At a meeting held at the home of John A. Sweetman on July 22, 1857, John Cook, Thomas Sweetman, Walter K. Maxwell, Aaron Cook, Joseph South, Joseph Gordon, John M. Cavert, James Callen, Matthew L. R. Valentine, John Chambers, David L. Cavert, Michael Parent, John A. Parent, and John A. Sweetman, "inhabitants of the County of Saratoga," Town of Charlton, organized the Sweetman Cemetery Association according to the provisions of an act entitled "An act authorizing the incorporation of rural cemetery associations". Raising $70 by subscription, they purchased one acre of land from Thomas Sweetman that adjoined the old burying ground on his farm. Where practical, the original lots were 10' x 20' and sold for $5 each.

In June of 1880, it was noted in the minutes of the annual meeting that George M. Heaton was appointed to see that the leaning stones were to be properly straightened by employing Charles Barrett to do so. To this day, both leaning stones and broken stones are still a problem which the current caretaker continues to address. In 1885, John Sweetman conveyed additional land to the Association making the cemetery the size it is today. An iron gate and posts were purchased in 1886 for $14, with additional gates being purchased in 1904 at a cost of $55.50. In 1891, the old fences were removed and new fences erected to encompass the entire cemetery.

The greatest physical attraction of the cemetery appears toward the center back of the cemetery facing south toward the old Sweetman Farm - the Chapel. It would appear that sometime prior to 1909, the Cemetery Board passed the following resolution: "Resolved, that we, the members of the Sweetman Cemetery Association, extend to Dr. (James T.) Sweetman our appreciation and thanks for the interest that he has taken in making the Sweetman Cemetery one of the prettiest cemeteries in the county." We believe it would be fair to assume the Board did this in reference to the Chapel.

By-laws governing the Association were adopted in 1912, making the cemetery incorporation. Many, many residents of the town and their descendants are buried here as well as several having served on the Board - Sweetmans, Parents, Caverts, Cooks, Maxwells, Gordons, LaRues, Heatons, Holbrooks, Tibbetts, DeRidders, Palmers, Smiths, Merchants, and so many more.

The fence in the front of the cemetery as well as the gates were taken out a few years ago after having caused problems with mowing due to poison ivy, etc. From the road, a passerby now has an excellent view of the serene setting where our Charlton ancestors now reside.

This cemetery holds many stories - David Sweetman, "The first internment in this cemetery" - 1778: Polly Callen, 20 years old, killed by lightning as she stood in the doorway of her home (Jockey Street); the men who served in each of our wars; people who never had monuments erected in their memories; and those people, whose identities have been obliterated by weathering of the stones.

Sweetman Cemetery is one of several cemeteries that exist in the Town of Charlton. South of the village on the east side of Stage Road is the Pine Grove Cemetery. The people originally buried in the Freehold Cemetery located at the Church on Main Street, sere relocated here many years ago. On the east side of Swaggertown Road, south of the village, lies the Jeremiah Smith Cemetery. This cemetery is now maintained by the Town of Charlton as there is no longer an association in existence. At the corner of Rt. 67 & Rt. 147 is the West Charlton Cemetery where many of the original settlers from Scotland are buried - some of whom were Alexanders, Bunyans, Gilchrists, and Donnans. The remaining cemeteries are: Conde Cemetery - southeast of the village off Stage Road (maintained by the Town); Isaac Smith Cemetery - in a secluded section on the west side of Division Street (maintained by the town); Swart family cemetery - on the east side of DeGraff Road; Brotherson Cemetery - south side of old Rt. 67 at Blue Corners; Jacob Mot Cemetery - located on the north side of old Rt. 67 at Blue Corners; Oliver Adams burial plot - west side of Cook Road; the single grave of Catherine Spitcher - located on Division Street south of Eastern Avenue; "Kopmyer Farm" - situated on Western Avenue; and the Weatherwax Plot on the north side of Western Avenue.

The people of Charlton continue to research and record their history, particularly through the maintaining of the various cemeteries in our town. Though time has obliterated many of the stories written on the gravestones, it is up to us, as families, to preserve our heritage and write it down to pass on to the future generations.