Pioneer
Cemetery - Titusville, Crawford Co. PA - Located on 100 block of Brook
Street between St. Paul's United Church of Christ and St. Walburga
Catholic Church. The few remaining tombstones were moved to the center
of the cemetery in the late 1900's. Most were laid flat on the ground.
Transcribed
by: Ed Caudill
NEWSPAPER
- Titusville Morning Herald April 1, 1880 (from microfilm at the
Benson Memorial Library)
NEGLECTED
GRAVES - A VISIT TO THE OLDEST CEMETERY IN THE VALLEY - A
scene of ruin and Desolation - Great Improvements Needed - Those Who are
Buried in the Silent Place.
Fronting
on Brook street, make the corner of Franklin, is an acre of ground that,
ten or twelve years ago, was called God's acre from the fact that it was
sacred to the memory of several of our departed citizens-the early
pioneers of Titusville and their families-who lay buried there. Now it
is the most anybody's acre, being without a fence for the protection
against vandals and other transgressors and bearing the most dismal
aspect of neglect imaginable. Jonathan Titus, the first settler of this
city, gave this piece of property over eighty years ago to the Oil Creek
Congregation for a burying-ground and after that year by year the
forefathers of this city and much of the surrounding country were laid
to rest in this spot. It was then a pleasant place, shadowed by grand
oaks, some of which are still in existence, and the little old church of
the Presbyterian society. Situated on a rise of earth at the roadside,
and at the foot of a high hill, it commanded in those days a view of the
most PICTURESQUE DESCRIPTION.
There
was the broad valley reaching to the high hills on the south, the view
unobstructed by the urban scenes, and a vast level area extending north
and south for several miles. Here and there a farm house dotted the
landscape, and the general aspect of the county was wild and beautiful.
The grave yard was a hallowed acre, a place of repose, awakening and
remembrance, and withal an ornament in the little hamlet. A neat fence
enclosed the ground, and white marble grave stones, green walks and
shrubbery indicated its character as a cemetery. Should one have enough
curiosity to visit the spot to-day he would see it WHOLLY NEGLECTED with
traces of desolation and decay on every hand. Time has done much toward
destroying the mementos of the past, and vandals have done more. All
sorts of rubbish are scattered about the graves. There are two or three
mounds preserved in their original share, and these are without
headstones. Half of the graves are unknown, some sunken and full of
water, and others overgrown with brambles. Many headstones lay about the
ground or rest against trees, their inscriptions obliterated and their
identity with the graves they were made for lost. Several families lots
are distinguished from the general ruin in this silent community by
rotten and crumbling fences which surround them. Though these frail
protections some defense from the despoliation by mischievous boys has
been secured. The work of iconoclasts in this sacred place is evidenced
by the spectacle of FRAGMENTS OF HEAD-STONES everywhere. With a drain on
the west side of the ground and a brook on the east side and plenty of
springs in the hillside above the soil is pretty well watered and in
fair condition for serving the process of petrifaction of any body that
might be buried there. Some one has recently cut a good deal of the
unkept shrubbery and piled it up in different parts of the ground; this
the only mark of renovation to be seen. Mayor
Barnsdall, William Robinson and John McCort
have assumed the task of repairing the place they request those who have
friends or relatives buried there to tender some financial aid in the
matter. It is a cause for the citizens of Titusville to support, and in
this era of local booms and improvements the condition of the old
cemetery should be well considered. It is now a blemish on our fair
city, and even though all the relatives and friends of those who repose
there should not be able to subscribe to an improvement fund it comes
upon the public to restore its fair features and make it what it donor
intended it to be-a silent and secluded spot where the dead might be
buried and their graves respected. The city government, eight years ago
(1872), forbade the burial of any person in this cemetery, aid it is
believed that the edict has been obeyed. A visitor strolling about the
place to-day cannot help but notice the inscriptions on the old
gravestones-those which commemorate the death of the old pioneers of the
Oil Creek valley.
"Oft
did the harvest to their sickle yield, Their furrow oft the stubborn
glebe has broke, How joeund did they drive their team afield! How bowed
the woods beneath their sturdy stroke!"
A
WALK AMONG THE GRAVES suggests the same thoughts that prompted the
immortal Gray to write the above verse. Then beside these early settlers
rest the wifes who shared their hardships and reared their children, of
whom many well-to-do farmers or merchants in this city and vicinity. Of
those graves stones in this burying ground whose inscriptions are
legible and are subjects of interest to our readers, we name the
following:
Lyman
Richard, died October 10, 1868
Daniel
Herrick, died November 4, 1863
Caroline
Hale, died September 23, 1867
Anna
G., wife of G.H. Beck, died December 2, 1862
Catherine,
wife of Andrew Kraffert, died November 1867
Richard
Wright, died May 17, 1846
Ruth
Griswald, died September 17, 1862
Alva
W. Sigler, died September 9, 1841 A captain in the One Hundred and
Fiftieth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, and contracted a fatal
disease in the army. Cornelius Sigler, Jr., buried beside the above,
with whom he served in the army. Andrew Kerr, died July 26, 1838, age 75
years
Mary,
wife of Moses Elder, died July 7, 1849
Sarah,
wife of Alexander Davison, died August 17, 1834
Mary,
wife of Mathew Kerr, died August 20, 1831
Pricilla,
wife of Charles Kellogg, died June 26, 1848
Harta,
wife of Dr. Issac Kellogg, died March 27, 1867
Dr.
Issac Kellogg, died January 4, 1841
Amos,
son of Dr. Kellogg, died September 5, 1843
Cordilia,
daughter of J.P. and M. Wilkins, died July 8, 1867
John
L. Vanderwaker, died November 18, 1865
Wm
Ritter, died August 24, 1861
Caroline,
daughter of J.L. Vanderwaker, died June 2, 1836
Emma
?, daughter of of J.M. and D.H. Allen, died December 3, 1853
Ruth,
wife of G.S. Allen, died August 13, 1861
?
A. Conover, died April 19, 1844
Ellen
B. and Susan T., children of Wm. Barnsdall, died March 8 June 19, 1846,
respectively.
Mary
A., daughter of Wm. Barnsdall, died August 27, 1847
Robert,
son of Wm. Barnsdall, died October 31, 1849
Mattie
W., daughter of Wm. Barnsdall, died April 16, 1867
Fannie
F. daughter of Wm. Barnsdall, died May 27, 18??
Elizabeth,
daughter of James Kerr, died October 9, 18??
Susanah,
wife of Adam Holliday, died May 18, 18??
Adam
Holliday, died October 13, 1854, age 75 years
William
Curry, Esq., died February 6 or 8, 1847
Eliza
Jane, wife James Brawley, died March 4, 1839
John
A. Curry, died October 23, 1836
Elizabeth,
daughter of William Curry, died February 7, 1840
Orrin
Clark, died February 6, 1854
Isabella,
wife of Jacob Boggs, died June 6, 1840, aged 73 years
Ruth
E., daughter of J.D. and O. Hottel, died September 4, 1862
Eva
Ann, daughter of J.D. and O. Hottel, died Aug. 26, 1862
Mary,
daughter of J.D. and O. Hottel, died Sept. 23, 1862
Peter
Felton, died March 20, 1852
Willis
Alvin, son of Z. and M. Waid, died June 14, 1854
Mary,
wife of Jasper, Bennett, died Aug. 22, 1846
Wm
Kelly, died Feb 4, 1861
Gilbert
L., son of Garret A. Conover, died Jan. 23, 1843
Wm.
Felton, died Jan. 19, 1870
Frances,
wife of Charles Ridgway, died Dec. 29 1836
Samuel
Kerr, died Aug. 29, 1839
Samuel
Curry, died March 21, 1863
Jane,
wife of above, died Jan. 15, 1870
James
R. Kerr, died Feb. 3, 1862
Sally
Ann, wife of John Robison, died Sept. 27, 1837
James
Robison, died Sept. 12, 1843. Deceased built the American Hotel.
Mary,
daughter of Norman Pier, died Feb. 20, 1858
Mary
Ann, daughter of John Kerr, died June 16, 1826
Andrew
Kerr, died Nov. 9, 1831
Jane,
infant daughter of John Kerr, died July 12, 1821
Jane
Brown, died Oct. 28, 1829
John
R. Kerr, died Sept 5, 1861
Margaret,
wife of Wm. Kerr, died Dec. 11, 1845
Ann,
wife of John Kerr, died May 15, 1831
John
Kerr, died July 5, 1841
Samuel
G. Kerr, died August 26, 1852
Nancy,
wife of Andrew Kerr, died February 9, 1821
Kesia
Geiled, wife of William Sheffield, died August 23, 1818
Martha
E., wife of Robert McRay, died August 10, 1843
Lucinda,
wife of James Felton, died May 6, 1858
Elizabeth,
wife of James Felton, died May 1, 1848
Eleanor,
wife of John Felton, died July 26, 1802
James
M., son of Wm. Curry, died October 29, 1824
James
Watson, died June 12, 1832; aged 76 years
James
Wood, died January 15, 1850
Mary
Jane, wife of Frances H. Wood, died January 5, 1848
David
H., son of F.H. Wood, died February 25, 1863. Deceased belonged to
Company K, Fifty-seventh Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers.
Alexander
Curry, died November 6, 1837
Ruth,
daughter of James Curry, May 21, 1828
Isabella,
daughter of Peter Curry, died August 11, 1832
Ruth,
wife of James Curry, died June 14, 1800
James
Curry, died August 24, 1863, aged 88 years
Hannah,
wife of above (James Curry), died May 14, 1864
The
above two names (James Curry and Hannah Curry) are inscribed on a double
stone
Robert
Curry, died April 23, 1838
Oliva
Titus Curry, wife of above (Robert Curry), died October 5, 1855, aged 73
years
Peter
T. Curry, died October 26, 1846
Mary
M., wife of Jonathan Titus, died April 12, 1849, aged 70 years
Peter,
son of Jonathan Titus, died July 17, 1878
Levinia
Titus, died June 17, 1811
Mary
L. Titus, died February 2, 1821
The
above two (Levinia Titus and Mary L. Titus) are children of Jonathan
Titus.
Susan
E., daughter of Joseph L. and Susan J. Chase, died October 14, 1838
Ruth,
wife of Dr. Samuel Fisher, died November 1, 1837
Jane,
wife of E.J. Locke, died February 3, 1867
Samuel
Henderson, died April 24, 1855, aged 64 years
Harriet
H., wife of J.C. Henderson, died November 13, 1863
Andrew
Coover, died January 12, 1834
Michael
Coover, died September 15, 1825
Sarah
Coover, died April 19, 1841
William
Mitchell, died January 29, 1813
James
P. Henderson, died February 25, 1836.
A
veteran of the revolutionary war is buried in this lot somewhere, so say
some of the early inhabitants of Titusville, but no one knows where his
grave is located. There are nearly three hundred graves in the cemetery,
and only half of them are marked by headstones.
END
OF ARTICLE
