KNOWN TOMBSTONE CARVERS OF PA: William Nash and Alexander M. Craven Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Bill Plack 9 Nov 2006 Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/1pa/cemeteries/tscarvers/nash-craven.txt http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/1pa/tscarvers/nash-craven/nash-carven.htm _______________________________________________ WILLIAM NASH and ALEXANDER M. CRAVEN, The Robbstown Sculptors According to the newspaper ad above, William Nash commenced the business of stone cutting in Robbstown, Pennsylvania (known today as West Newton) in 1824. The two earliest stones I have found by him were obviously back dated. They were both signed "Wm. Nash, Sculptor, Robbstown, Pa." and dated 1813, eleven years before the ad appeared. Incidentally, he was one of the very few tombstone carvers that I have ever seen that called himself "sculptor". It seems that his career in Robbstown was of short duration since the latest stone I have found signed by him was dated 1826. It is possible, of course, that he continued later than that and simply stopped signing his stones but it appears more likely that his business was taken over by A.M. Craven. Known examples of William Nash's tombstones: Samuel Hartley, d. 19 April 1813; 12y and 3 mo; Old Salem Cemetery, Derry Township, Westmoreland County John Braden, d.13 December 1813; 13y and 9 mo; Unity Cemetery, Unity Township, Westmoreland Co David McClelland, d.15 February 1826; 48y 8 mo 28d; Rehobeth Presbyterian Cemetery, Rostraver Township, Westmoreland Co Alexander M. Craven probably began carving tombstones in Robbstown around 1830. The date is hard to determine since his early stones were also obviously back dated. Two that I have seen were dated 1819 and 1823 and he was born in 1810, which would have made him a very young stone carver indeed. While his simpler stones were signed "A.M. Craven, s.c." (stone carver), he later followed Nash's example by signing some of his more elaborate stones as "sculptor". Since the 1830 Vanmatre stone shown below is so nearly identical to William Nash's McClelland stone, shown above, I assume that the pattern or design for this stone was provided by Nash. The Niccolls and Roatharmel stones, below, may have also been Nash designs. Craven probably went back to using the more modest "A. Craven" signature on the 1832 Niccolls stone only because he did not have space for the more elaborate signature panel. Craven's career was cut short by his death at age 33 in 1843, two years after the death of his young wife, Margaret. They are buried in adjoining graves in Fayette City Cemetery under modest tombstones, Margaret's presumably carved by Alexander. Tombstones for Alexander and Margaret Craven: Alexander Craven, d.14 November 1843; 33y 4 mo; Fayette City Cemetery, Washington Township, Fayette Co Margaret Craven, d.7 April 1841; 30y; Fayette City Cemetery, Washington Township, Fayette Co Known examples of A.M. Craven's tombstones: Elisabeth Fulton, d. 22 June 1823; 28th year; Sewickley Presbyterian Cemetery, South Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland Co Hannah Roatharmel, d. 2 May 1834; 29y and 6 mo; Sewickley Presbyterian Cemetery, South Huntingdon Township, Westmoreland Co Alvira Niccolls, d. 12 September 1832; 23y 11 mo 12d; Rehobeth Presbyterian Cemetery, Rostraver Township, Westmoreland Co Margaret Vanmatre, d.20 June 1830; 29y 9 mo 7d; Redstone United Methodist, Washington Township, Fayette Co Also footstone for Margaret Vanmatre