Washington County PA Archives, Redstone Episcopal (Crooks Graveyard, West Bethlehem Township, Washington County, PA ************************************************ Copyright 2017. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/washington/ ************************************************ Files contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Gary L. Caldwell, , December 2017 This page was last updated: 23 December 2017 Redstone Episcopal (Crooks Graveyard) West Bethlehem Township 40° 5'40.14"N, 80° 3'47.92"W. Directions: From Washington, PA, take E Maiden St. (Rt 40E) at N. College Street for 10.3 miles, left on PA 917 North, right on Taylor street, Right on Fava Farm Road. The graveyard is located on a hill on the Joseph Fava Dairy farm. You need to ask permission to access the graveyard. Background: Colonel Thomas Crooks who was born in England in 1730 came to Pigeon Creek, West Bethlehem Township, Washington County, PA following the Revolutionary War. Crooks came with a Virginia Certificate giving him title to a tract of land called Richard’s Valley that was survey on 25 March 1785. In 1797, the Redstone Church purchased land from Colonel Crooks for 5 shillings and erected a church under the supervision of Rev, Joseph Doddridge. The church was Episcopalian and was located approximately one mile east of what is now Scenery Hill. When the graveyard was rediscovered in 1974 by Irene and Marshal Lignian, it was described as “long abandoned and fallen into ruin.” From research on the internet, it appears that the graveyard has not been cleared and is being maintained by a Fava family member. Details on Colonel Crooks – He was a Soldier of the Revolution and Indian fighter. He first saw battle with the Continental Line and then as leader of a company of Frontier Rangers. According to the PA Archives, Crooks led the Fifth battalion of the Washington County Rangers of the Frontier which was a force of 38 Officers, 629 infantry and 30 light horse. The Rangers under Colonel Crooks had extensive service raiding Indians who were being paid by the British. The following data was provided by the Lignians Last Name First Name Birth Death Comments Parr Judith Oct 1802 79yr Leonard Mima Stone is broken Crooks Thomas (Colonel) 25 Feb 1815 80yr 6da Crumrine’s History of Washington County included the following tombstone listings in addition to the three above. Last Name First Name Birth Death Comments Crooks Judith 20 Apr 1823 84 yr Huntsberry Henry 7 Feb 1830 70yr Regle Robert 1 Oct 1848 90yr Dix Roger S. (Lt. Col) 7 Jan 1849 Dickerson William 13 Aug 1859 92yr