This past April, my best friend Shannon and I went to visit some old friends in Pennsylvania. Joanna and George wound up taking us on an all-day tour of the cemeteries in their area. In total, we visited seven of them.
Often, I'm hard-pressed to find much - if any - information on the cemeteries I visit. This was an exception to that rule.
The Shawnee Presbyterian Church Cemetery was decidedly one of the more unusual ones I've encountered in my travels. At first glance, this little red brick church doesn't seem to be anything particularly out of the ordinary. It has a rich history, spanning over 250 years, making it the oldest church in Monroe County, PA. The original stone structure was built in 1753; the brick building that now stands on the original foundation was erected 100 years later. The cornerstone was laid by Ann DePui Erb, great-granddaughter of founding member Nicholas DePui. An annex was added to the back of the church in 1893.
The new addition covered the resting places of several of those interred here, particularly the DePui(DePuy) family. Their headstones are now embedded in the brickwork in the back of the church, including that of Ann Erb. The woman who laid the cornerstone is now part of this very structure.
There is more information to be had - visit www.shawneechurch.net for more history about this church, including the neat little time capsule hidden away in the cornerstone.
Often, I'm hard-pressed to find much - if any - information on the cemeteries I visit. This was an exception to that rule.
The Shawnee Presbyterian Church Cemetery was decidedly one of the more unusual ones I've encountered in my travels. At first glance, this little red brick church doesn't seem to be anything particularly out of the ordinary. It has a rich history, spanning over 250 years, making it the oldest church in Monroe County, PA. The original stone structure was built in 1753; the brick building that now stands on the original foundation was erected 100 years later. The cornerstone was laid by Ann DePui Erb, great-granddaughter of founding member Nicholas DePui. An annex was added to the back of the church in 1893.
The new addition covered the resting places of several of those interred here, particularly the DePui(DePuy) family. Their headstones are now embedded in the brickwork in the back of the church, including that of Ann Erb. The woman who laid the cornerstone is now part of this very structure.
There is more information to be had - visit www.shawneechurch.net for more history about this church, including the neat little time capsule hidden away in the cornerstone.
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