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by Nancy Cioch |
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Elizabeth Antifi Kilts was born 1842. Her gravestone was recently cleaned at the Lower Snells Bush Cemetery during a clean up day by Snell-Zimmerman-Timmerman reunion members. Her stone was covered in dark moss so that it was unreadable. She was the daughter of Peter and Maria Walrath Kilts. She died January 14, 1863. Her stone reads that she was 20 years, 6 months, 21 days. In researching her family, it was thought that she was buried with her parents and other siblings at the Old City Cemetery, near Beardslee, Town of Manheim. Of the five children born to Peter and Maria, only Elizabeth and her brother Jordan Lewis achieved adulthood. Jordan died 21 November 1913. Their father, Peter died 7 June 1851. Maria died 1 July 1896. The family had a farm in Manheim.
Jordan married Anna Maria Timmerman (daughter of George and Lany Yoran Timmerman). Jordan and Anna Maria had one child, Caroline "Carrie" Kilts who was born 8 October 1872 and died 6 December 1965. Carrie never married and dedicated her life to teaching, 38 years. She taught school in St. Johnsville for 31 years.
Why was Elizabeth A. buried in a different cemetery than her parents and her stone was off standing by itself? Not too far away is a monument for a close family friend Suffrenus Snell, whom was listed as an appraiser for Peter Kilts' estate(as per David Martin's research - quoted in The 18th Century Kilts Family of the Mohawk Valley). One can imagine that since it was January, the gravesite at the other cemetery could not be reached due to deep snow. Suffrenus had her buried at Lower Snells Bush Cemetery.