Approximately 500 feet up the Wheeler Watson trail, hikers will find Wheeler Watson cemetery, now tucked into the woods but once part of the open countryside of the area. The Wheeler Watson cemetery was used as a burial ground during the 1800s by the Watsons and their neighbors, most of whom were related to the Lincoln or Bouton families. Wheeler Watson moved with five others of his at least eight siblings from Rhode Island to Rensselaerville in the late 1790s. In 1799, Wheeler and his younger brother Thomas together acquired a lease on the land that now contains the cemetery and Lincoln Pond (lot 286). The Lincoln family had lived in the area even before the Watsons, settling here before 1786. In 1830, Samuel Watson, Thomas Watson’s son, sold the lease of his land to the Boutons. Included in the record of the sale was a statement excluding about a quarter acre of land “now laid out and appropriated as a burying ground, and which is to be kept and preserved for ever.”
Of the 33 people thought to be buried in the cemetery, 28 have been identified. There are 23 headstones still visible, several of which have long epitaphs inscribed on them.
Benjamin Abrams (1766-1839)
Father to Hiram Abrams
Hiram Abrams (1830-1849)
Son of Benjamin Abrams
Mary Abrams Bouton (1816-1855)
Wife of Erastus Bouton. Inscription reads “We miss her”
Adah Ball Bouton (1767-1808)
First wife of Samuel Bouton
Polly Alger Bouton (1784-1838)
Second wife of Samuel Bouton
Rozina Boughton (1807-1833)
Wife of Eli H. Boughton. Inscription reads “Though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall see God Eternal”
Alvira Cornick (1826-1828)
Daughter of Stephen and Hannah Cornick, died as a child
Lewis A Dumond (1878-1884)
Son of Sylvester Dumond and Miriam Lincoln Dumond. Inscription reads “We miss thee, thou loved one”
Betsey Bouton Lincoln (1779-1853)
Daughter of Shubael and Mary Hodge Bouton. Wife of Deacon Levi Lincoln, mother of Rachel Lincoln Smith. Inscription reads “She has gone to her grave in peace, she sleeps with the pious dead. Her toils and cares forever cease.”
Deacon Levi Lincoln (1775-1849)
Husband of Betsey Bouton Lincoln, father of Rachel Lincoln Smith. At one point lived on the land that now includes Lincoln Pond, for which his ancestors are likely the namesake.
Levi Lincoln (1809-1871)
Son of Deacon Levi Lincoln and Betsey Bouton Lincoln, husband of Polly Smith, father of David Lincoln, Phebe Maria, and Mary Aucella
Phebe Maria Lincoln (1832-1843)
Daughter of Levi Lincoln and Polly Smith, died as a child. Inscription reads “God in his Wisdom hath recalled The precious boon his love hath given And tho the casket moulders here The gem is sparkling now in heaven"
David Lincoln (1833-1900 or 1836-1865)
Husband of Mary A. Hicks, father of Mary J. Lincoln, son of Levi Lincoln and Polly Smith
Mary J. Lincoln (1860-1862)
Daughter of David and Mary Lincoln
Mary Aucelia Lincoln (1851-1857)
Daughter of Levi Lincoln and Polly Smith
Charlotte Lincoln (1806-1876)
Wife of Joseph Lincoln
Hiram Lincoln (1823-1864)
Husband of Delilah Osborn Lincoln
Delilah Osborn Lincoln (1824-1904)
Wife of Hiram Lincoln
Levi J. Lincoln (1843(?) -1913)
Dora Lincoln (1860-1933)
Abigail Peckham (1779-1843)
She may be related to the Watsons as she is buried near them in their section of the cemetery.
Rebecca Potter (1779-1846)
May have been related to the Watsons. She is buried near them in the cemetery
Sarah Taylor Peckham Watson (1772-1838)
Wife of Wheeler Watson
Wheeler Watson (1770-1846)
Husband of Sarah Taylor Peckham Watson. Moved from Rhode Island to Rensselaerville. He represented Rensselaerville in the State Legislature in 1831.
George P. Watson (1814-1829)
Possibly the son of Wheeler Watson and Sarah Taylor Peckham Watson or Wheeler’s nephew, died as a child. Inscription reads “His mind had ripened ee’r to man he grew. So kind, so generous and his days so few. That scarce the flower had opened its lovely bloom, Ee’r death conveyed it to the silent tomb”
Thomas Watson (1778-1813)
Husband of Sally Jenkins, younger brother to Wheeler Watson. He moved from Rhode Island to Rensselaerville in 1799. He was the first lawyer in Rensselaerville.
John Smith (1783-1862)
Husband of Phebe Bouton Smith, father of David Smith
Phebe Bouton Smith (1786-1853)
Wife of John Smith, mother of David Smith
David Smith (1808-1879)
Husband of Rachel Lincoln Smith, father of John and Levi Smith
Rachel Lincoln Smith (1813-1892)
Daughter of Deacon Levi Lincoln and Betsey Bouton Lincoln, wife of David Smith, mother of John and Levi Smith
John Smith (1831-1832)
Son of David Smith and Rachel Lincoln Smith, died as a young child, twin of Levi Smith, his name is listed together with his brother’s name on a larger stone plus on his own individual stone
Levi Smith (1831-1844)
Son of David Smith and Rachel Lincoln Smith, died as a child, twin of John Smith, his name is listed together with his brother’s name on a larger stone plus on his own individual stone
Sources/Acknowledgements:
Find a Grave. Accessed February, 2022. www.findagrave.com
Kuhar, Rosie, Rensselaerville Historical Society, personal communication 2022
Havens, Ross Downey, Thomas Watson Biography 2021
Lyons, Tom, personal communication, April 16, 2016 based on information gathered by Janet Haseley and Rosie Kuhar
Wright, Janet and Art, personal communication 2001
This project was supported with funding from the New York State Conservation Partnership Program (NYSCPP) and New York's Environmental Protection Fund. The NYSCPP is administered by the Land Trust Alliance, in coordination with the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
Of the 33 people thought to be buried in the cemetery, 28 have been identified. There are 23 headstones still visible, several of which have long epitaphs inscribed on them.
Benjamin Abrams (1766-1839)
Father to Hiram Abrams
Hiram Abrams (1830-1849)
Son of Benjamin Abrams
Mary Abrams Bouton (1816-1855)
Wife of Erastus Bouton. Inscription reads “We miss her”
Adah Ball Bouton (1767-1808)
First wife of Samuel Bouton
Polly Alger Bouton (1784-1838)
Second wife of Samuel Bouton
Rozina Boughton (1807-1833)
Wife of Eli H. Boughton. Inscription reads “Though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall see God Eternal”
Alvira Cornick (1826-1828)
Daughter of Stephen and Hannah Cornick, died as a child
Lewis A Dumond (1878-1884)
Son of Sylvester Dumond and Miriam Lincoln Dumond. Inscription reads “We miss thee, thou loved one”
Betsey Bouton Lincoln (1779-1853)
Daughter of Shubael and Mary Hodge Bouton. Wife of Deacon Levi Lincoln, mother of Rachel Lincoln Smith. Inscription reads “She has gone to her grave in peace, she sleeps with the pious dead. Her toils and cares forever cease.”
Deacon Levi Lincoln (1775-1849)
Husband of Betsey Bouton Lincoln, father of Rachel Lincoln Smith. At one point lived on the land that now includes Lincoln Pond, for which his ancestors are likely the namesake.
Levi Lincoln (1809-1871)
Son of Deacon Levi Lincoln and Betsey Bouton Lincoln, husband of Polly Smith, father of David Lincoln, Phebe Maria, and Mary Aucella
Phebe Maria Lincoln (1832-1843)
Daughter of Levi Lincoln and Polly Smith, died as a child. Inscription reads “God in his Wisdom hath recalled The precious boon his love hath given And tho the casket moulders here The gem is sparkling now in heaven"
David Lincoln (1833-1900 or 1836-1865)
Husband of Mary A. Hicks, father of Mary J. Lincoln, son of Levi Lincoln and Polly Smith
Mary J. Lincoln (1860-1862)
Daughter of David and Mary Lincoln
Mary Aucelia Lincoln (1851-1857)
Daughter of Levi Lincoln and Polly Smith
Charlotte Lincoln (1806-1876)
Wife of Joseph Lincoln
Hiram Lincoln (1823-1864)
Husband of Delilah Osborn Lincoln
Delilah Osborn Lincoln (1824-1904)
Wife of Hiram Lincoln
Levi J. Lincoln (1843(?) -1913)
Dora Lincoln (1860-1933)
Abigail Peckham (1779-1843)
She may be related to the Watsons as she is buried near them in their section of the cemetery.
Rebecca Potter (1779-1846)
May have been related to the Watsons. She is buried near them in the cemetery
Sarah Taylor Peckham Watson (1772-1838)
Wife of Wheeler Watson
Wheeler Watson (1770-1846)
Husband of Sarah Taylor Peckham Watson. Moved from Rhode Island to Rensselaerville. He represented Rensselaerville in the State Legislature in 1831.
George P. Watson (1814-1829)
Possibly the son of Wheeler Watson and Sarah Taylor Peckham Watson or Wheeler’s nephew, died as a child. Inscription reads “His mind had ripened ee’r to man he grew. So kind, so generous and his days so few. That scarce the flower had opened its lovely bloom, Ee’r death conveyed it to the silent tomb”
Thomas Watson (1778-1813)
Husband of Sally Jenkins, younger brother to Wheeler Watson. He moved from Rhode Island to Rensselaerville in 1799. He was the first lawyer in Rensselaerville.
John Smith (1783-1862)
Husband of Phebe Bouton Smith, father of David Smith
Phebe Bouton Smith (1786-1853)
Wife of John Smith, mother of David Smith
David Smith (1808-1879)
Husband of Rachel Lincoln Smith, father of John and Levi Smith
Rachel Lincoln Smith (1813-1892)
Daughter of Deacon Levi Lincoln and Betsey Bouton Lincoln, wife of David Smith, mother of John and Levi Smith
John Smith (1831-1832)
Son of David Smith and Rachel Lincoln Smith, died as a young child, twin of Levi Smith, his name is listed together with his brother’s name on a larger stone plus on his own individual stone
Levi Smith (1831-1844)
Son of David Smith and Rachel Lincoln Smith, died as a child, twin of John Smith, his name is listed together with his brother’s name on a larger stone plus on his own individual stone
Sources/Acknowledgements:
Find a Grave. Accessed February, 2022. www.findagrave.com
Kuhar, Rosie, Rensselaerville Historical Society, personal communication 2022
Havens, Ross Downey, Thomas Watson Biography 2021
Lyons, Tom, personal communication, April 16, 2016 based on information gathered by Janet Haseley and Rosie Kuhar
Wright, Janet and Art, personal communication 2001
This project was supported with funding from the New York State Conservation Partnership Program (NYSCPP) and New York's Environmental Protection Fund. The NYSCPP is administered by the Land Trust Alliance, in coordination with the state Department of Environmental Conservation.
