Benton Road Cemetery

This cemetery was on the west side of Benton Road, near the River Road intersection. In 1990 the County of Oneida bean a project to fix and widen Benton Road which necessitated moving the graves. It was originally thought the cemetery only contained four members of the Ward family. After much digging, the four Ward family members were found, plus remains of another three bodies along with pieces of tombstones. These were reinterred in the Bethania Cemetery, along with the illegible stone found and the stone for Elizabeth Ward.

Ward, Elizabeth, (wife) of Joseph Ward, died March 20, 1846 age (illegible)

The road project was held up for a number of years. In 1997 digging began again at the site of the cemetery and in July 1998 the remains of another 13 people was discovered. These remains were also reinterred in the Bethania Cemetery. Nothing was found to identify these remains. It was estimated that they were buried between 1790 and 1840.

A new tombstone erected in the Bethania Cemetery reads:

    Ward, Thomas died 1819
    Ward, Mary died 18--
    Ward, Elizabeth, wife of Joseph Ward, 1781-1846
    unreadable 1774-1861

And 16 other unknown persons removed from Benton Road Cemetery
October 1990 & July 1998 due to a road project and reinterred here in 3 graves.