This page has been split up and burials moved to Cemet directory and copy of
Tavern Keepers will also be listed in the Pike directory.~Helen
----- Original Messages -----
From: Marta Burns [Marta Burns]
To: [PAFAYETT-L@rootsweb.com]
Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2000 2:03 PM
Subject: [Pafayett-L] Burial Grounds Fayette County, Pa.
History of Fayette County,
by Franklin ELLIS, Philadelphia,
L H EVERTS and Company, 1882, p. 613
Henry Clay Township, Fayette County, Penna
Burial grounds
The Leonard graveyard on the river is the oldest burial ground in the
township. The Sloan graveyard is supposed to be next in order of age. It
is close to Sloan's Ford and some three miles down the river from the
Leonard graveyard. The early SLOANS are buried here, while the old
LEONARDS and Job CLARK and the FLANIGANS are buried at the Leonard
graveyard.
Old Liberty Cemetery is now Fairview Cemetery. It is about sixty years
old. Zion Cemetery was laid out in 1850 and the Markleysburg cemetery
about 1860, being formerly an old graveyard. There is also an old
graveyard near the FLANIGAN tavern and wagon stand in Jockey Valley,
where John CONAWAY, his wife and others are buried.
History of Fayette County,
by Franklin ELLIS, Philadelphia,
L H EVERTS and Company, 1882, p. 449
Brownsville Borough and Township, Fayette County, Penna
Burial Grounds
On the hill adjoining the "public square" on Front Street is Brownsville's
oldest burial place, but now and for some years past enclosed with the grounds
of J. W. JEFFRIES. Within the enclosure may be seen the headstone which once
marked the grave of Thomas BROWN, the founder of the town. Upon it is the
following inscription, still legible:
Here lies the body of Thomas BROWN
who once was the owner of this town.
Departed this life, March, 1797, aged 59 years.
There is also a stone sacred to the memory of Basil KING, who died in
1805, and three others, which were respectively erected over the graves of
John H WASHINGTON and Archibald WASHINGTON, and Edward B MACHEN, all of
whom died in 1818. These three men, of whom the latter was a native of
South Carolina, and the other two of Southampton, Virginia, were members
of a party who came through from Baltimore, Maryland, having with them a
gang of Negro slaves, manacled and chained together and bound for Kentucky,
which they expected to reach by flatboat from Brownsville down the
Monongahela and Ohio.
Arriving at Brownsville they were compelled to wait there for some time
for the means of transportation down the river, and during the period of
this delay the "jail fever" broke out among the Negroes, several of whom
died and were buried in the south part of the public ground. The disease
was communicated to the white men; the two WASHINGTONs took it and both
died on the 10th of April in the year named. MACHEN was also a victim and
died three days later, April 13th. All three were interred in the old
burial ground and stones erected over their graves as before mentioned.
These stones as well as all others in this ground have been removed from
their places at the graves, which they once marked, and none are now left
standing, though these and a number of others still remain within the
enclosure. Many years have passed since any interments were made here and
save the loose stones which still remain, there is nothing seen upon the
spot to indicate that it was ever used as a burial place.
Connected with the churchyards of the Episcopal and Methodist Churches
are grounds set apart many years ago for burial purposes and containing a
great number of graves. These were in general use as places of interment
until the opening of the cemetery outside the borough limits about twenty
years ago. The Catholics have a cemetery connected with the grounds of
their church.
The Redstone Cemetery situated on the high land on the south side of the
National Road about three fourths of a mile southeastwardly from Brownsville
was laid out and established as a burial ground by an association formed
in 1860 and composed of William L LAFFERTY, Rev R. WALLACE, William H
CLARKE; James SLOCUM, William M LEDWITH, William PARKHILL, Thomas C TIERNAN,
John R DUTTON, David KNOX and Capt Adam JACOBS. They purchased the cemetery
tract, about nine acres, from Daniel BRUBAKER for $1600. The soil is under laid
at a depth of about two feet with a bed of soft sandstone and this in the
case of each interment is cut through to the required size of the grave thus
forming a sort of vault, which in making the burial is covered by a flagstone
of which a large supply is constantly kept on hand by the association.
The cemetery is located on a spot, which was made attractive by nature
and its beauty has been greatly enhanced by the laying out, which was
done in the modern style of cemeteries with winding paths and graded
carriage ways and all embellished by the planting of ornamental trees
with an abundance of evergreens. There have been many handsome and
expensive monuments and memorial stones erected in this ground, and in
regard to these and other particulars, few cemeteries can be found more
beautiful than this.
The cemetery association formed in 1860 was not chartered until February
24, 1877. The first president was Dr William L LAFFERTY; secretary and
treasurer, William M LEDWITH. In 1865 Dr LAFFERTY was succeeded by John R
DUTTON, the present president.
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