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West Burlington Township, Bradford County, PA
This has been adapted from records compiled by Dick McCracken, Director of Veterans' Affairs in Bradford County and they were submitted to this site by him.
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347 records. Death date range: 5/8/1881 - 2/1/1938
Death and burial records for Bradford County County Farm Cemetery; north of US Rte 6, behind county prison, east of W. Burlington landfill. Approx 1/2 mile from highway, no road or trail. Cemetery contains only 7 headstone, all of which are U.S. Government Issue. All seven are veterans of the Civil War.
Approx. size of 1/2 football field. Perimeter easily defined;
plowing around the area, which formerly was fenced, left the entire cemetery
raised one or two feet
above present adjacent surface. Cemetery is now under a second-growth
canopy and needs little care, however the county should provide an access
road and memorialize all who are known to be buried there.
Source: Bradford County Dept. of Veterans Affairs;
Richard J. McCracken,
Director. Court House
Towanda, PA 1848.
570-265-1704
Bradford County Farm was first a poor house, it became a combined poor house/old folks home (Bradford County Home), and is presently a first class Nursing/Skilled Nursing home (Bradford County Manor). Those buried on the property were indigent. Some few were removed to private lots by family members later.
There is a large ledger(s) from which the information on the burials was extracted. There is other information available about other residents in the ledger(s). Access to this information would have to be done via a visit to the manor - they do not have the means/manpower to answer inquiries. I assume that arrangements to access the old records should be made through telephone contact with the administration at: (570) 297-4111 during normal business hours.
Dick McCracken
| Last Name | First Name | Middle Name | Title | Age Admitted | Date Admitted | Where From | Where Born | Date of Death | Where Buried | Remarks |
| AMES | William | H. | 73 | 12/05/1883 | Herrick | Orange Co, NY | 03/02/1887 | County Farm | ||
| AMSDEN | Mary | 74 | 07/29/1883 | Owego, NY | Windham | 09/15/1883 | County Farm | |||
| ARMSTRONG, George | County Farm | Civil War veteran, no headstone | ||||||||
| ARNOLD | John | 67 | 08/05/1885 | South Waverly, PA | 11/27/1885 | County Farm | ||||
| AUMICH | Abigail | 34 | 08/15/1884 | Asylum Twp | 02/17/1885 | ? burial | ||||
| AVERY | Addison | J. | 63/68 | 04/22/1915 | Tunkhannock, PA | 02/20/1921 | County Farm | |||
| AVERY | Rachel | 87 | 04/20/1881 | Granville | 10/16/1881 | County Farm | ||||
| AYERS | Jane | 65 | 04/20/1881 | Granville | 10/16/1889 | County Farm | ||||
| BABCOCK | Mollie | 30 | Tuscarora | 01/31/1882 | ? burial | |||||
| BALDWIN | John | 78 | 09/04/1891 | Monroe | NY | 01/17/1892 | County Farm | |||
| BALDWIN | John | Henry | 14 | 05/09/1881 | Tuscarora | 11/01/1889 | County Farm | |||
| BARTLETT | Judson | 9 | 06/28/1882 | Orcut (Orcutt) Creek | Orcut (Orcutt) Creek | 12/02/1883 | County Farm | |||
| BARTLETT | Lock | D. | 86 | 08/28/1889 | Ridgebury | VT | 11/26/1895 | County Farm | ||
| BASKET (Bostwick) | John | 1/1/02 | 05/02/1890 | Towanda | 10/11/1890 | County Farm | Surname probably BOSTWICK | |||
| BEAM | Adam | 82 | 05/17/1881 | Monroe | 05/12/1883 | County Farm | ||||
| BEARDSLEE | Frankie | (female) | 7 | 04/21/1881 | Columbia | 05/27/1883 | ? burial | |||
| BECKWITH | Russell | 40 | 10/06/1884 | Warren | ? burial | Died 1885 | ||||
| BEEMISH or BEERNISH | Abraham | 72 | 06/05/1895 | West Burlington | Ireland | 06/06/1895 | County Farm | |||
| BEERS | Guy | 18 | Athens | 06/29/1888 | County Farm | Admitted in 1882 | ||||
| BENADICT | Infant | 12/23/1895 | Athens | County Farm | Date of death not recorded. Mother's name was Anna, age 30. | |||||
| BENJAMIN | Clarissa | 60 | 01/15/1896 | Standing Stone | 01/28/1896 | County Farm | ||||
| BENJAMIN | Esquire | 85 | 11/29/1884 | Wysox | Wysox | 09/30/1886 | County Farm | Son, Orlando O. Benjamin of Towanda | ||
| BENJAMIN | Harriet | 12/22/1884 | Herrick | 02/20/1886 | County Farm | |||||
| BENJAMIN | Levi | 57 | 12/25/1890 | Asylum | 09/18/1895 | County Farm | ||||
| BENJAMIN | Warren | 53 | 07/03/1913 | Asylum | 07/05/1913 | County Farm | ||||
| BENNETT | Jerry | 01/26/1884 | 09/17/1932 | Age at admission, where he's from, and location of burial not stated on the list provided. Because it is a list of burials in the Bradford County Manor Cemetery, it is assumed that he is buried in the Manor Cemetery. | ||||||
| BENNETT | Sylvester | 65 | 05/06/1881 | Burlington | 09/13/1890 | County Farm | ||||
| BENSON | Sophia | 50 | 04/21/1881 | Springfield | 10/06/1890 | County Farm | ||||
| BERHER | Joseph | 73 | 06/09/1936 | 09/15/1936 | County Farm | |||||
| BERRY | Alpina | Alsing | 4 | 11/19/1881 | Towanda Boro | 04/05/1882 | ? burial | |||
| BOWMAN | L. | W. | 37 | 08/06/1887 | Towanda | 07/04/1898 | ? burial | Discharged 12/27/1893. | ||
| BOYLE | Pat | 35 | 01/01/1888 | Towanda | 11/22/1889 | County Farm | ||||
| BRENNEN | Tim | 70 | 07/02/1889 | Waverly, NY | Ireland | 12/09/1889 | County Farm | |||
| BROOKS | Charles | H. | 28 | 08/04/1883 | Troy Twp | 02/03/1884 | County Farm | |||
| BUCKLEY | Hannah | 24 | 08/24/1889 | Troy | Ireland | 05/27/1891 | County Farm | |||
| BUCKLEY | John | 73 | 06/17/1885 | Towanda | Ireland | 06/27/1885 | County Farm | |||
| BURT | Mary | E. | 46 | 08/14/1888 | Troy | 03/09/1890 | County Farm | |||
| BUTTON | Evard | 40 | 02/06/1882 | Towanda Boro | 01/18/1884 | ? burial | ||||
| CARL | Mary | 22 | 06/08/1885 | Herrick | 08/02/1885 | County Farm | ||||
| CARROLL | John | 43 | 08/05/1892 | Towanda | Ireland | 12/18/1892 | ? burial | |||
| CEASE | John | 75 | 12/22/1883 | Canton | NY | 04/30/1888 | County Farm | |||
| CHANDILER | Delia | 7 days | 10/26/1890 | 11/3/1890 | County Farm | |||||
| CHANDILER | Hariet | 35 | 08/29/1890 | Athens | 11/18/1890 | County Farm | ||||
| CHAPEL | Samuel | 71 | 04/06/1885 | Ridgebury | Mass. | 04/22/1885 | County Farm | |||
| CHAPIN | Jason | 77 | 05/08/1886 | Smithfield | 06/23/1887 | County Farm | ||||
| CHAPMAN | Ransom | 64 | 03/05/1886 | Albany | 09/11/1893 | County Farm | ||||
| CHEEVER | James | 61 | 03/27/1891 | Canton | 12/14/1895 | County Farm | ||||
| CHILSON | Archie | 14 mo. | 05/13/1890 | Asylum | 09/28/1890 | County Farm | Son of William and Ardell Chilson | |||
| CHILSON | Fredie | 4 | 05/13/1890 | Asylum | 10/04/1890 | County Farm | Son of William and Ardell Chilson | |||
| CHILSON | Jarl (Joll) | 81 | 06/12/1888 | Towanda | Orange County, NY, 1805 | 11/09/1888 | County Farm | A penciled note on the compiler's list reads: There were Jehial & Joel. Which is this? | ||
| CHILSON | Will | 65 | 11/09/1908 | 07/21/1919 | County Farm | |||||
| CHILSON | William | 45 | 11/20/1895 | Towanda | 01/29/1900 | County Farm | ||||
| CLARK | John | infant | 02/28/1898 | County Home, 02/28/1898 | 02/28/1898 | County Farm | Born at the County Home, son of Mary Clark | |||
| CLARK | (unnamed) | infant | 07/31/1892 | County Home, 07/31/1892 | 07/31/1892 | County Farm | Born at the County Home, son of Lottie Clark. | |||
| COALMAN | James | 68 | 04/08/1891 | Towanda | 04/21/1891 | County Farm | ||||
| COALMAN | Ruben | 75 | 12/13/1888 | Pike | Pike Twp | 04/14/1893 | County Farm | |||
| COEISH | Michel | 34 | 05/18/1908 | Sayre | Austria | ? burial | died August 1910. Right foot off at ankle. | |||
| COLEMAN | Gurshom | 34 | 04/20/1881 | Wyalusing | 07/07/1881 | ? burial | see also COALMAN | |||
| COLEMAN | Margaret | Peggy | 04/20/1881 | Albany | 12/03/1893 | County Farm | see also COALMAN | |||
| COLLINS | Patric | 75 | 11/13/1883 | 12/07/1883 | County Farm | |||||
| COMEFORT | Lucretia | 56 | 03/11/1882 | County Farm | died August 1893 | |||||
| COMMINGS | Harvey | 77 | 11/01/1887 | Asylum | 03/28/1888 | County Farm | wife, Emily Commings. | |||
| COON | David | 67 | 09/16/1887 | Sheshequin | 03/01/1890 | ? burial | ||||
| CORNELL | Mary | 50 | 08/30/1890 | Wilawany, NY | 05/27/1895 | County Farm | ||||
| CORSON | Prosper | 75 | 10/26/1923 | 01/05/1926 | County Farm | |||||
| CRANDLE | Melinda | 96 | 04/21/1881 | Springfield | 09/28/1882 | County Farm | ||||
| CRANMER | Hannah | B. | 74 | 08/31/1887 | Towanda | Monroe | 01/16/1890 | County Farm | ||
| CRANMER | Sharlot | 73 | 03/04/1890 | Rome | 06/13/1893 | County Farm | ||||
| CRAYTON | Jane | 44 | 04/21/1881 | Smithfield | 06/06/1886 | County Farm | ||||
| DASCOM | Chester | infant | 10/11/1885 | County Home | 09/02/1886 | County Farm | ||||
| DAVENPORT | infant (male) | 03/14/1911 | County Home | 03/14/1911 | County Farm | son of Isaac and Ella (Stewart) Davenport. | ||||
| DAVIDSON | Annie | 60 | 03/29/1895 | Ridgebury | 05/29/1895 | County Farm | ||||
| DAVIS | Charley | 70 | 04/17/1917 | 01/24/1919 | County Farm | colored | ||||
| DEAN | Grace | infant | 07/20/1899 | County Home | 09/23/1901 | County Farm | ||||
| DECKER | Lewis (Louise?) | Ella | 64 | 06/14/1929 | 08/22/1932 | County Farm | ||||
| DELANEY | Edward | 73 | 05/26/1881 | Ridgebury | 01/11/1888 | County Farm | ||||
| DEPEW | Eliza | 86 | 05/18/1927 | 07/06/1928 | Wysox | Another entry on 05/18/1932: died 11/27/1932, buried at the County Farm | ||||
| DERR | Cora | Ann | 80 | 05/29/1929 | 09/11/1936 | County Farm | ||||
| DEVINS | Lewis | 41 | 09/03/1891 | South Waverly, PA | Italy | 10/15/1892 | County Farm | |||
| DEWELL | M. | E. | 69 | 10/14/1897 | Terry | 12/16/1900 | County Farm | |||
| DICKERSON | Francis | 72 | 03/19/1886 | Asylum | 02/14/1889 | County Farm | ||||
| DICKINSON | Dan | 39 | 05/19/1923 | 05/16/1928 | County Farm | |||||
| DONOVAN | Michael | 53 | 06/14/1882 | Wilmot | Ireland | 01/01/1895 | County Farm | |||
| DOWNS | Patrick | 35 | 06/02/1885 | Barclay | 06/07/1885 | County Farm | ||||
| DOWNS | Susan | 73 | 06/02/1885 | Barclay | Ireland | 11/02/1892 | County Farm | |||
| DRAKE | Frank | 96 | 04/14/1904 | 02/17/1920 | County Farm | |||||
| DURLAND | George | 71 | 04/12/1887 | Burlington | CT | 05/20/1887 | County Farm | |||
| EDDY | Charles | E. | 69/70 | 01/23/1918 | Wysox | 06/13/1919 | County Farm | |||
| EDDY | John | 16 | 03/08/1882 | Albany | Albany | 11/06/1882 | County Farm | Related to George W. Eddy of the County Farm | ||
| ELIOTT | John | 87 | 02/22/1887 | Asylum | Orange County, NY | 12/04/1888 | County Farm | |||
| EPLEY | Elizabeth | 68 | 08/09/1888 | Towanda | 01/07/1889 | County Farm | ||||
| EVANS | Lena | 04/19/1925 | 04/19/1925 | County Farm | ||||||
| EVERETT | George | 72 | 08/06/1881 | Tuscarora | 04/24/1888 | County Farm | ||||
| EVERETT | William | 76 | See EVERETT, William H. | |||||||
| EVERETT | William | H. | 61 | 04/21/1913 | Wyalusing | 10/12/1928 | County Farm | Compiler wrote: 'William -- age 76 (or)'.This is followed by the entry for William H. | ||
| FAGAN | infant (female) | 02/19/1903 | County Home | 03/11/1903 | County Farm | daughter of Bridget Fagan | ||||
| FARNSWORTH | Adelia | 68 | 03/27/1886 | Canton | NY | 07/23/1888 | County Farm | |||
| FELLOWS | William | 55 | 12/27/1887 | Canton | Mass. | 01/28/1889 | County Farm | |||
| FENNER | George | 35 | 05/13/1898 | Columbia Cross Roads | Troy | 03/14/1898 | County Farm | brother of Edward Fenner of Troy | ||
| FLEET | John | 65 | 06/24/1884 | Herrick | Wysox | 09/04/1890 | County Farm | |||
| FLETCHER | James | 40 | 07/31/1884 | Towanda | 10/30/1889 | County Farm | ||||
| FOGERTY | Mathew | 76 | 09/02/1912 | Overton | Ireland | 02/15/1913 | ? burial | |||
| FOREST | Acey | 88 | 04/21/1881 | Smithfield | 08/23/1881 | ? burial | ||||
| FORREST | Albert | D. | 74 | 03/17/1919 | 06/23/1919 | ? burial | ||||
| FRALEY (FARLEY) | John | 79 | 04/26/1881 | Wilmot | Amoanaburg, Europe | 05/28/1885 | County Farm | Relative of Frank John Farley of Lowell, Wyoming County, PA | ||
| FRENCH | George | A. | 2 | 09/16/1889 | Canton | 12/15/1889 | County Farm | Died in East Troy | ||
| FROST | Jacob | 85 | 08/25/1882 | Tuscarora | 02/15/1883 | County Farm | ||||
| Gallagher (see Kallegher) | ||||||||||
| GARIS | Jacob | 87 | 04/20/1881 | Canton | 12/31/1883 | County Farm | ||||
| GARRISON | Abbie | 73 | 10/08/1930 | 06/11/1934 | County Farm | |||||
| GARRISON | Josiah | 67 | 10/08/1930 | 07/11/1934 | County Farm | |||||
| GILES | John | 70 | 11/04/1881 | Stephenson, NY | 12/12/1881 | ? burial | ||||
| GILES | John | 76 | 04/19/1881 | Standing Stone | 03/11/1882 | ? burial | ||||
| GILL | J. | 58 | 10/18/1881 | Barclay | 02/22/1897 | County Farm | ||||
| GILLESPIE | Edward | 45 | 07/09/1885 | Towanda | Towanda | 05/08/1894 | County Farm | |||
| GILLESPIE | Luke | 97 | 07/12/1881 | Towanda | 01/15/1886 | County Farm | Nearest relative, Edward Gillespie (died at age 102?) | |||
| GILLETT | Melissa | 36 | 03/22/1886 | Troy | Ohio | 04/10/1900 | County Farm | Blind | ||
| GOULD | Charles | P. | 61 | 09/21/1894 | Herrick | 05/19/1895 | County Farm | |||
| GRAVES | George | 09/18/1909 | Sayre | 09/22/1909 | County Farm | Mother, Jennie Graves | ||||
| GREEN | Edward | 22 | 05/19/1886 | Terry | 10/30/1886 | County Farm | ||||
| GREENFIELD | infant | 04/06/1898 | County Home | 04/08/1898 | County Farm | born 04/06/1898 | ||||
| GREGORY | Fred | 41 | 01/07/1919 | 09/04/1919 | County Farm | |||||
| HACKETT | John | D. | 60 | 08/04/1885 | Troy | 04/06/1890 | County Farm | |||
| HAKES | Charles | 72 | 10/23/1886 | Albany | 03/26/1889 | County Farm | ||||
| HARIS | David | 71 | 04/20/1881 | Albany Boro | 09/27/1889 | County Farm | ||||
| HARIS | Hannah | 60 | 04/20/1881 | Albany Boro | 04/27/1882 | County Farm | ||||
| HART | Hiram | A. | 25 or 58 | 12/25/1902 | Towanda | NJ | 07/04/1905 | ? burial | Killed by cars, Elmira | |
| HAWKINS | Thomas | 73 | 04/25/1881 | North Towanda | 03/21/1884 | County Farm | discharged 07/01/1882 and returned. | |||
| HAZEL | John | 58 | 05/02/1894 | Towanda | 05/29/1894 | County Farm | ||||
| HETZ | Edward | 60 | 02/02/1885 | Canton | Germany | 02/04/1885 | County Farm | |||
| HICKY | Bridget | 72 | 12/08/1898 | Athens | 02/19/1901 | County Farm | ||||
| HILL | Salome | 65 | 07/25/1919 | 12/19/1924 | County Farm | |||||
| HILL | Ursula | 18 | 01/27/1887 | Burlington | 06/23/1890 | County Farm | resident of Rome | |||
| HINBEY | Annie | 78 | 10/09/1888 | Burlington | Burlington | 05/27/1891 | County Farm | |||
| HINCHMAN | Charles | 65 | 04/20/1881 | Towanda Boro | 03/03/1899 | County Farm | ||||
| HINES | infant | 12/26/1902 | County Home | 12/26/1902 | County Farm | born 12/26/1902; mother, Rose Hines | ||||
| HINES | Lewis | 55 | 04/20/1881 | Warren | 01/25/1887 | County Farm | ||||
| HOLDSWORTH | Anna | infant | 08/14/1901 | County Home | 08/14/1901 | County Farm | born 08/14/1901 | |||
| HOOSE | Burt | 73 | 08/03/1928 | 11/11/1933 | County Farm | |||||
| HOOVER | Martin | 5 mo. | 10/31/1889 | Terry | 03/26/1890 | County Farm | ||||
| HOOVER | Ruth | infant | 02/15/1893 | County Home | 02/15/1893 | County Farm | born 02/15/1893 | |||
| HORNER | Lizzie | 70 | 03/02/1889 | 01/15/1919 | County Farm | |||||
| HOTCHKISS | Dewitt | Clinton | 65 | 04/19/1881 | Wysox | 09/03/1886 | County Farm | |||
| HOWARD | Ida | 14 | 10/19/1889 | Troy | 03/14/1890 | County Farm | ||||
| HOWLAND | Charles | 65 | 08/12/1895 | Tuscarora | 09/30/1895 | County Farm | relative of Mrs. Charles Howland | |||
| HULETT (see also HEWLETT) | Thomas | G. | 05/10/1886 | County House | 04/13/1886 | County Farm | Dates of admission and death are as recorded from the record book. | |||
| HURLBUT | Elizabeth | 52 | 04/21/1881 | Columbia | 03/15/1897 | County Farm | by order of Mr. Hurlbut | |||
| HURLEY | Michal | 75 | 11/19/1930 | 06/21/1935 | County Farm | |||||
| JOHNSON | Abraham | 12 | 04/14/1881 | Rummerfield | 07/04/1886 | ? burial | ||||
| JOHNSON | Edward | 33 | 08/13/1896 | Towanda | 11/25/1896 | County Farm | ||||
| JOHNSON | Ella | infant | 06/23/1890 | County House | 09/16/1890 | County Farm | ||||
| JOHNSON | George | 69 | 10/13/1891 | Herrick | 03/27/1896 | County Farm | ||||
| JOHNSON | Willey | infant | 09/25/1897 | County House | 10/07/1897 | County Farm | died at age 12 days. mother, Clarey Johnson | |||
| JOHNSON | Willey | 15 mo. | 04/15/1901 | Terry Twp | 08/13/1901 | County Farm | mother, Clarey Johnson | |||
| JONES | Thomas | 53 | 09/19/1881 | Towanda | Wales | 03/22/1882 | ? burial | |||
| KALLAGHER | Mary | Jane | 19 | 10/19/1882 | Barclay | Barclay | 01/31/1893 | ? burial | ||
| KENT | Ellen | 72 | 12/16/1895 | Franklin | Franklin Twp | 09/02/1898 | County Farm | |||
| KERSIRERS | Peter | Francis | 82 | 08/06/1881 | Albany | 07/29/1888 | County Farm | Related to Daniel Everetts of Standing Stone | ||
| KINNER | John | 82 | 08/19/1923 | 03/15/1924 | ? burial | |||||
| KIPP | Andrew | 80 | 02/11/1892 | Canton | 04/10/1892 | County Farm | ||||
| KITCHEN | Clara | 02/14/1928 | 05/19/1928 | ? burial | ||||||
| KITCHEN | Elmer | infant | 03/03/1928 | 03/19/1928 | ? burial | |||||
| KNITES | Harvey | 85 | 04/02/1931 | 06/03/1932 | ? burial | |||||
| KRUMLOFF | Benjamin | W. | 05/04/1882 | Troy | 07/12/1882 | County Farm | Relative of Mrs. Lewis of Troy | |||
| LARABY | Sarah | Jane | ca. 36 | 04/20/1881 | Albany | 03/03/1882 | County Farm | Relative of Jenie Laraby | ||
| LATTIMER | Sterling | 34 | 09/08/1896 | Rummerfield | 12/31/1896 | County Farm | ||||
| LEE | Harriet | K. | 63 | 12/15/1918 | 03/30/1919 | County Farm | ||||
| LEE | James | 10/18/1881 | Warren Asylum (stet) | 02/25/1884 | County Farm | |||||
| LEONARD | John | 82 | 12/29/1882 | Canton | NJ | 03/17/1883 | ? burial | |||
| LEONARD | William | F. | 1y, 2mo | 02/15/1910 | Smithfield | Smithfield | 12/25/1910 | County Farm | Son of Edith L. Leonard | |
| LEVY | Daniel | 50 | 11/26/1895 | Wysox | Ireland | 10/26/1899 | County Farm | |||
| LEVY | Frank | 60 | 09/08/1885 | Springfield | 09/10/1885 | County Farm | ||||
| LEWIS | Martha | A. | 36 | 01/11/1882 | Towanda Boro | 06/15/1888 | County Farm | Father - Lewis Lewis of Troy | ||
| LEWIS | William | 44 | 06/27/1881 | Leroy | 02/21/1882 | ? burial | ||||
| LINCH | Michael | see also LYNCH | 57 | 01/17/1882 | Barclay | Ireland | 06/18/1889 | County Farm | Brother of Thomas Lynch | |
| LINES | Morris | 46 | 06/11/1932 | 02/24/1933 | ? burial | |||||
| LITZELMAN | George | 88 | 10/04/1919 | 05/08/1920 | ? burial | |||||
| LOOMIS | George | 74 | 04/20/1881 | Canton | 06/18/1889 | County Farm | ||||
| LOPER | Lucian | 62 | 02/29/1892 | Burlington | 03/02/1892 | County Farm | Civil War - Federal govt headstone | |||
| LOW | Alex | 10/29/1881 | Towanda | County Farm | died Nov 1889. Eloped, returned 11/20/1882. Wife, Sally Low | |||||
| LUDINGTON | Louisa | 71 | 01/05/1892 | Troy | 12/23/1898 | County Farm | Son Dell (of Troy) | |||
| LUDINGTON | Samuel | 81 | 01/05/1892 | Troy | Sullivan County | 01/14/1892 | County Farm | Son Dell of Troy | ||
| LYNCH | Michael | see also LINCH | 65 | 12/05/1885 | Canton | 06/18/1889 | County Farm | |||
| LYONS | John | 57 | 10/03/1883 | Towanda | Boston, MA | 11/11/1884 | ? burial |
Honoring past and present
By Patrick Abdalla 07/24/2005 WEST BURLINGTON - Instead of making history, he saved it.
In a ceremony celebrating the rank of Eagle Scout being awarded to Towanda's David Huber and dedicating gravestones honoring seven Union soldiers who were buried in an abandoned Bradford County cemetery nearly a century ago, more than 45 people from all over the state paid tribute to the nation's past and present. Taps drifted out from a bugle and over the County Home Cemetery in West Burlington, where the seven headstones, adorned with American flags and recently placed flowers, reflected the rare rays of sunlight let in by the forest. Huber put 60 hours of work into the project, including bringing in three headstones for the graves of soldiers who had no markers. Philadelphia's Eric Schmincke, the Pennsylvania Department Commander of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, said Huber's work means more than a merit badge. "If it wasn't for this young individual who took this project on, these men would have been lost forever," he said. "If you forget about your past, you might as well forget about your future."
Sons of Union Veterans member Steve Hall helped Huber with the project, which got the graves registered in the group's national database. Hall explained the cemetery was basically used for paupers and was abandoned in the 1930s. He said the cemetery has nearly 300 people in it, and that it is probably just a coincidence that the seven soldiers were buried together.
Douglas Deuel, another Sons member, explained members of the group that came to the cemetery traveled from places such as Scranton, Rochester, Ithaca and Pittsburgh. He said the pull of their heritage moves them to travel the long distances they do for ceremonies that can be shorter than an hour. "We're all descendents of Civil War veterans and we're honoring their sacrifice," he said.
Huber, who will be attending Ithaca College, said he was impressed the people traveled from so far to see the work he had done. He explained he first joined Scouts in seventh grade. Schmincke said finding the graves and repairing them is a noble way to honor a tumultuous time in the country's history. "It's good to find them again," he said. "And not just for the historical value. It's that you can pay tribute to them and now you can't forget about them."