News from the Noteworthy from the Community Foundation of Otsego County
Cemetery Restoration Fund Now Open
As the United States celebrates our 250th anniversary in 2026, there is much to take pride in as we look back. For people to rise up against tyranny and an erratic monarch was a bold and brave move. The then-colonies led the world in a fight for freedom and independence, qualities that other countries sought to replicate. That spirit should guide us still.
The Otsego County Cemetery Restoration Fund at the Community Foundation of Otsego County has worked to support and preserve the historic quality of Otsego County cemeteries. Generously funded by the Tianaderrah Foundation, the fund’s current grant round is open to cemeteries with Revolutionary War soldiers interred. Eligible projects include:
- Restoring, repairing and cleaning of Revolutionary War veterans’ headstones.
- Informational markers of Revolutionary War veterans (at grave site, upon entrance to the cemetery, on maps, etc.).
- Research related to Revolutionary War veterans buried at the cemetery. This biographical research should be as thorough as possible—what the veteran did before, during and after the Revolutionary War.
The application process is simple. Please contact Jeff Katz at jeff@cfotsego.org for more information.
Funding has already been provided to seven cemeteries throughout Otsego County. At the Lake View Cemetery in Richfield Springs, a marker was erected to honor George Robert Twelve Hewes, whose “love of country, sense of justice and strength of character” was shown in his participation in the Boston Tea Party and presence at the Boston Massacre, where government forces shot into a crowd of Bostonians, killing five.
At the Milford Cemetery, the stones of John Campbell and Joseph Vars, Continental Line Patriots, were cleaned and restored, and permanent bronze plaques were installed at each gravesite to commemorate these brave ancestors. A public dedication was held on August 9, and many members of the community came to honor these men.
These projects not only give proper respect to the soldiers who created this country, they also provide wonderful learning opportunities for our local students and community.
Our cemeteries are filled with visionaries—people who started towns, businesses and fought a revolution. When we think about Otsego County’s past, let’s think of that era, when we fought for change, expanded the frontier, and led the way for a new nation to grow and thrive.
That spirit still exists throughout Otsego County. Let’s build on it!
Jeff Katz is the executive director of the Community Foundation of Otsego County.
