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Transcribed from
CROSS ROADS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH MONROEVILLE,
PENNSYLVANIA
A SESQUICENTENNIAL HISTORY 1834-1984
by Paul Damon
Reprinted with permission of the Author
printer friendly version
STORY OF THE CROSS ROADS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CEMETERY
The story of the cemetery now owned and
operated by the Cross Roads Presbyterian Church starts almost as
early as does the modern history of the area. Prior to 1760, only
the Indians were regulator inhabitants of the area, and as early as
1730, Haymaker Road was a well traveled north-south Indian path. The
French and Indian War was fought in the area in the late 1750's. It
wasn't until the late 1760's that settlers began occupying the area.
Many of the early ones were those who were granted lands in exchange
for their services during the war. In 1769, a Capt. Robert Johnston
was granted a 321 acre parcel of land in the area which he called
"Bramble." He had the land surveyed, but did not receive a
warrant
and patent for the property from the state until 1789.A small
portion of the northern border of this acreage eventually became the
southern half of the cemetery. In 1784, Eleizer Myers obtained a
"warrant from the land office in Philadelphia" for a 236-acre
tract
known as "St. Oohns." Part of this acreage became 'the
northwestern
part of the cemetery. The northeastern section of the cemetery is
part of a tract of land settled about the same time by the Beatty
family. As the number of settlers in the area increased, it became
necessary to find a local burying ground. Such was the setting at
the beginning of our story about the cemetery.
In 1796, Mary Clugston Johnston, part of the large
Johnston clan in the area, died. A suitable place was needed for her
burial. It is probable that Robert Johnston had
cleared a path from his house (near an area more recently known as
Pierces Corner) westward toward the fort in Pittsburgh. The
topography of the land would indicate a route
essentially as the present day Northern Pike travels. Where this
road intersected the northern boarder of his property was a parcel
of fairly flat land with good, thick earth
over six feet deep. An excellent choice for a burying ground area.
Accordingly, Mary was buried at his property boundary, and a stone
was erected above her grave. Possibly,
others were buried near her in the next few years, but no other
indication of this fact currently exist.
On February 6, 1800, Robert Johnston had a surveyor
by
the name of Thomas McMillan lay out a "draught" of a parcel of
land
containing about one acre, which he "promised to deed to the
neighbors as a burying ground." He never did actually deed the land
to anyone, but his intent ' was clear. It was to be the burying
ground for the citizens in the area, and became known as Johnston's
Graveyard.
In 1804, the burial of a baby by the name of Sarah
McCune was duly recorded with a stone marker. She became the second
burial presently known. The third was an Ann Patton, age 58. At this
point, burials became somewhat more frequent.
The early burials (before 1830) were by no means
adjacent to each other. They were scattered over the entire western
half of the Johnston Graveyard. In fact, in 1810, a burial occurred
on property just west of the Johnston parcel. This may have been due
to uncertainty regarding the exact boundaries as determined by the
survey.
In 1825, Robert Johnston sold an 86-acre parcel of land to Samuel
Snodgrass for $890. This land adjoined the one acre cemetery
property to the south and east.
In 1826, Robert Johnston's will stated that he wished "to be
interred in the burying ground upon my own tract of land." His son,
John, inherited the remainder of the land
in 1827.
Because of the presence of the cemetery and the easy
access at a local cross road, The Cross Roads Presbyterian Church
congregation settled there in 1834. John Johnston and Joel Monroe, in
1834, sold 1/4 acre to land to the church. This
parcel already had at least three burials on it. The church was
built on an adjacent one-acre tract between
the cemetery and the township road.
After the church was formed, the cemetery became a
very
popular place (prior to 1834, there were only about 50 graves on the
property). Because of the scattered locations
of the earlier graves, it is apparent that each family was "staking
a claim" to separate areas of the graveyard. Only the Gill plot is
still marked thusly, but many years
later, history notes that one of the Gills had removed many of the
lot markers in the cemetery. So, there may have been many more
marked areas, probably chosen at random by the people involved.
A property survey in 1834 indicated that there was a
prominent tree within the cemetery at the point now recognized as
the "patent corner." This was the starting point for
all surveys in the cemetery. This same deed also notes that the
survey goes along the "rail fence" beside the graveyard.
Obviously,
at some early date, the graveyard was
enclosed by a split rail fence.
About 1850, other adjacent properties were starting
to
be used as graveyards. The Snodgrass property just east of the
Johnston Graveyard was first, followed closely by the
Beatty property just north of Snodgrass' (west of the church
buildings). The people buried on these parcels were apparently
members of the land owners' families, and in the
case of Snodgrass, families of their friends. So, the general area
used as a graveyard became much larger.
Unused property belonging to the church (behind and
just east of the building) now came of interest as part of the
cemetery, since only the old Johnston Graveyard theoretically
belonged to the church and it would eventually become filled.
Additionally, much of the old areas were stake-claimed by the older
families, and newer church families needed a graveyard they could
use.
Almost nothing is known about the upkeep, care, and
organization of the cemetery property from its start in 1796 to the
early 1870's. It is probable that each family was
entrusted to the upkeep of their own area and that the overall
appearance was exceedingly poor.
In 1872, all this changed. In order to better handle
their own affairs, the church incorporated in late 1871 and any
formal business of the church could now be handled by
a group of Trustees. The church Trustees, in turn, formed a second
group of Trustees in order to handle the matters of the cemetery
(these two groups may have been composed of the same people, but
history is unclear on this point). In any event, the cemetery
Trustees held their first meeting on August 31, 1872 for the purpose
of "taking and getting a fund for cleaning the graveyard
annually."
The first cemetery Trustees were Issac I. N. A. Gill, Z. W. Aber,
Eli Myers, William Linhart, and John R. Beatty. Aber and Beatty were
also the original signatory Trustees in late 1871. On November 28,
1872, they met to organize themselves. Gill became president, Beatty
the secretary, and Aber the treasurer. Then, on January 4, 1873,
they met to get their business matters stared. Each cemetery trustee
subscribed a sum of money to get the cemetery fund started. A total
of $110.50 was subscribed, almost half of this coming from John
Beatty. They decided to loan, or "deposit", this money with a
George
Lang for one year. The interest from this loan would be used to
"clean the graveyard." At their next meeting, held on January
25,
Lang received $100 of the money. Ten dollars was used to pay two men
for work they performed to clean the graveyard in 1872. William
Kilands received $7, and Adam Cooper received $3. Thus began a
system of subscribing monies to the graveyard fund, loaning the
money to someone at interest, and using the interest to pay for
cemetery upkeep. This continued for some years, although shortly
thereafter another income source was found which negated the need
for subscribers.
Although history does not record the exact date of
the
first formal expansion of the cemetery, it probably occurred shortly
after the formation of the cemetery Trustees,
and certainly before 1875. As noted earlier, there was a sizable
unused plot of land behind the church building. Several graves may
already have been placed on the land.
However, sometime during this period between 1872 and 1875, the
Trustees hired the surveying firm of Hewat and Fortune to lay out a
plan of cemetery lots, now known as the "Old Cross Roads
Cemetery."
They laid out a very formal plan but, unfortunately, the exact
sketch of the plan is not available. Physically, there were to be
156 lots, each exactly 16 feet wide by 8 feet long, and each
bordering on a 6 foot wide aisle known as the "Avenue." There
were
four sections, each having two columns of about 20 lots. There were
sites for 5 graves in each lot. The established price for each lot
was $35, or two for $66.66. This cost was maintained for over 30
years. Income from these lot sales were used for investments to
maintain the cemetery.
This new area, in the late 1800s, was known as
"The
Cross Roads Cemetery" (one reference erroneously calls it the
"Duff
Plan" of lots), as opposed to the "Old Johnston
Graveyard." These two areas were both used for quite a few years as
were the adjacent Snodgrass and Beatty graveyards. However, the new
Cross Roads Cemetery was not used as frequently as the older areas,
probably because the organized new area cost money to buy a lot,
whereas the older areas were probably free if you could find an
unused section (there actually were quite a few unused sections).
Gradually, by 1900, the old Johnston area became much less used and
the new area became the principal graveyard.
Sales of lots in the new cemetery continued from about 1875 to about
1910 or 1915. Deeds for only 12% of the 156 lots have been
physically located, and a "record of sales" is
only available for the period of 1897 through 1908. A complete list
of owners is also available. Records are sufficient to obtain a
fairly clear picture of cemetery business
during these times.
The earliest date on headstones in this section of
the
cemetery in 1858; that of a baby. Only two others are before 1875.
It is quite probable that the first burial may
have been moved there from somewhere else. The others may have been
burials prior to laying out the plan in 1875, or, they may also have
been moved. The first sales were in the area adjacent to the church
building, and probably started at the south corner. The family of
Reverend Carothers, pastor of the church at the time the new
cemetery was laid out, owned the first four lots in the southwest
corner. Their earliest burial was 1870. It is likely that much of
the credit for the new cemetery goes to the
Carothers. Sales of lots in the new cemetery were recorded" in
detail on standard deed forms such as might be used when buying a
house. At least two types of deed forms
were used (probably just different brands). The earliest one now
existing, dated May 10, 1882, was for the sale of lot number 93 to a
James Dryburgh for $35. It detailed
the precise location and size of the lot, and used all the proper
legal words of the period. A version of this form was used as late
as 1907. Nine of these deeds were
formally processed through the Recorder of Deeds office in Allegheny
County, and may be found in various deed books. Three are in the
historical collection of the church.
All deeds were signed by the officers of the church corporation.
Based on the 1871 charter of the church, Article 9, all sales of
church real estate had to be approved by a
majority vote at a formal meeting of the church congregation.
Therefore, all the deeds contained the statement "This conveyance is
made pursuant to a resolution
passed by a majority of the votes present at a congregational
meeting called for the purpose of.........." It further stipulated
the lots could only be used for the "purpose
of human burial."
Many of the lots sold during this period were on the
installment plan. Several payments evidently stretched over a number
of years. Comparing the date of a burial on some
of the headstones with the approximate date of lot purchase, makes
it obvious that many burials took place before the deed was
transferred. Several were found up to three years or more earlier.
It is probable that business was much more informal in the late
1800's than it is today. A prospective lot owner would choose a lot,
bury a family member, and then take three or more years to pay.
Then, up to a year elapsed before a congregational meeting would be
held to approve a sale.
In 1881, Matthew Snodgrass' will called his land
below
the "graveyard" a lot. This "lot" is the area he and
others were
already using as their own cemetery. In 1883, John
Johnston's will requested that he be "decently buried in the burying
ground near Cross Roads Church." His sons, Robert and William, were
to divide equally the main farm and
house, "including so much the burying ground at Cross Roads Church
as originally belonged to my farm." The exact meaning of this
statement is unclear.
In 1897, Annie Beatty was buried on the approximate
"patent corner" in the center of the cemetery.
In laying out the plan of lots in 1875, Howat and
Fortune excluded a triangular plot adjacent to their plan, Township
Road, and other Beatty property. In 1905, this area
was dedicated as an area for single graves. The plan for this
property dates back to about 1895, as several lots were sold in this
area as early as 1897. The first burial here
was in 1907. Some areas were for adults, and some were for young
children (half as big a parcel).
As noted earlier, William Kilands and Adam Cooper
were
the first employees of the cemetery. In 1873, they received $7.25
and $1.25 respectively. This was Kilands last
year. Cooper received $5.00 in 1874 and $6.50 in 1875. His principal
work appears to have been two days of mowing, twice a year. In 1877,
the cemetery Trustees asked to have the elderberry in the graveyard
grubbed "twist" a year. For this, Adam Cooper received an extra
$1.00 each time he mowed. He worked through mid-1878. The Trustees
specified in August of that year that the employee must also "rake
up." The last cutting in 1878 was done by Annius Spangler. There is
no further record of who cleaned the graveyard until 1900. Starting
in 1900, and for several years thereafter, H. Clugston was paid
$8.00 per year to clean the graveyard. In mid-1905, $32.00 was paid
for some special cleaning.
In 1878, Aber became president of the cemetery
Trustees. In 1881, Beatty dropped out and Thomas Dunning became a
Trustee. In 1892, Myers became president and William R. Johnston
replaced Aber. James Snodgrass also became a Trustee in the
mid-1890's. In 1900, Samuel Snodgrass joined in place of Gill. In
1903, Joel Duff took the Johnston place.
In 1905, George Gill took the place of Linhart.
In 1907, a controversy developed because one of the
cemetery Trustees removed many of the "lot posts" in the
cemetery,
wherever there was unoccupied ground. The Trustees also looked into
a separate charter for the graveyard, but this did not take place
for another 60 years.
In 1906, the size of the formal church cemetery
dramatically expanded. James Snodgrass, who inherited the family
farm from his father, sold his 2.5 acre lot north of
Northern Pike to the church for $600. The western portion of this
lot already contained a number of graves.
In 1910, a plan of lots was laid out on the unused
portions of the new cemetery property. It became known in later
years as the "First Addition." Because of the lay of the
land, the lots were angled from the property boundaries and a strip
of land to the north was not used .
In 1912, the sales of lots in this new area started.
There were very few lots left in the Howat and Fortune plan, and the
other sections were not being used very much. The
Snodgrass purchase was indeed a valuable one for the cemetery. Part
of the unused northern edge of the Snodgrass addition was used as a
single grave area for adults in 1919.
In 1925, a second major addition to the cemetery
occurred. Daniel MacMaster, who inherited land from the Beattys,
sold a 2.1 acre parcel north of the Snodgrass property to
the church for $1.00. His property bordered Township Road, which is
now known as Stroschein Road. The deed specified that proceeds from
the sale of cemetery lots from this
property was to be used 60% for the upkeep of the Beatty graves, and
40% for the general use of the burying ground. John R. Beatty, an
original cemetery Trustee in 1872, was
his father-in-law. Shortly thereafter, Cyrus and S. K. Beatty sold
their 1/5 acre tract to the cemetery for $1.00. Their lot was
sandwiched between the MacMaster tract and the
Howat and Fortune tract. This completed the cemetery area as it
exists today, although a narrow strip of land adjacent to the
present-day post office was added many years
later.
In 1929, a plan of lots for the former MacMaster and
Beatty properties was surveyed, excluding the section the Beattys
were using, by the survey firm of Harp and Hopkins,
for $182.50. This became known as the Second Addition, or MacMaster,
plan. This plan also included the unused northern edge of the
Snodgrass property. Later, in 1929, the sale of lots in the Second
Addition began.
In 1906, the cemetery was again facing money
problems.
They had just spent most of their money to buy the Snodgrass
property. Each trustee was assessed 60 cents for upkeep expenses. In
1907, they made a public subscription effort which resulted in the
accumulation of $38 directed toward graveyard cleaning. In 1908,
Mrs. Elizabeth Ferguson and Ella Donalson solicited subscriptions
for the graveyard fund, which netted an additional $45.25.
In 1925, at the same time they were purchasing the rest of the land
for the cemetery, the Trustees took a number of other actions. They
decreed that all graves must be
kept level, and that no one could dig graves or build bases for
monuments without the permission of the Sexton. They purchased large
quantities of wire and locust posts to
expand the fence around the cemetery. R. E. Myers was appointed
Superintendent of the cemetery. Lot owners must request grave
opening in writing. Grave lining costs were set at $7. A pay rate of
50 cents per hour was established to work in the cemetery. Also, a
shanty was sold to M. S. Aber. This, perhaps, was the "water
closet"
noted many years earlier in some of the records.
In 1927, Charles Lintner was hired as a full-time
employee of the cemetery at $85 per month. He continued on this job
until he died in 1941. In 1929, various improvement
were made to the cemetery roadway, including a new red dog surface.
In 1912, when the sale of lots in the First Addition
commenced, a much more simplified version of the deed was adopted.
Lot prices were set at $50 each in this new
section, and remained at this level until about 1929, when the price
of a lot in either of the addition sections became $65. Evidently,
the sale of these lots, which started in
1912, got the cemetery out of their financial problems of 1906. A
record in 1925 notes that $1000 is to be taken from the Cemetery
Fund for repair and improvement of the
cemetery. It is further noted that during 1925, they collected
$690.50 from the sale of lots.
In 1929, the Trustees were concerned as to
"how to keep
the graves in proper shape," and an committee was appointed to look
into this question. Also, a new "lowering"
device was purchased for use in the cemetery. Speelman Bros. did
more work on the new cemetery road through the MacMaster portion.
Also, Eli Martin and George Price took over the job of supervising
the work of the cemetery.
In 1929, a new and novel method was initiated to
raise
money to pay for the upkeep of the cemetery. The Trustees had their
attorney determine if lot owners could be
assessed. They could, so a tax of $2 per lot was charged for upkeep,
principally mowing'. In 1931, this tax was called "dues." This
tax
was continued until 1935.
In 1930, it was declared that no work on the graves
could be done on Sunday. Also, money from the sale of lots would be
temporarily used to pay off the debts on the church
Manse. All money already on hand was to be used to purchase bonds,
through the Union Trust Company. The fence around the cemetery would
be kept as it was.
By 1932, records indicate that the cemetery was sometimes known as
the Monroeville Cemetery. By this time, the governing bodies of the
church and the cemetery were one and the same. The Union Trust
Company finally received the money to invest for the cemetery. Each
year thereafter, additional money was placed in the fund.
In 1935, grass mats were purchased to cover the graves after they
were refilled. The new power mowers cost $250. Trees were planted
along the cemetery roadway. The State was given permission to
improve the roadway through the church property.
After Charles Lintner died in 1941, L. W. Wray was
selected as caretaker at $90 per month. A new mower was purchased
for $310. However, the most significant action during 1941 was the
decision to build a new tool shed. The shed was to be an 18 x 20
foot structure. Church members did much of the work, and the shed
wasn't completed until late 1942. The shed thus erected still stands
on the property.
In 1943, the caretaker became ill and had to resign
from the job. John Duer became the new caretaker. Oscar Tilbrook,
the long time cemetery committee treasurer, died. He possessed most
of the cemetery records, but they were promptly retrieved.
In 1944, the cemetery committee became concerned
about
underground steam venting from an area near their property. The U.S.
Bureau of Mines came to look into the
possibility of a mine fire. The caretakers salary was increased to
$100 per month. Eli Martin, the longtime president of the cemetery
Trustees, died. George Price was chosen to
replace him. In the middle of the year, a large monument for the
Thompson-Maguire lots was placed on the wrong lots. The cemetery
committee took responsibility for the mistake and paid to have it
moved. A post hole digger and spoon shovel were purchased.
By 1945, the cemetery committee recognized that the
size of the cemetery was finite and could not be further expanded
unless rapid action was taken. The building boom was
coming to the area soon and land prices were getting high. The local
school district owned adjacent land, and agreed to meet with the
cemetery committee. Unfortunately, it was
decided that the school board did not know what use they wanted for
their land, so no action could be taken. Today, there is no
available adjacent land.
The salary for the caretaker was raised to $112 per month during the
same year. A new fee schedule was established for opening graves;
$30 for rough boxes, $35 for vaults,
and an extra $15 for funerals on Sunday.
John Duer resigned his responsibility as cemetery
caretaker in 1947, and Tom Glew was temporarily given the job.
At a joint congregation/corporation meeting on
November
16, 1958, action was finally taken to set up a completely separate
cemetery corporation with five trustees. The
first Trustees were Edgar Williamson, Leonard McCullough, Lawrence
Davis, Henry Brehm, and Andrew Kinkella.
The year 1959 provided a slight profit for the cemetery. Also, a
salary for the cemetery Secretary-Treasurer was set at $25 per
month. For this sum, Leonard McCullough
also acted as Cemetery supervisor. Terms for the Trustees were now 5
years. Larry Davis was president. A storm sewer from the Miracle
Mile Shopping Center was washing away the lower cemetery. The
cemetery attorney, Donald Little, determined that nothing could be
done about it since there is a 40 foot right of way adjoining the
cemetery property used for drainage purposes. Money was to be set
aside each year for the eventual replacement of capital equipment.
In 1961, a new set of rules governing the
decoration of
graves was approved and issued. Only granite or bronze grave markers
could be used, and the cemetery supervisor
must approve the location. In addition to other regulations, they
ruled that the general contour of the land could not be changed. In
1962, significant new mowing equipment was purchased. They hoped
this would lower maintenance costs.
Herb Williamson, in 1963, became the first new
cemetery
director since the cemetery incorporation, following the resignation
of Henry Brehm. Also, John Hermann took
Leonard McCullough's place. In 1964, John Baur replaced Edgar
Williamson. In 1965, Vie Thulin replaced Andrew Kinkella.
At a cemetery board meeting in 1963, it was noted
that
they must secure title to the "Free Burial Ground." This area
was
the old Johnston Graveyard portion of the
cemetery. Although Robert Johnston meant well In 1800, he never
transferred the deed. Obtaining a proper title was important, as
without it, the Trustees had no control over
burials there and received no monies for upkeep. In 1970, a quit
claim deed was granted by the church to the cemetery corporation to
clear the title. At the same time, the
church sold all the other cemetery properties for $1 to the "Cross
Roads Presbyterian Church Cemetery Corporation."
Herb Williamson took care of the cemetery in the 1960's. In 1971,
Gene Weiland was hired, and in 1984, Jim Gropelli replaced him.
Since the stone church building had been sold to others in 1960, the
cemetery maintained an agreement where they would cut the church
lawn in exchange for free use of
their water. The cemetery had no water line of its own. In 1966, the
tall poplar trees that guarded the Township Road entrance to the
cemetery were removed and replaced with two stone pillars. Second
Federal, across the street, paid for this change. The Forbes Trail
Garden Club was given permission to plant flowering trees below the
driveway and long the south boundary of the cemetery.
Today, the cemetery stands as a significant
historical
monument in the center of Monroeville. It still remains active with
about 20 burials each year. The record-keeping
system is being completely revised by Paul Damon, while Eric Swenson
is improving the financial structure.
The Cross Roads congregation can be proud of its
cemetery.
*******************************************
CEMETERY SEXTONS......(INCOMPLETE LISTING)
Sexton From To
William Kilands 1872 1873
Adam Cooper 1872 1878
Annius Spangler 1878 ?
H. Clugston 1900 1901
Charles Lintner 1827 1941
Lewis Wray 1941 1943
John Duer 1943 1947
Thomas Glew 1947 ?
Herb Wi1liamson ? ?
Gene Weiland 1971 1984
Jim Gropelli 1984 ?
*******************************************
CEMETERY COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
Isaac N. A. Gill 1872 - 1878
Z. W. Aber 1878 - 1892
Eli Myers 1892 - 1916
Samuel A. Snodgrass 1916 - 1925
M. S. Aber 1925 - 1926
S. K. Beatty 1926 - 1929
Eli Martin 1929 - 1939; 1944
George Price 1939; 1944 - ?
Edgar Reid 1940 - 1944
*******************************************
CEMETERY TRUSTEES (1872 TO 1930)
Z. W. Aber
William Linhart
Eli Martin
Eli Myers
R . E . Myers
John R. Beatty
S. K. Beatty
Joel Duff
Thomas Dunning
James Snodgrass
Samual A. Snodgrass
Oscar Tilbrook
G. A. Gill
Isaac N. A. Gill
Joseph Woods
James Young
William R. Johnston
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