Grave Matters

If you visit the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, in Sleepy Hollow, N. Y. (formerly "North Tarrytown") you will find the grave of George Walton, his wife Wilhelmina Constance and their 11th child, John Walton. It will not be found in the Walton Plot, however, because there is NO Walton Plot in this Cemetery. 

George Walton grave maker at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery taken by Frederick Walton in 2007

This marker is located in Section 45 (Concordia) Plot 1859. In fact I think there might be a few open spaces if you are looking for a place to spend eternity. You should check with Charles A. Long. He is listed as the owner of this plot. Good luck finding him though. Some un-cited Ancestry.com records indicate he died in Westchester in 1935 but so far I have been unable to confirm his date of death or place of burial. Odd that he is not buried with his parents in the plot he owned! Odder still that he spent his career as a Cemetery Superintendent, but can not be found in the cemetery he superintended. (If anyone finds him, please let me know.)

The Map below came from the cemeteries records and shows the details of the plot, at least through 2002 when I aquired it.

The grave is pretty easy to locate too, right near the entrance to the cemetery,  as marked for me on this map by the helpful person in the cemetery office who looked up the records for me back then.

Location of Long-Walton Plot

At the main entrance gate, you can see the plot from route 9 or Broadway as it is locally known. I have marked the approximate location.

The two large cedar trees are the obvious landmark. They can also be seen in the below photo of the William Long headstone that stands above the Walton marker.  I think the arrow on the picture above is pointing to the cross of the Mahone headstone seen behind the Long marker.

William Long grave maker at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery taken by Frederick Walton in 2007

Founded in 1849 as the Tarrytown Cemetery, this historic location is a place maybe best associated with The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by renowned author Washington Irving who is buried here. Other notables include George Walton's employer- John B. Archibald, founder of IBM- Thomas Watson, Walter Chrysler, William Rockefeller, and Civil War General Carl Schurz.

To focus on our family, there are five ancestors buried in plot 1859 who shall be listed in order of internment:

1) Elizabeth Long (1827-1902)- Born in England, she was the mother of Wilhelmina Constance and Charles Arthur. She was interred 6/24/1902 according to cemetery records

2) George  Walton (1860-1910)- You can't always believe what is chiseled in stone   George was actually born 3 Jul 1864 in Cheddleton, England according to his birth certificate. He died of "Apoplexy" at the young age of 49. He was interred on June 18, 1910. He is the Husband of Wilhelmina Constance (and my Great-Grandfather)

3) William Long (1834-1914) Born in England, he was the father of Wilhelmina Constance and Charles Arthur. He was interred 3/11/1914 according to cemetery record 

4) Wilhelmina Constance Long Walton (1869-1931)- Born in Madison, N. J. where she met & married the immigrant George Walton and raised a large family. (She was my Great-Grandmother)

5) John Walton (1906-1997)- Was the 11th of 12 children of George and Constance Walton. He served honorably in the U. S. Army. He never married, but stayed close to several of his siblings throughout his life. I have not discovered how he came to be buried with his parents, although this is a logical place for him to be.

Do you wonder where the other children of George and Wilhelmina are buried? So do I!  I have records for some of them, I have been unable to find a record on Find-A-Grave for most. If your great Grandparents live near you, Perhaps you can pay them a visit, take a picture of their grave and Share it with the rest of the Walton Family.