Lakeview Cemetery

The Lakeview Cemetery, founded in 1899, is located in Patchogue Village on Main Street near Waverly Avenue. It is roughly a five-minute walk from Patchogue Village Hall. In 1791, various Christian groups in Patchogue purchased the original land for thirty shillings. A section of the land was utilized as a cemetery, and in 1794, a common meeting house was constructed.

The following century saw the acquisition of additional property for burial purposes. Today, Lakeview Cemetery consists of three cemeteries: the Union, Gerard, Rice, and Old Episcopal cemeteries, which together contain over 1,200 graves. Lakeview Cemetery, a gift from Ruth Newey Smith, contains almost 400 graves.

The Four Sisters monument is believed to be the most prominent in Lakeview Cemetery. While the memorial to the sisters has been well-known for many years, many people are unfamiliar with their tale. Four Sisters are depicted on the monument, representing Faith, Hope, Charity, and Liberty. Micah Smith and Betsey Newey Smith, inhabitants of around Patchogue, New York in the late 1700s, had 10 children, six males and four girls. Their stories influenced Patchogue’s history during the nineteenth century, earning them not just fame but also wealth and influence.

Between 1823 and 1835, Augusta, Charlotte, Ruth, and Betsey were born on their property on Patchogue’s Ocean Avenue. As young ladies, the sisters worked as seamstresses in Mme. Pinchon’s cloak business in New York. These ladies were diligent and thrifty, which enabled them to amass considerable riches. After a decade as workers, the sisters established a profitable firm on Broadway at 1168 Broadway, New York, which they retired from after ten years.

They visited every nation in Europe throughout their decade in business as a consequence of their business excursions across the Atlantic Ocean, where they acquired materials and supplies for their cloak company and stayed current on fashion trends. Through Patchogue, they invested a sizable portion of their money towards philanthropies.

Additionally, they acquired and donated the Sailors’ Memorial site at Lakeview Cemetery in memory of the victims of the Louis V. Place, which perished off Fire Island while attempting to dock during a strong winter wind. The tragedy claimed the lives of eight sailors.

Furthermore, a contribution was made to the Patchogue Congregational Church for the donation of the Ocean Avenue Chapel. Each year during the Christmas season, the sisters generously donated to Patchogue’s homeless and needy. They bought substantial real estate throughout their stay in Patchogue and Brooklyn.

The cemetery has graves of Revolutionary War warriors, as well as those of veterans of the War of 1812, the Spanish-American War, the Civil War, World Wars I and II, and the Vietnam War. Additionally, tombs of notable Patchogue and Suffolk County historical people are situated here.

In 1992, Hans Henke, a retired Patchogue citizen, began saving and restoring this cemetery, spending endless hours alone. The Village assisted him, and in 2006, with the assistance of other Patchogue residents, a Cemetery Restoration Committee was created as a component of the Greater Patchogue Foundation.

Currently, the cemetery committee is repairing, revitalizing, and preserving the ancient burial site on a volunteer basis.

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