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MT. PROSPECT CEMETERY FAQ 

 Cemetery List Contributed by Gary L. Caldwell

Note: The Burial List Submitted by Gary L. Caldwell is not
to be reproduced for re-print without Mr. Caldwell's permission.

Frequently Asked Questions about Mt. Prospect Cemetery Database

Q. Where did you get this information?
A: Mr. Caldwell was the caretaker at the Mt. Prospect Cemetery as was his father and grandfather. The cemetery used a card filing system for recording burials at the cemetery, most of which were hand written. In an effort to make the information more legible, he converted the cards to type written sheets and they were the basis for the database.

Q. Is this the only information available?
A. There is information on the actual owners of the gravesites and how many graves they own but due to privacy concerns this information was not included in the database.

Q. If I want this information, how do I get it?
A. Send an email to caldwell.gary "AT" gmail.com and he will respond to individual requests **as best he can**. Alternatively contact the Mt. Prospect Cemetery Association at the address given.  [Note: Please limit your requests.]

Q. Why are there no burials before 1900 shown in the database? I thought that Mt. Prospect Cemetery was much older than that.
A. Mt. Prospect Presbyterian church was chartered in April 1825 and the cemetery associated with the church had its first burial around 1830. Before 1900, there was not a system of recording burials that survived. There is a book written by Alvin Dinsmore (AD) White, a local amateur historian, which lists burials at Mt. Prospect before 1900. Mr. White’s book is based on actual tombstones in the cemetery. It can be found in the genealogy section of the Citizens Library in Washington, PA and at the A.D. While Research Center in Avella, PA. 

Q. Will the database be updated with this older information at some time?
A. We hope to update the database with the earlier information in the fall of 2009.

Q. I found my ancestors but there are other people listed as being buried with them. How did this happen?
A. At Mt. Prospect, the lots were sold as four (4) grave units. In some cases, unused graves were resold by the owners or were returned to the Cemetery Association for resale. You can also see evidence of more than 4 family members being together – in some cases they are cremations and in others, the Association would use designated clear space (walk-ways) to allow the family to be buried together.

The Cemetery Association would also sell two (2) grave lots and single grave lots. There was a section of the cemetery set aside for single graves but single graves can be found through the cemetery. 
Theoretically, you can have
1) Four or more people buried in Lot XXX who are all family – same name;
2) Four or more people buried in Lot XXX who are all family – but with different names (daughter and husband?);
3) Four people buried in Lot XXX who are two separate and district families;
4) Four people buried in Lot XXX who are totally unrelated; or 
5) Any of the above combinations

As an example, Ruben C. Tustin, born 1879, and his wife Blanche J., born 1880, are buried in the Old Section, lot 252 but a Daisy Mull, born 1890, is buried in the same lot and the notes show that it is a three grave lot so Daisy must be a relative of some fashion - Mt. Prospect does not indiscriminately bury people in lots not belonging to them. In most cases they are family members or close friends.

Q. Why isn’t this information clearer?
A. These entries were taken from books maintained by Mr. Caldwell for his use and that of the Association. Because he had worked at the Cemetery for more than 40 years, he knew the family details of many of the people buried in the Cemetery. Sometimes his notes reflected that and are a bit obscure for those without his detailed knowledge.

Webmaster Note: Ruben C. Tustin is in my lines.

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