As the town grew and burial space in the older cemeteries became limited, the need for Sunnyside Cemetery arose.  According to the incorporation papers the legal name of this yard is ‘The Hudson Cemetery”.  The Sunnyside cemetery as it is commonly refereed to is located on the north side of the highway at 98 Central Street.   According to records, the original yard purchased from William Hadley in June 1846 was slightly over 1/2 acre.  The land was purchased for $13.00 and an additional $257.00 to Ethan Willoughby for the construction of the stone wall which enclosed the yard with an entrance off Central Street.  There were two  additional land purchases, one in 1885 and the second in 1910.  After the first purchase the stone wall was moved to include the parcel within the bounds of the yard.  At the present time this small cemetery contains 2.817 acres shaded from the canopy of maple trees.

According to Kimball Webster in his History of Hudson,  the first meeting of the Hudson Cemetery Association was held at the home of Ethan Willoughby on Central Street  December 6, 1845.  At this meeting the cemetery was organized, and the articles of association were signed by Ethan willoughby, Paul Colburn, Cyrus Warren, Nathan Marshall, William Hadley, David Clement, David Burns, Abiather Winn, Mark Willoughby, Benjamin A. Merril, and William Blodgett,  It was also agreed to purchase the original 200 by 113 feet original parcel for the cemetery.  No record of any subsequent meeting for several years; however business was conducted and the land was purchased, lots laid out,  and stone wall built  by 1851.  

The very first lot, number 17, was sold to Alfred Cummings on April 8, 1851.  By 1885 all the lots in the cemetery had been sold and during that same year a second land purchase of 1 acre was added to the cemetery on the east side and the wall was moved so as to enclose it.  The new ground was laid out into lots and the size of the cemetery more than doubled.  By 1908 all the lots in this section had been sold.  Again in 1910, a 1/2 acre was purchased from George Marshall, allowing expansion to the rear of the cemetery.  this land was subsequently improved and laid out into lots, all of which have been sold.

Sunnyside  is an attractive cemetery with a convenient location.  It contains a number of expensive and interesting monuments.   To me, the most elaborate monument is that for the families of Kimball Webster and his Brother Nathan.  This monument greets you on the right as you enter the yard.  The most interesting monument is that for Joseph Fuller (1818-1896) and his wife Belinda Steele (1823- 1891).  This metal monument is shown in our second photograph and  resembles a fireplace.  It is on the right side of the yard about halfway to the rear.

Unfortunately, the surrounding area does not include any possibility for expansion.  It has become the final resting place for many of Hudson’s families such as Baker, Batchelder, Chase, Colburn, Cummings, Davis, Gould, Hadley, Holmes, Martin, Marshall, Pollard, Sanders, Sargent, Stearns, Steele, Willoughby, Winn, and Webster.  At the present time the management of Sunnyside Cemetery in handled by Fred Fuller.

The photo of the entrance to Sunnyside was taken by Lorna Granger, a neighbor to the cemetery.  The photo of the Joseph Fuller monument was by the author.  Both will be part of the Society’s collection.