Please enjoy some stories about the history and people buried within Hillside Cemetery.  

This page will be updated as the Hillside Cemetery Preservation Foundation receives new information, and we will try to post announcements of any new stories on the Home page.

Aunt Mary French Fairchild

Born: 1817 Trenton, New Jersey • Died: November 14th 1905 Reno, Nevada at 88 years old

Her grandmother and mother were both Ladies of Trenton who participated in the George Washington Inaugural Reception in Trenton, NJ. 

Aunt Mary moved to Reno from Virginia City in the early 1870’s after becoming a widow. Her husband’s name is not known nor is his burial site but records indicate he passed near 1871, leaving her with two children, and that she likely acquired his estate. It is likely they came from Winnemucca to the Comstock, but it cannot be confirmed. She was smart with her money and purchased many properties once arriving in Reno, most being along Commercial Row.

The largest was the Fairchild Building on Commercial Row at the South West corner of Commercial & Sierra across from the Masonic Hall.  This building housed Doctors, Lawyers, Furniture Shops, Butchers, and more on the lower floors. The upper floors were used for lodging and also a boarding home for some of Reno’s poor – which she allowed to stay free of charge for work around her building. It is estimated from Sanborn Fire Maps that the Fairchild Building survived the Fire of 1879.

In addition to her ownership of the lodge, Mary was a founding member of the Reno Congregational Church, once located at the corner of Sierra and 5th Streets. Presently located off Sunnyside Dr. Her business endeavors allowed her to donate money to fund the building of the chapel, which first occupied a schoolhouse building along the Truckee River.

Owning considerable amounts of property in town helped her create a fortune for herself and her community, a lifestyle that was established independent of husbands or business partners.

After suffering a fall from a chair in September, 1905 that wounded her body, but also completely sunk her spirits, Aunt Mary passed just a few months later at the age of 88. The Frank Lee family of Winnemucca hopefully tended to her at her home off Commercial Row in her last months, but Mary was sure the fall would be her demise and in the end she was correct. It is suggested that Frank Lee may have been a business associate of her husband’s prior to his death that remained in Mary’s life until the end.

In her will she left $5000 to be allocated to Reno's poor (around $150,000 in today’s money). It is noted to have paid out until at least 1916, 11 years after her death by a firm put in charge of it. As well, the Frank Lee family of Winnemucca received considerable money from a savings bond at the Bank of Winnemucca, the Congregational Church was allotted a portion, and over 15 other families along the state were gifted something from her estate.

Her son, William Fairchild, is buried in Winnemucca and it not known where her other child is but they both likely died before their mother as they are not listed in her estate.

Prior to her death, she purchased her own gorgeous headstone and single plot at Hillside Cemetery along the North East side of Cedar Ave ensuring every detail of her funeral was taken care of so her friends would not have to worry. She did not fear death and at her age embraced whatever came her way.

James Chambers, 1840 - 1882

James was a native of Canada.  He married Annie R. Madden in 1871 in Reno, Nevada.  He was a father of three children including Mary J. Chambers Ayer (1873-1951) and Annie Elizabeth Chambers Catton (1875-1953).  He was a saloon keeper.  According to the Reno Evening Gazett in 1879 he had to rebuild his saloon after a fire hit in March.  In 1880 he was confined to him home with Rheumatism.

James's headstone was missing until June 4, 2016.  It was discovered that the Comstock Cemetery Foundation, CCF (out of Virginia City) had obtained two headstones they believed belonged to Hillside Cemetery.  Someone was cleaning out an old fraternity house and found the headstones in the basement.  At the time they did not know who to contact, so they reached out CCF, who took them in for research.  One the information was verified with HCPF, the headstone was returned to its rightful place.  

Catherine Frick, 1830-1913

Catherine Herena Quinn Frick was a native of Ireland.  She purchased a family plot (The Frick Family Plot) in Hillside Cemetery in 1898 when her husband George passed away.  She was the mother of John J. Quinn.  Catherine was much loved by the people of Reno and Sparks.

Catherine's headstone was found in the same fraternity house as James Chambers.  However, her headstone suffer some vandalism.  HCPF is still unable to locate her husband, George's, headstone.