Registry of Graves

The first mention I could find in the town records of this cemetery, which is the oldest one in Jamaica, was under date of November 5, 1668, when at a town meeting it was agreed that John Wascot was to fence the burying place, with good and sufficient five rail fence before the middle of the next march. He was to fence it ten rods square and to have four pounds in current pay for his pains and labor.

Under date of December 5, 1670, at a town meeting it was decided that William Brinkly was to have a piece of land on the west side of the burial place, leaving a sufficient highway between his fence and Beaver Pond.

The History of Queens County says, that when the old Presbyterian Church was torn down in 1813, the bones of Rev. Patrick Gordan, who died July 28, 1702, and those of Rev. William Urquhart who died the last of August 1709, and those of the two wives of Rev. Thomas Poyer, whom had been buried under this church, were gathered up, put in a box and buried in the village cemetery. If this be true no Markers tell us of the resting place.

In 1857, Nicholas Ludlum of New York purchased three acres of land, east of the old burying ground and built a chapel at his own expense in memory of his daughters.

This cemetery, containing the remains of the pioneers of this place, was incorporated in 1879 under the name of The Prospect Cemetery. It is sad to record that many old stones have been used to form a walk and new graves are being made over the old ones.

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