Cemetery Myth Persists
But, no evidence of grave of Lincoln kin found in Barry
A search in 1955 for the grave of Mary Lincoln, a great-aunt of Abraham Lincoln and wife of Francis Yarnell, an early settler of the Deep Creek Valley, supposedly buried in Reed's cemetery, now known as Bickel's, was fruitless.
This all but forgotten burial ground, established in the early 1800s, was brought to light by Wilbur Teitsworth of Taylorsville, who that year (1955) was browsing through the woods and accidentally came across the cemetery along Mahanoy Creek near Taylorsville in Barry Township. He informed members of the Lavelle AMVETS Post 156 of his find.
The group paid a visit to the cemetery and found it in deplorable condition, due to the creek overflowing its banks over the course of years. The receding water had deposited coal silt and other refuse over the entire area.
Large trees, briars and waist-high underbrush covered the crude tombstones, some plain, others with only initials carved upon them to mark the final resting place of early pioneers.
The AMVETS started to clear this burial ground, but found no grave of Mary Lincoln Yarnell or her husband, Francis.
However, in the southwest corner of this cemetery they came across a stone with only the top visible, and the name Mary showing. They thought they had found the grave of President Lincoln's aunt, but more digging shattered their hopes. The inscription on the stone read, "In Memory of Mary, wife of Christian Klingerman, an early pioneer."
Mary Lincoln, however, is believed to be buried in this cemetery according to historians, although there are no existing records to prove this theory.
!This is a partial excerpt of an article printed in either the Shenandoah Evening Herald or Pottsville Republican, Dec. 22, 1995, pgs. 19 and 20, written by Russ Maurer, a free-lance writer. Supplied as a clipping from family papers by one not affiliated with FaG. 12/20/2015
Mary Lincoln, daughter Mordecai Lincoln Jr. (1688-1736) and Hannah Salter (1686-1736), wife of Francis Yarnall/Yarnell (1719-aft.1769), married abt. 1741. A Great Aunt by marriage of President Abraham Lincoln, also recorded as a first cousin twice removed in the genealogy.com information for Francis Yarnall forum. She is buried in this cemetery in an unmarked grave. Listed with Schuylkill Vital Records taken from Schuylkill Historical Society, Pottsville Historical Society. Other Yarnall/Yarnell markers are found in this and nearby cemeteries.
===
I've been over this cemetery during all seasons, there is no visible marker to be found. The cemetery has had issues with flood waters over the years. It is basically maintained to preserve at best. Owners have no records except what is provided by Schuylkill Vital Records transcripts, Schuylkill Historical Society.
--
1/17/2020: DYr. Changed from 1761 to 1769.
Suggested edit, contributor 46507767: I would delete the commentary that insinuates the couple's burial there is a myth, just because they found no headstone. As is explained on the Exeter Friends burial site, the Mennonite/Quakers/Friends did not believe in adorning their graves with monuments. Oral history has it that the couple is buried in an unmarked grave there.
--
I leave the above information as a historical record of pre - Schuylkill County, Taylorsville, Barry Twp., surrounding areas and through the years journeys of others as reference to the origins and rediscovery of this cemetery and its current conditions on private land which can be accessed by permission and with respect. It is located behind farm land with one entrance/exit footpath.
It is Taylorsville not Taylorville as shown in edit field.
But, no evidence of grave of Lincoln kin found in Barry
A search in 1955 for the grave of Mary Lincoln, a great-aunt of Abraham Lincoln and wife of Francis Yarnell, an early settler of the Deep Creek Valley, supposedly buried in Reed's cemetery, now known as Bickel's, was fruitless.
This all but forgotten burial ground, established in the early 1800s, was brought to light by Wilbur Teitsworth of Taylorsville, who that year (1955) was browsing through the woods and accidentally came across the cemetery along Mahanoy Creek near Taylorsville in Barry Township. He informed members of the Lavelle AMVETS Post 156 of his find.
The group paid a visit to the cemetery and found it in deplorable condition, due to the creek overflowing its banks over the course of years. The receding water had deposited coal silt and other refuse over the entire area.
Large trees, briars and waist-high underbrush covered the crude tombstones, some plain, others with only initials carved upon them to mark the final resting place of early pioneers.
The AMVETS started to clear this burial ground, but found no grave of Mary Lincoln Yarnell or her husband, Francis.
However, in the southwest corner of this cemetery they came across a stone with only the top visible, and the name Mary showing. They thought they had found the grave of President Lincoln's aunt, but more digging shattered their hopes. The inscription on the stone read, "In Memory of Mary, wife of Christian Klingerman, an early pioneer."
Mary Lincoln, however, is believed to be buried in this cemetery according to historians, although there are no existing records to prove this theory.
!This is a partial excerpt of an article printed in either the Shenandoah Evening Herald or Pottsville Republican, Dec. 22, 1995, pgs. 19 and 20, written by Russ Maurer, a free-lance writer. Supplied as a clipping from family papers by one not affiliated with FaG. 12/20/2015
Mary Lincoln, daughter Mordecai Lincoln Jr. (1688-1736) and Hannah Salter (1686-1736), wife of Francis Yarnall/Yarnell (1719-aft.1769), married abt. 1741. A Great Aunt by marriage of President Abraham Lincoln, also recorded as a first cousin twice removed in the genealogy.com information for Francis Yarnall forum. She is buried in this cemetery in an unmarked grave. Listed with Schuylkill Vital Records taken from Schuylkill Historical Society, Pottsville Historical Society. Other Yarnall/Yarnell markers are found in this and nearby cemeteries.
===
I've been over this cemetery during all seasons, there is no visible marker to be found. The cemetery has had issues with flood waters over the years. It is basically maintained to preserve at best. Owners have no records except what is provided by Schuylkill Vital Records transcripts, Schuylkill Historical Society.
--
1/17/2020: DYr. Changed from 1761 to 1769.
Suggested edit, contributor 46507767: I would delete the commentary that insinuates the couple's burial there is a myth, just because they found no headstone. As is explained on the Exeter Friends burial site, the Mennonite/Quakers/Friends did not believe in adorning their graves with monuments. Oral history has it that the couple is buried in an unmarked grave there.
--
I leave the above information as a historical record of pre - Schuylkill County, Taylorsville, Barry Twp., surrounding areas and through the years journeys of others as reference to the origins and rediscovery of this cemetery and its current conditions on private land which can be accessed by permission and with respect. It is located behind farm land with one entrance/exit footpath.
It is Taylorsville not Taylorville as shown in edit field.
Cemetery Myth Persists
But, no evidence of grave of Lincoln kin found in Barry
A search in 1955 for the grave of Mary Lincoln, a great-aunt of Abraham Lincoln and wife of Francis Yarnell, an early settler of the Deep Creek Valley, supposedly buried in Reed's cemetery, now known as Bickel's, was fruitless.
This all but forgotten burial ground, established in the early 1800s, was brought to light by Wilbur Teitsworth of Taylorsville, who that year (1955) was browsing through the woods and accidentally came across the cemetery along Mahanoy Creek near Taylorsville in Barry Township. He informed members of the Lavelle AMVETS Post 156 of his find.
The group paid a visit to the cemetery and found it in deplorable condition, due to the creek overflowing its banks over the course of years. The receding water had deposited coal silt and other refuse over the entire area.
Large trees, briars and waist-high underbrush covered the crude tombstones, some plain, others with only initials carved upon them to mark the final resting place of early pioneers.
The AMVETS started to clear this burial ground, but found no grave of Mary Lincoln Yarnell or her husband, Francis.
However, in the southwest corner of this cemetery they came across a stone with only the top visible, and the name Mary showing. They thought they had found the grave of President Lincoln's aunt, but more digging shattered their hopes. The inscription on the stone read, "In Memory of Mary, wife of Christian Klingerman, an early pioneer."
Mary Lincoln, however, is believed to be buried in this cemetery according to historians, although there are no existing records to prove this theory.
!This is a partial excerpt of an article printed in either the Shenandoah Evening Herald or Pottsville Republican, Dec. 22, 1995, pgs. 19 and 20, written by Russ Maurer, a free-lance writer. Supplied as a clipping from family papers by one not affiliated with FaG. 12/20/2015
Mary Lincoln, daughter Mordecai Lincoln Jr. (1688-1736) and Hannah Salter (1686-1736), wife of Francis Yarnall/Yarnell (1719-aft.1769), married abt. 1741. A Great Aunt by marriage of President Abraham Lincoln, also recorded as a first cousin twice removed in the genealogy.com information for Francis Yarnall forum. She is buried in this cemetery in an unmarked grave. Listed with Schuylkill Vital Records taken from Schuylkill Historical Society, Pottsville Historical Society. Other Yarnall/Yarnell markers are found in this and nearby cemeteries.
===
I've been over this cemetery during all seasons, there is no visible marker to be found. The cemetery has had issues with flood waters over the years. It is basically maintained to preserve at best. Owners have no records except what is provided by Schuylkill Vital Records transcripts, Schuylkill Historical Society.
--
1/17/2020: DYr. Changed from 1761 to 1769.
Suggested edit, contributor 46507767: I would delete the commentary that insinuates the couple's burial there is a myth, just because they found no headstone. As is explained on the Exeter Friends burial site, the Mennonite/Quakers/Friends did not believe in adorning their graves with monuments. Oral history has it that the couple is buried in an unmarked grave there.
--
I leave the above information as a historical record of pre - Schuylkill County, Taylorsville, Barry Twp., surrounding areas and through the years journeys of others as reference to the origins and rediscovery of this cemetery and its current conditions on private land which can be accessed by permission and with respect. It is located behind farm land with one entrance/exit footpath.
It is Taylorsville not Taylorville as shown in edit field.
But, no evidence of grave of Lincoln kin found in Barry
A search in 1955 for the grave of Mary Lincoln, a great-aunt of Abraham Lincoln and wife of Francis Yarnell, an early settler of the Deep Creek Valley, supposedly buried in Reed's cemetery, now known as Bickel's, was fruitless.
This all but forgotten burial ground, established in the early 1800s, was brought to light by Wilbur Teitsworth of Taylorsville, who that year (1955) was browsing through the woods and accidentally came across the cemetery along Mahanoy Creek near Taylorsville in Barry Township. He informed members of the Lavelle AMVETS Post 156 of his find.
The group paid a visit to the cemetery and found it in deplorable condition, due to the creek overflowing its banks over the course of years. The receding water had deposited coal silt and other refuse over the entire area.
Large trees, briars and waist-high underbrush covered the crude tombstones, some plain, others with only initials carved upon them to mark the final resting place of early pioneers.
The AMVETS started to clear this burial ground, but found no grave of Mary Lincoln Yarnell or her husband, Francis.
However, in the southwest corner of this cemetery they came across a stone with only the top visible, and the name Mary showing. They thought they had found the grave of President Lincoln's aunt, but more digging shattered their hopes. The inscription on the stone read, "In Memory of Mary, wife of Christian Klingerman, an early pioneer."
Mary Lincoln, however, is believed to be buried in this cemetery according to historians, although there are no existing records to prove this theory.
!This is a partial excerpt of an article printed in either the Shenandoah Evening Herald or Pottsville Republican, Dec. 22, 1995, pgs. 19 and 20, written by Russ Maurer, a free-lance writer. Supplied as a clipping from family papers by one not affiliated with FaG. 12/20/2015
Mary Lincoln, daughter Mordecai Lincoln Jr. (1688-1736) and Hannah Salter (1686-1736), wife of Francis Yarnall/Yarnell (1719-aft.1769), married abt. 1741. A Great Aunt by marriage of President Abraham Lincoln, also recorded as a first cousin twice removed in the genealogy.com information for Francis Yarnall forum. She is buried in this cemetery in an unmarked grave. Listed with Schuylkill Vital Records taken from Schuylkill Historical Society, Pottsville Historical Society. Other Yarnall/Yarnell markers are found in this and nearby cemeteries.
===
I've been over this cemetery during all seasons, there is no visible marker to be found. The cemetery has had issues with flood waters over the years. It is basically maintained to preserve at best. Owners have no records except what is provided by Schuylkill Vital Records transcripts, Schuylkill Historical Society.
--
1/17/2020: DYr. Changed from 1761 to 1769.
Suggested edit, contributor 46507767: I would delete the commentary that insinuates the couple's burial there is a myth, just because they found no headstone. As is explained on the Exeter Friends burial site, the Mennonite/Quakers/Friends did not believe in adorning their graves with monuments. Oral history has it that the couple is buried in an unmarked grave there.
--
I leave the above information as a historical record of pre - Schuylkill County, Taylorsville, Barry Twp., surrounding areas and through the years journeys of others as reference to the origins and rediscovery of this cemetery and its current conditions on private land which can be accessed by permission and with respect. It is located behind farm land with one entrance/exit footpath.
It is Taylorsville not Taylorville as shown in edit field.
