About two miles north of Panama on the Panama-Stedman Road at the old Baker School House Corners were two small cemeteries.
The old Stannard farm cemetery lay on the northeast corner across from the school. The other was across the road. Under the sumacs, were John and Eunice Phelps and three of their sons.: We were anxious to find out who the Phelps were and who might have been interred on the Stannard farm so we went to the court house and looked up the land records and probate records.
The probate dated July 23, 1894 says Freeman S. Stannard died intestate July 26, 1889, in the Town of Harmony and his land, comprising several lots, were inherited by his tow sons, Sheldon and Martin. The northeast corner where we think the cemetery was located was deeded to Feeman by John Dunn and others and by Hannah Stannard.
We have found the name Hannah Stannard in the 1855 census as aged 70, born in New Hampshire and living in Harmony 32 years. We are inclined to think she was his mother. In the same census was Freeman S. Stannard age 40, born in Madison County, and living in Harmony 31 years; his wife Harriet, age 38, born in MA and living in Harmony 16 years; Sheldon was 15 and Martin 12. The Stannard boys were eccentric. Floyd Darrow in his book on the History of Harmony speaks of them and says that they had been known to drive into Jamestown in mid-summer with wheels on one side of their wagon and sled runners on the other. Sheldon later taught school.
We have been unable to put together a lineage for the Stannards. In the many deeds recorded at Mayville we found the following names: Alanson bought land in 1855; Elijah bought land in 1838; Elizer in 1839; Hannah in 1841; John in 1832 and 1835.
The administration of the Phelps family was fascinating reading. Their son Sylvester had married and had a son, William. John had promised the farm to Willie if he would come and live with them and take care of them. Willie agreed but he got married the first of the year and changed his mind. John was cross about this and greatly disturbed for Eunice's welfare. HE offered the farm to his nephew John H. Phelps, son of his brother Isaac, but John H. declined saying he had his own farm over in Sherman and his own aged parents to care for.
On the morning of his death, a neighbor, James Pease, a justice of the peace, stopped by on his way to work in the woodlot. Mrs. Phelps wanted a doctor for him. John wanted his will to be drawn up and Mr. pease took down what he wanted to do about the property and came back in the afternoon with the legal papers ready for John's signature. He says that he and Mrs. Pease, his wife, old Mrs. Phelps, Levi, Mr. Green, John H. Phelps of Sherman and Alsena Blackmer were all present at the signing of the will.
To his grandson Willie he left his pew in the Presbyterian Church in Panama and his hoss stall there; to his wife Eunice and son Levi all his real estate and chattels as long as they should live and then the same estate, etc. given and devised equally to these relatives here he names. Eunice's sister Sarah Graham and her children, her niece Mary Cornish and Marice C. Green, then to his grandson and his nephews and nieces. John H. Phelps of Sherman was appointed executor.
About five years ago we had a query from a woman saying her neighbor was hunting for John and Eunice Phelps. Had we ever found their graves? We wrote what we had found out and back came a lot of genealogy. John was the son of Eliakim and second wife Elizabeth Davis and Eunice was the daughter of Eleazer and Kalate (Bartlett) Alvord. She took the family back into the 1500's. All she had lacked were the death dates for John and Eunice.
SOURCE: Fenton Historical Society Deserted Cemetery Series. From the Jamestown Journal 28 November 1970, compiled and written by Edna Ingham



The map location is that of the Stannard farm.