One of Union’s most important figures is about to be afforded recognition long overdue. Friday afternoon at 6 p.m. in Vale Cemetery, a tombstone commemorating the burial place and life of Moses Viney will be unveiled.
Viney, a runaway slave from Maryland who escaped to Schenectady on the Underground Railroad, was a coachman and messenger at Union. During his time here he became the constant companion of longtime College President Eliphalet Nott, who eventually secured his freedom.
“The Vale Cemetery staff recently brought to our attention that Moses Viney was buried in the Ancestral Plot, but there was no tombstone for him,” said Gretchel Hathaway Tyson, senior director of Campus Diversity and Affirmative Action.
Union raised funds to erect a tombstone for Viney, whose unmarked grave was identified using the cemetery’s Ancestral Plot map. The stone will also honor and recognize Viney’s wife, Anna.
“It is always necessary to document where a person is buried in order to maintain history,” Tyson said. “In addition, in this instance, we must also correct a wrong – segregating individuals and not ensuring their ancestors could indentify them.”
The Ancestral Plot was formerly known as the Colored Plot. Like Viney, many of the people buried there lack proper monuments, though there are good records denoting who rests where.
“Vale Cemetery administrators have applied for grants to build a memorial with the names of each individual, but with no success,” Tyson said. “Union’s Multicultural Greek Council has decided to raise funds for a grand memorial, which will be presented in the 2010 winter term.”
The Council is being aided in its efforts by Vale Cemetery, the College’s Campus Operations Office, Hamilton Hill volunteers and Mary J. Nosal Memorials of Schenectady.
Tyson, for her part, is happy to see so many different parties working together on this project.
“Union is part of Schenectady’s history and Schenectady is part of Union’s history,” Tyson said. “Through endeavors like this, we must continue to explore, identify and acknowledge the rich history that both these entities bring to our local community.”
Viney’s tombstone unveiling is part of Schenectady County’s Juneteenth celebration. From its origination in 1865 in Galveston, Texas, Juneteenth is the oldest national celebration of the end of slavery in the United States. It is traditionally observed on June 19.
Those wishing to attend Friday’s ceremony may drive to the cemetery themselves, or take a trolley from Old Chapel Circle at 5:30 p.m. An old fashioned ice cream social will be held immediately following the event.