Riverhead Town Highway Superintendent placing the grave marker for Joshua Wells, who served two separate terms as Supervisor after the Civil War. Photo: Courtesy of Riverhead Town Historian Georgette Case
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Our country is beginning its 250th celebration of America. The celebration reminded me of a project I started about 2005, four years after I became town historian, but never finished.

A little background: To honor our Revolutionary War soldiers and patriots buried in the Town of Riverhead, I wrote a book in 1999, listing around 111 graves. Suffolk Chapter DAR placed markers on most of those graves.

Town Historian Georgette Lane Case brushing off the lichens to make the name readable on a Homan gravestone in Riverhead Cemetery. Photo: Courtesy of Riverhead Town Historian Georgette Case

When I became town historian, I thought it would be nice to honor our deceased town supervisors with grave markers. I sent out an appeal and numerous donations enabled me to purchase 60 bronze markers. The markers show the town seal with the word ‘Supervisor’ on the bottom. Unfortunately, the project was sidetracked.

Now we are all thinking of projects to celebrate our 250th birthday and I thought it was the right time to place the markers.

Two weeks ago, I contacted Riverhead Town Highway Superintendent Mike Zaleski, who liked the idea of placing the markers. We agreed to meet at the Riverhead Cemetery on Sept. 4. Thanks to the cemetery map in the town historian’s office, we were able to find the graves and began boring holes to place the markers alongside each supervisor’s gravestone. Those were the graves of:

  • Milton Burns
  • Dwight T. Corwin
  • Hubbard Corwin
  • Charles S. Edwards
  • William R. Fanning
  • Herman D. Foster
  • Frank H. Hill
  • Father and son, George F. Homan and Dennis G. Homan
  • Gilbert H. Ketcham
  • John R. Perkins
  • Elmer J.B. Sawyer
  • Luther Skidmore
  • Dr. Henry P. Terry
  • Joshua L. Wells

Allen Smith’s family requested a dedication ceremony and his marker was placed a year after his death.

Highway Superintendent Mike Zaleski admiring the grave marker he placed alongside the grave of Daniel H. Osborn who resigned as Town Supervisor when he was elected Suffolk County Sheriff. Photo: Courtesy of Riverhead Town Historian Georgette Case

Two graves were not shown on map. Do you have any idea how many people by the names of Howell, Corwin and Wells there are? With a little more detective work, the gravestones of brothers Frank B. and Harry Howell were found. These were the final markers placed in the Riverhead Cemetery.

Several more grave markers were placed in other cemeteries. One marker was placed in Swedenborgian for John Chapman Davis and four markers in St. John’s cemetery for Joseph Kelly, brothers William and John Leonard, and Bruno Zaloga.

Some years ago, the Wading River Cemetery Association requested a marker be placed and a dedication ceremony was held for Sylvester Miller, who held the office for 20 years.  Former Supervisor Robert Vojvoda is buried outside the town. In the near future we will be placing the supervisors’ grave markers in other local cemeteries.

America 250, the Semiquincentennial, is the time to honor those who have held the highest office in the Town of Riverhead since the town was founded in 1792.

Photo: Courtesy of Riverhead Town Historian Georgette Case

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