A historical map of Newry, showing both the residence of the Blacks and the cemetery

NEWRY — A previous article delved into the history of the Black-Smith cemetery, with research regarding the Smith family. However, there was notably little to be found regarding the Black Family. Their history can be expanded, thanks to an 1850 map of Newry corner.

This map indicates that the Blacks lived down the road from Newry Corner, in the direction of Stony Brook. If the date of the map is correct, this would be four years before the death of Mary Black, who was buried in the Black-Smith cemetery. Her name is listed in the U.S census as Mary I Black, and the name listed on her death record is Mary Ingersoll Libby Black. According to the 1850 census, she lived with her husband, Josiah Black. There are no other residents listed in their household.

However, there are records of them having eight children, seven of which also have marriage records, implying that they had moved out by this time. Their eighth child, Mercy Black, died at just a year old. There is no record of her burial, which allows the possibility of her being buried in the Black family cemetery. Within the cemetery there are several tombstones that are either mostly unmarked or too worn away to read. It’s possible that one of these was dedicated to Mercy.

More interestingly, though, is the fact that the cemetery still remains primarily dominated by the Smith family. Mary and Josiah Black were not connected to the family by marriage or blood, which begs the question of what led the Smiths to bury an old couple who lived down the road beside their family.

Based on genealogies, the Smiths appear to have lived in the area much longer than the Blacks, yet the couple is still buried in the family cemetery. It’s entirely possible that they may have been friends of the family. Her burial record lists ‘Smith or Bear River cemetery’, which means that there was an alternate location considered for her burial.

However, ultimately both she and her husband were buried alongside the Smiths — a family that they did not seem to have any connection to.