Harshbarger Cemetery, North Union Township, Montgomery County, Indiana
Harshbarger Cemetery has become completely engulfed in the woods. There is no longer even a path that leads to the cemetery and the area is said to be infested with ticks and snakes (although fortunately I saw neither on my trip up there!). I know the pictures turned out horribly but under the conditions they were taken in, it was the best I could do. There was very little light coming through to that area in the woods, and while the stones were still perfectly legible thanks to the protection of the trees, they were also completely covered with black fungus (or whatever it is that grows on stones in wooded areas like that) making pictures impossible to read. I wrote down what they said so you'll have to take my word on it!
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Mary Wife of A. Crouch Died March 12, 1844 Aged 25 Y 11 M 6 D Mary Ford was Andrew Crouch's first wife. Mary's sister, Sarah, married Andrew after her death. Sarah and Andrew are buried together in Summers Cemetery outside of Stockwell. |
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William son of A. & M. Crouch Died March 16, 1845 Aged 1 Y 7 D From the dates on the stones it appears Mary died from complications in childbirth 3 days after William's birth. Andrew and Mary married in Tippecanoe County on April 13, 1843, so I make the assumption that William was their only child. |
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Philip Ross Husband of Cintha Ross Died Dec. 16, 1838 Aged -- Stone broken, age was plastered over by someone putting the stone back together -- Philip Ross's wife's maiden name was Cynthia Crouch. The tree that you can see to the left of Philip's grave is the same tree that William Crouch's stone is leaning against. Also, Andrew Crouch, husband of Mary, was listed in the 1860 census as living right next door to Philip and Cynthia's son, Harrison. I'm sure they were related, I just haven't figured out exactly how. |
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Back view of Philip Ross's plot. I believe the posts and chain around it were put up by my great great grandmother, Mollie Ross-Humphreys. In a letter written to her cousin, Bertha Swank, in 1955, she mentions Philip's grave in Harshbarger Cemetery and says she went there every month to visit. Even in 1955, nearly 50 years ago, Mollie described Harshbarger as "an awful place but must have been nice at one time." If only she could see it now.... |
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