DescriptionLaurel Grove Cemetery in Port Jersey, New York in the History of Orange County, New York (1881).png	English: Laurel Grove Cemetery in Port Jersey, New York in the History of Orange County, New York (1881)
Date	1881
Source	History of Orange County, New York (1881)
Author	Edward Manning Ruttenber  (1825–1907)    Alternative names E. M. Ruttenber Description American historian Date of birth/death 17 July 1825  5 December 1907  Location of birth/death Providence Newburgh Authority file : Q52159152 VIAF: 33288559 ISNI: 0000000024717031 LCCN: n80008253 Open Library: OL1872619A WorldCat creator QS:P170,Q52159152
Other versions	https://archive.org/details/cu31924028832693/page/n6

The Laurel Grove cemetery is situated in the extreme southeastern part of Port Jervis. This was established in 1856 by John Conklin, who owned the site, and it is the modern cemetery now in use. It contains many fine monuments and the lots and drives are well kept. The name Laurel Grove was most appropriately bestowed because of the thick natural growth of the American laurel on the ground. In 1857 the Weeping Willow cemetery was begun in Port Jervis. This is St. John's burial ground next the Reformed church. Among other cemeteries are that of the Reformed church, started in 1833, the Catholic cemetery, also in Port Jervis, and the Rural Valley cemetery in Cuddebackville, opened in 1807. In the early eighties the Weeping Willow cemetery was purchased by the village of Port Jervis and converted into a site for a school building, the bodies being removed to other cemeteries.

Laurel Grove Cemetery. This occupies the extreme southeastern part of the corporation, being the point of land between the Neversink and the Delaware Rivers. It consists of about thirty acres. A marked peculiarity of this cemetery is its exclusive use of evergreens for adornment, both in the saving of the original forest-trees and in the setting out and cultivation of others. Indeed, upon the cemetery grounds (not including the banks of the streams) there are only two deciduous trees left, and it is intended to remove these. In the more closely cultivated portions there are some fine specimens of trimming in peculiar forms, attracting the special attention of visitors. The name Laurel Grove is appropriate from the original thick, tangled growth of rhododendrons and a small species of laurel that covered the tract. In some parts this has not yet been cut away entirely. The cemetery was founded in 1856 by John Conkling, who was the owner of the ground. He devoted the same to burial purposes very much upon his own responsibility, though a legal organization was effected, and a joint arrangement made between him and the board of trustees with reference to the sale of lots. It has remained under his management from that time to the present. There are now many valuable lots handsomely arranged and adorned with fine monuments. In walks and driveways it is all that can be desired. It will doubtless form the principal burial-place of the future for Port Jervis and vicinity. The meeting to organize was held Sept. 21, 1856, James Bennett, chairman, and Thomas Cuddeback, secretary. The trustees named in the certificate of incorporation were John Conkling, Henry H. Farnum, William H. Power, Augustus B. Goodale, James Bennett, Samuel Fowler, James H. Mondon, John M. Heller, Zephaniah Birdsall. The first officers chosen were John Conkling, president; Augustus P. Thompson, treasurer; William H. Power, secretary. The dedication took place July 15, 1856, when addresses were delivered by Rev. Augustus Seward, Rev. E. S. Briardy, Rev. Mr. Slauson, and Rev. Mr. Adams. Mr. Conkling has been president from the first. The other officers (November, 1880) are Zephaniah Birdsall, vice-president; Peter E. Farnum, secretary; Wade Buckley, treasurer. The board of trustees consists of John Conkling, Zephaniah Birdsall, Solomon Van Etten, A. B. Goodale, A. H. Peck, David Westfall, David Bennett, Lyman 0. Rose, John L. Bonuell.

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