Washington County PAGenWeb 
Genealogy Project

About the Washington County PAGenWeb Project

Search ALL my Sites.

Information Card for Miller’s Run Presbyterian Church Cemetery
WASHINGTON CO., PA.

Washington County, Pennsylvania Cemetery Database – compiled by Gina Nestor, 2001. jgnestor AT comcast.net

Cemetery Name: Miller’s Run Presbyterian Church Cemetery 

Address: c/o Irwin Hamilton; 3 Kelso Rd., McDonald, PA 15057 

Phone: (724) 745-1075 

Location: Corner of Swihart & Kelso Rds., in Cecil Twp. off Rt. 980 N. Take 980 N. out of Canonsburg for about 4 miles. At the crest of the hill about 1/4 mi. past Sherwood Valley Pools, make a left onto Swihart Rd. Cemetery is 4/10 of a mile on the right. Swihart Road, Chartiers Twp., Canonsburg, PA 15317  Washington County, Pennsylvania

Directions: From Canonsburg, PA take PA-980 N for 2 mi, turn left at Swihart Rd. The Church is located at the corner of Swihart and Kelso Road.

Latitude: 40°18'33.92"N

Longitude: 80°14'4.42"W

Background:  Miller's Run Church is one of the frontier churches in Washington Co. The congregation was formed about 1793 and met in private homes or in a tent on the present church grounds. In 1800, a log church was built. In 1835 the present brick church was constructed. Regular services were last held in 1896. 

The Millers Run Presbyterian Church and associated cemetery was begun around 1781 but the earliest readable burial is 1806. There is little known about the cemetery or the church; but according to the McDonald PA Outlook, The Miller's Run Church was one of the most flourishing in the community, but it membership had declined and the remaining members refused to meet the bills. The presbytery decided to dissolve the church which was completed on Jan. 10, 1903.

The church and cemetery are maintained by the Miller's Run Cemetery Association. The church and cemetery may be toured. The caretaker, Irwin Hamilton, lives next door to the church and will unlock the church and keeps it unlocked on weekends in warm weather. There is a register of the known burials at the front of the church. 

Census: This data was collected by the DAR in 1936 and found in the genealogy section of the Washington PA library.  Published in "Miscellaneous Cemeteries, Washington Co., PA", Vol. 1.  Copy in genealogical collection at Citizens Library. There is also a census inside the church. 

More Information: The 5 ministers of this church were: Rev. John Watson, 1800-1802; Rev. James Dunlap, 1803-1812; Rev. Andrew Wylie, 1813-1817; Rev. William McMillan, 1817-1823 and Rev. William Smith, 1824-1873. 1 Revolutionary War Soldier is buried here: Robert George, d. Aug. 15, 1849. 3 Civil War Soldiers are buried here: Richard Boyce, d. Feb. 28, 1874, age 42 yrs., Walter Smith, d. May 21, 1862, age. 25 yrs., James Hamilton, d. Sep. 23, 1862. 

^ = Information Card made & on Index

Washington County, Pennsylvania Cemetery Database – compiled by Gina Nestor, 2001. jgnestor AT comcast.net

Note: The numbering is not any reference to the cemetery records, if any exist at all.  Instead, the numbering is only a count on this alphabetical list.