Cemetery

"Two men who served in the War of 1812, many veterans of the Civil War, and one of the World War rest in Markelsville Cemetery, as well as three and four generations of the early families in the valley." Harry W. Lenig, (Aug. 9, 1934) Wila, PA.

Prior to 1900 it was a public cemetery probably referred to as the Boehler Cemetery. In the early 1900s the cemetery was called St. John' Lutheran Reformed Churchyard. In 1931 the name was changed to the Markelsville Cemetery.

As more accurrent and recent information is obtained this web page will be updated.

There are two interesting reports about the cemetery shown below: Read compare and determine the facts.

Extractions from the hand written report found in Markelville Cemetery-1.htm (hand-written report). To read the full cemetery reprots CLICK HERE.

"The informant inferred that the cemetery began with burial No. 1, of the Burial-record, begun by David Christ [CRIST], Esq., who lived, many years, a south end of the plot. His record began with the burial of John Weibley, on April 19, 1855 (who died on the previous day).

The actual beginning of the cemetery was the burial of Sarah Boehler, who died Aug. 6, 1810, aged 8 years, 8 months, and 26 days. Her parents were Mark and Maria Elisabetha (Keiser) Boehler, who buried her at the eastern boundary-line of their farm. They were natives of Brecknock Twp., Berks Co. and had purchased the farm from Adam Merckel, on Aug. 29, 1804.

After the burial of their daughter, they permitted relatives, neighbors and friends to use the place for burials, and by the date of Mr. Christ’s first record, more than seventy burials had been made.

Very few but German-folk used the privilege, the Scotch-Irish families of the area were concerned with the Middle Ridge Presbyterian, the Polar Hill, and the Limestone Presbyterian Cemeteries.

David Christ gave a strip of land (a portion of “Little Vienna”) to the congregations for addition to he cemetery. He prepared a Deed, which was not acknowledged, and it became mislaid by Trustees. However, it is covered by burials.

The Cemetery Association is incorporated, and has a fund which provides almost sufficient income for the maintenance of the cemetery. Additional gifts would be appreciated. There are, at least, twenty-seven soldiers buried, Therein, and the Perry County Commissioners are liable for the care of those graves, annually.

The Trustees of the present St Johns United Church of Christ and of the Mannsville Lutheran Church (successor to the former St John’s Lutheran Church) should convey the Markelsville Cemetery, by joint-deed, to the Markelsville Cemetery Association, Incorporated."

[Note: The Lutheran Church closed its doors in 1970.]

Extractions found in "An Interesting Graveyard". . To read the full report CLICK HERE.

..."Since Marcus Boehler and his wife, Maria Elizabeth (Keiser) settled here about the beginning of the Nineteenth Century, this never ending procession has been going on in this little village and a thousand like villages throughout the land.

It was on a tract of land west of present Markelsville that these folks from Brecknock township, Berks County build for themselves a humble home. In a few years one of their children died and, because of there being no public burying place in the neighborhood, they buried the child on their own land. The weatherworn gravestone bears the following German inscription: “Hier ruhen die gebeine von Sara ealor, tochter von M. Bealor-starb 6ten August, 1810. Alter 8 Jahr, 8 Monat, und 26 tage.”

Following that, other families were permitted to bury their dead at the place and it became a public graveyard. Nearly all of the earliest graves are marked by plain stones, a few bearing initials and dates. One is marked, “D. P. – 1812” – presumably a member of the Pickard family. We might state also that on June 30, 1933, Mrs. Pickard, of Juniata township, died, aged 102 years and 6 months. Another similar interesting grave is that Margaret Mary (Burd), widow of John Barrock, Sr., who died September 3, 1880, aged 106 years.

By the year 1840, the graveyard must have become of considerable size. On August 7, 1840, Marks Bealor and wife Elizabeth deceased to Philip Myers, Samuel Leupfer, and Wm. Bosserman, trustees of a religious society then forming in Juniata township, composed of Lutherans and Presbyterians united, a parcel of land for one dollar. The plot adjoined the town plot, called Little Vienna, and contained 81 ½ perches, including the graveyard. ...

More than five hundred graves have been marked in the modern way, over one hundred and seventy graves are unmarked, and a number bear initials or dates. Mr. David Crist began to record the burials in 1855 and continued it until 1895. Many of those buried in unmarked graves are recorded therein.

Most of the families in the vicinity continued to use the graveyard and eventually more space was needed. Benjamin F. Bealor and wife Elizabeth, on May 29, 1860, sold another parcel of land adjoining the first on the west side and containing 86 perches, to John Sosseman, Jacob Lenig, and Valentine Borral [BORRELL], trustees of St. John’s Church in Juniata township, for the sum of ($40.00) forty dollars. The entire plot was sold in plots of different dimensions, as desired.

In about the year 1889, the abandoned union church edifice was razed and the plot on which it had stood was also sold in lots.

On June 11, 1904, a meeting of the trustees of the Lutheran and Reformed congregations was held and a Cemetery Association was organized. At intervals the Association re-elected officers and a janitor was employed each year. Mary persons contributed and a fund was raised and a fence built.

The Secretary’s report reveals no meeting after the year 1922 until May 9, 1931, when the following officers were elected: President, John C. Campbell; Vice-President, Thomas M. Lenig; Secretary, Wm. H. Lenig; Corresponding Sec., Harry W. Lenig; Treasurer, Miller E. Flickinger; Committee on finance, Frank P. Groff, Charles M. Fleisher, S. Loy Shumaker, Alvin N. Fosselman, and Lloyd D. Stambaugh. At the same time it was decided to incorporate the Association. Application for a charter for a corporation to be known as “Markelsville Cemetery Association, was made to Court of Perry County on December 19, 1931, and the charter was granted.

The finance committee solicited an appreciable sum of money toward the renovating and care of the cemetery, and a number of interested persons spent considerable time in leveling the graves and paths. A new fence will soon be necessary and further contributions will be needed. The Secretary’s book shows that number of lots remain unpaid to date. The Association is ready to consider endowments of graves and lots.