What We Do
In 1934, Hempstead Boy Scout Troop #14 spent eighteen months attempting to map out this historic cemetery. The map was presented to the church but the key listing the names of those interred was lost for decades. In 2019, researcher and historian, Amy Vacchio found the long-coveted key in St. George’s archives. Unfortunately, the key was incomplete due to the deterioration of stones, lack of historical research, and even the relocation of some graves. Vacchio enlisted the help of Matt Longo, a graduate student at Buffalo University and together they began a comprehensive project to remap this historic cemetery.
St. George’s Churchyard, 1934 - Boy Scout Troop 14
Our Mission
The first phase of the project was creating a comprehensive map of this cemetery for the public to access using primary sources; church records including, minutes, registers of baptisms, marriages and burials performed at the church since 1735. Our mission is to continue with this research as we fundraise in order to maintain, repair, and eventually restore this historic graveyard. All contributions to this project will go directly to the design and implementation of an exterior graphic panel with comprehensive map and the procurement of much-needed supplies for at least one year for cleaning as well as maintenance of this website. Regardless of whether all these goals are met, all donations will still go toward purchasing what is needed to continue my project.
What We’ve Achieved
Digitization of Historical Records - All records pertaining to church history are now digitized.
Historical Research- Research at libraries, historic societies, church archives, and other repositories to uncover the lives of those buried
Grave Identification -The biggest obstacle has been to determine the individuals buried at each grave. Most of the graves from the 18th century have completely disintegrated or are illegible.
Map - Creation of comprehensive map listing all those interred with information available through historical research
What We Hope To Achieve
Historical Awareness - Place a weatherproof graphic panel of our map within the graveyard to provide the community and visitors with an overview of the sites historic significance.
Gravestone Cleaning - Initial cleaning using specialized cleansing agents to wash away dirt and stains without further damaging the stones.
Landscaping - Improve the aesthetic appearance of the grounds through the planting of flowers and shrubbery.
Grave Restoration - Reset and repair leaning, fallen, and broken gravestones. We will begin with less heavy, smaller stones which can be fixed though volunteer labor. As our funds increase, we will reach out to professionals in the field to repair the larger and heavier monuments.