9 Famous People You Had No Idea Were Buried Right Here In Buffalo
By Samantha Gill|Published May 24, 2018
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Samantha Gill
Author
Samantha Jo is a freelance copywriter, proofreader, and social media manager. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys drinking coffee, crafting, camping, blogging at kinandkindling.com, and sipping only the finest of boxed wines – not necessarily in that order.
Buffalo is full of history. From being burned to the ground (quite literally) during the war of 1812 to re-building during the Pan-American Exposition as well as our most recent revitalization, there’s no shortage of bullet points to discuss in the 716. For today’s history lesson, we’re digging up the past a bit (not literally) and highlighting nine famous people you had no idea were buried right here in Buffalo.
The 13th President of the United States made Buffalo his final resting place. You can find Millard Fillmore, who was a notable local attorney and politician, buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery. He died on March 8, 1874.
Fill in the blank: "I'm Rick James, _____." All kidding aside, this local legend was born, raised, and buried right here in Buffalo. Rick James died on August 6, 2004, and is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
If you live in Buffalo, you'll certainly recognize this name. Dr. Roswell Park is credited with creating the first ever cancer research institute, which is now Roswell Park. He was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery after his death on February 15, 1914.
While he may be lesser known, Elvin J. Shepherd (AKA "Shep") was a legendary saxophonist. In his prime, Shep played alongside greats like Aretha Franklin and Miles Davis. He died on June 2, 1995, and is now buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Willis Carrier is the inventor of the modern air conditioner (bless). He is also buried right here in Buffalo at Forest Lawn Cemetery. He passed away on October 7, 1950.
When it comes to famous women buried right here in Buffalo, Shirley Chisholm has perhaps the most impressive background. She was the first black woman elected to the U.S. Congress and also the first woman to run for the Democratic party's presidential nomination. Shirley Chisholm died on January 1, 2005. She is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Not all of our celebrities and notable people buried in Forest Lawn - several also rest within driving distance to the 716. Susan B. Anthony, known for her impact on the women's suffrage movement, is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester.
And last but not least, famous American author Mark Twain, known for writing "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." Many people don't know that Mark Twain was actually a pen name; his real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens. He passed away on April 21, 1910, and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Elmira.
Did you know these notable people were buried in and around Buffalo? Now you do! Are there other famous names that should be added to this list? Share your own knowledge of Buffalo history with us in the comments below.
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