Cemetery Memorials And Memories

05/26/2025

05/26/2025

08/01/2023

JOHN A. SWEZEY (1902-1994) was born in Lagrange and was the son of Alfred and Ida Montford Swezey. He attended Moores Mills Schools and was a graduate of the Eastman Business School. He retired from Schatz Federal Bearing in Poughkeepsie in 1966. He married Mildred Rynders Kniffin in 1965.

MILDRED R. SWEZEY (1904-1991) was the daughter of Willard and Belle (Olivit) Rhynders and grew up in “Rusky” attending the Staatsburg Schools. She later graduated from the Eastman School of Business and was employed by Schatz Federal Bearing in Poughkeepsie. She married John A. Swezey in 1965 after being divorced from Bertram Traver and being widowed by Frank Kniffin. She had one son, Maurice Traver, from her first marriage.

FRANK CHARLES KNIFFIN (1889-1956) Was born in Lithgow, NY and was the son of Edward and Libbie (Olivit) Kniffin. A veteran of WWI, He served in the 501st Combat Engineer He married Mildred Rhynders Traver in 1931. Mr. Kniffen was a union carpenter by trade and made his home in Freedom Plains. He was a member of the Pirate Canoe Club; a director of the Federation of Game Clubs; a treasurer of the Ni**od Gun Club; and a member of the Freedom Plains Presbyterian Church.

NOTE: The Eastman Busine School located in Poughkeepsie was founded by Harvey Eastman and operated from 1859-1931. At the height of its success, the school was one of the largest commercial colleges in the United States. Rather than merely being a theoretical school, students gained practical experience in the business arts by actually performing the tasks that would be expected of them in their working careers, a novel approach at the time

08/01/2023

JACOB BURNETT (1888-1967) was a lifetime farmer near Silver Lake in Rhinebeck. He was married to Rose Myers and had a son named Foster, who predeceased both parents. ROSE (MYERS) BURNETT died in 1964.

FOSTER BURNETT (1915-1960) of Silver Lake Rhinebeck worked for the Taconic State Parkway Commission. He was the son of Jacob and Rose (Myers) Burnett. He was married to Edith Ladenburger when he died. He was previously married to Lois A. Burdick of Upton Lake, on Christmas Day 1936 but later divorced in 1948. They had a daughter Mary Lou, who married Andrew Heinson of Gallatin in 1957.

08/01/2023

GEORGE W DE FORREST (1891-1960) was a graduate of the Staatsburg Union Free Schools. He attended a plumbing trade school in New York City. He married Helen Masten, and had two sons, Howard and George E., both who tragically predeceased them.

George moved to Newburg for a time and then to Beacon, where he and his wife lived out their days at 26 Deerfield Place. He had been employed by A. C. Smith Plumbing.

George was a prominent member of the Masonic organization. He was a member of the Newburg Lodge, Highland Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, Newburg & Hudson River Commandery, and the Knights Templar Newburgh. He died unexpectantly while visiting the Masonic Lodge in Jackson, MI. He had been treated for a heart ailment for some time.

HELEN (MASTEN) DE FORREST (1892-1964)

07/31/2023

FRANK L. JOHNSON (1892-1959) and JEMIMA JOHNSON (1891-1953) was a farmer that lived on North Quaker Lane in Hyde Park. He served in the US Army during WWI. He married Miss Jemima Thompson, a native of Scotland. Mrs. Johnson predeceased her husband in 1953.

NOTE: Jemima is a Hebrew word for “Dove” and is considered a beautiful way to celebrate the baby's pure, peaceful spirit. In the Old Testament, Jemima is also the name of one of Job’s three daughters, who were considered the most beautiful in the land. (Job 42:13-15)

07/31/2023

W. SCOTT WOODELL lived on Kansas Road and worked for the Town of Clinton Highway Department. He died unexpectantly of a heart attack as he walked to his car to leave for work on June 9. He was a member of the Fallkill Grange. He married HAZEL TRAVER. She died in March 1963.

07/31/2023

JOHN H. CHURCHILL (1880-1960) was a retired Stone Mason that made his home in Pleasant Plains for most of his life. He was a member of the West Clinton Fire Company. He married LENA HADDEN. She died in August 1966.

07/31/2023

IRA E. HAINES (1856-1890) was born in Milian, NY to Edgar S. Haines, and Eliza Ann Traver. The Haines family has roots in America dating back to the Mayflower. The Travers were Palatine Germans that came to this country around the 1760s. Ira married Katie Miller around 1877. They had a son Austin M who died in infancy in 1878. They later had a daughter names Vesta Roe in 1879.

The Poughkeepsie Daily Eagle, published the following on Friday December 5, 1890:

“The people of Pleasant Plains were shocked on Monday evening to hear of the death of Mr. Ira Haines. Although for several weeks Mr. Haines has been suffering from a severe attack of inflammatory rheumatism, yet until a few days before his death all had hoped the one so young and apparently so much needed might be spared. But God in his wise and unerring providence, saw fit to call him away, even so young, and with life so full of usefulness and promise. Deceased 31 years of age and leaves a wife and two children… The bereaved have the sympathy of the whole community.”