Glassport, Pennsylvania

Edmundson Cemetery

Southeast Corner of Washington Blvd. and Second St.

General View of Cemetery taken from Edmundson St. and Washington Blvd.

Date of Picture March 15, 2000.

Picture taken and submitted by Mary Fey

Lincoln Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

"McKeesport Daily News" August 20, 1954

Quote.. Road project revives memories of OLD Burial Plot. Time obscures Tract history and vegetation hides from view.

It is believed the burial ground originally had been given by a pioneer Edmundson family. It is located on the hill above the old Edmundson long brick home, between the Yough & Mon rivers. The theory is that Alexander Edmundson or his parents donated about one acre for sepulcher purposes.

Alexander Edmundson was born in 1821 but some of the tombstones date back as far as 1819.

John McClure a relative who lived near took good care of this cemetery until his death in 1945. Mrs. Edna Martin of Liberty Borough grandmother and grandfather, Polly and John Edmundson are buried here.

Mrs. Sara Sparks Lynch Douglas visited it in 1965. At this time it was in fair condition with a sturdy wrought-iron fence surrounding it. "Together with my niece and nephew we copied many of the names and dates from tombstones. Some of my ancestors and immediate family are buried here, being of the McClure, Sparks and Lynch Lines."

Allegheny County surveyors have improved around this 150 to 200 year old cemetery and now in 1959 the road is known as the new "Washington Boulevard."

The material reproduced above was given to the McKeesport Heritage Center by Vicki Fretz, who was associated with the Penn State Heritage Center in October, 1989. There were notes on the original document, which were incorporated into the original document, as reproduced here. This is not an exact reproduction of that document. The original document resides at the McKeesport Heritage Center in Renzie Park.

Note by Sara Sparks Lynch Douglas D. A. R. # 429953 - Queen Alliquippa Chapter. 

Additional Notes:

Source: Vicki Fretz.

Adley Colhoon died June 24, 1825 in the 80 year of his age.

Jane Colhoon died Sept. 16, 1803 in the 28 year of her age.

Margaret Colhoon Wife of John Colhoon Esq. March 13, 1851 in the 72 year of life.

John Calhoon Esq. died June 3, 1851 in the 72 year of life.

Mary wife of Adley Colhoon Feb. 13, 1809 in the 50 year of her age.

Rev. Adley Calhoon died April 19, 1848 age 27 years 4 months 17 days.

Joel P. son of T. and M. J. Calhoon died Feb. 13, 1855 age 1 year 1 month 1 day.

Mary Colhoon daughter of Adley Colhoon died Aug. 9, 1809 in the 30 year of age.

Infant daughter of J. and M. Colhoon April 23, 1838

John Calhoon Jr. March 5, 1850 (cannot make out the rest)

The following material was taken from the Port Vue Centennial 1892-1992.

Edmundson's Cemetery, on Glassport hill is the oldest in the original borough of Port Vue. It is located in the horseshoe bend on Washington Boulevard at Edmundson Drive. While a number of Edmundsons are buried there, several graves predate Edmundson's connection with the property by nearly 20 years - some having dates of the 1770's and 1790's. Other interments are a roster of the old pioneer families including: Penny, McClure, Phillips, Calhoun, Boyd, Lynch and Leech. The graveyard is mentioned in a deed of October 25. 1813 in which William Sill sold 254 acres to the Edmundsons. It turns up again in a deed of February, 1858, when John Edmundson excluded the coal underlying it from his sale of mining rights to John Penny. The number of burials is unknown, one list totalled 112, but it is known that some bodies have been removed for reiterment elsewhere.

The old graveyard stands today overgrown and abandoned - its existence unknown to many people. within its half acre are many stones, most fallen and illegible. Recent efforts by Girl Scouts to clean up the cemetery have been met with a hostile reception from certain of its neighbors. 

Article taken from McKeesport Daily News August 20, 1954

A highway construction project has revived memories of an old cemetery which time had obscured as effectively as rank vegetation has hidden the few remaining tombstones.

Only nine years ago a memorial garden blossomed on the now overgrown tract, part of which will be sliced away for the construction of a tri-borough highway.

The Court of Quarter Sessions recently granted permission to the County of Allegheny to vacate a small section of the Edmundson Cemetery to allow the paving and improvement of Washington Blvd. linking the Boroughs of Glassport, Liberty and Port Vue. Old residents say the cemetery is 150 to-200 years old.

1t is believed that the burial ground originally had been given by a pioneer Edmundson family. It is located on the late Alexander G. Edmundson farm on the hill road overlooking Glassport, known as Washington Blvd.

The theory that Alexander Edmundson donated the plot conflicts in dates as Alexander was born in 1821 but some still distinguishable tombstones date back as far as 1819.

The cemetery had been well taken care of by the late John McClure, who lived near there, until his death in 1943. Since then the grounds have been neglected to the degree that high weeds and overgrowth have made it almost indiscernible.

A complete history of the cemetery's beginning and existance is unavailable since those who were acquainted with the plot and took care of it have passed on.

Mrs. Frank McClure Sr., 89 years old, of Port Vue Road, believes that the first woman to be hanged in Allegheny County is buried there.

Mrs. McClure said "in the 1800's" an Otto couple, by the name of McMasters, was murdered by a niece, Charlotte Jones, and her sweetheart-accomplice, a man by the name of Wright.

Mrs. McClure continued that Miss Jones and Wright waited outside the log house of the McMasters', near Harrison Street, until a designated time, entered the house and murdered the aunt and uncle for money, which the sweethearts were planning to use to get married.

Both Jones and her accomplice were caught later and hanged.

Mrs. Edna Martin, of Liberty Way, Liberty Borough, whose grandmother and grandfather, John and Polly Edmundson are buried there, said that "nobody bothers with the cemetery any more." She said that since the ground was abandoned, "some residents of the hill district have even taken the tombstones to make sidewalks."

Other reported that at one time there were beautiful wood fence enclosures around some of the graves, painted various colors and others had lattice arbors with flowers adorning them. There is not much sign of beauty there now except for a fresh wreath which was placed on the Alexander Edmundson monument recently.

The tract lies in the path of the new highway, but county officials claim that only "a few feet" will be needed to widen the present road to 50 feet. The county is planning to keep the cemetery intact, without having to move any graves, officials added. 

Article taken from McKeesport Daily News November 6, 1989

In recent years, it's been called the best kept historical secret in the area.

Once again, an effort to maintain the Edmunson Cemetery in Glassport is under way.

About 30 scouts and adults turned out Saturday morning to begin revitalizing the 150-200 year-old cemetery which once served as a free burial ground for area paupers and settlers.

Vicki Fretz, a life-long resident of the area who said she never knew the cemetery existed, discovered some of her relatives are buried on the one-acre plot.

She said she found out about the burial ground through her son, who was on a history field trip last school year.

"The Edmunson name came up and so did Calhoun. I said I wonder if I'm related to them," she said.

Fretz said she's been working on the project since April and the stones have taken her back quite a way.

"I was surprised to find the cemetery here and more surprised to find the stones. They take me back to my fourth greatgrandfather," she said.

Fretz, who began tracing her lineage after discovering the cemetery, said she has made it as far back as 1140 in Scotland and probably isn't going to stop. "It's kind of addicting once you get into it," she said.

The cemetery was cleaned about 10 years ago and members of McKeesport Heritage Center, located at Kelly Library on the Pennsylvania State University McKeesport campus, say they are interested in seeing that this time it is maintained.

They also are looking for anyone with information about who is buried there to contribute to the historical project.

Laverne Redenbaugh, a member of the Heritage Center and a cadette troop leader, said there are no records on the plot and the center is looking to the public for help.

Cynthia McLane, director of the Heritage Center, said she hopes members of the community will help and take an interest in the project.

Some of the stones date back as far as 1825, and the epitaph's of others, worn smooth with age, are unknown and will remain so without the help of area residents.

Redenbaugh said the Heritage Center would like to find a plan that tells where everyone is buried and she's sure some homes have records in treasure trunks.

She said many people trace their geneology and those with relatives buried there need to know.

The Edmundson family reportedly owned property in the area along Washington Boulevard and donated an acre to the borough of Glassport as a free burial ground, according to the Heritage Center.

The restoration project is something the Heritage Center has wanted to do for some time and the opportunity came through the help of scouts from Port Vue Cadette Troop 1112, Port Vue Junior Troop 336, Liberty Boy Scout Troop 53 and Glassport Boy Scout Troop 54, who took part in the Saturday morning clean-up.

Kenneth Collecchi, a neighbor of the cemetery, donated a dump truck for the refuse leaves and Karl Laurin reportedly did some mapping and research on the area.

Laverne Redenbaugh, a member of the Heritage Center and cadette troop leader, said the center is looking to make further improvements, such as fencing is the area.

The overgrown resting place is not easily identifiable as a cemetery.

According to some, youth used to hold campfires there and a one time vandals struck, digging the graves and stealing jewelry, from the dead.

In later years, some took the tombstones to be used as side walks at their homes.

Reportedly, the first woman ever executed in the state of Pennsylvania is buried in the Edmundson cemetery.

Those interested in contributing to the project or tracing relatives who may be there should contact the Heritage Center, Redenbaugh said. 

Stay tuned. More will be coming on this subject.

Page last updated March 14, 2003