AKA: 

Number of Burials (approximate):  75

Dates of Activity:  1880 - present

Documentation/Publication: 

CCGS, The Cemeteries of Colebrook, East Keating, Grugan, Leidy, Noyes, and West Keating Townships (2008)

Directions/GPS: 

From the intersection of Jay and Water Streets in Lock Haven (the Lock Haven Courthouse), travel west on Water Street for 1 mile.  Turn right onto PA Route 120 (Susquehanna Avenue) and travel 38.9 miles, to Keating.  Turn left onto Keating Road and go over the bridge.  Continue on this road.  At 0.7 mile, the road splits three ways.  Continue on Keating Mountain Road (gravel) which is toward your left but not the leftmost road.  From this point, travel 6.6 miles.  At a "T" in the road, bear right, keeping on Keating Mountain Road, and travel another 4.1 miles, a total of 10.7 miles on Keating Mountain Road.  (At the 7.5 mile point you will pass a turn-off to Dutchman Road and at 8.5 miles a turn-off to Birch Island Road.  Do not take these.)  Bear left at a "Y" in the road, onto New Garden Road.  Travel 0.1 mile and turn left at a mailbox for 5711 onto a dirt lane.  Follow the lane 0.2 mile, bearing left at a "Y" along the way.  The Schmoke Cemetery is on your left along the side of this lane.

GPS = N41 11.687 W78 01.839

Landowner / Caretaker:

Schmoke Cemetery

Pottersdale, PA 16871

Condition/Needs: 

Excellent

History:

Early settlers in Keating Township were Jeremiah Gaines and George Smoke, who came out of slavery in the southern United States and made their homes among the wilds of Keating Mountain.  Both married local women. George and Rachel Smoke were said to be the parents of 28 children.  The name eventually became Schmoke.  The families maintained their settlements in the Keating Mountain, where they farmed and lived quiet, peaceable lives.  Due to the lack of neighbors, most remained connected by birth or by marriage.  A community cemetery was started, probably on or near the Gaines property, and became known as Gaines Cemetery.   It was used universally by the residents through the 1880s.  James and Rosanna Smokebegan losing many children, and decided to bury them on their own farm, rather than convey them a few miles to the Gaines Cemetery.  Thus the Schmoke Cemetery began.  It is still used by relatives of the Schmoke family, and is in excellent repair.  It is not certain where the "Established 1830" date on the cemetery sign was found.