We're approaching the time of year when we enjoy celebrations for our country gaining its independence. It's a time to remember our gained freedom and those who fight for it. On July 4, 1776, Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, and the United States was born.

What would it have been like to have been a Revolutionary War soldier fighting bravely for this cause? The total loss of life resulting from the American Revolutionary War is unknown. As was typical in the wars of the era, disease claimed more lives than battle.

One survivor of the war eventually settled in Montezuma and is buried in what is known as the Old Montezuma Cemetery along Route 90 in the center of town. Captain Richard Damewood's tombstone has become obscured along an outer hedgerow that borders the cemetery with about 200 other graves of early Montezuma settlers. The gravestone of Damewood was discovered a few years ago by inmates who were enlisted to restore old cemeteries by then Lt. John Lamphere of the Cayuga County Sheriff's Department. A tree, now two feet in diameter, has grown up around part of the gravestone, which is actually embedded into the trunk. Against the tree rests the broken headstone of his wife, Rebecca, and nearby their 8-year old grandson's stone is laying on its side propped against another stone.

Richard's grandfather, John Jest Teymouth (later spelled Damouth and Damewood), of Dutch descent was born in 1700. He patented land on the north side of the Mohawk Valley on April 25, 1725, settling in Little Falls by 1757.

Richard was born on Aug. 18, 1759, one of 10 children to George and Hannah Damewood. He was an active participant in the stirring scenes of the American Revolution. He enlisted in the service in 1781 and served during the siege of the British at Yorktown. Sometime prior to 1790, he was married and lived in Whitestown. He also served as Ensign in the Tryon County (now Herkimer County) Militia, 1st Regiment under Col. Samuel Campbell in 1791 and 1793.

In 1812, when the United States declared war on Great Britain, Sackets Harbor became the headquarters for the Army and Navy. Here, it is believed Richard eventually became engaged in boating and later traveled on the Erie Canal settling in the Town of Galen in Seneca County and finally in Montezuma.

It was said he was a man of strong character, retaining all the military characteristics of his early life. He proudly escorted a military parade from Montezuma to Auburn in honor of LaFayette's visit on June 8, 1825. He is listed in Cayuga County records as a United States pensioner in 1840, and died, at 91 on Aug. 13, 1850. He was given a fitting patriotic service largely attended. His favorite horse carried the remnants of his early military life following behind the hearse into the Old Montezuma Cemetery.

One of Richard's eight children was Henry whose line is traced to descendants of the Damewood family still living in the area. I recently visited the gravesite with Joanne Damewood Butler who appreciates her ancestor's service during the founding and development of our country and wants to replace the damaged stones for Richard and his family.

We have been in contact with a member on the S.A.R. (Sons of the American Revolution) National Graves Committee, and are working with him to obtain a military stone to replace the one now hidden from sight and embedded in a tree. The replacement stones are similar to those government issued stones in Arlington National Cemetery.

We are grateful to the Cayuga County Historian's office for making us aware of this project, and plans are also underway to document and replace other damaged or missing stones of early soldier's in town to ensure they are never forgotten.

Cheryl Longyear is historian for the town of Montezuma. She can be reached at

776-8632 or e-mail montezumahistorian@tds.net