After 125 Years, Unmarked Graves of Two Indigenous Brothers to Receive Headstones at Historic Queens Cemetery
Queens, NY — The Douglaston and Little Neck Historical Society, in partnership with Friends of Maple Grove Cemetery, will host a historic gathering at Maple Grove Cemetery on November 22, from 11:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m., to unveil the first grave markers for Charles Edward Jones and Harry Jefferson Jones, two Indigenous brothers whose graves have remained unmarked for more than a century.
The event will begin with a reception in the Cemetery’s Reception Hall, followed by a graveside ceremony led by Chief Harry “Hunter Man” Wallace and Donna “Gentle Spirit” Barron, with members of the Unkechaug and Matinecock Nations and support from the Shinnecock, Montaukett, and Setauket Nations.
“Every restored name is an act of remembrance,” said Chief Harry “Hunter Man” Wallace. “Today we bring these boys’ names forward again and acknowledge a history of separation and loss. Acts like this restore truth, dignity, and connection.”
“This ceremony reflects our responsibility to understand our shared past,” said Nicole Schorr, event organizer. “Restoring these markers is a small but meaningful step toward healing the generational wounds caused by that history.”
A Long-Hidden Story Brought Forward
In the late 1800s, the brothers—descendants of Jane Davis Waters (Unkechaug) and Charles Waters (Shinnecock–Montaukett)—were taken from their Long Island home and sent to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, part of a federal system that separated Native children from their families and culture. Both boys returned home gravely ill and died in 1900 at ages 11 and 15, and their graves remained unmarked for more than 125 years.
Their story and burial places were rediscovered through the extensive research of Donna Barron (Matinecock/Montaukett), author and genealogist. With support from Friends of Maple Grove Cemetery and funding from the Douglaston and Little Neck Historical Society, the brothers’ graves will now be marked for the first time. Cecilia Venosta-Wiygul also served as an organizer for the event.
Source: Friends of Maple Grove Cemetery