Johnstown Colonial Cemetery
The Johnstown Colonial Cemetery located on West Green Street in Johnstown, NY is the first public, community cemetery in Johnstown. The first official and recorded burial took place in 1782 and was that of Daniel Fraser. The final burial took place in 1848 and was that of Hiram Hoag.
There are approximately 497 burials in this cemetery over that time frame and 105 of them were for children under the age of 5. Buried within the grounds of this cemetery are a number of notables that include some of Johnstown’s founding fathers and mothers, Revolutionary war heroes, connections to famous authors, and so much more! The history here is deep.
Notable Residents of the Cemetery
Daniel Frasier - Earliest Burial, 1782.
Church Marker - The First St. Johns, Early 1760’s.
Samuel Kennedy - 1759 - 1842, Tryon County Rangers. Revolutionary War Veteran.
3a. Alexander Comrie - 1743 - 1813 From Comrie, Perthshire, Scotland - Orange County Militia, 1776.
Matthias Hildreth - 1774-1812 N.Y.S. Attorney General.
Capt. Amaziah Rust - 1732 - 1801, Mass Regt. Revolutionary War.
Amaziah Rust Jr. ESQ. - 1754 - 1814 Mass. REGT. REV. War.
Capt. Clement Sadlier Jr. - 6th Regt. War 1812.
Dr. Thomas Reid - 1753 - 1826, Surgeon 1st Canadian REGT. REV. War.
John A.B. McGeoch - 1796 - 1827 - Union College Grad-Principal Johnstown Academy.
Rev. Chester Hinman - 1817 - 1870 - Ass’t Presbyterian Minister.
George Bliss Throop (Troop) - 1757 - 1791 - Father of N.Y.S. Gov. Ennis Throop.
Daniel Holden - 1773 - 1851 - Furniture Maker.
Peter McNaughtan - 1749 - 1811 - 3rd Tryon County Militia.
Rev. Alex Gordon - 1789 - 1845.
Daniel Scovill - 1756 - 1813 - Talcott’s Conn. Militia.
Capt. John Baptise Voumane De Fon Claire - 1740 - 1811, French Office in the Martinique Regiment
Lt. William Wallace - 1746 - 1837, 1st Canadian REGT. & 3rd Tryon County Militia.
Major Gen. Richard Dodge - 1762 - 1832, Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Johnstown’s first PostMaster.
Ann Sarah Dodge (Irving) - 1770 - 1808, Washington’s Irving’s Sister.
Catharine Paris (Irving) - 1738 - 1806, Washington Irving’s Sister.
Talmadge Edwards - 1747 - 1821, Revolutionary War, Johnstown’s 1st Glove and Mitten Maker.
22. Daniel Allen - 1757 - 1811, Revolutionary War, Mass. Militia.
21. Talmadge Edwards - 1747 - 1821, Revolutionary War, Johnstown’s 1st Glove and Mitten Maker.
22. Daniel Allen - 1757 - 1811, Revolutionary War, Mass. Militia.
23. Peter McArthur - 1750 - 1841, Revolutionary War.
24. John McMartin - 1751 - 1844, 3rd Tryon County Militia.
25. Rev. James McLaren - 1772 - 1827.
26. Peter McMartin - 1742 - 1821, 3rd Tryon County Militia.
27. Col. Archibald McIntyre - 1760-1834, Served in the war of 1812 as a Company Captain,. of N.Y. Militia, later Colonel.
28. Henry Cunningham - 1790 - 1826, N.Y.S. Assemblyman.
29. Capt. John Little - 1760 - 1821, 3rd Tryon County Militia.
30. Capt. Henry Y. Pawling - 1756 - 1825, Revolutionary War, Pawling’s Levies. Was a POW on a British Prison Ship.
31. Eleazer Cady - 1806 - 1826, Judge Cady’s Son, Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s Brother.
32. Col. James Livingston - 1747 - 1832, Revolutionary War, 1st Canadian Regt., Grandfather of Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
33. Rev. Simeon Hosack - 1804 - 1833, Minister Presbyterian Church.
34. Duncan McArthur - 1744 - 1836, Revolutionary War.
35. Duncan Anderson - 1720 - 1800, Revolutionary War.
36. Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh - Died 1846 by Hanging, Murdered her Husband.
0. Catharine Henry - 1792 - 1874, Wife of Henry Brevort Henry, Daughter of Col. James Livingston.
00. Rev. John McNiece - Survived the 1798 Irish Rebelion. Superintendent of the Johnstown Academy.
26F. Penelope Grant Forbes - Indentured Servant to Douw Fonda, Survived the 1780 Johnson Brant Raid, Married Peter Forbes.
First Johnstown Firemen 1808
A. Daniel Holden
B. Caleb Johnson
C. Henry Conklin
D. John Holland
On the West side of the cemetery next to the Drumm House at the edge of section A is a marker indicating the site of the original St. John’s Episcopal Church which was built there in 1771. This original stone structure burnt down and the stones were saved and used to create the cemetery walls surrounding the site today.
The cemetery is owned and groundskeeping is maintained by the City of Johnstown while the Johnstown Historical oversees the maintenance of the flags & markers, its historic significance, and helps to ensure this information remains intact and available to the general public for generations to come.
