30 November 2021

Severson Cemetery, Altamont

 Albany County has many wonderful small cemeteries throughout the region. Some are hidden, some are lost, and some are abandoned. However, the Severson Cemetery in rural Altamont is undergoing some needed attention. It is not that the cemetery is dilapidated. Simply, it is old. The marble gravestones are wearing and beginning to become difficult to read. Recently all of the gravestones were cleaned with D2 Biological Solution, which made transcribing the stones a little easier. Two broken gravestones were repaired. A few gravestones were repaired many years ago; unfortunately, with incorrect materials. But at that time there were no specific standards and materials for making repairs.



In 1940, Guilderland Town Historian, William A. Brinkman did a survey of early burial places in the Town of Guilderland.[i] Findings of his study can be found online; please click here to access it. Below is a page from his report on the Severson Cemetery. The red number corresponds to the gravestones in the provided cemetery plot layout. Updates to the Brinkman study are also marked in red. Please view the endnotes for further information. It appears that some of the gravestones were moved and are no longer present on the site in October 2021.

On the old Severson farm of 1760, now George H. Brandel, about 100 feet east the house at Altamont are forty-five stones visible and other graves with no markers.[ii]


Nicholas Severson, died 1845 aged 75 years [#1][iii]
Elizabeth Severson, wife, died 1794 aged 24 years [
#2][iv]
Sarah Severson, wife, died 1852 aged 70 years [
#3][v]
George Severson, died 1813 aged 47 years [
#4]
Margaret Mann, wife, died 1801, aged 34 years [
#5][vi]
Frederick Severson, died 1838 aged 70 years [
#6]
John N. Severson, died 1871 aged 79 years [
#7][vii]
Martha Deforest, wife, died 1878 aged 83 years [
#8]
Elizabeth Severson, daughter of John N. died 1830 aged 16 years [
#9]
Christina Severson, daughter of John N. died 1840 aged 13 years [
#10]
Elizabeth Severson, daughter of John N. died 1841 aged 10 years [
#11]
Philip J. Severson, died 1843 aged 27 years [
#12][viii]
Nicholas Severson, died April 8, 1872 aged 53 years [
#13][ix]
John J. Van Aernam, died April 29, 1814 aged 84 years, 2 months and 29 days. An Ensign in War of the Revolution. [
#14]
Gitty Severson, wife, died June 5, 1822 aged 90 years, 2 months, 11 days [
#15][x]
George VanAernam, died 1827 aged 61 years [
#16][xi]
Henrietta Crounse, daughter of Jacob, died 1836 aged 4 years [
gravestone not found in October 2021 by CSW]
John H. Livingston, son of James, died 1850 aged 16 months [
#17] [incorrect, 6 months]
Elizabeth Snyder, wife of W.Snyder, died 1796 aged 77 years [
gravestone not found in October 2021 by CSW]
I. Kidnie 1772 [
#18]
I V Aosp A+P 16-1781 [
gravestone not found in October 2021 by CSW]
I V S SOBII 1771 [
gravestone fragment recently found in rubble pile in August 2021 by the property owners of the lot]
E.M.1768 10 A G [
gravestone not found in October 2021 by CSW]
Hero 4S Wever did June 26, 1785 aged 75 years [
gravestone not found in October 2021 CSW]
I B D Mo 25 A. 22Ye 1778 [
gravestone not found in October 2021 by CSW]
A P 24, 1778 M.W. 60 [
gravestone not found in October 2021 by CSW]
OTB 21, 1775 C+S [
gravestone not found in October 2021 by CSW]


Below is the cemetery layout of the graves. The squares with names indicate gravestones. The diamond symbol indicates a footstone with initials.



Below are photographs and gravestone inscriptions that were transcribed to the best of my ability.

#1 Nicholas Severson

Nicholas Severson
Photo courtesy K. Gaige, 2021

In

Memory of

NICHOLAS SEVERSON

who departed this Life

March 15, 1845

AGED 75 YEARS

3 Months and 23 Days


#2 Elizabeth Terpening 

Elizabeth Terpening
gravestone fragment

_____ BORN AUGUST 8, 1760

DYED JANUARY 20 1793

__AR BELOVED SISTER OF OUR

LORD

#3 Sarah Severson

Nicholas Severson

In

Memory of Sarah Wife of

NICHOLAS SEVERSON

who departed this Life

April 29, 1852

AGED 70 YEARS

7 Months and 5 Days

#4 George Severson

George Severson

In

Memory of

GEORGE SEVERSON

Who departed this life

Aug.13, 1813 aged 47

Years 1 month & 9 days

#5 Margaret Severson

Margaret Severson

IN

Memory

of MARGARET, wife

of George Severson

who departed this life

December 27th 1801

age 34 years 11 months

and 23 days

#6 Frederick Severson

Frederick Severson 

Frederick Severson
footstone

   #7 John N. Severson

John N. Severson

OUR FATHER

JOHN N. SEVERSON

DIED

April 27, 1871

Aged 79 years

3 Months

& 3 days


John N. Severson
footstone


#8 Martha DeForest Severson


Martha DeForest Severson


OUR MOTHER

MARTHA DEFOREST

WIFE OF

JOHN N. SEVERSON

died __ ___ 1878

Aged 83 years

3 Months & 8 Days

Martha DeForest Severson
footstone

#9 Elizabeth Severson

Elizabeth Severson

In

Memory of

Elizabeth Daughter of

JOHN N. & MARTHA SEVERSON

Who departed this Life

April __, 1830

AGED 16 YEARS

__ Months __ Days

Elizabeth Severson
footstone

#10 Christina Severson

Christina Severson

In

Memory of

Christina Daughter of

JOHN N. & MARTHA SEVERSON

Who departed this Life

March 9, 1840

AGED 13 YEARS

__ Month __ Days

Christina Severson
footstone

#11 Elizabeth Severson

Elizabeth Severson

In

Memory of

Elizabeth Daughter of

JOHN & MARHTA SEVERSON

Who departed this Life

Jan. __ 1841

AGED 10 YEARS

6 Months 2 Days

Elizabeth Severson
footstone

#12 Philip J. Severson

Philip J. Severson

In

Memory of

PHILIP J. SEVERSON

who departed this Life

Dec. 11 1843

AGED 27 YEARS.

10 MONTHS and __ Days

#13 Nicholas J. Severson


NICHOLAS J. SEVERSON

DIED

APRIL 9, 1872

Aged 55 years

3 Months

& 9 Days

Our dear

Our cares for thee are o’er

We hope in Heaven to meet thee

--- their on the heavenly shore

Nicholas J. Severson
footstone


#14 John I. van Aernam

John I. van Aernam

In Memory of

John I. Van Aernam

Who departed this

Life on the 29th day

Of April A.D.

1814

Aged 84 years

2 months and 29

days.

Blessed are the dead which die

in the Lord from henceforth yea

saith the Spirit that they may

rest from their labours and their

works do follow them.


John I. van Aernam
footstone


#15 Gitty van Aernam

Gitty van Aernam

In Memory of

Gitty Van Aernam

Wife of

John I. Van Aernam

Who departed this

Life on the 5th day

Of June A.D.

1822.

Aged 90 years 2

Months and 11 days.

Blessed are the poor in spirit.

For theirs the Kingdom of

Heaven.


Gitty van Aernam
footstone


#16 George van Aernam

George van Aernam


In Memory of

George Van Aernam

Who departed this

Life on the 9th day

Of Sept. A.D.

1827

Aged 61 years

9 months and

23 days.

All hail my friends and cast away

As you are now so one was I

As I am now you soon shall be,

Prepare for death to follow me.


George van Aernam
footstone


#17 John Henry Livingston

John Henry Livingston

JOHN HENRY

Son of James & Sarah

Livingston

DIED

May 5, 1856

Aged 6 months

& 8 days


John Henry Livingston
footstone



#18 I. Kidnie


1772

I K

Examples of slate gravestone fragments




A gravestone fragment that was encased in cement in 1948. This piece should be placed in the cemetery area so that it does not disappear. It is impossible to determine exactly where the piece was originally.

Photo courtesy K. Gaige





[i] William A. Brinkman, compiler,  A Memorial, Records of early burial places on the farms in the town of Guilderland, N.Y. and surround towns (Altamont, New York: n.p., 1940); USGenNet, “Links for the Town of Guilderland” (http://www.vanderheijden.org/gen/guilderland/text.html#Location : accessed 29 November 2021).

[ii] Today a total of 33 gravestones and footstones are present. What happened to 12 gravestones is a mystery at this point. Perhaps some fragments will appear in a rubble pile near the cemetery.

[iii] Online Ancestry researchers suggest that Nicholas (gravestone #1), George (gravestone #4), and Frederick (gravestone #6) were brothers. Sons of Johannes Severson and Maria van Wormer.

[iv] It is a hypothesis that this individual listed by Brinkman is the gravestone attributed to Elizabeth Terpening. Elizabeth was the first wife of Nicholas Severson (gravestone #1). This gravestone is left of Nicholas’ gravestone. According to marriage records from the Schenectady Dutch Reformed church that were compiled by the Holland Society of New York in Schenectady Marriages, Volume 5, Book 45, Page 54, Nicholas Siversen, Ju. Met Elizabeth Teerpenning, bey de van de Hellenbergh [on] 9 December 1790.

[v] Sarah was the second wife of Nicholas Severson. She is buried to his right. Online Ancestry researchers suggest that Sarah’s maiden name is Post; daughter of Benjamin Post and Catheyntje van Orden.

[vi] The researcher is not sure of the source for Margaret’s maiden name- Mann. Online Ancestry researchers also suggest Mann as her maiden name without documentation.

[vii] John N. Severson was a veteran of the War of 1812. “War of 1812 Pension Files,” Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/image/677377521 : accessed 29 November 2021), John N. Severson, pension number 6906.

[viii] Online Ancestry researchers suggest that Philip J. was a son of John N. Severson and Martha DeForest Severson.

[ix] The 1870 Federal Census indicates that 51 year-old Nicholas was insane. 1870 U.S. census, Albany County, New York, population schedule, Guilderland, p. 12 (penned), dwelling 78, family 87, line 32, John N. Severson household; database with images, FamilySearch (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 29 November 2021), citing National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) microfilm publication M593, roll 902.

[x] According to marriage records from the Schenectady Dutch Reformed church that were compiled by the Holland Society of New York in Schenectady Marriages, Volume 5, Book 45, Page 54, Johannes van Arnhem I.M. en Jeertruy Sieversen byde van Renselaars Colonie [on] 25 October 1755. Online Ancestry researchers suggest that Gitty was an aunt to Nicholas, George, and Frederick Severson.

[xi] Further research might indicate that George is a son of John I. van Aernam and Gitty Severson.