The Search for Amasa Jones

Today, the search for Amasa Jones, brought me out to the Town of Berne, in rural Albany County. Amasa Jones (1749 - 1828) and his wife Azubah Woodruff Jones are ancestors of one of a buddy of mine. I took it upon myself to see if I could locate their grave site. However this is not becoming an easy task. There are a couple of discrepancies in this search.

This Jones family is listed on FindaGrave as being buried at the Reidsville Cemetery on North Road in Reidsville. I was there today and found some Jones burials which I believe are related to my friend. Pictures are below. The gravestones need attention. The stones are difficult to read. Perhaps a cleaning/conservation session will take place on this plot next Spring. But, there was no gravestone for Amasa found. It is possible that I missed it, but I doubt it.

Reidsville Cemetery

Jones Plot

Manchester Jones ?

Martha Stalker Jones ?

Chauncey Jones

Lansing Jones ?

Amasa Jones is also listed on the Berne Historical Project website as being buried in the Cass Hill Cemetery. According to the BHP, this cemetery is located on the north side of Cass Hill Road just east of Gulf Hill Road. Nothing resembling a small cemetery can be seen from the road. GPS coordinates are also given. However, my belief is that the given coordinates are incorrect. The location would be in Delanson; no where near where it should be.

While in this vicinity I knocked on a door asking a resident if she was aware of this cemetery. She was not aware of it but mentioned that her husband who is extremely familiar with the property would call me with information if he had any. Now it is also possible that if this cemetery does exist on Cass Hill Road; there may have never been any grave markers installed, or over the last 191 years the stones may have fallen over or worst yet; were removed and discarded.

To make things more interesting in a old Genealogy.com query dated from 2005, which mentions,

             "Amasa Jones was b. ca. 1749 Wales, according to Barbara 

             Tucker, and d. 8 May 1828 according to his tombstone

             in Cass Hill Cemetery, Clarksville, Albany, NY."

A new question arises, Cass Hill Road is a rather long road, beginning in Clarksville and ending at Braman Corners near the Westerlo/Berne town line. Could the Cass Hill Cemetery be located towards Clarksville?

Another point is there was a survey done of all known burial ground inscriptions in the Town of Berne. This work was done by Lieutenant Colonel William V. Hannay and his wife between 1926 and 1936. 83 to 93 years ago. This work was published in the 1945-1947 Yearbook of The Dutch Settlers Society of Albany. I have a copy of the article which is indexed and the Cass Hill Cemetery is not found among its pages.

Amasa Sr., wife Azubah, Amasa Jr., wife Mary Jones, and Solomon Jones are listed on FindaGrave as being buried in the Reidsville Cemetery. However none are listed in Hannay's work as interred in Reidsville.

A quick search of the 1800 United States Federal Census for Bethlehem, Albany County, New York shows Amasa Sr. and Jr. enumerated below one another. Where in the Town of Bethlehem did they live?

Who is correct? Who is incorrect? One apparent error is the lack of sources. Source documentation needs to be used always otherwise another researcher cannot check the work.

Much further research needs to be done; the old-fashioned way, going to the Albany County Court House and Albany County Hall of Records. Wills need to be searched for additional information and land and deed records searched. Perhaps the deed of the Cass Hill property will indicate a cemetery present on the grounds. The above mentioned query also states,
                "According to a summary of van Rensselaer lease records,
                in 1788 he (Amasa Sr.) leased lot 414 near Reidsville,
                Town of Berne, Albany, NY"

Below is a copy of the 1866 Beers for part of the Town of Berne.

Map courtesy Albany & Eastern New York Genealogy
by Cliff Lamere