A brief history of Beaver Valley Cemetery

WhiteTownshipBeaverValley1.htm

In the year 1860, George Walters gave to the people of Beaver Valley and vicinity, a piece of land situated in White Township, Cambria County, PA. The front portion containing abut one-half acre was intended for and is the site of the Beaver Valley United Brethren Church in Christ, and Church Yard, the rear portion containing about the same, for a burial ground.

Note: The church is presently Beaver Valley United Methodist Church.

First Addition

About the year 1880, it became evident that the cemetery was not large enough to accommodate the numerous patrons who took advantage of the generous gift, and Mr. Walters gave an additional piece of ground to enlarge the same.

The situation and description of the same with the former donation, appears in full in a deed dated February 12, 1880, and conveyed to the Board of Trustees of the Beaver Valley United Brethren Church, and their successors in office, a copy of which may be seen in the Register and Recorders Office for the recording of deeds in Ebensburg, Cambria County, PA, in Deed Book Volume 43, Page 262. Custodians

Although this property was deeded to, and came under control of the Board of Trustees of the Beaver Valley United Brethren Church, and their successors in office, their limited authority left them without any provisions to secure funds to maintain expenses save by their own personal expedition. The custom of Free Burial Ground was still continued with the result that this addition was rapidly taken up without the authorities deriving any resources there from.

Existing Evils

As time passed, the natural consequences of all free donations of property, without any provisions for the future care and regulations thereof, became visible. Briars and elders grew, fences and gates were soon out of repair, bodies were laid in isles or lots, and the marks thereof forgotten, to be afterwards dug into by future grave diggers, trees and shrubs were planted at the option of the party so doing , without any apparent thought of the future care of the cemetery.

Fencing

The entire cemetery was now enclosed by a wrought iron fence, purchased from the Commissioner of Cambria County, PA, the expense of the work amounting to more than five-hundred dollars, said amount was defrayed by volunteer labor, cash, and other material. A list of each and every item and donation, and the amount contributed thereby is embraced in the Minutes Book.

Note: The fence has been removed, but some of the piers for the fencepost remain.

Provisions for Future Care

To overcome as much as possible the existing evils and provide for the future expense, the Board of Trustees decided to dispose of the ground by sale, conditionally the proceeds to be used only to keep up the cemetery.

The trustees father decided to keep a complete account of all funds received and paid out, also a record of all ground disposed of, together with the name of each and every interment, so arranged that the Board may at any time locate the exact spot where each and every body was interred.

Profiting by past experience the Board proposed to govern and control this Sacred Ground by enforcement of a set of By-Laws, a full and complete copy which appears in another form. Copied from writings of B. W. Gill, Secretary of the Cemetery.

Third Addition

Once again it became evident that the cemetery was not large enough to accommodate all those who might want to secure lots, as only a few plots of ground remained unsold.

The Board again decided that they would purchase more ground. During the proceeding years the ground adjoining the cemetery had been purchased by M. D. Kittel of Ebensburg, PA. On June 23, 1933, the Board purchased from him about two and one-half acres as follows:

A piece or parcel of land situated in part between the present cemetery and the property of the School District of White Township, and an additional piece extending about 200 feet from the present cemetery along the road to St. Lawrence and back from said road about 388 feet, on a line parallel with the line of present cemetery, deeded to the Trustees of the Beaver Valley United Brethren Church, and their successors in office, which may be seen in the Register and Recorders Office foe the Recording of Deeds, in Deed Book Volume 451, Page 313. The price of this land was on-hundred and fifty dollars.

The Board of Trustees feel confident that this amount of land will accommodate all who may wish to purchase there.

P. A. Esch Secretary

 

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