“We are highly resolved that these dead here shall not have died in vain. God bless America,” said Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth to a crowd of veterans, officers, and members of the Huntington community gathered to mark the official restoration of the Burr Cemetery Thursday afternoon.
The Burr Cemetery, which has existed since the late 1700s, is one of 56 historical cemeteries located in the town of Huntington. Compared to other cemeteries in the area, Burr Cemetery has a rather unique backstory. The area surrounding the plot of land was used as an army training ground during WWI, known as Brindley Field. Fast forward to modern day, the cemetery sits in the middle of a Home Depot parking lot, reminding shoppers of the historical significance of the land they are currently walking on.
The project for restoring the cemetery was initiated in conjunction with the Town of Huntington and Paws of War, a nonprofit organization based on Long Island that provides care to veterans through the use of service dogs.
“Our mission statement is to enrich the lives of both veterans and the families of first responders. There was a tremendous amount of planning that went into gathering the family members and gathering loans for the restoration. Countless hours were spent, but it is all worth it for this moment here,” said Michael Pilano, veteran advocate for crisis management and research coordinator for Paws Of War. A flag banner was erected at the entrance of the cemetery, and both the U.S.A. and Paws of War flags were raised in honor of the partnership and restoration.
Pilano, along with other members of the Paws of War group, joined the veterans and town officials by gathering their service dogs at the cemetery. “For me, as a marine, it means a lot. Especially knowing that the history is so rich here, it means a lot to me to give these veterans the respect and honor they truly deserve,” he said.
The Burr cemetery is the final resting place of two veterans of the War of 1812, Corporal Jacob Burr and his son-in-law, Private Israel Scudder, who served in the Second Regiment of the New York Militia. Military veterans present at the event performed a Military Funeral Honors Ceremony for Janet Burr-Scherer and Warren Scudder, the two living descendants of the Burr family.
“I think it's amazing. It’s an incredible honor to the people who are buried here and to the history of the town,” said Janet Burr-Scherer, a descendant. Rifle shots rang out in the background and trumpet notes echoed through the cemetery as the flags were presented to the family members. Father Anthony DiLorenzo, a retired local preacher, read a prayer to the audience to commemorate the ceremony.
“The cemetery really needed it. It is an honor to finally have my family recognized,” said Warren Scudder, the other descendant. Scudder had previously only had a handwritten letter, assuming that his ancestors had served. “It wasn't until recently that we found digitized records to prove that he served and finally had this place restored.”
James Quigley is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University's School of Communication and Journalism's Working Newsroom program for students and local media.