Historical Village Cemetery

Written By Dino DiPietro

🪦 Riverhead Village Cemetery (Historic Burial Ground)

Located on the grounds of the Riverhead United Methodist Church at East Main Street in Riverhead, this historic village cemetery features a marker unveiled on June 17, 2025, recognizing its importance as the final resting place for members of the town’s founding families and Revolutionary War soldiers

  • Founding families interred here include the Albertson, Griffing, Howell, Jagger, and Vail families—37 in total.

  • Earliest recorded burial dates to 1749, with the latest around 1884, encompassing a period before and just after incorporation of the Town

  • Three Revolutionary War veterans are buried here:

    • Peter Vail (1749–1796)

    • John Griffing Jr. (1737–1822)

    • Samuel Griffing (d. 1811)

  • Also interred is Robert Hinchman (1750–1806), a patriot noted for confronting British soldiers during the war

The June 2025 ceremony included readings of names, remarks by Town Historian Georgette Case and Supervisor Tim Hubbard, and a blessing by Rev. Phillip Hardt. The marker commemorates early heritage and the valor of those interred

⚰️ Other Historic Cemeteries in Riverhead

  • Riverhead Cemetery (Pulaski St & Roanoke Ave):

    • Contains ~5,878 memorials; established mid‑19th century.

    • Includes burials from religious and secular Riverhead families

  • Methodist Episcopal Cemetery:

    • Located near East Main Street; holds historic burials including early hamlet

  • Saint John the Evangelist Cemetery:

    • Roman Catholic burial ground with many 19th‑20th century interments

  • Swedenborgian Cemetery:

    • Congregational burial site for a small religious community in Riverhead

ℹ️ Visiting & Records Info

  • The Village Cemetery marker is accessible on church grounds along East Main Street.

  • Riverhead Cemetery is maintained at Pulaski St & Roanoke Ave (GPS ~40.925° N, –72.669° W) with burial records accessible via Find‑a‑Grave and Interment.net

  • The other cemeteries are recognized in genealogical databases and local heritage records—great sources for family or revolutionary research

Dino DiPietro