Oakwood Cemetery is a historic cemetery located in

Syracuse, New York Syracuse ( ) is a City (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States. With a population of 148,620 and a Syracuse metropolitan area, metropolitan area of 662,057, it is the fifth-most populated city and 13 ...

. It was designed by Howard Daniels and built in 1859. Oakwood Cemetery was created during a time period in the nineteenth century when the

rural cemetery A rural cemetery or garden cemetery is a style of cemetery that became popular in the United States and Europe in the mid-19th century due to the overcrowding and health concerns of urban cemeteries, which tended to be churchyards. Rural cemeter ...

was becoming a distinct landscape type, and is a good example of this kind of

landscape architecture Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor areas, landmarks, and structures to achieve environmental, social-behavioural, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic design and general engineering of various structures for constructio ...

The original included about of dense oak forest with pine, ash, hickory and maple. A crew of 60 laborers without large-scale earth moving equipment thinned and grouped the trees; today there are many 150-year-old specimens. Students of SUNY-ESF and

Syracuse University Syracuse University (informally 'Cuse or SU) is a Private university, private research university in Syracuse, New York, United States. It was established in 1870 with roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church but has been nonsectarian since 1920 ...

, whose campuses are adjacent to Oakwood, can regularly be seen in the cemetery for instruction on plant species, capturing insect specimens, cemetery studies, or mammal surveys.

History

Oakwood was an immediate success after its dedication in November 1859. Thousands of visitors led to the establishment of

omnibus Omnibus may refer to: Film and television * ''Omnibus'' (film), a 1992 French short comedy film * Omnibus (broadcast), a compilation of Radio or TV episodes * ''Omnibus'' (British TV programme), an arts-based documentary programme * ''Omnibu ...

service directly to the cemetery gates. Additions to the original acreage were laid out in a manner sympathetic to the original design. ''The Oakwood Cemetery project'', run by

libraries, digitizes and preserves valuable cemetery records.

Notable interments

Notable interments at Oakwood Cemetery include: *

Anna Short Harrington Anna Short Harrington (1897 – 1955) was an American model. She was one of several African-American models hired to promote a corporate trademark as "Aunt Jemima". Biography Anna Short was born in 1897 in the Wallace area of Marlboro Count ...

(1897–1955), Working at the time as A Syracuse house maid, Anna Was discovered by “Quaker Oats Co." in 1935 while cooking her locally famous pancake recipe at the Syracuse state fair, at which time she became the marketing face of “Aunt Jemima”; An institutionally racist depiction of the “Mammy”-stereotype, used as a marketing tool. * Charles Andrews (1827–1918), chief judge of the NY Court of Appeals * Edward Gayer Andrews (1825–1907), a

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

of the

Methodist Episcopal Church The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself nationally. In 1939, th ...

* Maltbie D. Babcock (1858–1901), 19th-century clergyman and author * Union Major General Henry A. Barnum (1833–1892), recipient of the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest Awards and decorations of the United States Armed Forces, military decoration and is awarded to recognize American United States Army, soldiers, United States Navy, sailors, Un ...

* Willis B. Burns (1851–1915), businessman, Mayor of Syracuse, member of the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Ass ...

George F. Comstock George Franklin Comstock (August 24, 1811 – September 27, 1892) was an American lawyer and politician. He was Chief Judge of the New York Court of Appeals from 1860 to 1861. Personal life Comstock was born on August 24, 1811, in Williamstown, N ...

(1811–1892), lawyer, politician, and judge, previous owner of the land tract where the cemetery stands * Stephen D. Dillaye (1820–1884), politician, lawyer, journalist * Herbert H. Franklin (1866–1956), American automobile magnate, businessman and industrialist *

Amos P. Granger Amos Phelps Granger (June 3, 1789 – August 20, 1866) was a U.S. Representative from New York, cousin of Francis Granger. Granger served as a captain in the War of 1812. Early life Granger was born in Suffield, Connecticut on June 3, 1789. He ...

(1789–1866), became a general following the War of 1812 * John A. Green, a Utica native who served as brigadier general in the Civil War * William Jervis Hough (1795–1869), attorney, a general in the New York Militia of Cazenovia, 8th Cavalry Regiment, and a representative in the United States Congress * Jesse Truesdell Peck (1811–1883), a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church and founder of

Elihu Phillips Elihu Lyman Phillips (February 16, 1800January 10, 1884) was an American businessman, politician, and Wisconsin pioneer. He was a member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing Fond du Lac County during the 1860 and 1861 sessions, and ea ...

(1800–1884), member of the

and the

Wisconsin Senate The Wisconsin Senate is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature. Together with the Wisconsin State Assembly they constitute the legislative branch of the state of Wisconsin. The powers of the Wisconsin Senate are modeled after those ...

* Irene Sargent (1852–1932), art historian and

faculty member *

Joseph Lyman Silsbee Joseph Lyman Silsbee (November 25, 1848 – January 31, 1913) was a significant American architect during the 19th and early 20th centuries. He was well known for his facility of drawing and gift for designing buildings in a variety of styles. His ...

(1848–1913), architect *

Lyman Cornelius Smith Lyman Cornelius Smith (1850–1910) was an American innovator and industrialist. He is buried in a mausoleum in Oakwood Cemetery (Syracuse, New York), Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse, New York. Early business ventures L.C. Smith's first business v ...

(1850–1910), American industrialist * Union Major General

Edwin Vose Sumner Edwin Vose Sumner (January 30, 1797March 21, 1863) was a career United States Army Commissioned officer, officer who became a Union Army General officer, general and the oldest field commander of any Army Corps on either side during the American ...

(1797–1863) * Comfort Tyler (1764–1827), early pioneer in

* Ernest Lynn Waldorf (1876–1943), American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church * John M. Wieting (1817–1888), American lecturer and philanthropist

Gallery

File:Oakwood cemetery, The Magician's Eye, Syracuse NY, old cemeteries.jpg, Oakwood Cemetery

File:Oakwood Cemetery - Dedication Valley (Syracuse, NY).jpg, Dedication Valley

File:Oakwood Cemetery Chapel (Syracuse, NY).jpg, Oakwood Cemetery Chapel

File:June 24, 2008 017.JPG, The Soldier's and Sailor's Plot File:Grave at Oakwood Cemetery, Syracuse, New York.JPG, Grave of Lt. Col. Augustus Root of the Union Army. He was killed at Appomattox Court House, April 8, 1865. File:June 24, 2008 009.JPG, Memorial to veterans of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

. File:Oakwood-cemetery 1920 chapel.jpg, Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse – 1920 – Chapel File:Oakwood-map-1912.jpg, Map (1912), Oakwood Cemetery File:Oakwood-Comfort-Tyler-02.jpg, Memorial to Comfort Tyler File:Oakwood-Crouse-Charles-E-02.jpg,

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

bronze door, mausoleum of Charles Edward Crouse File:Oakwood-Sumner-02.jpg, Memorial to Major Gen. E. V. Sumner & wife

References

External links

*
Historic Oakwood Cemetery Preservation Association

Oakwood Cemetery
at Abandoned * {{Find a Grave cemetery Cemeteries in Syracuse, New York Tourist attractions in Syracuse, New York 1859 establishments in New York (state) Monuments and memorials in Syracuse, New York Cemeteries established in the 1850s

History

Notable interments

Gallery

See also

References

External links