Glenwood Cemetery Lockport, New York

11/04/2025

During our leaf removal efforts, intermittent road closures may be necessary within the cemetery. For the safety of our crew and visitors, please do not attempt to drive around road barriers. Thank you. As a reminder, due to the time change, gates may be locked between 3:30-5pm.

10/30/2025

Gates will lock today (10/30) and tomorrow (10/31) at 3:30pm. Also, due to the freeze warnings, the water has been turned off for the season.

10/29/2025

LAST CALL for wreath & poinsettia orders! Call 716-433-3060 to order and pay. Orders must be in, and paid for, by this coming Monday (11/3).

10/29/2025

Unfortunately, some meddling kids had to be asked to leave the cemetery, and we had another issue where damage was done and law enforcement was called. (Oh, but we have you on video) The gates will be closing at 3:30pm this week. Have a fun Halloween, but please don't disturb our residents. Remember, we're open dawn to dusk. Dusk will be coming much earlier after November 1st!

In the "spirit" of keeping things restful, and respectful, for our dearly departed, the cemetery gates will be closing a bit earlier for the remainder of October. Why, you ask? Well.... let's just say we're taking preventive measures against moonlit mischief and graveyard shenanigans.
As the time change looms, remember, we're open dawn to dusk.

10/28/2025

Seth M. Lovell
1843-1926

Seth Lovell was born in Ithaca on April 17, 1843, the son of Moses and Mercy Swick Lovell. His family moved to Newfane when Seth was a young boy. They later moved to Lockport where Seth attended the Old Union School. Seth joined the 43nd New York Volunteers at the age of 19. He served
the Union Army during nearly the entire duration of the Civil War. He was wounded at the battle of the Wilderness and was captured by the Confederates when his comrades were forced to retreat from the field. He was held as a prisoner of war at Andersonville prison for eight months, at which time he was released in broken health. He later served with the 140th New York Volunteers. After the Civil War he recounted many interesting stories connected with Confederate prison life on the lecture platform. A newspaper article published in 1903 reads: Each year for ten years past Col. Seth M. Lovell of this city, Capt. L. B. Manning of
Brockport and Private Grove D. Whitney of Pavilion, N. Y., with their wives, have met once a year in a sort of reunion, the three veterans
having been members of Co. A , 140th N. Y. Vol. infantry, and gone arm in arm, figuratively speaking, through the whole of the Civil War. They swap stories of the war days and enjoy a most pleasant day once a year, at the home of one and another of the trio. This year they will
meet on August 18th at Capt. Courtney's home in Brockport.

Mr. Tovell worked for over twenty five years at the old Rogers and O'Keefe book store on Main Street. He was active in temperance work in Good Templar's Lodge and at one
time was a delegate to the world convention of the Good Templars in Stockholm Sweden. He married Margaretta Glover, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Glover of Lockport. The couple observed their golden wedding anniversary on August 11, 1925.

Private Tovell died on Memorial Day 1926 at the age of 83, being one of Lockport's few surviving Civil War veterans at the time. His wife survived him, but she died later the same year. They are buried at Section 8 in Glenwood Cemetery on the same lot with Private Lovell's parents.

10/28/2025

October 31st marks the 162nd anniversary of the incorporation of Glenwood Cemetery.

Glenwood Cemetery was first used as a cemetery in the early 1800's, on the farm of M. Wheaton. Then, in 1863, Glenwood Cemetery was incorporated with its 65 1/2 acres of land on Railroad Street. In 1871, Railroad Street was renamed Glenwood Avenue. The cemetery plot was laid out by one of the most eminent civil engineers of landscaping in the state at the time. It was, and still is, one of the most picturesque cemeteries in western New York.

10/26/2025

This image is the 1928 Raphael Beck mural, a copy of which is on exhibit at the Erie Canal Discovery Center at 24 Church Street. Beck began the mural in 1925 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Erie Canal in Lockport on October 26, 1825. It was based on newspaper accounts of the day as well as Beck’s own imagination. The central figure is Nathan Roberts, chief engineer of the project who came up with the idea to build the “stairway” or “flight” of five locks on each side so boats could ascend and descend at the same time. Beck used his daughter Phyllis as the model for the little girl. The 20’ x 13’ mural took three years to complete.

The mural was originally made for the Lockport Exchange Bank on the northeast corner of Main and Pine Streets (now the Ulrich Center). It became M & T Bank in 1949. In 1970, M & T did a major remodeling and no longer wanted the mural. It was gifted to the Niagara County Historical Society, but with no space large enough to display, it was loaned to Lockport High School and has been on the wall in the auditorium since 1970. In 2004, efforts were made to remove the mural for conservation and display at the soon to be opened Erie Canal Discovery Center, but it was adhered to the wall in such a way that it was impossible to remove it without extensive damage to the mural and the wall. A digital copy was reproduced on a canvas-like material and installed in the Discovery Center in 2005.

10/20/2025

10/16/2025

In the "spirit" of keeping things restful, and respectful, for our dearly departed, the cemetery gates will be closing a bit earlier for the remainder of October. Why, you ask? Well.... let's just say we're taking preventive measures against moonlit mischief and graveyard shenanigans.
As the time change looms, remember, we're open dawn to dusk.

10/15/2025

James Van Horn Jr.
March 13, 1808 - March 11, 1873
Section 7 Lot 6

James was born on March 13th 1808, the first son of James Van Horn Sr. and his second wife Abagail Carpenter. James Jr. would be raised as a farmer and trained in the family mills. His earliest business was a distillery in 1825, when he was just 17 years old. When his father retired in the 1840s, James took over the family's mill businesses.

In 1836, James married Malinda Niles, but less than a year later, she would die. Many local tales tell of James murdering his young wife, or her tragically dying by her own hand. Although there are many mysteries surrounding her death, it was likely she died from giving birth to James Jr's firstborn, James C. Van Horn. But you would have a hard time finding someone from this area that hasn’t heard the stories of her ghost still haunting the family mansion. Malinda died January 13, 1837, only ten days after her 21st birthday. She is buried in their estate graveyard. Malinda has become a legendary figure within the Van Horn Mansion walls, and remains arguably one of the most well-known of the Van Horns.

Later in 1837, the mansion was burned in a fire, and the family had it rebuilt. James Jr. also had to deal with the loss of the mills in a great fire, but he wasted no time to rebuild and continue the businesses. He also grew his business dealings, opening a Woolen factory in 1842.

In 1852, James built his own home on the family estate, just west of his parent's home. He married again in 1861 to Cecilia Davis and they had two boys. In their lifetimes, James Jr. and wife Cecilia were considered beloved Christians and great leaders in the community.

James Jr. represented his district in the State Assembly and would serve four terms as Town Supervisor. He was also involved in the many family businesses, although to what extent is unknown. By 1782 he decided to sell the family grist mill to a Mr. Arrowsmith (who changed the building's name to "Lake Shore Mills"). After Cecilia’s death, James Jr. moved in with son James C. on Ridge Road in Newfane, and he passed away on March 11, 1873.

Malinda is buried at the family home, Newfane, NY
-Read more about the stories of hauntings-
https://www.newfanehistoricalsociety.com/vanhornmansion_history.html

Sources- Newfane Historical Society

09/19/2025

Visit our website to view the 1892 map of our cemetery sections, from sections 1-17, and view a piece of Glenwood’s history.

https://glenwoodlockport.com/photo-galleries-1