RIERSON (RYERSON) BURIAL PLOT
The deed from Philetus Gildersleeve and his wife to Soper in 1863
reserved, a right of.way and the Rierson Burial Plot to the heirs of
Cornelius Rierson.  This "lane" became Bunker Place and eventually
Bunker Avenue, Wantagh, N. Y.

CORNELIUS RIERSON was baptized February 23, 1752, 
the son of George Rierson (sometimes spelled Ryerson) 
who resided at Foster's Meadow and died about 1778.
  
Foster's Meadow was near Hempstead, and became Valley Stream.

Cornelius Rierson married Catherine Van Cott at St. George's
Church, Hempstead, on August 13, 1791.  
He died in 1826.
It is interesting to note that George Rierson signed the 
Association in Queens County in January 1776, as did his son Cornelius.
George Rierson served as a lieutenant in the militia of Queens County
and was a soldier and a patriot.  Cornelius served with a Loyalist
regiment on Long Island and after the American Revolution went to
Digby, Nova Scotia, with the Loyalist migration from Long Island and
New York.  However, he eventually returned to Long Island where his
family owned a number of farms in Hempstead Town.  The family geneal
gy shows that his son, John Cornelius Rierson, born May 10, 1793, and
died October 16, 1829, lived on one of these farms in what is now
Wantagh.  From the succession of deeds, it is believed that Cornelius
Rierson and his wife, Catharine Van Cott Rierson, as well as their
son John Cornelius Rierson and his wife, were buried in this plot with
other descendants of Cornelius Rierson.  Until a few years ago when
the property was subdivided, a number of gravestones were still standing, 
but unfortunately no one kept a record of these.

Source:
Old Burying Ground
Oakfield Avenue, Wantagh, N.Y.
By: Karl F. Pfeiffer
Wantagh American Revolution Bicentennial Committee
(Bellmore Library, Bellmore.N.Y.)

Transcribed by Nancy E Lutz
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