SAMUEL CRUMP

Main Cemetery -- Area K
Lot 149 -- Westside

Sam was born in England and lived there, plying his trade as a stone mason until he was of age to marry and visit the United States for his honeymoon. He had a relative in Rochester and it was there that he saw in a local newspaper that the Village of Pittsford was seeking someone to build a school in the community for the children who lived there so they did not have to walk to a District School located a far distance away.

Sam decided that he would apply for the job and build that school from cobblestones which were plentiful in the community. He was hired for that job and finished the school in 1842 where it stands today known as the Masonic
Temple on Church Street.

Sam had become very comfortable and well known and he decided to stay. He opened a general store on the corner opposite the Phoenix Building and remained there for the rest of his life, building a house and barn next to it where he kept his horse and wagon and store supplies.

Sam was a solid abolitionist and many people knew it, even though it was against the law to aid and abet runaway slaves. He let it be known to those who needed to know that he would hide runaways. He would surreptitiously get word somehow that there were people who needed to be hidden and helped to get to freedom. He would hide the runaways in his barn and the next day they would be taken in his wagon, covered with goods, to the Port of Charlotte, on the shores of Lake Ontario, where they could get on a boat to Canada, and be free.

Sam was an interesting man – very interested in the arts and music and ecology. He named all of his children with classical names , one named Michaelangelo, called Angelo. He also developed and built an electrical show with a magic lantern. He would travel around the county performing this show and folks were enthralled. His gravestone, this rock which is appropriate, because he was very interested in ecology. He made a study of mushrooms and was considered an expert in knowing what ones could safely be eaten. This large rock was placed by his family.