Beechwood Cemetery in Kendall, NY on a March afternoon.

Spending an afternoon wandering around the country side of Western New York on a cold overcast day in March does not sound like a lot of fun. If I add to this fun afternoon that we were looking for a cemetery it sounds even more strange. I really enjoy family history and learning about what life was like for our ancestors. I am lucky enough to have an autobiography written by my husband's Aunt Carrie. She was Ray's mother's sister. I starting looking up where things took place and where people were born, lived and buried. Some years ago I found Sandy Creek Cemetery on Route 104 where most of the Fredrick family is buried. They lived in Kendall Mills, NY near by.

We drove around Kendall and fround a small cemetery but it was not named Beechwood so we asked a jogger if she knew of any other cemeteries around and if she knew of Beechwood Cemetery. She told us about a larger cemetery on "Woodchuck Alley".  She grew up in the area and was always told to stay away from Woodchuck Alley and the cemetery. It was on a gravel road which comes out onto W Kendall Rd. We followed her directions and found it.

We walked back and forth looking at all the headstones and reading dates and names. The weather started to clear up a little and almost got sunny. It was not even windy. As Ray was talking on his phone to our friend, Scott, I continued to look and there it was.....

Benjamin Bartlett Morse Born November 22, 1816. Died January 17, 1890.

Benjamin Bartlett Morse was the son of Benjamin Morse (born in Mass) and Elizabeth Thomas (born in NH). They were some of the original settlers who came from New England to settle this area. Benjamin B. was the first white man born in Kendall, NY.  Benjamin B married Eunice Barton in 1846. Eunice Barton was born May 2, 1831  and died December 19, 1916.

Eunice Barton was born May 2, 1831 and died December 19, 1916

Benjamin Bartlett Morse and Eunice Barton Morse is my husband's Great-Great-Grandparents.
I would be interested to know what happened to Benj. B parents. That will have to wait for another time.  We are lucky to actually have a written family tree of the Decendants of Thomas Wells Allis and Electa Irene Morse