Pennsylvania USGenWeb Archives

Forks of the Brandywine Seceder Cemetery

intersection of route 82 and Hibernia Road
West Brandywine Township
Most of the burials are of the Irwin Family

Known as “The Seceder Burial Ground
, the cemetery is situated near the corner of Rout e 82 and Hibernia Road. It is a fairly small area now, but in 1761 when the land was purchased, it comprised “with appurtances there onto belonging, containing by estimation two acres and forty-three perches, more or less.
The description alludes to a building, which may have been used f a time as a house of worship.

Three gentlemen, David Stewart, Samuel Mackelduff, and George Irwin, were instructed to purchase the ground for a group of worshipers who had withdrawn from the Forks of the Brandywine Presbyterian Church because of a dispute within the congregation. Records indicate the schism occurred in 1741, and for a time the people joined with the Octorara Congregation, and Rev. Andrew Sterling was their Pastor. The group was known as “the New Side


After the congregation reunited, apparently soon after acquiring the Seceder Burial Grounds, the Irwin family became the owners of the Cemetery, and buried their family members and others, from 1777 to 1910. A young man of only 15 years of age, John Gilliland was “slain by Hessian Soldiers on a foraging party in the vicinity of Brandywine Manor
, and is buried there.

The property became neglected, and for a number of years no one cared for it. Emily Jane Irwin Pollock, a grand-daughter of Nathaniel Irwin, a soldier of the Revolution, began an effort to restore the graveyard, and the Irwin family has since kept the grounds neater. Some vandalism occurred, and some stones have been overturned.

Source: The above is taken from a history written by Joseph Darlington of Downingtown, the historian for the Irwin Family. Taken from the book Between the Brandywines….., 300 Years of Heritage, First Edition, May 1984, U.S. Library of Congress Catalog Card No. 84-51033

Filename	Description	Date	Submitter
forks1.jpg forks2.jpg forks3.jpg forks4.jpg	Forks of the Brandywine Seceded Cemetery; Apparently they broke away from the "Forks of the Brandywine Presbyterian Church" but it is unknown if they ever built an actual church.	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
abi.jpg	A. B. I.	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
ei.jpg	E. I.	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
ei-unknown.jpg	E. I.; Stones built into the wall unknown	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
hfi.jpg	H. F. I.	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
ni.jpg	N. I.	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
ni1.jpg	N. I.	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
jci.jpg	J. C. I.	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
ji-l.jpg	J. I.; Stones built into the wall L.	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
pi-wi.jpg	P. I.; Stones built into the wall W. I.	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
wr-ejr.jpg	W. R.; Stones built into the wall W. R. E. J. R.	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
gilliland-j.jpg	GILLILAND, John d. September 1777, Age 15 "killed by a Hessian Soldier"	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
memorial.jpg	IRWIN Clan Memorial (1926)	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
irwin-ab.jpg	IRWIN, Amzi B. d. 22 June 1875, Age 58; Son of Nathaniel & Hannah	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
peter.jpg elizabeth.jpg	(possibly IRWIN), Elizabeth Age 75; wife of Peter ? broken stone pieces may be of the same stone.	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
irwin-g.jpg	IRWIN, George d. 3d Oct 1815, Age 87	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
irwin-g.jpg	IRWIN, George d. 3d Oct 1815, Age 87	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
irwin-g1.jpg	IRWIN, George d. 10 Jan 1816	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
irwin-hf.jpg	IRWIN, Hannah F. d. 4 Apr 1887, Age 75	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
irwin-jc.jpg	IRWIN, James C. d. 28 May 1880, Age 44 Son of Nathaniel & Hannah	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
irwin-j1.jpg	IRWIN, Jane d. 8 Oct 1850	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
irwin-j.jpg	IRWIN, Jarid d. Sept. 25 1815, Age 79	Nov 2005	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
irwin-m.jpg	IRWIN, Mary d. May 19, 1832 Consort of Jared Irwin	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
irwin-n.jpg irwin-n2.jpg	IRWIN, Nathaniel 28 Dec 1757 - 17 Apr 1836	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
irwin-ne.jpg irwin-ne1.jpg irwin-ne2.jpg	IRWIN, Nathaniel d. 26 Sep 1880, Age 88 IRWIN, Elizabeth d. 19 Jan 1910, Age 82	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
irwin-pr.jpg	IRWIN, Peter 7 Nov 1790 - 3 Oct 1866 IRWIN, Elizabeth 1795-1870	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
irwin-r.jpg	IRWIN, Rebecca d. 12 Aug 1792, Age 59 Wife of George	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
irwin-w.jpg	IRWIN, William d. 29 Nov 1828	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
laverty.jpg	LAVERTY, Mrs.	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
robison-ej.jpg robison.jpg	ROBISON, Eliza J. 18 Oct 1806 - 06 Aug 1874 "In Memory of Eliza J. daughter of William & Margaret Robison born October 18, 1806, died August 6, 1874- aged 68 years."	Nov 2005	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
robison-m.jpg robison-mm.jpg robison.jpg	ROBISON, Margaret d. April 1794, Age 92 Wife of William Mary (her granddaughter) Age 2	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
robison-w.jpg robison-ww.jpg robison.jpg	ROBISON, William d. 1768 ROBISON, William d. 23 Apr 1826, Age 56 His grandson	Oct 2004	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky
ross-r.jpg robison.jpg	ROSS, Ruth d. 1815 ROSS, Mary "In Memory of Ruth Ross, who died AD 1815 also her daughter Mary aged 2 years- by R. Lewis."	Nov 2005	Dan Lindley	Pat Lesky