I recently became aware of a project which needs help and is very worth while. The state of many cemeteries on Long Island, NY are in a very sorry state. I have received many horror stories and experienced some myself with my great grand parents grave site being re-sold at Rockville Cemetery and others buried there now. It's too late for me to do anything about this situation, however, with a little work other situations like this may be avoided if we act now!
The Lawrence Cemetery in Lawrence, LI, NY is in sorry state. A group of folks are doing what they can with volunteers and no budget. You can read more about this project at:
Recently Channel 12 TV on Long Island had a special about the cemetery. Here is a copy of the TV segment in Real Time audio.
I have copied for this Web Page the Introduction on the Cemetery :
Cemetery Introduction
As you know, the Lawrence Cemetery, located at 150 Rockaway Turnpike, Lawrence, New York (next
to/across from the old Methodist Church) has been in horrific disrepair for years. The tombstones date
back to 1833 and the founders of the Five Towns area are buried here.We have formed a non-profit organisation of neighbours and local family members who have decided to
take action. Enough is enough with this poor, neglected, forgotten cemetery that our grandparents
and the generations before them chose as their final resting-place. Most of the gravestones have been
vandalised by being defiled by graffiti, knocked over and/or broken. It has become a haven for vagrants
and vandals. It is filled with litter and debris. We are losing such a vital piece of our local history as this
property has been so sorely neglected and overlooked for decades. In addition, there is no official record
of this cemetery. The condition has become so horrendous that people, who wanted to be buried with
their families in the Lawrence cemetery, chose not to. We are all in some way historical descendants of
the founders of this great historic 5 towns area. The HICKS, CRAFT, PETTIT, PEARSALLS, PLAYER,ANDREWS, CARMAN, MOTT, SPRAGUE, RHINEHART, SMITH, FROST, ABRAMS are among the many names in this cemetery. To date, these names still mark the local streets of the area. Enclosed are articles from the Nassau Herald dated, 1994 and 2000 which further describes the condition of this cemetery and the community’s apathy towards it.
Abrams Buried in the Lawrence Cemetery
(With URL's to pictures provided by Witzgall 8/13/1006)
ABRAMS, SAMUEL D., 1823-1905,
ABRAMS, MARY E., 1827-1891,
ABRAMS, WILLIAM A., 1862-1944,
ABRAMS, MINNIE E., 1864-1901,
ABRAMS, CLARA A., 1867-1940,
ABRAMS, WILLIAM H., 1847-1848,
ABRAMS, MORRIS F., 1852-1855,
ABRAMS, MARY A., 1860-1860,
ABRAMS, MOTHER, Blank,
ABRAMS, FATHER, Blank,
ABRAMS, CLARA, Blank,
ABRAMS, W.H.A., Blank,
ABRAMS, M.F.A., Blank,
ABRAMS, M.A.A., Blank,
ABRAMS, FATHER, Blank,
ABRAMS, MOTHER, Blank,
ABRAMS, CORNELL, 1880-1922,
ABRAMS, ELLIN, B. July 18 1818 D. Nov ? 1918,
ABRAMS, E.H., B. August…?? D. 18??,
ABRAMS, MOTHER, Blank,
ABRAMS, FATHER, Blank,
ABRAMS, F.A., Blank,
ABRAMS, ADA, Blank,
ABRAMS, ABRAM, D. Jan. 9 1900,
ABRAMS, ELLEN, D. Mar 6 1900,
ABRAMS, GILBERT D., B. Jan ? 18?? D. ?? 6 18?5,
ABRAMS, A.A., Blank,
ABRAMS, ELLA, D. Dec. 10 1886,
ABRAMS, JOHN L., 1886-1964,
ABRAMS, CAROLINE E., 1886-1972,
ABRAMS?, ?, ?,
HICKS, Will and Mary
