Old Town Burial Ground
338 Mt Pleasant Ave, Mamaroneck
Brief History
The Old Town of Mamaroneck Burial Ground is steeped in history as it was once the farm of Gilbert Budd, a veteran of the American Revolution’s Continental Army. Budd’s service for the colonies was notable, as most men in Mamaroneck during that time were Loyalists. Budd also served as the Town Clerk and Town Supervisor of Mamaroneck Township.
Land History
Budd purchased the farm from John Thomas on August 8, 1785, for $952 after winning the bid. The property was originally divided into two areas: Hadley Farm (62 acres) and Homestead Farm (182 acres). At the time of purchase, the land boasted pear, apricot, and nectarine orchards, along with a barn, coach house, dairy house, and more.
Present Day
Today, this farmland has become a cemetery for Mamaroneck citizens. Toward the back end of the cemetery lies a large rectangular tomb (shown below), most likely marking the graves of the Budd family. Although the tomb was once believed to hold the remains of the Budds, it is now empty. Local sources believe that the bones were either stolen by vandals or buried beneath the tomb.
Relation to Slavery
Gilbert Budd, despite his role in the Revolution, was also one of Mamaroneck’s largest slaveholders between 1790 and 1810. On March 17, 1802, one of Budd’s enslaved workers, a woman named Bet, gave birth to her son Peter. The father of Peter was Jack Purdy, an enslaved man owned by John DeLancey. Bet later had a daughter named Eliza in 1809.
Census records list several enslaved people under Budd’s ownership, including Susannah, Jack, Bet, Phebe, Daniel, Hannah, Henry, Peter, Peter Jr., Sarah, Charles, Hannibal, Jack Purdy, and Eliza.