CLINTON COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY CEMETERY GUIDE            

MUNICIPALITY:  Woodward Township
CEMETERY NAME:   Smith Family Cemetery SCHADT NUMBER:  138

AKA: 

Number of Burials (approximate):  5

Dates of Activity:  1840 - 1865

 

Documentation/Publication: 

The Cemeteries of Woodward Township, Clinton County, Pennsylvania (CCGS) (2005)

 

Directions/GPS: 

 

From Lock Haven, cross over the bridge at Water Street and Jay Street, North into Lockport.  At the end of the bridge, turn left and travel approximately 2.0 miles.  Turn left onto a gravel lane.  Cross over a small wooden bridge, pass a brick farmhouse and you will come back to two stone posts with a metal gate across.  You can walk back a few hundred feet, to the site of a small cottage and barn.  The graves are believed to have been just south of the barn, in a small fenced area.  The one remaining gravestone leans against a tree just to the east of the barn, where it was moved in recent times.

GPS = N41 09.593 W77 28.152

Landowner / Caretaker:

Mary Jo Hayes et al

Box 264

Pine Grove Mills, PA 16868

 

Condition/Needs: 

Almost Destroyed

 

History:

Adam Smith and his wife, Elizabeth Bartholomew, settled near the home farm of her parents, Johann Wendel and Elizabeth Bartholomew, on the Monseytown flats, during the period of early settlement along the river.

In 1841, then an old man, Adam Smith wrote in his will that "It is my desire that my Executor bury my body & the body of my wife in the corner of the first field at the back and where there are some louecust [sic] trees standing."  Adam Smith died on July 26, 1846; his will was proved on July 30, 1846, and his wishes were followed.

From all that is known, when Elizabeth Smith joined her husband in death on Sept. 9, 1861, she was laid to rest by his side.  As late as the early 1900s the graves could be seen.  Over time, however, the site fell into neglect and the area was turned into a trailer and cabin rental area.  A barn/garage was built almost on top of the cemetery site.  It was discovered that one of the gravestones was being used in the construction of the barn, and it was removed and leaned against a tree.

Today, that marker, reading "Adam Smith died July 26th, 1846, Aged 85 years, (10?) months, & __ days," is the only indication that a cemetery existed on this site.  Dowsing has suggested that the graves were inside the corner of a recent fence built adjacent to the barn site.

Some gravestones were rescued by a private individual and CCGS is making efforts to preserve these in a suitable fashion.  These gravestones, found after the printing of our book, are for "Adam B., son of Adam and Hannah Smith, who departed this life Oct. 20, 1847, aged 23(?) years," a footstone, A. S., for Adam Smith, and a blank marble slab.