Pelham Cemetery on City Island

Please Visit the Historic Pelham Web Site
Located at http://www.historicpelham.com/.

City Island retains the feel of a quaint New England fishing village. For more than a century, City Island was part of the Town of Pelham. Before that, for more than a century, it was part of the Manor of Pelham. Many Pelham pioneers lived on -- or visited -- City Island. Its history is part of Pelham's history.

At the west end of Reville Road on City Island is a lovely cemetery named "Pelham Cemetery". It is the only waterfront cemetery in the five boroughs of New York City. Next to the gate of the cemetery is a bronze plaque that says, in part, the following:

"THIS IS PELHAM CEMETERY

Lives are commemorated -- deaths are recorded . . . This is a cemetery. . . . A cemetery is a history of people -- a perpetual record of yesterday and a sanctuary of peace and quiet today. . . "

These words certainly ring true. Pelham Cemetery was established in the 1880s. There are, however, older gravestones within its grounds. The cemetery is filled with the gravestones of well-known Pelham families and early settlers. The grave sites of veterans of the Civil War and virtually every War since may be found in the cemetery.

Gravestone of Civil War Veteran Private William F. Hulse,
Co. E, N.Y. 127th Infantry. The 127th was organized
at Staten Island and mustered in September 8, 1862.
It had duty defending Washington, D.C. until April, 1863.
It was involved in the Siege of Suffolk, Virginia April 20 -
May 4, 1863. It participated in Dix's Peninsula Campaign
June 24 - July 7 of that year. It pursued Lee to Berlin,
Maryland, July 13 - 22, 1863. Involved in siege operations
against Forst Wagner and Gregg on Morris Island and
against Fort Sumpter and Charleston, South Carolina.

Pelham Cemetery is a quiet place overlooking the Long Island Sound. For those interested in the history of Pelham and surrounding areas, a respectful and pensive stroll of the grounds is worth the time.

Please Visit the Historic Pelham Web Site
Located at http://www.historicpelham.com/.