think this is a newer section or a family section.

The cemetery was still in use as late as 1930. It has some original markers that are too weathered to read, some broken markers and some that have been placed later by descendants. It is a peaceful resting place for those who lie there.

Here are a few of the grave markers:

weathered

replacement

replacement

Descendant of Francis and Rebecca Nurse
Revolutionary War Veteran

broken stone

Rebecca Nurse Homestead

On the morning of May, 4 2013 we were able to visit the Rebecca Nurse Homestead in Danvers, Massachusetts. This was one of the highlights of our trip since Rebecca was my 9th great grandmother (to see how we are related see earlier blog post). It was difficult for my husband to believe that something like that witch-hunt could have ever happened even over 300 years ago. It is wonderful that the Nurse Homestead and some of the surrounding land has been preserved. It was a blessing to visit there.

Looking down the lane from the parking area towards the Nurse Homestead

Nurse home. The original house stopped at the middle chimney.

Entry/First room in the house

Main living room:

large, deep fireplace in main room

Musket hanging on joist

Large loom all furnishing are
from that period but didn't belong
to the Nurse family

Cabinet and small loom

flax for linen

Window with old glass

tape loom - used for ribbons,
flat tape for closures

Upstairs Sleeping Room

Upstairs Fireplace

Upstairs beds and cradle

Back of Nurse Homestead

Snake beneath the homestead

Salem Village Meeting House Replica 

A replica of the Salem Village Meeting House was built in 1984 by Night Owl Productions on the Nurse Homestead. It is very close representation of the original church which stood from 1672 to 1702. The church was used for a PBS film called "Three Sovereigns for Sarah" starring Vanessa Redgrave about Rebecca Nurse's sister, Sarah.
I'm not sure why I don't have a picture of the main part of the meetinghouse but here are the pictures that I did take...

Meetinghouse at the Nurse Homestead replicating the original church.

front of church with pulpit and side balcony

back balcony

----------------
visit continued in part two: Nurse family cemetery