Program

NYS Historic

Subject

Cemetery

Location

303 South Main Street, Northville, NY

Lat/Long

43.223205, -74.170594

Grant Recipient

Town of Northampton

The small village of Northville located on a peninsula, is situated in the northern part of the Town of Northampton, NY, surrounded by the Sacandaga River and the Great Sacandaga Lake. Also located on this peninsula is Northville Main Street Cemetery, the burial site of many of the village’s first inhabitants, along with several veterans of the American Revolution and the Civil War (Village of Northville, NY Tax Map, Town of Northampton, NY).

Washington Frothingham’s 1892 book, History of Fulton County, cites Samuel Olmsted as being one of the first residents, “on the site of the village [Northville], being in fact, the first in this locality.” A Danbury, CT native, Olmsted arrived in Northville in 1788 and passed away decades later in 1845. According to History of Fulton County Olmstead, along with many early village citizens, were interred “in the old burying ground on Main Street.” John Dennison is one such early resident buried in the Main Street Cemetery. History of Fulton County states that Dennison came to Northville sometime prior to 1800 from New England and served as town clerk from 1800 to 1803, before dying in 1804.

The cemetery land was once owned by the family of Joseph Spier. As related in History of Fulton County, Spier was born in Columbia County, NY and moved north to Northville around 1807. A prominent member of the community, he served as town supervisor in 1822 and later as a state legislator in 1823 and 1829. According to his headstone, Spier passed away in 1845, and left his property to son, Joseph Spier, who shortly thereafter donated the land to the cemetery association (History of Fulton County).

This cemetery is also the burial site of American Revolution and Civil War veterans. Daniel Brownell ‘s headstone recounts his bravery stating that he was only fifteen when he enlisted during the Revolutionary War. He served for seven years and lived a long life until dying in 1852 at the age of 96. According to a transcription from his headstone, Alpheus Brooks enlisted in the Civil War at age eighteen but unfortunately died three years later.

As of 2019, the Northville Main Street Cemetery continued to be utilized by Northville citizens as a burial ground.