The_Old_Union_Cemetery-1.jpg

Old Union Cemetery

Privacy Level: Open (White)
Date: Before 1756 to 1890
Location: Greensburg, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, United Statesmap
Surnames/tags: Pennsylvania_Cemeteries Westmoreland_Pennsylvania Greensburg_Pennsylvania
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Contents

An Unlikely Monument

In the heart of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, a rough triangle formed by West 4th Street, South Main Street, and Euclid Avenue encloses a small shopping center and a spacious but worn parking lot. Flanked by historic homes and a view of no less than four church steeples, the featureless brick box of Midtown Plaza—home of a lamp store, a print shop, and a Dollar General—is hardly a paragon of historical monuments. Yet the ground on which it sits was once the sacred resting place of many of Greensburg's prominent dead.

The original site of the Old Union Cemetery—sometimes referred to as the Old German Graveyard, the Old German Burying Ground, or the German Lutheran Cemetery—lies beneath the parking lot of Midtown Plaza at 450 South Main Street,[1] between the police station and a Family Video. Greensburg, a part of Westmoreland County, is just 30 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

The now-defunct graveyard once served two nearby congregations: the Reformed Church (Calvinists) and the Lutheran Church[2] (now First Reformed Church of Christ and First Evangelical Lutheran Church, respectively. Although the deed for the land is dated 1792, the oldest recorded tombstone inscription suggests the cemetery was in use by 1756.[3]

Disturbing the Dead

In August 1889, Greensburg officials passed an ordinance prohibiting any further burials within the borough limits on and after October 1, 1890. Though not specifically stated, it was common knowledge that the reason for the prohibition was the ongoing growth of the population and the accompanying sanitation problems.[4] The old Union Cemetery was abandoned the following August, and although a new cemetery bearing the same name was constructed two miles away, not all the graves were immediately removed.[2] It took more than 35 years to move 241 graves to the new Union cemetery, on top of "an unknown number" that were moved to other local cemeteries such as Hillview, Brush Creek, and the new St. Clair.

By 1894, the old graveyard became a de facto tramp campground, growing wild with neglect, until the city demanded the two churches clean up the overgrown eyesore. The land, once cleared, became the unlikely site of a city playground.[5]

The two churches still owned the land when, in 1957, the Westmoreland Court of Common Pleas ordered them to search for and remove the last of the bodies and on completion, declare the site "forever vacated for burial purposes."[4]

Tombstone Inscriptions

In 1915, Mary Ellison Wood compiled an account of tombstone inscriptions in several of Westmoreland's cemeteries. Her list of the oldest monuments in Old Union spans 1756–1853.[3]

Adam Baker • Died Dec. 26, 1832 • Aged 62 yrs. 2 mo. 26 days
Maria E. • Relict of John A. Baker • Died Dec. 27, 1852 • Aged 80 yrs. 9 mo. 9 da.
Michael Bortz • Died Nov. 6, 1843 • Aged 85 yrs.
Michael Bortz • Died Mch 18, 1853 • Aged 92 yrs. 9 mo. 13 days
John Peter Cough • Died Nov. 27, 1832 • In 74th yr. of his age
Pter Peter Eicher • Died Mch 8, 1819 I In 77th yr of his age
Nancy • Wife of Peter Eicher • Died Aug. 3, 1831 • In 78th yr of her age
Henry Eiseman Senr • Died Nov. 30, 1838 • Aged 73 yrs
Christe Nan • Wife of Henry Iseman • Died May 24, 1845 • Aged 71 yrs. 3 mo. 13 d.
Peter Fleeger, Senr • Died Mch 7, 1815 • In 70th yr of his age
Elizabeth Fleeger • Consort of Peter Fleeger, Senr • Died Nov. 27, 1824 1 In the 78th yr of her age
John Fleeger, Senr • Born Hagerstown, Maryland, Aug. 26, 1777 • Died Greensburg, Penna. Nov. 14, 1859
Elizabeth Fleeger • Born Hagerstown, Maryland, Aug. 6, 1777 • Died Greensburg, Penna. July 9, 1872
HezekiahJ. M. • PeterJohnLeremiaHarrietEmily [all on one large monument]
Frederick Rohrer, Esq. • Died Sept. 21, 1825 • Aged 82 yrs
Catherine E. Rohrer • Wife of Frederick Rohrer • Died Mch 12, 1829 • in 83d yr of age
Loremia Lucretia Fleeger • Died Dec. 14 • 1824 • Aged 6 yr 9 mo. 10 d.
Elizabeth Heyl • Wife of Jonathan Heyl • Bom June 14, 1769 • Died Nov. 22, 1842
Peter Horbach, Senr • Died June 24, 1819 • In 66th yr of his age
Daniel Hosier • Bom in Cadorus Twp. • York Co., Pa. • Oct. 19, 1791 • Died April 6, 1829
John Houser • Died July 15, 1804 • Aged 70 yrs 10 mo. 3 weeks
Elizabeth Houser • Died Nov. 28, 1803 • Aged 78 yrs 2 mo. 2 days
Jacob Houk Senr. • Died 1823 • In 73 d year of his age
Magdalene Houk • Died Aug. 24, 1815 • Aged 64 yrs
Jacob Hugus • Born June 6, 1768 1 Died June 28, 1835
John Michael Kepple • Born Jan. 14, 1759 • Died May 8, 1824 • Aged 65 yrs 3 mo. 25 days
Dorothy • Wife of John M. Kepple • Died April 20, 1846 • Aged 79 yr 6 mo.
John Kuhns Senr • Died Mch 28, 1823
Elizabeth Kuhns • Consort of John Kuhns Senr. • Died Oct. 16, 1830 • Aged 62 yrs
Joseph Kern • Died May 23d 1843 • Aged 73 years
Ann Catherine • Relict of John Krieder • Died Sept. 12, 1847 • in 70th yr of her age
John Leichty Senr • Died Aug. 8, 1839 • Aged 65 years
John McCaully • Died July 13, 1838 • in 84th yr of his age
Nancy McCaully • Wife of John McCaully 1 Died April 22, 1834 • Aged 81 y 18
Philip J. Meckling • Died Aug. 19, 1847 • in 73d yr of his age
David Moritz • Died 1804 • Aged 39 yrs
Peter Rugh • Died Dec. 22, 1822 • Aged 81 yr 4 mo. 5 d.
Maria Margaret • Wife of Peter Rugh • Died Apr. 12, 1831 • Aged 77 yrs. 4 mo. 15 d.
Jonathan Sarver Senr • Died Sept. 2, 1851 • Aged 83 yrs
Catherine Sarver • Wife of Jonathan Sarver Senr • Died Aug. 27, 1846 • Aged 73 yrs. 1 mo. 4 d.
Tobias Seyboth • Died June 14, 1819 • Aged 70 yrs. 5 mo. 19 days
Frederick Shaeffer • Died Feb. 6, 1830 • Aged 90 yrs
Margaret Shaeffer • Consort of Frederick Shaeffer, Sr • Died Feb. 2, 1816 • Aged —
John Frederick Shaeffer • Died Mch 1847 • Aged 70 yrs
Nicholas Silvius • Died Dec. 13, 1802 • Aged 79 yrs 10 mo.
Peter Smale • Died Nov. 17, 1845 • Aged 79 yrs 10 mo. 8 da.
Sophia • Consort of Peter Smale • Died Mch 18, 1849 • Aged 82 yrs 5 mo. 12 days
Jacob Smeltzer • Died Mch 22, 1843 • Aged 72 yrs 6 mo. 6 d.
Catherine Smeltzer • Wife of Jacob Smeltzer • Died Nov. 24, 1844 • Aged 70 yrs 2 mo. 2 d.
Simon Singer or Imger • Died April 15, 1829 • Aged 50 yrs 6 mo. 7 d.
Michael Straw • Died Nov. 22, 1840 • Aged 64 yrs 8 mo. 17 d.
Reverand Michael Steck • Pastor Evangelical Lutheran Church for 50 yrs • 38 years at Greensburg Church • Born Aug. 5, 1756 • Died July 14, 1830 • Aged 73 yrs 9 mo. 9 days
Esther • Wife of Rev. Michael Steck • Died May 26, 1846 • in 80th yr of her age
Rev. Michael J. Steck • 19 yrs Pastor of Greensburg Church • Born May 1, 1793 • Died Sept. 1, 1848
Catherine Elizabeth • relict of Rev. M. J. Steck • Born Mch 13, 1799 • Died Nov. 18, 1868 (Moved to St. Clair Cemetery)[6]
Col. Christ Truby, Esq. • Died Feb. 20, 1802 • Aged 66 yrs [military marker]
Isabella Truby • Wife of Col. Truby • Died Aug. 24, 1801 • Aged 63 yrs
Jacob Turney, Esq. • Bom Dec. 9, 1788 • Died Jan. 6, 1827
Anna Maria • Consort of Rev. Wm. Weaver • Died June 1, 1832 • Aged 70 yrs
Henry Welty, Senr • Died July 4, 1841 • in 77th yr of his age
Catherine • Consort of Henry Welty • Born July 15, 1768 • Died July 28, 1839 • Aged 71 yrs
Daniel Williams • Died Apr. 27, 1803 • Aged 56 yrs
Thomas Williams, Senr • Died Sept. 7, 1819 • in 76th yr of age
Mary Magdalena Williams • Died Apr. 7, 1827 • in 70th yr of her age
Filial Gratitude hath raised this humble Tribute • In Memory of • Robert Williams, who was born • Cecil Co. Maryland Mch 17, 1779 • Died May 18, 1827 • Aged 48 yrs
Agnes Williams • Wife of Robert Williams, Senr • Born Aug. 16, 1784 • Died May 14, 1864
VirginiaRobertJames B.SamuelJohn M.Elizabeth S. • Mary [on two large flat stones]
Henry Wise • Died May 10, 1831 • Aged 67 yrs 7 mo.
Barbara Wise • Relict of Henry Wise • Died Sept. 19, 1833 • Aged 64 yrs 11 mo.
Gen'l John H. Wise • Died May 13, 1833 • Aged 44 yrs 4 mo. 27 d. [military marker]
Peter Zimmerman • Born July 8, 1776 • Died Sept. 28, 1849
[illegible] • Wife of Peter Zimmerman • Born Dec. 31, 1775 • Died May 15, 1833
Jacob Zimmerman • Died Dec. — 1843 • Aged 78 yrs
Magdalena Zimmerman • Died Oct. 12, 1828 • in 55th yr of age


Sources

  1. Fowler, Thaddeus Mortimer. 1901 Bird's -eye view of Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Morrisville, Pennsylvania: T. M. Fowler & James B. Moyer, 1901.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Boucher, John Newton. ‘’History of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.’’ Google Books. (United States: Lewis Publishing Company, 1906), 501.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Wood, Mary Ellison. “Tombstone Inscriptions.” ‘’Publications of The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania.’’ Vol. VI, No.1. March 1915. (Philadelphia: The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania 1917), 26–29.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, Court of Common Pleas, 13 Pa. D. & C. 2d 93, First Evangelical Lutheran Church Petition, 19 Sep 1957; Leagle (https://www.leagle.com/decision/195710613padampc2d93192 : copyright 2019), Decisions from Vol.13 of Pa. Reporter Series. Accessed 2 Feb 2022.
  5. Derby, Errol H., DeVaux, Charles F., Gregg, James, Harman, J. Paul, Maddocks, Mrs. Frank, Mitinger, Robert B., Pollins, Calvin E., Yont, D. L., editors. History of Greensburg: 1799–1949. (Greensburg, PA: Westmoreland County Historical Society, 1949), 114–115.
  6. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63853743/catharine-elizabeth-steck : accessed 31 January 2022), memorial page for Catharine Elizabeth Cope Steck (13 Mar 1799–18 Nov 1868), Find a Grave Memorial ID 63853743, citing Saint Clair Cemetery, Greensburg, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by Franny (contributor 47195713).

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