PHILOMATHEAN (Alpowa Ridge) CEMETERY, Garfield County, WA

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Submitted by Vicki Batterton December 28, 1998. 
Copyright 1968 Elaine Anderson.
Both above notices must remain when copied or downloaded.

bookworm@3-cities.com  

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PHILOMATHEAN (Alpowa Ridge) CEMETERY, Garfield County, WA

Located south of Hwy 12 at top of the Alpowa Grade, off of Sweeney Gulch.  
Can hardly be seen from the highway.  It is fenced but weedy and in very 
bad state of repair.  There are several unmarked graves, as evidenced by 
sunken spots, etc.  Located (according to a 1913 Standard Atlas of the 
county) in Pataha Precinct; R43E  T11N  Sec 16.  Copied 29 April 1968 by 
either Elaine (TRESCOTT) ANDERSON or Carole (STARK) SLAYBAUGH.

      NAME            BORN         DIED                     COMMENTS

MC MAHILL, Roberta L. Aug 29, 1860 Nov 7, 1888
MC GUIRE, Eugene H.   July 31, 1879                         Apr 17, 1888
MC GUIRE, Nellie P.   Sept 4, 1883 Apr 17, 1888
MEGGINSON, James      Feb 4, 1827  Nov 28, 1892   (inside fallen wood fence)
Unmarked                                      fenced area with Iris flowers.
Unmarked
Unmarked

END OF PHILOMATHEAN DATA from gravestones

Extracted from an article written for the Daughters of the Pioneers, Nov. 
1966:

... In 1879 a school house was built on the Sweeney Gulch .. named 
Philomathean which means "the love of learning". ... a well drained, bunch 
grass covered knoll dotted with wild flowers, overlooking the school house 
was chcosen for the last resting place of the dead.  The cemetary became 
known as the Philomathean Cemetery. ...  In the summer of 1929 some of 
those early day graves were opened and the caskets were moved.  ...  
According to J. T. LEDGERWOOD there were 16 burials made in the now
abandoned cemetery. 

Burials noted in the article: (There is some additional bio info about 
these people in the article)

ANDERSON, Mrs. Billie & infant     first grave in cemetery and the baby was
                                     buried with her; remains were moved to
                                                          Pomeroy Cemetery.
BROOKS, Rebecca ANDERSON                 wife of Jasper BROOKS; remains were
                                                    moved to Peola Cemetery;
FITZSIMMONS, Garrett Ellsworth     Feb 24, 1886    Sept 8, 1887   remains 
                                                  moved to Pomeroy Cemetery.
MC GUIRE, Eugene H.   July 31, 1879      April 17, 1888
MC GUIRE, Nellie P.   Sept 14, 1883      April 17, 1888
MC MAHILL, Albert H.  Aug 29, 1860     Nov 7, 1888    "Farewell dear Cousin,
                                                       !till we meet again."
MEGGENSON, James      Feb 4, 1827  May 28, 1892
MC HARG, boy                                              16 years at death
FITZSIMMONS, Kathy    Jan 2, 1870  winter 1887/88           
QUAKENBUSH, Almira                 early 1880s              from Kansas
BABCOCK, baby                  abt harvest time 1904    child of Ora BABCOCK
                           (believed to be the last burial in the cemetery.)

END OF PHILOMATHEAN CEMETERY from article

Elaine (TRESCOTT) ANDERSON and Barbara (TRESCOTT) BARTELS abstracted 
articles from early county newspapers, namely the "Washington Independent" 
and the "East Washingtonian" and I have added burials noted in the papers 
but no marker found for them.

FITZSIMMONS, Kate                  Jan 1889      Washington Independent #958
FITZSIMMONS, inf                   Jan 1889        son of Edwin FITZSIMMONS;
                                             these two were buried together.
WARREN, Amelia                   Feb 9, 1893    East Washingtonian #907-#910
QUAKENBUSH, Almira                              Washington Independent #1334