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Cross Creek Cemetery
Cross Creek, Washington County, Pennsylvania
Lat: 40° 19' 57"N, Lon: 80° 24' 39"W
Cross Creek Township
Contributed by Gary L Caldwell, Jan 12, 2010, last edited Jan 21, 2010 [caldwell.gary@gmail.com]. Total records = 779.
Directions from Hickory, PA, head west on Main St/PA-50 W, turn right at Burgettstown Rd/PA-18 N, continue to follow PA-18 N for about 4.5 mi, Turn left at Cross Creek Road, bear right at fork, stay to right at next fork it is 1 mile to Cross Creek Cemetery, which is on right at the west edge of town across from the Church.
There was a tradition among the old people that Henry Graham, Esq., donated the land to the congregation upon which the church and graveyard now are. The records show that on Dec 18, 1795, Henry Graham, Esq and his wife Mary, for and in consideration of 6L lawful money of said state, (6L Pennsylvania currency being equivelant to about $16.00 U.S. money), deeded six acres one fourth and thirty four perches to Samuel Fleming, Aaron Lyle and John Wilkin, Trustees, for the use of the congregation.
It appears that the land upon which the church is built belonged to the Graham Patent, but prior to Sep 28, 1791, the land on which the graveyard is located belonged to Samuel and Robert Purveans, it being at that time deeded by the Sheriff of Washington county to Hugh Henry Breckinridge, and conveyed Mar 24, 1794, by Hugh Henry Breckinridge to Henry Graham, Esq., by deed recorded in Deed Book K, page 148.
The first interment, a little child of David and Sarah Vance, in the old Graveyard of Cross Creek was in the year 1779. It had fallen in the fire and was so badly burned that it soon after died. A council was held with the neighbors and friends as to where they would bury it, when it was agreed to inter it in the woods up where they were going to build the church. Thomas Crawford and his wife Judith, who then resided on the Hays farm, near the Beech Knob School House, attended the funeral. In the evening when they returned home Crawford's mother, who resided with him, whose name was Margaret Shearer, a very aged woman, asked, Where did they bury the child!" On being told, Where they are going to build the church," she threw up her hands and said, Oh, there is a graveyard started and I know I'll be the next to go into it!" In a short time she was taken sick and diedand was buried under the old white oak tree that stood till lately on the south side of the yard. Her son, Thomas Crawford, died in June, 1783, on the William Ferry farm, and was buried by her side. Judge James Edgar made all these coffins:--for the Vance child, for Mrs. Shearer, Thomas Crawford, and for Robison and Parks.
I completed this transcription on Dec 26, 2009, using data collected by the DAR (their information also included burials in the Simpson History of the Cross Creek Graveyard) and found in the genealogy section of the Washington PA library. The data is complete only up to about 1937.
- Gary L. Caldwell
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