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Temple Hill Cemetery in Geneseo, Livingston County, New York was established in 1807. Temple Hill is so named because Geneseo's earliest house of worship was erected there. The cemetery was the first burying ground for the early residents in Geneseo.
"In 1807 James and William Wadsworth gave three acres of land at Temple Hill for a community burial ground. This is now known as "The Old Grounds," and it contains graves of Revolutionary, War of 1812 and Civil War soldiers. It also contains the historic Wadsworth Lot. Later the Wadsworth brothers added adjoining property until the estimated size was eight acres. Currently, after many acquisitions, the Temple Hill Cemetery Association owns fifteen acres.
This cemetery is one of the largest and most historic in the area. It has an extremely high percentage of military veterans, especially from the Civil War, most notably Brevet Major General James S. Wadsworth, who was killed by a Confederate bullet in the "Battle of the Wilderness" in Virginia in 1864."
Cemetery History
Politicians, Soldiers and Artisans
John Young, New York State assemblyman, senator, and governor, 1847-1849
James W. Wadsworth, Sr. Civil War brevet major, New York State assemblyman, comptroller and U.S. congressman
James W. Wadsworth, Jr., Spanish-American War veteran, New York State Assembly speaker, congressman and U.S. senator
Rep. Philo Case Fuller, War of 1812 veteran, New York State assemblyman and senator, comptroller and U.S. congressman
William Kelsey, U.S. congressman
William Brodie, who laid the cornerstone for the Statue of Liberty, also is buried here.
Notable Women
Elizabeth "Wid" Adams, World War II veteran
Mary Culbertson, founder of the Monday Evening Class of Geneseo
Dr. Julia Delahanty, Geneseo Normal School alumna and Geneseo's first female doctor.