Enslaved at ten, free at forty-three. This, Prospect Cemetery Blue plaque tells us, is part of Jane Lyons’ story. Prospect Cemetery, nestled in Jamaica, Queens, holds more than just tombstones. It cradles the echoes of lives lived, intertwining with the very fabric of New York’s history. Founded in 1668 as Jamaica’s Village Cemetery, Prospect Cemetery is a tapestry of time. It started as a modest 165-foot square plot, accessible from Beaver Road. It grew, encompassing the stories of Revolutionary War soldiers, prominent families, and everyday citizens.
Prospect Cemetery Blue plaque reminds us of Jane Lyons’ enduring connection to the Hariman family. Enslaved by James Hariman Sr. in 1793, she remained with the family even after New York abolished slavery in 1827. Her obituary, published in the Long Island Farmer in 1858, describes her as “one of the oldest colored persons” in Jamaica. It praises her faith and her commitment to treating others as she wished to be treated. Upon her death at age 75, she was laid to rest in the Hariman family plot, a testament to the complex relationships forged during a tumultuous era.
Prospect Cemetery is a microcosm of Jamaica’s evolution. From a small village burial ground, it expanded alongside the community, reflecting its changing demographics and social dynamics. By 1844, a new public burial ground was established, and Prospect Cemetery became affiliated with the local Presbyterian church. The formation of the Prospect Cemetery Association in 1879 solidified its role as a non-sectarian final resting place. Over 2,000 souls found their final repose within its grounds, their stories etched into the varied headstones of granite, marble, limestone, and brownstone. Some of these stones date as far back as 1709. In 1910, genealogist Josephine C. Frost rediscovered Jane Lyons’ tombstone, ensuring her story wouldn’t fade into obscurity. The inscription detailed her decades of service to the Hariman family, a poignant reminder of a life both bound and liberated.
Prospect Cemetery, though inactive since 1988, has witnessed periods of both neglect and revitalization. After years of abandonment, a collaborative effort brought the cemetery back from the brink. Between 1999 and 2014, millions were raised to restore the grounds and the historic Chapel of the Sisters. Today, the chapel, commissioned in 1857 as a memorial to Nicholas Ludlum’s daughters, hosts jazz performances and community events, a sign of life within a place of remembrance. While the grounds have again fallen into disrepair, the stories within Prospect Cemetery, like Jane Lyons’, continue to resonate. Her Prospect Cemetery Blue plaque, a small beacon of remembrance, offers a glimpse into the lives and legacies that shape this sacred ground.