Westmoreland County PA Archives Tombstone Photo.....St. Clair Cemetery - (partial survey)
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Tombstone Photo Transcriptions
Cemetery: St. Clair Cemetery - (partial survey)
          Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County, PA

Contributed by Catherine Farrell, <mmcathyf@verizon.net>, Dec 2008

Title: History of the county of Westmoreland, Pennsylvania : with
biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men 
Author: Albert, George Dallas.
Philadelphia, Pa.: L.H. Everts & Co., 1882
 
pg. 507
The largest and most beautiful of the burial grounds of Greensburg lies
adjacent to the northeastern suburbs of the town, and is at present
denominated the St. Clair Cemetery. In former times a portion of this
cemetery was commonly called the Presbyterian graveyard, but was properly and
legally known as the Borough burial ground. The borough obtained its 
title to the ground by a deed of donation from WILLIAM JACK (usually called
old JUDGE JACK) “to the Burgesses and inhabitants” of Greensburg. The deed
was dated 18th of April, 1803, and was entered on pages 107 and 108 of Deed
Book No. 7 of the records of Westmoreland...Another piece of ground adjacent
was donated by JUDGE JACK to the borough to have and to hold for purposes of
education. The Presbyterians, with the consent of the other inhabitants,
erected upon the first mentioned plot a meeting-house, and so the burial
ground received the name of the Presbyterian graveyard. The old burial ground
lay upon an open common, and where the graves were not enclosed by walls or
railing, or where these had fallen or were broken down, they were trodden by
the cattle and swine of the town and neighborhood.... For decent respect for
the dead (pg. 508) money was raised and a bill was passed by the Legislature,
and approved by Governor James Pollock, April 19, 1856, under the title of
“An act to incorporate the St. Clair Cemetery Association of the borough of
Greensburg, Westmoreland Co.”
 
pg. 509
Besides a number of very handsome gravestones, the St. Clair Cemetery
contains 23 monuments...Although the monument over ST. CLAIR has often been
described, and although it is of common stone, and not of marble, yet as he
who lies beneath it was the first in birth, rank, and historical importance
of all the dead in the burial place, as his monument was first erected, and
as he gave name to the cemetery, it is nothing but proper to describe it
before giving imperfect delineations of some of the most remarkable stones in
the graveyard. On the south side of the die of the second division of the
monument is this inscription: “The earthly remains of Maj.-Gen. Arthur St.
Clair are deposited beneath this humble monument, which is erected to supply
the place of a nobler one due from his country. He died August 31, 1818, in
the 84th year of his age.” On the opposite side is this inscription: “This
stone is erected over the bones of their departed brother by the members of
the Masonic Society resident in this vicinity.”
 
Not far from ST. CLAIR’S stands a monument over MAJ. JOHN B. ALEXANDER...The
inscription says that “he was a distinguished member of the bar, that his
knowledge and talents placed him among the first of his profession, and that
he served his country as an officer in the late war with Great Britian. Obiit
1840.”
 
A little to the eastward of ST. CLAIR’S monument lies the lot of the COULTER
family of Greensburg. A tasteful monument of moderate size rests over the
mother of the deceased RICHARD COULTER, ESQ. The inscription on it is said to
have been written by JUDGE COULTER himself. It is the best epitaph in the
whole cemetery. On the south side are these words: “Here lie, awaiting the
resurrection of those who die in the Lord, the earthly remains of Mrs.
Priscilla Coulter, wife of Eli Coulter, Esq., who departed this life 15th of
July, 1826, aged 75 years.” On the north side in this inscription: “The tears
which sorrow sheds, the flowers that affection plants, and the monument
gratitude rears soon pass away, but the deep memory of maternal kindness,
piety, and virtue survives over death and time and will last awhile the soul
itself endures. A few paces from this place three graves lying closely
together, marked by low marble head and foot stones, and covered with myrtle,
show where sleep ELI COULTER, and his uncle, RICHARD COULTER, ESQ. On the
southeast corner of the lot stands a cenotaph or monument in memory of those
who are buried near to it. It is stately and beautiful, formed of marble, and
consists of lower base and tablet, pedestal, and fluted column, surrounded
with an amulet, and finished with a capital. On the north side is this
inscription: “Eli Coulter, died April, 1830, aged 39 years;” on the west
side, “Rebecca, wife of Eli Coulter, died August 7th, 1854, aged 66 years;”
and on the south side, “Richard Coulter, late Justice of the Supreme Court of
Pennsylvania, died April 20th, 1852, aged 64 years.” Above this last
inscription, on the cornice of the pedestal, are sculptured a scroll, sword,
and fasces without an axe. On the south side of the square capital is
sculptured in relief the name “Coulter.”
 
One of the finest monuments in the cemetery has been erected over the father
and mother of DR. JOHN MORRISON and MRS. JANE GRAHAM, of Greensburg. (pg.
510)...On the west side of the shaft is the name “Morrison,” encircled in a
wreath cut in relief. On the same side on the die is this concise
inscription: “John Morrison, died January 27, 1821, in the 71st year of his
age.” Below are the words: “Rebecca, relict of John Morrison, died July 14th,
1854, in the 87th year of her age.”
 
In a plot marked by low marble pillars at the corners and arbor-vitae on the
sides lies buried the old and well-known merchant, JACOB WELTY...On the east
side of the shaft is the name “Welty” in relief surrounded by a wreath. On
the die is an inscription as plain and unostentatious as the person it
commemorates: “Jacob Welty, died April 30, 1864, in the 73d year of his age.”
 
A monument from the chisel of Struthers, of Philadelphia, is erected in
memory of JAMES BRADY and RACHEL, his wife, parents of HUGH Y. BRADY...On the
west side is the epitaph of Rachel Brady, and on the east is this
inscription: “Filial affection and gratitude have erected this tomb over the
remains of James Brady, Esq., who departed this life on the 11th--, 1839,
aged seventy-nine years. He filled many offices of high trust, and having
lived honored and respected, was, when full of years, called home by his
Father and his God.”
 
One of the most handsome lots in the cemetery belongs to DR. FREDERICK C.
BIERER...In one corner a pair of stones shows where lies PRISCILLA, his wife,
who died in January, 1864...
 
A fine monument has been erected over the gallant CAPT. ED. H. GAY...On the
southern side of the shaft is a shield in relief, on which is sculptured in
relief the name “Gay.” On the southern face of the die of the pedestal is a
Norman shield in relief, engraven with the time and his birth and death. He
was born October, 1842, and died March, 1864. On the western side of the die
are the names of the fourteen battles in which he participated and the two
battles in which he was wounded, to which is appended the following words,
taken from the official order of Gen. Dick Coulter, wherein he announced his
death and gave directions for his funeral: “His regimental record stands
without a blemish.”
 
There is a handsome monument over JAMES W. GOODLIN (son of the old landlord,
GOODLIN), first lieutenant of Company I, Eleventh Regiment Pennsylvania
Volunteers, who fell pierced with seven balls, December 15, 1862, at the
battle of Fredericksburg, while leading his men into action...On the southern
side of the cap of the pedestal are sculptured in relief a drawn cap of the
pedestal are sculptured in relief a drawn sword and scabbard lying across one
another. Under this on the die is a Norman shield with the epitaph. On the
north side of the die is an eloquent inscription commemorative of his deeds
and virtues and death on the field of glory...
 
At a short distance to the northeast of ST. CLAIR’S monument are four
massive old-fashioned tombstones and three marble monuments, all lying
closely together in a row. Two of these tombstones rest over WILLIAM JACK,
who died in 1821, aged sixty-one years, and MARGARET, his wife. One of the
two remaining stones rests over their son, SAMUEL JACK, who died in 1814, and
the other over JOHN CUST, who died in 1823, in the sixty-first year of his
age. JOHN CUST fled from the rebellion in Ireland in 1798 to this country,
married a daughter of JUDGE JACK, and was the father of MRS. SHOENBERGER, of
Pittsburgh. The three marble monuments alongside the tombstones were erected
to the memories of three more sons of JUDGE JACK, -- HARRY JACK, who died in
1837, aged fifty-one; MATHEW JACK, who died in 1843, aged sixty-five; and
WILSON JACK, who died in 1852, aged sixty-one years. The materials of the
monuments are costly and the workmanship good, but the inscriptions are
nothing but simple records of the names and times of births and deaths. Away
from these family graves and in a separate lot surrounded by a strong iron
railing is a marble monument to the memory of the late JUDGE WILLIAM JACK,
another son of him who donated the burial ground to the borough...On the
eastern side of the die is a simple inscription, recording his name, the time
of his birth, and his death in 1852. On the same side of the shaft is the
name “Jack,” partially enclosed in relief by a wreath of flowers...
 
Among the many marble gravestones in the cemetery there are some worthy of
especial note on account of their costliness, designs, and workmanship.
Large, massive, and well-executed marbles with side enclosures shut in the
grave of ANDREW LOWRY, the old Mount Pleasant and Greensburg landlord, who
died in 1864. Fine marble stones, ornamented with leaves and roses, stand at
the graves of DAVID GILCHRIST, SR., (pg. 511) and DAVID GILCHRIST, JR. They
are the work of CAPT. KISTLER, who fell mortally wounded at Antietam, and
deserved a better monument than he ever sculptured. 
 
The burial place of the deceased wife of JOHN ARMSTRONG, JR. is mournfully
pleasant. A neat marble tells who lies beneath the mound, a pine throws a
gloomy shade around it, and the air is redolent of the odor of York roses and
white rockets...
 
Handsome stones mark the graves of JOHN CLARKE, the old prothonotary, and
DR. JOHN W. COULTER, of Latrobe, whose head stone is adorned with Masonic
emblems. 
A beautiful part of the cemetery is the lot where lie DR. THOMPSON
RICHARDSON and his adopted son. 
 
A lot of about forty feet square, belonging to the Greensburg Lodge of
Ancient York Masons, is hedged with arbor-vitae, with square marble pillars
at the corners of the quadrangle. The pillars are inscribed with the name of
the lodge, the designation of the section, number of the lot, and Masonic
emblems. There are three graves within it unmarked by an gravestones.
 
A description of the cemetery would be entirely defective unless some
mention was made of the fine lot of the HON. HENRY D. FOSTER...In the
northwest section of the lot lies buried MISS FANNIE FOSTER, the favorite and
best beloved daughter of FOSTER and his lady. There is a low white stone at
the head of the grave. On its top are the words, “Our Fannie.”..
 
There are no stones to indicate the last earthly abodes of the old president
judge, the HON. JOHN YOUNG, DR. JAMES POSTLETHWAITE, DR. ALFRED T. KING, REV.
HENRY (brother-in-law of JAMES BUCHANAN), EDWARD N. CLOPPER, DR. S. P. BROWN,
JUDGE BURRELL, ALEXANDER McKINNEY, and many others, whose memories are only
preserved in the hearts of friends and acquaintances...
 
The following early settlers are herein buried, and not heretofore specially
mentioned:
[I put in alphabetic order.]
 
MAJ. JOHN B. ALEXANDER, died 1840.
 
JOHN ARMSTRONG, died June 11, 1866, aged 77.
 
LOIS ARMSTRONG, wife of JAMES ARMSTRONG, died July 8, 1824, aged 39.
 
ELIZABETH ATKINSON, died Feb. 26, 1879, aged 70
 
JOHN Y. BARCLAY, died Feb. 18, 1841, aged 42;
   his wife, ISABELLA, died Feb. 4, 1841, aged 41
 
JAMES S. BECKWITH, died Jan. 11, 1871, aged 61
 
PRISCILLA, wife of DR. C. BIERER, born March 25, 1824; died Jan. 1, 1864.
 
JOHN K. BOYD, died May 5, 1861, aged 45.
 
HUGH BRADY, died Nov. 4, 1868, aged 88; 
   his wife, ANN, died Oct. 25, 1861, aged 71.
 
JAMES BRADY, died May 2, 1829, aged 76.
 
LYDIA, wife of WILLIAM BROWN, died Oct. 21, 1829, aged 21.
 
MARGARET, wife of JAMES BROWN, SR., died June 22, 1831, aged 56.
 
ROBERT BROWN, born Dec. 5, 1763, died Nov. 17, 1849;
   his wife, ANNA, died Aug. 3, 1840, aged 63
 
WILLIAM BROWN, died Feb. 6, 1853, aged 49.
 
JAMES S. BURKHART, died Oct. 6, 1876, aged 73
 
DR. T. F. CAMPBELL, died May 16, 1869, aged 29.
 
SAMUEL L. CARPENTER, born June 10, 1795; died Nov. 9, 1876.
 
MRS. SUSAN CLARK, died Aug. 4, 1879, aged 76.
 
JOHN CLARKE, died Sept 13, 1842, aged 57.
 
JAMES CRAIG, died April 26, 1860, aged 66.
 
MOSES CRAIG died Oct. 25, 1842, aged 44;
   his wife, ANN (McKINNEY), died April 26, 1871, aged 71
 
JAMES DOBBIN, died March 13, 1837, aged 83
 
JOHN E. EICHER, died Nov. 19, 1865, aged 57
 
DR. ELI A. FISHER, died Nov. 18, 1874, aged 43.
 
JAMES GEMMELL, died April 8, 1854, aged 53; 
   his wife, NANCY, died April 12, 1867, aged 57.
 
MATTHEW GEMMELL, died April 19, 1846, aged 60.
 
THOMAS GEMMELL, died July 16, 1845, aged 72;
   his wife, ELIZABETH, died Aug. 29, 1851, aged 81.
 
DAVID GILCHRIST, SR., died March 28, 1858, aged 75;
   his wife, ELIZABETH, died March 10, 1872, aged 89.
 
JOHN GILCHRIST, died Sept. 16, 1870, aged 50
 
JAMES G. GILLELAND, died Oct. 16, 1875, aged 66.
 
JAMES GOODLIN, died Aug. 15, 1850, aged 52;
   his wife, JANE, died March 14, 1851, aged 48.
 
LIEUT. JAMES W. GOODLIN, 11th Pa. Vols., died Dec. 15, 1862, aged 30.
 
JANE, wife of WILLIAM S. GRAHAM, died Sept. 18, 1868, aged 81
 
RACHEL GREEN, died June 11, 1858, aged 68.
 
WILLIAM HANEY, died March 17, 1805, aged 46.
 
JAMES HARVEY, died Dec. 29, 1842, aged 40
 
DR. JOHN HASSON, born Feb. 2, 1806, died May 10, 1872.
 
REV. ROBERT HENRY, born 1801, died Nov. 1, 1838.
 
JOSEPH HERWICKS, died June 15, 1832, aged 54
 
JOHN HILL, died Dec. 9, 1822, aged 70;
   his wife, ANN, died July 27, 1823, aged 60.
 
JOHN HUFF, born Nov. 23, 1793, died Nov. 16, 1847;
   his wife, REBECCA, born July 11, 1800, died Aug. 10, 1873.
 
JAMES HUNTER, died Oct. 3, 1832, aged 55.
 
DR. JOHN M. HUSTON, died Dec. 1, 1863, aged 24
 
ROBERT HUTCHINSON, died Sept. 17, 1879, aged 78.
 
HENRY ISETT, died Dec. 31, 1818, aged 52;
   his wife, FRANCES, died April 9, 1839, aged 61.
 
HENRY JACK, died Jan. 24, 1837, aged 51.
 
MARGARET JACK, wife of JUDGE J., died May 3, 1818, aged 63.
 
MATTHEW JACK, died Nov. 20, 1843, aged 65.
 
SAMUEL JACK, died Oct. 16, 1814, aged 82.
 
JUDGE WILLIAM JACK, died Feb. 7, 1821, aged 69.
 
HON. WILLIAM JACK, born July 29, 1788, died Feb. 28, 1852;
   his wife, HARRIET, died Jan. 20, 1879.
 
WILSON JACK, died Oct. 29, 1852, aged 61.
 
RICHARD JACKSON, died April 25, 1826, aged 53;
   his wife, JANE, died Feb. 22, 1875, aged 99.
 
FRANCIS JAMISON, died April 18, 1846, aged 67.
 
ALEXANDER JOHNSTON, born July 10, 1793, died July 15, 1872;
   his wife, FREAME, born Nov. 27. 1781, died March 22, 1863
 
ALEXANDER JOHNSTON, captain in United army, died July 8, 1845, aged. 39
 
LIEUT. RICHARD H. L. JOHNSTON, of United States army, killed at Molino del
Rey,
Mexico, Sept. 8, 1847, aged 21
 
ISABELLA A. KEENAN, died Jan. 13, 1877, aged 82.
 
CAPT. DANIEL KISTLER, JR., died Sept. 25, 1862, of wounds received at 
Antietam, Sept. 17, 1862, aged 41.
 
DANIEL KISTLER, died Dec. 26, 1870, aged 76.
 
JOHN KUHNS, SR., born Feb. 25, 1788, died June 8, 1868;
   his wife, SUSANNA, born July 25, 1798, died June 1, 1870.
 
JOSEPH KUNKLE, died Jan. 23, 1879, aged 78.
 
HUGH LINDSAY, died May 31, 1879, aged 80;
   his wife, JANE, died Feb. 19, 1878, aged 63
 
JOHN LOOR, died May 28, 1866, aged 51.
 
ANDREW LOWRY, died April 7, 1864, aged 70;
   his wife, MARGARET N., died June 7, 1867, aged 67.
 
JOHN McCLELLAND, died Aug. 16, 1846, aged 92;
   his wife, CATHERINE, died Nov. 7, 1839, aged 62.
 
ELIZABETH McCULLOUGH, died July 12, 1876, aged 73
 
MRS. DR. JOHN McDOWELL, died 1818.
 
JAMES McFARLAND, died Jan. 14, 1860, aged 81.
 
MARTHA, wife of JAMES McFARLAND, died April 20, 1865, aged. 70.
 
WILLIAM McGINLEY, died Aug. 2, 1873, aged 63.
 
J. MILTON McGIVEN, Battery F., 1st Pa. Art, died Oct. 27, 1863, aged 19.
 
AGNES McKINNEY, born Aug. 5, 1791, died Dec. 29, 1814.
 
ALEXANDER McKINNEY, died Oct. 14, 1827, aged 71; 
   his wife, MARY, died Sept. 22, 1828, aged 58.
 
ADAM McLAUGHLIN, died Dec. 27, 1841, aged 84.
 
MRS. DEBORA MERSHON, died April 18, 1831, aged 56
 
JAMES MILLER, born May 19, 1793, died Jan. 29, 1859;
   his wife, AGNES, born Feb. 26, 1795, died Nov. 25, 1862
 
FLORINDA W., wife of WILLIAM MOORE, died March 29, 1876, aged 55.
 
JOHN MOORE, died Aug. 5, 1873, aged 75.
 
WILLIAM MOORE, died Feb. 22, 1846, aged 81;
   his wife, AGNES, died July 4, 1848, aged 70.
 
DR. JOHN MORRISON, born March 4, 1798, died Aug. 4, 1869
 
WILLIAM MORRISON, died March 18, 1871, aged 87; 
   his wife, ELIZABETH, died June 4, 1836, aged 42
 
JOHN NICHOLLS, SR., died May 10, 1842, aged 79.
 
GEORGE PATCHELL, died Dec. 29, 1863, aged 66;
   his wife, SARAH, died July 11, 1861, aged 74
 
WILLIAM RAMSEY, died May 2, 1816, aged 60;
   his wife, JANE, died Oct. 15,1849, aged 76.
 
ELIZABETH, wife of JOHN REED, died 1816.
 
DR. T. RICHARDSON, born April 18, 1806, died Nov. 23, 1862;
   his wife, MARY, died Oct. 27, 1872, aged 69
 
WILLIAM H. RICHARDSON, died Dec. 25, 1859, aged 64
 
ALEXANDER ROSS, died May 3, 1873, aged 83;
   his wife, ELIZABETH, died May 10, 1846, aged 54.
 
JOSEPH RUSSELL, died May 27, 1844, aged 41
 
MARGARET, wife of MAJ. JAMES SMITH, died August, 1825, aged 88.
 
REV. JOSEPH SMITH, D. D., born July 15, 1796, died Dec. 4, 1868.
 
ALEXANDER STOREY, died June 11, 1851, aged 85;
   his wife, MARGARET, died Oct. 28, 1848, aged 83.
 
JEMINA, wife of JAMES STOUT, died Dec. 6, 1822, aged 34.
 
JAMES THOMPSON, died June 25, 1859, aged 79; 
   his wife, ELEANOR, died Oct. 18, 1853, aged 67.
 
JAMES TODD, born Dec. 25, 1786, died Sept. 3, 1863.
 
ANN, wife of MORRISON UNDERWOOD, and daughter of PETER GAY,
died Aug. 2, 1876, aged 76.
 
JOHN WALKER, died June 3, 1851, aged. 30.
 
ROBERT WARK, died April 27,1832, died 80.
 
SARAH A. WATT, wife of DANIEL R. KILLGORE, died July 4, 1875, aged 67.
 
ELIZABETH, wife of HENRY WELTY, JR., died Dec. 26, 1825, aged 22.
 
HANNAH WELTY, died April 4, 1878, aged 78.
 
JANE WELTY, died Dec. 26, 1873, aged 79; 
   her husband, JACOB, died April 30, 1864, aged 73.
 
HUGH WILSON, born March 11, 1788, died April 30, 1861.