Local History

Friends of Spencer’s Corners Burying Ground is a nonprofit organization based in Millerton and North East, NY whose volunteers are dedicated to the restoration and repair of the degraded monuments and gravestones at Spencer’s Corners Burying Ground. 

About Spencer’s Corners Burying Ground 

Spencer’s Corners Burying Ground is located on Merwin Road and is one of the oldest cemeteries in Dutchess County, with one headstone dating back to 1701. The burying ground is located in an area termed “the Oblong,” which is where original settlers and ore miners made their home. The Spencer family established residence in that area in 1770, and the burying ground was later named in their honor. 

In 1777, a Baptist Church was established at the site of the burying ground by Reverend Simon Dakin. By 1867, the Baptist congregation had moved to a new church within the Village of Millerton and many families migrated along with them. 

By 1907, Spencer’s Corners was regulated by the New York State Division of Cemeteries, and in 1987, it was considered an “abandoned cemetery,” and was handed over to the Town of North East. Since then, the burying ground has become degraded and deteriorated, with many fallen headstones and collapsed monuments. This is where Friends of Spencer’s Corners Burying Ground comes in; the goal of the organization is to preserve the historic site for future generations, as well as honor the ancestors of the original settlers of this area who are buried there. 

“Saving the gravestones now is critical, not only to prevent further deterioration, but to preserve the history of our community for future generations,” said Claire Goodman, president of Friends of Spencer’s Corners Burying Ground.

How to get involved 

Thanks to grants in 2023, the organization was able to upright and restore four historic monuments at the burying ground. If the organization is able to raise an additional $15,000, they will be able to restore the significant gravestones of Simon Dakin and members of the Spencer family, amongst others. 

Most recently, the organization hosted “Breakfast at the Burying Ground” in August, during which some participants were assigned to carefully apply a non-toxic solution that safely removes build-up of algae and dirt on selected stones and obelisks. Other participants made gravestone rubbings with special wax paper to reveal inscriptions and epitaphs on the headstones that were degraded over time and by weather. 

Their next event is on Sunday, October 13 from 10am-12pm, during which they will be hosting a gravestone rubbing activity with wax and paper. The event is free and open to the public. 

To learn more about Spencer’s Corners, visit the website www.spencerscorners.org for more information. If you’d like to volunteer with Spencer’s Corners or donate to the cause, contact Claire Goodman at wynnego741@gmail.com. You can also mail donation checks to “Friends of Spencer’s Corners Burying Ground,” c/o Claire Goodman, PO Box 1031, Millerton, NY 12546 and marked “Restoration Project.”