| some photos |
Before you go hunting for flesh eating albinos, you might want to learn a bit about the area. Buckout
Road connects the eastern part of White Plains, NY to West Harrison, NY. Majority of the road is in the
town of Harrison.
The town of Harrison, known for the Fortune 500 companies Pepsico and IBM Corp which are based
there, claims a guy named Charles Dawson was their first historian. According to Dawson, the area was
originally inhabited by a tribe called Siwanoy who allegedly sold the land which is currently the town of
Harrison to two men from Greenwich, Connecticut; Peter Disbrow and John Budd in 1666, and again to
a Long Island Quaker named John Harrison in 1695.
Apparently there was some sort of technicality as Disbrow and Budd didn’t file the proper paper work with
the government of New York, but Harrison did. There is no record as to what the Siwanoy received in
return for their land and it should also be noted that there were high tensions between Dutch settlers and
the Siwanoy within Westchester County including an incident in 1643 when Siwanoys destroyed a Dutch
settlement in nearby Pelham Bay which included Siwanoy chief Wampage scalping Anne Hutchinson.
Earlier that year, Dutch settlers throughout New Amsterdam (now known as New York) launched attacks
on Native Americans. A book called “The History Of The City Of Brooklyn” published in 1867 describes
the Natives were remorselessly butchered. The bloodshed was climaxed by John Underhill's raid on a a
Siwanoy village near present-day Bedford in 1644, effectively crushing Native American resistance. On
August 30, 1645, a general peace treaty was signed between the Dutch and Natives of the Hudson
Valley area. War casualties, combined with the diseases brought by the Europeans, greatly diminished
the Native population. While Natives remained for years on the lands they had sold, they gradually
disappeared. By 1800 there were very few still living in Westchester County. One can only speculate as
to whether or not there are Native American burial grounds on Buckout Road as there are no records
indicating either way; mind you there are several cemeteries on Buckout Road which were not marked
as such until a few years ago!
Road connects the eastern part of White Plains, NY to West Harrison, NY. Majority of the road is in the
town of Harrison.
The town of Harrison, known for the Fortune 500 companies Pepsico and IBM Corp which are based
there, claims a guy named Charles Dawson was their first historian. According to Dawson, the area was
originally inhabited by a tribe called Siwanoy who allegedly sold the land which is currently the town of
Harrison to two men from Greenwich, Connecticut; Peter Disbrow and John Budd in 1666, and again to
a Long Island Quaker named John Harrison in 1695.
Apparently there was some sort of technicality as Disbrow and Budd didn’t file the proper paper work with
the government of New York, but Harrison did. There is no record as to what the Siwanoy received in
return for their land and it should also be noted that there were high tensions between Dutch settlers and
the Siwanoy within Westchester County including an incident in 1643 when Siwanoys destroyed a Dutch
settlement in nearby Pelham Bay which included Siwanoy chief Wampage scalping Anne Hutchinson.
Earlier that year, Dutch settlers throughout New Amsterdam (now known as New York) launched attacks
on Native Americans. A book called “The History Of The City Of Brooklyn” published in 1867 describes
the Natives were remorselessly butchered. The bloodshed was climaxed by John Underhill's raid on a a
Siwanoy village near present-day Bedford in 1644, effectively crushing Native American resistance. On
August 30, 1645, a general peace treaty was signed between the Dutch and Natives of the Hudson
Valley area. War casualties, combined with the diseases brought by the Europeans, greatly diminished
the Native population. While Natives remained for years on the lands they had sold, they gradually
disappeared. By 1800 there were very few still living in Westchester County. One can only speculate as
to whether or not there are Native American burial grounds on Buckout Road as there are no records
indicating either way; mind you there are several cemeteries on Buckout Road which were not marked
as such until a few years ago!
Part I: The Native Americans
Part II: The Quakers Free Slaves, The Hills, Stony Hill Cemetery,...
John Harrison sold the land of Harrison along with four others who were involved with him in the original
purchase to Quakers in 1727. The Quakers built there first meeting house in 1727 (which was later
burned down and a replica was put up on the same foundation but was also burned down on January 1,
1973). According to the Westchester Historical Society's website, the Quaker meeting house is/was
located on Buckout Rd.
The Quakers, who were White, did not believe in slavery. They believed that the act of slavery was non-
Christian and therefore freed their slaves between 1773 and 1783 and were given land to farm in the
Stony Hill area in West Harrison by one of the Friends (Quaker), Frederick Stephens. This predates the
law of 1817 which stated that all African Americans in New York State who were born before July 4,
1799 would be free as of July 4, 1827. In the first U.S. Census Report of the year 1790, the Township of
Harrison was listed as having a population of 1,156, including 54 slaves. The area known as Stony Hill is
located on Buckout Road. This area was the site of the largest population of African Americans in
Westchester County at the time (which at the time included parts of The Bronx). Stony Hill cemetery is
part of this area, as are two stone buildings which are in the woods off of Buckout Road. Stony Hill
cemetery holds the remains of freed slaves as well as Black war veterans. The 1867 FW Beers Atlas
shows that the Hills community included a school and a church. The Church, now known as the Mount
Hope Zion Church of White Plains, is still standing. There is an old abandoned red house that is still
standing to the church which was the school house. More on that location in a bit. The Hills community
existed into the 1930's. The cemetery was never marked until 1999 when a sign reading "Stony Hill
Cemetery" was erected off of Buckout Road. I first stumbled (literally) upon the cemetery in 1995 when
my friend Alex and I were walking in the woods. The cemetery holds the remains of over 200 people and
spans about 6.5 acres. The cemetery was allegedly first listed in 1983 as historic site by the Westchester
Historical Society, however a sign marking the cemetery didn’t arrive until 1999, 16 years later. .
John Harrison sold the land of Harrison along with four others who were involved with him in the original
purchase to Quakers in 1727. The Quakers built there first meeting house in 1727 (which was later
burned down and a replica was put up on the same foundation but was also burned down on January 1,
1973). According to the Westchester Historical Society's website, the Quaker meeting house is/was
located on Buckout Rd.
The Quakers, who were White, did not believe in slavery. They believed that the act of slavery was non-
Christian and therefore freed their slaves between 1773 and 1783 and were given land to farm in the
Stony Hill area in West Harrison by one of the Friends (Quaker), Frederick Stephens. This predates the
law of 1817 which stated that all African Americans in New York State who were born before July 4,
1799 would be free as of July 4, 1827. In the first U.S. Census Report of the year 1790, the Township of
Harrison was listed as having a population of 1,156, including 54 slaves. The area known as Stony Hill is
located on Buckout Road. This area was the site of the largest population of African Americans in
Westchester County at the time (which at the time included parts of The Bronx). Stony Hill cemetery is
part of this area, as are two stone buildings which are in the woods off of Buckout Road. Stony Hill
cemetery holds the remains of freed slaves as well as Black war veterans. The 1867 FW Beers Atlas
shows that the Hills community included a school and a church. The Church, now known as the Mount
Hope Zion Church of White Plains, is still standing. There is an old abandoned red house that is still
standing to the church which was the school house. More on that location in a bit. The Hills community
existed into the 1930's. The cemetery was never marked until 1999 when a sign reading "Stony Hill
Cemetery" was erected off of Buckout Road. I first stumbled (literally) upon the cemetery in 1995 when
my friend Alex and I were walking in the woods. The cemetery holds the remains of over 200 people and
spans about 6.5 acres. The cemetery was allegedly first listed in 1983 as historic site by the Westchester
Historical Society, however a sign marking the cemetery didn’t arrive until 1999, 16 years later. .
Part III: Times Of War
There was a two day battle between the Colonists and the Redcoats at The Horton Grist Mill off of Lake
Street (a few blocks from Buckout Road) during the Revolutionary War. John Horton who owned the Mill
had purchased the area of West Harrison known as St Mary's Lake (now Silver Lake) in 1732. British troops
attempted to raid George Washington's supplies which was stored in the Mill. There were most likely
casualties of the Revolutionary War in the vicinity of and probably on what is currently known as Buckout
Road. Shortly before 1700, Captain John Buckhout settled near the Hudson river in the town of Irvington
and established a farm. During the Revolution, British and Heesian soldiers were encamped on Buckhout
farm after the Battle of White Plains in October 1776. British spy Major Andre was captured and hanged in
a nearby town after he was found with documents from US General Benedict Arnold. By war's end,
according to Washington Irving's history, hardly a tree, fence or building was left standing in this vicinity.
Part IV: Into the 1800s: A Farm, a Casino, and a Ski Jump
A farmer named James Foster purchased property in 1823 and built his home on Hall Ave. Hall Ave turns
into Buckout Road (it’s the same road, no turns). Foster called his home Pine Tree Farm, which served as a
site for the birth of three generations of Fosters who continued the family farming tradition. Sarah Foster
married a man named Horace Baldwin who took over the farm after the last male Foster, James, passed
away. The farm was renamed Baldwin Farm and continued for several generations. John Horton, who
owned the land of Western Harrison (also known as Silver Lake), sold it to a man named Mr Underhilll in
1833. In 1861 the Quarry Heights section of West Harrison, near Buckout Road became a stop on the
Underground Railroad taking slaves to freedom. A railroad station was built in 1870. Underhill then sold the
land to a Mr Gainsborg in the 1890's. Gainsborg developed early Western Harrison into a resort area which
included a hotel, casino, and an internationally known ski jump. By this time the population of Harrison was
listed as 1,494.
Part V: The Buckhout Family, The Murders, and the Hanging
Jan (John) Buckhout was born August 18, 1683 in NY. He was the son of Captain Matthias Buckhout of
Holland. Jan married Maria Bankert of Westchester County, NY and they had sixteen children;
Elizabeth, Mattys, Sara, Maritie, John, Jacob, Maria, Peter, Abraham, Bridget, Aeltjie, Isaac, Antje,
David, Jannetje, and Engeltje between 1714 and 1727. The males carried on the Buckhout name
while the female siblings took the names Jewell, Van Wert, Sedore, Hogenkamp, and Ecker. There are
records showing Mattys had a son named John who passed away during the same year of his birth, 1736
and later had a second son named John in 1741.Mattys had a third son named Abraham who married Mary
Purdy and had eight children. Isaac had four children including a John Buckhout who married Elizabeth
Van Wert and had four children of their own including Isaac and Stephen. Stephen had a son, also named
Isaac in 1833. Peter Buckhout married Jane Garrison and also had a son named John who had three
children of his own; John T, Peter Jr, and Maria. John T had children of his own including daughter Mary.in
1797. Jacob Buckhout married Maritie Ecker and had six children including John, Mary, and Jacob Jr.
According to the 1867 FW Beers Atlas; there were two “J. Buckhouts” who owned property on Buckout Road.
There is a small cemetery on Buckout Road which serves as a resting place for several generations of
Buckhouts (and Fosters, and Baldwins) which includes a headstone for John Buckhout who was born in 1847
A lot of people link a story involving Isaac Buckhout and a double murder to Buckout Road; which is not
accurate. The facts are printed in a book called "Eight Who Were Hanged In White Plains" as well as in a
news article which ran in the local paper years back. Isaac was a wealthy man and an accomplished
violinist. He lived with his wife Louisa Ann, who owned the house on Pocantico Lake Road in Sleepy
Hollow in which they resided. She was a woman of considerable wealth with extensive real estate holdings
which she managed herself. By their mid 40's they had not produced any children which grieved Isaac. He
was suffering of months of depression and suspected his wife was cheating on him, perhaps with friends of
their neighbor's 26 year old son. On Christmas Day 1869, the Buckhouts were dinner guests of their
neighbor's, the Rendells. Alfred Rendell was a wine importer in New York City and had a 26 year old son
named Charles. Over the course of dinner, Isaac became angry at a remark Charles made about one of the
younger men whom Isaac had suspected his wife was having an affair with. On New Year's Day, Alfred and
Charles went to the Buckhout home at the special request of Isaac who had sent them a message saying he
had something to discuss with them. Alfred, Charles, Louisa Ann, and Isaac had refreshments in the sitting
room. Isaac excused himself, went to his bedroom and returned with a double barrelled shotgun. He shot
and killed Alfred with multiple buckshot wounds in the head. Charles suffered wounds to the face losing an
eye and an ear as well as permanent facial disfigurement. Louisa attempted to escape but Isaac crushed
her skull with blows from the gun. Isaac then walked several miles to the Democratic Hall in Tarrytown NY
where he was arrested about an hour later by Constable Alfred Lawrence. Isaac's wealth and prominence
insured that his trial would not be as abbreviated as those of the men who had preceded him to the gallows.
He was tried three times. The first two trials, in March of 1870 and March of 1871 had ended without the
juries being able to agree on a verdict and Buckhout might have gone free but for the persistence of District
Attorney Jackson O Dykman and a hostile press which spewed forth venomous attacks on the defendant. He
was brought to trial again in July of 1871 and this time he was convicted of First Degree Murder after 15
hours of deliberation. Buckhout was sentenced to hang on September 1, 1871, but a series of appeals
which were conceived and argued by his attorneys delayed the execution for more that five months. These
three trials cost Westchester County $40,000. Buckhout was hanged by Sheriff Robert F Brundage at 11:
41am on February 16, 1872 in the presence of over 200 witnesses including members of the press, county
officials, and invited guests at the gallows in White Plains. (the site of the gallows is currently in between a
Masonic Temple and a funeral home which used to be a Buckhout estate).. Hundreds of requests for
admission to the scene had to be denied since there was only a limited amount of space available. Two 25
foot high fences had been erected on either side of the gap between the courthouse and the jail in White
Plains. Buckhout had many friends and relatives in the area and rumors were plentiful during the days prior
to his execution that there would be an assault on the jail to free him. No such assault took place, however
the 3 Regiment of the New York National Guard, a posse of police,and all of the available deputy sheriffs
plus other peace officers from the County guarded the jail and the scene of the execution. Buckhout's body
was turned over to his relatives and buried quietly, but decently in the Friends Cemetery in Chappaqua.
Part VI: 20th-21st Century. Arson, Grave Robbings, and Apparitions
In 1971 there was a fire at Baldwin Farm which destroyed two fo the barns, injured horses and killed a cow.
A vandal was said to be responsible for the blaze. The last Baldwin farmer died in 1979 at which point the
city of White Plains purchased the land and prepared to restore the farm for educational use. The body of
Farmer Baldwin was found by Wayne Slaughter as he was walking home from Eastview Junior High School
in White Plains. Baldwin was layed out in a cross shape in front of the front porch, eyes open, gone. People
who grew up in the area at the time told me it was widely thought that Baldwin had mental illnesses and
was insane. He was often seen talking to himself and cursing children. Baldwin apparently had a lot of"
weird geometric" drawings in his house which contained no furniture. Vandals struck again and in August
1982 the farmhouse was burned to the ground. The Baldwin farmland is currently opened during the day
time and is used as a community garden where residents can go and grow crops. During all of my
experiences going there during the day time, I have seen only construction workers leaning against their
trucks eating sandwiches.
There's a small plot of land where generations of Fosters, Baldwins, and Buckhouts have found a resting
place, where Hall Ave turns into Buckout Road. The cemetery is located right off the road where there used
to be a steep narrow hill, which has since been leveled. John Buckhout's headstone is visible from the
road. Upon inspection of the cemetery, you can see one visible head stone, that belonging to John
Buckhout and his wife Charlotte Cowan, and the bases of several other headstones. There are actually 43
people buried in this cemetery, as recently as 1927!
The property where this cemetery is located once belonged to James Foster. The local Westchester County
newspaper, the Journal News, printed an article about this cemetery on September 4, 2001. The article by
Robert Manchant mentions a woman named Barbara Massi who is a trustee with North Castle Historical
Society who has been researching the history of the cemetery with other members of the society. It said
Massie helped find the documentation listing who was buried in the cemetery "which White Plains will then
use to create the monument built to memorialize the families buried there". Please keep in mind that prior
to 2001, prior to the construction, the cemetery was overgrown with weeds and unless you were purposely
looking for the cemetery or had a very keen eye, the cemetery was not easily noticeable while driving on
the road, especially considering the steep narrow hill it was located off of. . I emailed White Plains mayor
Joe Delfino in 2002 inquiring about the monument and have yet to receive s response. Barbara Massi's term
with the "Landmarks Preservation Committee of North Castle" ends on May 17, 2007.
The cemetery was recently vandalized again in June 2006..this time the result included grave stones being
uprooted and flipped upside down.
In September 2006 I received a message via Myspace from Nancy Clause, a writer (and apparent editor) for
Westchester Magazine. Never heard of it? I hadn't either. This woman went on to talk to me for over an hour
about Buckout Rd for an article she was writing for the magazine. In essence she took things from this site
and in not so many words made it out like all the stories of the hauntings were nonsense. She even included
a quote from me that was printed way out of context. She asked me how I thought the urban legend about
the cannibal albinos started...and I responded by saying I think some of the residents on the road made it up
to scare kids away. The way the article is written, it's as if I said that in relation to every Buckout legend,
which is not the case at all. Her draft of the article included the fictitious statement that Isaac Buckhout
turned himself in to the police, which was not the case as I pointed out to her.
My advice to Westchester Magazine...learn the basics of Journalism 101.
There was a two day battle between the Colonists and the Redcoats at The Horton Grist Mill off of Lake
Street (a few blocks from Buckout Road) during the Revolutionary War. John Horton who owned the Mill
had purchased the area of West Harrison known as St Mary's Lake (now Silver Lake) in 1732. British troops
attempted to raid George Washington's supplies which was stored in the Mill. There were most likely
casualties of the Revolutionary War in the vicinity of and probably on what is currently known as Buckout
Road. Shortly before 1700, Captain John Buckhout settled near the Hudson river in the town of Irvington
and established a farm. During the Revolution, British and Heesian soldiers were encamped on Buckhout
farm after the Battle of White Plains in October 1776. British spy Major Andre was captured and hanged in
a nearby town after he was found with documents from US General Benedict Arnold. By war's end,
according to Washington Irving's history, hardly a tree, fence or building was left standing in this vicinity.
Part IV: Into the 1800s: A Farm, a Casino, and a Ski Jump
A farmer named James Foster purchased property in 1823 and built his home on Hall Ave. Hall Ave turns
into Buckout Road (it’s the same road, no turns). Foster called his home Pine Tree Farm, which served as a
site for the birth of three generations of Fosters who continued the family farming tradition. Sarah Foster
married a man named Horace Baldwin who took over the farm after the last male Foster, James, passed
away. The farm was renamed Baldwin Farm and continued for several generations. John Horton, who
owned the land of Western Harrison (also known as Silver Lake), sold it to a man named Mr Underhilll in
1833. In 1861 the Quarry Heights section of West Harrison, near Buckout Road became a stop on the
Underground Railroad taking slaves to freedom. A railroad station was built in 1870. Underhill then sold the
land to a Mr Gainsborg in the 1890's. Gainsborg developed early Western Harrison into a resort area which
included a hotel, casino, and an internationally known ski jump. By this time the population of Harrison was
listed as 1,494.
Part V: The Buckhout Family, The Murders, and the Hanging
Jan (John) Buckhout was born August 18, 1683 in NY. He was the son of Captain Matthias Buckhout of
Holland. Jan married Maria Bankert of Westchester County, NY and they had sixteen children;
Elizabeth, Mattys, Sara, Maritie, John, Jacob, Maria, Peter, Abraham, Bridget, Aeltjie, Isaac, Antje,
David, Jannetje, and Engeltje between 1714 and 1727. The males carried on the Buckhout name
while the female siblings took the names Jewell, Van Wert, Sedore, Hogenkamp, and Ecker. There are
records showing Mattys had a son named John who passed away during the same year of his birth, 1736
and later had a second son named John in 1741.Mattys had a third son named Abraham who married Mary
Purdy and had eight children. Isaac had four children including a John Buckhout who married Elizabeth
Van Wert and had four children of their own including Isaac and Stephen. Stephen had a son, also named
Isaac in 1833. Peter Buckhout married Jane Garrison and also had a son named John who had three
children of his own; John T, Peter Jr, and Maria. John T had children of his own including daughter Mary.in
1797. Jacob Buckhout married Maritie Ecker and had six children including John, Mary, and Jacob Jr.
According to the 1867 FW Beers Atlas; there were two “J. Buckhouts” who owned property on Buckout Road.
There is a small cemetery on Buckout Road which serves as a resting place for several generations of
Buckhouts (and Fosters, and Baldwins) which includes a headstone for John Buckhout who was born in 1847
A lot of people link a story involving Isaac Buckhout and a double murder to Buckout Road; which is not
accurate. The facts are printed in a book called "Eight Who Were Hanged In White Plains" as well as in a
news article which ran in the local paper years back. Isaac was a wealthy man and an accomplished
violinist. He lived with his wife Louisa Ann, who owned the house on Pocantico Lake Road in Sleepy
Hollow in which they resided. She was a woman of considerable wealth with extensive real estate holdings
which she managed herself. By their mid 40's they had not produced any children which grieved Isaac. He
was suffering of months of depression and suspected his wife was cheating on him, perhaps with friends of
their neighbor's 26 year old son. On Christmas Day 1869, the Buckhouts were dinner guests of their
neighbor's, the Rendells. Alfred Rendell was a wine importer in New York City and had a 26 year old son
named Charles. Over the course of dinner, Isaac became angry at a remark Charles made about one of the
younger men whom Isaac had suspected his wife was having an affair with. On New Year's Day, Alfred and
Charles went to the Buckhout home at the special request of Isaac who had sent them a message saying he
had something to discuss with them. Alfred, Charles, Louisa Ann, and Isaac had refreshments in the sitting
room. Isaac excused himself, went to his bedroom and returned with a double barrelled shotgun. He shot
and killed Alfred with multiple buckshot wounds in the head. Charles suffered wounds to the face losing an
eye and an ear as well as permanent facial disfigurement. Louisa attempted to escape but Isaac crushed
her skull with blows from the gun. Isaac then walked several miles to the Democratic Hall in Tarrytown NY
where he was arrested about an hour later by Constable Alfred Lawrence. Isaac's wealth and prominence
insured that his trial would not be as abbreviated as those of the men who had preceded him to the gallows.
He was tried three times. The first two trials, in March of 1870 and March of 1871 had ended without the
juries being able to agree on a verdict and Buckhout might have gone free but for the persistence of District
Attorney Jackson O Dykman and a hostile press which spewed forth venomous attacks on the defendant. He
was brought to trial again in July of 1871 and this time he was convicted of First Degree Murder after 15
hours of deliberation. Buckhout was sentenced to hang on September 1, 1871, but a series of appeals
which were conceived and argued by his attorneys delayed the execution for more that five months. These
three trials cost Westchester County $40,000. Buckhout was hanged by Sheriff Robert F Brundage at 11:
41am on February 16, 1872 in the presence of over 200 witnesses including members of the press, county
officials, and invited guests at the gallows in White Plains. (the site of the gallows is currently in between a
Masonic Temple and a funeral home which used to be a Buckhout estate).. Hundreds of requests for
admission to the scene had to be denied since there was only a limited amount of space available. Two 25
foot high fences had been erected on either side of the gap between the courthouse and the jail in White
Plains. Buckhout had many friends and relatives in the area and rumors were plentiful during the days prior
to his execution that there would be an assault on the jail to free him. No such assault took place, however
the 3 Regiment of the New York National Guard, a posse of police,and all of the available deputy sheriffs
plus other peace officers from the County guarded the jail and the scene of the execution. Buckhout's body
was turned over to his relatives and buried quietly, but decently in the Friends Cemetery in Chappaqua.
Part VI: 20th-21st Century. Arson, Grave Robbings, and Apparitions
In 1971 there was a fire at Baldwin Farm which destroyed two fo the barns, injured horses and killed a cow.
A vandal was said to be responsible for the blaze. The last Baldwin farmer died in 1979 at which point the
city of White Plains purchased the land and prepared to restore the farm for educational use. The body of
Farmer Baldwin was found by Wayne Slaughter as he was walking home from Eastview Junior High School
in White Plains. Baldwin was layed out in a cross shape in front of the front porch, eyes open, gone. People
who grew up in the area at the time told me it was widely thought that Baldwin had mental illnesses and
was insane. He was often seen talking to himself and cursing children. Baldwin apparently had a lot of"
weird geometric" drawings in his house which contained no furniture. Vandals struck again and in August
1982 the farmhouse was burned to the ground. The Baldwin farmland is currently opened during the day
time and is used as a community garden where residents can go and grow crops. During all of my
experiences going there during the day time, I have seen only construction workers leaning against their
trucks eating sandwiches.
There's a small plot of land where generations of Fosters, Baldwins, and Buckhouts have found a resting
place, where Hall Ave turns into Buckout Road. The cemetery is located right off the road where there used
to be a steep narrow hill, which has since been leveled. John Buckhout's headstone is visible from the
road. Upon inspection of the cemetery, you can see one visible head stone, that belonging to John
Buckhout and his wife Charlotte Cowan, and the bases of several other headstones. There are actually 43
people buried in this cemetery, as recently as 1927!
The property where this cemetery is located once belonged to James Foster. The local Westchester County
newspaper, the Journal News, printed an article about this cemetery on September 4, 2001. The article by
Robert Manchant mentions a woman named Barbara Massi who is a trustee with North Castle Historical
Society who has been researching the history of the cemetery with other members of the society. It said
Massie helped find the documentation listing who was buried in the cemetery "which White Plains will then
use to create the monument built to memorialize the families buried there". Please keep in mind that prior
to 2001, prior to the construction, the cemetery was overgrown with weeds and unless you were purposely
looking for the cemetery or had a very keen eye, the cemetery was not easily noticeable while driving on
the road, especially considering the steep narrow hill it was located off of. . I emailed White Plains mayor
Joe Delfino in 2002 inquiring about the monument and have yet to receive s response. Barbara Massi's term
with the "Landmarks Preservation Committee of North Castle" ends on May 17, 2007.
The cemetery was recently vandalized again in June 2006..this time the result included grave stones being
uprooted and flipped upside down.
In September 2006 I received a message via Myspace from Nancy Clause, a writer (and apparent editor) for
Westchester Magazine. Never heard of it? I hadn't either. This woman went on to talk to me for over an hour
about Buckout Rd for an article she was writing for the magazine. In essence she took things from this site
and in not so many words made it out like all the stories of the hauntings were nonsense. She even included
a quote from me that was printed way out of context. She asked me how I thought the urban legend about
the cannibal albinos started...and I responded by saying I think some of the residents on the road made it up
to scare kids away. The way the article is written, it's as if I said that in relation to every Buckout legend,
which is not the case at all. Her draft of the article included the fictitious statement that Isaac Buckhout
turned himself in to the police, which was not the case as I pointed out to her.
My advice to Westchester Magazine...learn the basics of Journalism 101.
| Buckout Road History 101 by Eric Tapout |
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