Descendants of the Jackson and Townsend families who are interred in the Townsend Cemetery have forwarded the above photo to "express our gratitude" for the restoration of this historic burying ground in East Hills. From left to right: Bill Stone, Colleen Stone, Linda Fosdick and David Stone Fosdick.

Bill Stone stated: "On behalf of the Stone, Fosdick and Willets families (Stone cousins), I'd like to thank you for your unrelenting support and advocacy that has brought us to this historic moment. For me, the primary restoration has instilled a personal sense of connection that was missing previously. To witness their locations, read their headstones and learn their history and legacy has been a moving experience. And for that, I thank you."

Bill Stone has conducted the following extensive research on his family and its connection to the Townsend Cemetery:

My connection is through my paternal grandmother, Caroline Louise Jackson who married Julian E Stone of Melville. Her Jackson line proceeds as follows: daughter of Oscar Coles Jackson; son of Timothy Townsend Jackson; son of Obadiah Jackson; son of Thomas and Elizabeth Jackson.The remaining Long Island lineage is Samuel, John, John, Robert.

My 2nd and 3rd great grandparents are buried at the Townsend Cemetery. They are Timothy Townsend Jackson & Ethalinda Latting Willis and Obadiah Jackson & Sarah Boerum respectively. Sarah was the daughter of John and Jennie (Townsend) Boerum (originally Van Boerum). I believe the families had English Quaker backgrounds.

My cousin David Stone Fosdick's grandmothers were Jacksons (first cousins) and granddaughters of Timothy Townsend and Ethalinda Latting Jackson. One, (Isabell Helen) was the daughter of Willis Townsend Jackson, the other (Caroline Louise) the daughter of Oscar Coles Jackson. Willis and Oscar both married the Burdett sisters, Mary E and Caroline M respectively. Timothy T and brother Thomas Jackson both married the two Willis sisters, Ethalinda L and Esther respectively in the generation before. We know three of these are interred at East Hills.

Yet to be proven, I believe that I have mapped out my family's ancestral path back to the Oyster Bay Townsends through the Stones. Specifically, it is through our shared great-grandmother, Esther Marr (Stone) Wright and reads as follows:

(Julian E Stone, Esther M Wright, Charles M Wright, Daniel Wright, Anthony Wright, Andrew Wright, Anthony Wright, Elizabeth Townsend, John Townsend, Thomas Townsend, Henry Townsend).

The Jackson path is as follows: (Caroline L, Oscar C, Timothy T, Obadiah, Thomas, Mary Townsend, Richard Townsend, Richard Townsend, Thomas Townsend, Henry Townsend).

It appears that Ethalinda Latting (Jackson) Willis ascends independently as follows: Townsend R, Townsend, Mary Townsend, Ruemourn Townsend, James Townsend, John Townsend, Thomas Townsend, Henry Townsend.

Of interest: The John Townsend contained therein I identify (with ambiguity) as born in Norfolk, England in 1619 and died in Oyster Bay in 1668. He was one of the original patent holders of the Town of Flushing in 1645 then under Dutch rule. This appears to be the same John Townsend referenced by A. Rose in, Washington's Spies (pg. 135). Rose attributes Samuel Townsend as being John's great-great grandson, father of Robert Townsend (alias Culper, Jr.) and also builder of Raynham Hall in Oyster Bay.

On August 8, 2022, the Stone family visited the Townsend Cemetery.