The cemetery officially opened in June 1850 and was attended by a formal ceremony with a parade and a sizeable group of local residents and others from the surrounding area.

[3] On June 17, 1875, the remains of two distinguished officers of the American Revolutionary War were moved from the old cemetery on Water Street to Forest Hill.

These were the remains of Colonel Benjamin Walker, Aide-de-camp to Baron von Steuben and, later, to General George Washington; and of Dr. John Cochran, Surgeon-general of the Continental Army.

Some of the local people buried here include Theodore Faxton, the Proctor Family, and nationally are some politicians such as Ellis Roberts, Ward Hunt and many more.

[4] Other noteworthy burials include: In 2017 New York Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi proclaimed that "Forest Hill Cemetery is a treasure trove of history, and many of the leading military, business and political figures of the 19th and early 20th centuries are buried here.