Keating RAWSON

  General Notes:

History of this family: https://digital.library.villanova.edu/Item/vudl:211748#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=0&z=-0.2577%2C0.4351%2C1.5354%2C1.2617


http://dunhamwilcox.net/ny/lansingburg2.htm
RAWSON-TRACY LOT: Rawson and Tracy families were buried here in a plot. near 107th St. fence surrounded by an iron fence. About 1903 all bodies buried in this lot were removed to Oakwood Cemetery where they were reinterred in what is known as the Tracy Vault. See Oakwood records.

Keating Rawson, a convert to the Catholic faith played an outstanding role in the development of the early Catholic community in Lansingburgh. He purchased the land for this cemetery 12/29/1829-at a cost of 140.00. His son had been buried in the Village Cemetery. His wife Ann(Eustace) died a few days before the purchase of the new cemetery land, and must. have been buried there while the transaction was taking place. His daughter Sarah married John Tracy hence the Rawson-Tracy connection. Not long after the burial of Ann wife of Keating Rawson, her stone was damaged by vandals presumably because it had a cross at the top. On July 6, 1830 he offered a reward of 50.00 for information leading to conviction of those responsible. See Lansingburgh Gazette of July 6, 1830. Paper carried not only the reward notice, but a. long editorial on the subject and a statement by Keating Rawson. His handling of this incident provides an interesting sidelight on life at this period. He went all over the Village with a Petition taking the names of those willing to contribute money toward the reward. He had no intention of collecting the money but wanted to have a list of his neighbors and friends who were willing to stand by his side in open disapproval of what had been done.

The newspaper coverage of this whole incident makes fascinating reading. Keating Rawson was born 8/5/1767 in Ireland, "An Irish gentlemen of English descent" he married in Ireland Ann Eustace, " A. German lady" married 1785, Anne Eustace b. 1764, died 12/29/1829, ae 65. Keating died Nov. 18, 1842 age 75. Their children were Sarah, b. 1790 died 10/26/1839 age 47, married John Tracy, b. 1785 died 11/27/1842 age 57 and Robert Eustace b. 1792 died 3/28/1814 age 22. Robert died in Albany, but was buried in Lansingburgh where his parents were living. Removed to the Oakwood from the Catholic Ground were the following: Keating Rawson, Anne (Eustace) Rawson, his wife, Robert Eustace Rawson, his son, Sarah (Rawson) Tracy, his dau., John Tracy, husband of Sarah, John Keating Tracy, son of John Tracy and Sarah (Rawson). Additional dates for those above.

John Keating Tracy died Apr. 5, 1835 age 5 mos.
There are three Rawsons and 9 Tracys buried in this vault, which is in the name of Eustace Rawson Tracy, g.s. of Keating Rawson. Lansingburgh Gazette, Tuesday 12/29/1829. Died in this Village on Thursday morning last, much lamented by her friends, Mrs Anne Rawson aged 65 years, wife of Keating Rawson, Esq., Mrs. Rawson was an amiable woman and her loss will be much felt.

I think it is safe to assume that the first burial in the Catholic Cemetery, was that of Anne, wife of Keating Rawson in December 1829. Before that period people of all faiths were buried in the Village Cemetery.

Keating married Annie EUSTACE in 1785 in Ballymore-Eustace, Co. Kildare, Ireland. (Annie EUSTACE was born in 1764 in Ireland, died on 22 Dec 1829 in Lansingburgh, New York State, USA and was buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Troy, Rensselaer County, NY, USA.)