Stony Hill Cemetery

One of the most significant locations on Buckout Road and of Harrison’s history, this cemetery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 55-page submission was made in April of 1999, and approved in June of 1999. [1] Those buried here are the topic in Edith Quinn Caro’s book, “The Hills” in the Mid-Nineteenth Century, the History of a Rural Black Community In Westchester County, New York.[2] Caro wrote this after completing her 1986 thesis. The former Town Historian turned college professor details the history of one of the largest concentrations of African Americans that were emancipated by Quaker settlers in the late 1700’s. 36 of the men in this community fought in the Civil War, 13 of which are buried here. [3] These men faced great hardship. The headstones are hard to find, but the history of those buried here is worth looking for. Aside from Caro’s book, more information about this community can be found on the findagrave.com listing. “Located on Buckout Rd., in the Silver Lake area. This cemetery is the burial site for freed slaves as well as for African-American war veterans. The land on which it is located was provided by John Harrison, member of the Quakers. This area, called "The Hills", was home to an African-American community, established by freed slaves around 1800. There may be as many as 200 individuals buried here, mostly in unmarked graves.”[4]

Some of the names of the Civil War veterans buried here are Harvey Seymour, Joseph Griffen, Thomas Butler, David Barker. While Civil War soldier Simeon Pierce was not buried here, he is well documented from being from this community and serving with Seymour, Griffen, Butler and Barker. He died while in service and many letters he wrote to his family can be found online here: https://www.harrisonpl.org/harrison-remembers/items/show/98. John Lea Brown, the only casualty in the Civil War is also buried here.

[1] “United States Department of the Interior. National Park Service. National Register of Historic Places. Stony Hill Cemetery.” National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75323257.

[2] Caro, Edythe Quinn. “The Hills” in the Mid-Nineteenth Century; the History of a Rural Black Community in Westchester County, New York. Lehman College, 1987.

[3] Caro, Edythe Quinn. “The Hills” in the Mid-Nineteenth Century; the History of a Rural Black Community in Westchester County, New York. Lehman College, 1987.

[4] Stony Hill Cemetery in White Plains, New York. Accessed May 30, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2299166/stony-hill-cemetery.

Learn more about the peope who lived in the Stony Hill community here: https://www.harrisonpl.org/harrison-remembers/collections/show/1