There is perhaps no other trolley road of equal length that passes as many cemeteries and graveyards as does the Oley Valley line, between Reading and Boyertown.
The line goes through one of the richest farming sections of the country. Hitherto came Germans and Huguenots in the pioneer days, and realizing the richness of the soil, it was here that they decided to make their homes.
They cleared the forests, removed stumps and stones and plowed the soil. The rich harvests that followed soon demonstrated that they had made no mistake. Houses and barns were erected and homes established.
The rich valley, however, was no guarantee of longevity and soon some members of the family were stricken down by the ruthless hand of death. Some place of burial had to be provided, and what more natural than that this place should be somewhere near the rude dwelling place, so that the graves might be kept green and free from weeds? It is more than likely that at first these burials were intended to be temporary, but as one after the other passed away the bodies were laid side by side. After a while a rude fence was placed about the little cemeteries and later substantial walls enclosed most of them.
As each family cleared its tract each provided a burial place. Frequently the spot selected was in a corner of the farm or in the angle of a field. Occasionally, however, the graveyard was located in the very center of a field on the highest point on the farm and at a place where it could be seen from the house. Generally the bodies were interred with the feet toward the east.
Many of the earliest graves were simply marked by rude hill stones, without inscriptions. Later, however, marble tombstones, bearing rather elaborate inscriptions, were erected.
It is interesting in these latter days to pass among the tombstones, read the inscriptions and permit imagination to paint pictures concerning the appearance and actions of those who are sleeping there.
These were the sturdy men and women who composed the early population of the valley. They fought wild beasts and wilder men and devoted their lives to subduing the wilderness and preparing a desirable home for posterity.
Their labors ended and their families reared, their spirits passed to a still more beautiful valley and their bodies were laid away in the midst of the scenes of their labors. The next generation took up the work where they left off and soon they, too, were laid away in the graveyard on the farm.
After a while churches were erected and cemeteries started near by. Then the dwellers in the valley buried their dead in the church cemeteries.
In passing among the graveyards one finds some that are neglected, Ivy poison and sumac, raspberry and blackberry bushes and weeds of all kinds have sprung up until not a tombstone is visible.
The only way the inscriptions can be read is by pulling away the poison vines and by treading down the weeks about them. In doing this the inquisitive visitor at once realizes that he is considered an intruder by the birds and reptiles that are seldom disturbed in their undisputed possession of the place.
The saucy blackbird and the complaining robin chirp and screech over his head, for in a tree in the graveyard they have built their nests and they fear that the visitor might interfere with them.
As he passes among the weeds and briars, bees and bumblebees buzz about his ears, for he has disturbed them in their quest for honey among the roses and sumac blossoms. As he passes further on snakes and rats, chip monks and squirrels flee before him.
Many of the farms have passed into the hands of families who are not descended from the original owners and they are not concerned about the sacredness of the burial place. The result is that the graveyards are neglected. In some instances the walls are falling down, the gates have rotted on their hinges and utter neglect is evident on every hand.
There are other graveyards that are well preserved. These are clean of weeds, the tombstones stand erect, the walls are in good repair and attractive gates cover the entrance.
These better conditions obtain more especially in cases where the descendants of the pioneers have been holding family reunions, and through these raised money, which was applied to improving the graveyards.
Thus the rude forefathers of the valley sleep -- some amid attractive surroundings and others in neglect. Riding in an Oley Valley car the first cemetery one meets is Aulenbachbach's, just outside the city line, started in 1853, and a corporation formed and a charter procured in 1854.
Between Mt. Penn and Carsonia, on the Koch-Bush farm, is seen the first private graveyard of the trip. It is located in the center of a large field. This is the last resting place of early representatives of the Custer family. The oldest tombstones are those of Benjamin Custer and his wife Maria, nee Seidel.
The next burial place is the neat cemetery adjoining Schwarzwald Church. The tombstones here tell the story of five generations of well known families in that section.
A short distance further down the valley in a field to the left of the trolley road, is one of the best preserved private graveyards in the valley. It is the place where rest the remains of the pioneers of the Ritter family. This ground, up to five years ago, was one of the most neglected in the valley. The descendants, however, got together and raised enough money to place it in splendid condition. It is free from weeds, the grass is closely cropped, the tombstones stand erect and at the entrance is an ornamental iron gate.
One of the tombstones tells the following story: "Isaac Ritter, born Sept. 19, 1792; married Anna, born Dieder; lived in wedlock 18 years; three sons and six daughters were born to the union; died Nov. 6, 1850; aged 68 years, 1 month and 17 days.
The tombstone of the wife bears the same information, excepting that the dates are Aug. 8, 1785-Dec. 22, 1824.
Other stones bear the names of Masser and Boyer. There are a number of unmarked graves.
A few fields further down the valley, on a high point on the farm of John Labe, is another graveyard. In one corner stands a tall cherry tree in which the birds were chirping when the Eagle representative visited the place. Here the following inscriptions were noted:
"Susann Sterley, born Hechler, widow of Daniel Sterley, born 1760, died 1841."
"Christian Hechler, born Dec. 24, 1764; died Jan. 25, 1810."
"Jacob Hechler, born June 7, 1757; died unmarried, Oct 10, 1823."
"Maria Hechler, born Oct. 14, 1752; died unmarried, Aug. 26, 1826."
A number of the bodies formerly buried here have been taken up and buried in different cemeteries.
The next graveyard is on the right of the road, just beyond Oley Line, on what was in the early days the Gehr farm. It was here that Susanna Cox lived, and it was here that she was arrested on the charge of infanticide and taken to Reading, tried and executed.
The oldest marked grave at this place is that of Johannes Schneider. He was born in 1687 and died in 1743. Cadarina Schneider was born in 1688 and died in 1774. Barbara Keim, a born Schneider, was born in 1723 and died in 1788. Her husband, Nicholas Schneider, was born in 11719 an died in 1802. Peter Schneider was born in 1723 and died in 1796. Eva, his wife, was born in 1721 and died in 1799.
Jacob Geehr was born July 10, 1779; died March 23, 1853. His wife Esther, born Schneider, was born Aug. 1, 1782, and died Feb. 4, 1819.
The latest grave is that of Catharine Gehr, born April 8, 1804; died May 10, 1877.
Other names are those of Daniel Messersmith, John K. Messersmith, Catharine Messersmith, Hoch, Bertolet, Miller, Dierolf, Herman, Levan, Gerber, Schaffer.
Many of the markers are sandstones and most of the inscriptions are well preserved.
This graveyard is in splendid condition, having been repaired a few years ago as the result of agitation brought about through the Snyder family reunion. Several large trees were removed, the ground was leveled and the wall placed in first-class condition and covered with a cement coping.
On the Christman farm, a short distance further up the valley and to the right of the trolley line, is the Herbein graveyard. This has recently been repaired and a cement coping placed over the wall.
The oldest marked grave here is that of Peter Herbein, born Dec. 19, 1723; died March 19, 1795. His wife Elizabeth, was born May 13, 1736; died Aug. 23, 1802.
Abraham Herbein was born in 1768 and died in 1826. His wife, Susanna, born Hoch, was born in 1774, married to Abraham Herbein in 1794, lived in wedlock 32 years, and in widowhood 37 years, died in 1863.
Anna Ante, nee McKean was born in 1770 and died in 1807.
The next graveyard that is close to the trolley is the one used by the early Moravians in the Oley Valley. As the trolley nears the brickyard on the Hoch farm, the traveler notices a clump of evergreen trees on the hill to the right. Beneath these trees sleep those who before Revolutionary days erected a church, which is still standing, just out of view beyond the hill. The graves here are marked simply by low, rough hill stones without inscriptions. Cattle graze over the graves, which is perhaps just as well, since it has a tendency to keep down the weeds.
The next graveyard is barely visible among the trees on the hill just beyond the brickyard. It is the last resting place of the pioneers of the Hoch family. The oldest marked grave is that of Daniel Hoch, born Jan. 18, 1731; died Aug. 27, 1789. His wife, Maria nee Bertolet, was born in 1736 and died in 1802.
Elizabeth Hoch, nee Guldin, was born in 1773. In 1789 she married John Hoch. They had three sons and six daughters. She died in 1848.
A little farther on and to the left of the road, on top of the hill on the other side of the valley, is the Reiff graveyard. This burying place is singular in that a wall four feet high surrounds the entire plot, and there is no way of entering the place excepting by scaling the wall. The only graves that are marked are those of Conrad Reiff and his wife Elizabeth, nee Hoch. The former was born Nov. 24, 1761, and died Feb. 23, 1838. The latter was born Jan. 12, 1766, and died Oct. 10, 1843. The couple were married in 1789. They had two sons and two daughters.
Here in the extreme corner of the farm, beneath the shade of forest trees, on high ground overlooking the valley in which they labored, rest the remains of two of the most sturdy people of this rich valley.
There are indications of several other graves, but they are unmarked.
Just as the trolley reaches high ground and the village of Friedensburg comes into full view, the car passes on the very edge of a graveyard that lies in the corner of a field. It is enclosed by neither fence nor wall. A tall wild cherry tree stands along the edge of the plot. Recently a bolt of lightning struck the tree and shattered it from top to roots. A deep hole was torn into the ground and the dirt thrown high into the air, literally covering the tree with mud.
Here are buried the Kolchners, Hochs and others. Jacob Kolchner was born in 1743 and died in 1814. His wife Barbara Kolchner was born in 1741 and died in 1811.
A little further to the right on the farm of Abraham DeTurk, is the original DeTurk burying ground. It is splendidly preserved. Here lie the two Abraham DeTurks, Daniel DeTurk, their wives and children. The latest grave is that of Susan DeTurk the wealthy maiden lady, who died at Friedensburg less than two years ago.
Just out of view are the two cemeteries at Friedensburg --the Union Lutheran and Reformed and the Evangelical.
At the lower end of the village is the Bertolet Union Cemetery. Here are interred the Bertolets for five generations, as well as many others who died in the vicinity.
On high ground to the right of the trolley, in a small clump of trees can be seen a lone sandstone. The inscription almost obliterated, reads "Johannes Kirsten, born Dec. 19, 1735; died 1763. There are other markers, but without inscriptions.Before reaching this point, knowing ones can discern between the trees to the right a burial ground surrounded by a wall. Here rest the remains of General Daniel Hunter, who was on Washington's staff during the Revolution. The grave of the hero is somewhat neglected, but the inscription on the marble headstone is still distinct. In the same graveyard lie the remains of the early representatives of the Kemp family.
In the rich valley through which the trolley now passes are a number of private burial grounds, but none of them can be seen from the cars. They enclose the remains of the Keim, Kauffman, Weidner, Bertolet and other families.
At Pleasantville is an extensive cemetery, which is connected with the Lutheran and an Evangelical church located there. It was founded by the Yoder family.
At this point, looking to the right the spires of the Oley churches can be seen. Here are two large cemeteries.
The road now passes through a valley between the Manatawny hills. Somewhere in the lowlands in this valley, tradition says, lie the remains of Chief Popodickon, who was at the head of an Indian tribe in this section.
Entering Boyertown, the traveler sees Fairview Cemetery on the left and Union Cemetery on the right. In these two burial grounds are many tombstones that record the date of death as Jan. 13, 1908, the date of the Opera House catastrophe in that borough, when 176[sic] people lost their lives.
When the trolley reaches the corner of Reading and Philadelphia Avenues it passes an old cemetery established by the early Mennonites and later used by the Lutheran and Reformed, but long since abandoned as a place of interment.
Submitted by Betty.
Last Modified