Margaret St. John - Table of Contents

Margaret St. John

By Patrick Kavanagh
History of Women in Forest Lawn Lawn Cemetery

Section 2, Lot 45
Date of Death: 9/29/1847
(Early Buffalo-War 1812)

Born Margaret Kinsman Marsh in 1767, Margaret married Gamaliel St.
John in 1788 and moved to Buffalo in 1810 where the couple erected a hotel & cottage.

The following years were tough on Mrs. St. John. Her son, Cyrus, died of camp distemper in December of 1812. Her husband and another son, Elijah, both drowned while attempting to ferry the Niagara River on June 6, 1813, to resupply American troops occupying Fort Erie.

On December 30, 1813, as the British were burning Buffalo. Mrs. St. John pleaded with Major General Phinas Riall, the British Commander, not to burn her property. That night her properties were not burned. Upon the return of the British on January 1, 1814, the larger dwelling was burned down. The other house was saved making it only one of four structures to remain standing when the British left. This house was located at what is today 460 Main Street.



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