Funeral home records from Chambers/James and Foster to Reasner available at the Brooke County Library, Genealogy section.

SURVEY OF CEMETERIES IN

BROOKE COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA

COMPILED BY THE

BROOKE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.

Committee:

Dr and Mrs. W.T. Booher, Sr.

Mr. and Mrs. Earl McMahon

Mr. Shirley Carter

Mrs. Virginia Herd

Mrs. Margaret Coates

Mr. and Mrs. Frank O. Chapman

Miss Nancy L. Caldwell

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

     The Cemetery Committee would like to thank the following for their help in compiling this survey: Mrs. Edna Freshwater, James Allison, William Allison, Edna Duval of Norfolk, Virginia- Miss Paula M. Strain of Bethesada, Maryland - Mrs. Everett Markley, Jr., Mr. & Mrs. Fred Welshams, Mrs. Harry Heckman, Mrs. V.C, Wells, Mr and Mrs. W.C. McCord, Mr. John McCord, Miss Ann Noteman, Professor Hiram J. Lester, Professor Bradford Tyre, Doctor Robert Sandercox, Mrs. Nancy Sandercox, Wally Witham, Mr. And Mrs. H.C. Fell, Mr. Jon Pfister, Anthony Filberto, Brooke County employees, Brooke county Commissioners, Mr. and Mrs. Willis Rader of New York - Miss Delores Kirchner, Mr. and Mrs. James Inman, Brooke Cemetery Board and all the members of the Brooke County Historical Society without whose help and support this survey would not have been made.

Cemetery List

Cemetery Committee

HISTORY OF BROOKE COUNTY CEMETERIES

      Information from cemeteries has long been a primary resource for people tracing family histories via birthdates and family relationships.

      The first cemetery in Charlestown, Brooke county, West Virginia, ( now Wellsburg, Brooke county, West Virginia) was directly south of the Brooke Academy between Fifth and Sixth streets on High street. This was used until 1814 when a new cemetery was opened at the corner of Main and Twelfth on the west side of the street . The first person buried in this cemetery was a young boy Eli McDowell who died from the effect of a kick given him by a strong man who afterwards fled the county.

      This Twelfth street cemetery was abandoned in 1876 at which time the graves were moved to the present Brooke Cemetery located on Pleasant Avenue in the north section of Wellsburg ( at 23rd street ) The first burial in the new cemetery was Eleanor George, wife of Samuel George.

      Land for this cemetery was purchased from George Cox in 1857, incorporated and laid out in lots. Among those buried here are Captain Oliver Brown, a Revolutionary War hero, Patrick Gass, a member of the Lewis-Clark Expedition, Rev. Doctor Joseph Doddridge who monument reads: :Rev Doctor Joseph Doddridge, the first minister of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Western Virginia and Ohio. Born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania October 14, 1769, died in Wellsburg, November 9, 1826". Also buried here are General John Connell who fought in the War of 1812 and General Isaac H. Duvall who fought in the Civil War.

      Another early cemetery is located on top of the hill immediately south of Wellsburg overlooking the Ohio River. Members of the Cox family are buried here and most of the stones are dated in the early 1800's.

      The Marshall Cemetery is located on Bethany Pike near the old Marshall home. Colonel James Marshall, active during the Whiskey Rebellion, as well as other members of the Marshall family are thought to be buried here.

      A cemetery was laid out on the Cross Creek road as early as 1804. Among pioneer families buried here are the Sanders, Fowlers, Hindmans, Headingtons and Pfisters.

      The Lower Buffalo Cemetery was established in 1795 at the junction of Beall's Ridge road and McAdoo road and near the Pennsylvania State Line.

      Another cemetery was laid out close to St John's Episcopal Church on what is now known as Eldersville Road. This cemetery was established in the late 1709's.

      Tent Church road off Eldersville road is the location of a small cemetery established early in the 19th century. Here are found the graves of the Archers, Coxes, Browns, Crails, Crewells, Divitts, Freshwaters, Fergusons, Hindmans, Hunters, Halls, Hays, Hanlins, Klenis, Murchlands and others

      The precise year of the opening of a cemetery on what is now known as Three Springs Drive in Weirton, West Virginia is not known but is was one of the very early ones. Another large and well kept cemetery, although relatively new is Oak Grove located at the top of Allegheny Street out of Follansbee, West Virginia.

      Numerous small private cemeteries were located on farms throughout the county. One of these is viewed by hundreds of people each hear and is located between the eleventh and twelfth fairways on the Highland Springs Golf Course.

      Kadesh Chapel Cemetery is located on Forty-Nine hill a few miles from Beech Bottom, West Virginia. Franklin Cemetery located on Washington Pike across from the Franklin Methodist Church. The Campbell Cemetery, burial place of Bishop Alexander Campbell, is located on the hill across from Bishop Campbell's home on the outskirts of Bethany, West Virginia. Another early Methodist cemetery is located at the east end of Bethany, West Virginia.

      In the following chapters we will try to give a more concise history of some of these cemeteries as well as the named of those buried in them.