To Gravesend…Part IV

By Michelle Ann Kratts, Library Clerk Lewiston Village Cemetery Is it possible to be in love with a cemetery?  Perhaps some may call me strange but there is something beautiful and captivating about Lewiston’s very own Village Cemetery.  Nestled in the cozy alcove beside the Presbyterian Church on S. 5th and Cayuga Streets, the Village Cemetery may be Lewiston’s best kept secret.  Herein lie some very restless spirits from Lewiston’s past and on Saturday evening, my son and I met up with those restless spirits as we joined the Marble Orchard Ghost Walk.  As guests of Eva Nickas, we were mesmerized by the many creepy stories and colorful characters that burst forth from the pages of Lewiston’s history.  It’s hard not to get a case of the goosebumps as you hear stories of headless ghosts, girls buried alive, hounds from hell and the occassional Indian curse!  The costumed characters representing Nancy and Josiah Tryon (the famous conductor of the Underground Railroad), Sally Barton Tryon, Lucy Hawes, the wistful gypsy woman who dances upon the villagers graves at night, and Sherburne Piper, the”hanging judge” of old Lewiston– all added a special blood-curdling touch! For the genealogist, the Village Cemetery is a walk back through time.  There are Revolutionary War soldiers buried here, and some of those who were massacred during the War of 1812.  There are humorous, as well as cryptic, epitaphs to ponder.  Some, such as “Our Baby,” may tug at your heartstrings.  You can find a complete Cemetery Census at the Lewiston Public Library.  This was meticulously completed by Kenneth McCaskill back in 1966 as a project for Boy Scout Troop #55.  The Census lists (in alphabetical order) the names of those buried here followed by the years of their birth and death and the area of the cemetery by which you can find their grave.  There are also notes made for military service dating back to the Revolution. If you have found that these stories and characters have piqued your interest please stop by the library and dig up some local history.  We have many books (presently on display) waiting for you.  And make sure you head out to the next Marble Orchard Ghost Walk–there’s always “room for one more.”