Solomon Van Rensselaer

Solomon Van Rensselaer's tall marble monument is perched on a slope overlooking Ravine Side Way, a path that begins near the remains of Consecration Lake and runs parallel to the Middle Ridge Road at the top of the same slope.  Since it overlooks this somewhat secluded walk and faces away from the main road, it's fairly easy to miss.  Two of the early histories of the Rural Cemetery - Henry Phelps' The Albany Rural Cemetery - Its Beauties, Its Memories and Edward Fitzgerald's Handbook For The Albany Rural Cemetery - both make substantial mention of this grave site.

Solomon Van Rensselaer was, among other things, a soldier, a U.S. Congressman, postmaster of Albany, and owner of Cherry Hill which had been built by his father-in-law.  He is perhaps best known, though, for his service during the War of 1812.  Serving under his cousin, General Stephen Van Rensselaer III, he took part in the Battle of Queenstown Heights.  During the American defeat there, he was said to have been "riddled" with shots.

He died at the age of seventy-seven on April 23, 1852.  His wife, Harriet, had passed twelve years earlier.  They were originally buried in the Dutch Reformed Church's cemetery (part of the old municipal burial grounds), but were later moved to this large family plot on the Middle Ridge.  However, several newspaper clippings from the 1960s identify his original resting place as Capitol Park where Colonel John Mills was also buried for a time.

More on Solomon Van Rensselaer

John Lamb Clark

John Lamb Clarke (or Clark) has two gravestones, one in New Jersey's Rahway Cemetery where his wife, Mary Brown, lies buried and one in the Church Grounds of the Albany Rural Cemetery. 

 Born in New Jersey in 1786, Clarke evidently moved to Albany some time after his 1806 marriage to Mary as census records show him as a resident of the city by 1810. Clarke evidently maintained strong ties to his native state as he served as a captain with the New Jersey Militia during the War of 1812. 

He died in Albany at the age of thirty-four and was buried in the tiny Garretson Station Methodist Episcopal churchyard. His grave was moved from its original resting place at Garreston Station (just south of Albany) to the State Street Burying Grounds and was included in the Common Council's 1866 inventory of graves to be moved to the Rural Cemetery. His widow Mary returned to New Jersey with their children. She died in 1869 and was buried at the Rahway Cemetery. Some years after her death, a small marble stone in honor of Captain Clarke was placed beside her headstone, though his actual resting place is in the Church Grounds. 

The inscription on his now weathered and broken headstone reads:

In memory of John Lamb Clarke

who departed this life

March 18, 1820

in the 34^th year of his age.

Come unto Me all ye who labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest

The Church Grounds Project

The Mills Monument

The monument of Colonel John Mills who was killed at the Battle of Sacketts Harbor during the War of 1812. Mills body was buried with honors on the grounds of the Old New York State Capitol, but later transferred to the Rural Cemetery. It is located close to the Soldiers' Lot on the North Ridge.