Bradford County PA Chemung County NY Tioga County PA Tri-Counties Genealogy & History by Joyce M. Tice Academy Hill Cemetery, Wellsboro,  Tioga County, PA

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Joyce's Search Tip - December 2007 - Do You Know that you can search just the 600 pages of Tioga County Cemetery Records on the site by using the Cemeteries -Tioga button in the Partitioned search engine at the bottom of the Current What's New Page? If you use that partition follow these steps to search just one cemetery.  1. Choose Cemeteries - Tioga.  2. Enter part of the cemetery name [ie Newbury or Furman] AND a surname.  3. Choose the Find ALL Words option. Then it will find just the pages with that surname in the one cemetery you indicated.

Francis Wetherbee was here as early as 1823. (see Charles G. Webb's book of the first 25 yrs) Wetherbee's lineage shows that Francis Wetherbee's second wife was Cornelia Graves and they moved to Minnesota.

Also from Lola W. Franke, the following on early settlers buried here:From History of Tioga County, 1897, On the corner where Dr. Shearer now lives, Ezekiel Jones had a house and blacksmith shop. On the corner, across the street from his place, was a small house in which lived Col. Field, father of Prescott Field. Joshua Emer's reminiscences.

Israel Greenleaf, another well known citizen of Wellsboro, lived in a frame house on the same side of the street, below the Hoover log house. He was a wagon maker and manufacturer. He was a native of Connecticut, where was born in 1765. He came to Tioga County early and purchased large tract of land in Charleston Township, under a Connecticut title. Tract extended from the east line of Delmar and embraced the whole or part of Alden Thompson neighborhood. When the Connecticut titles were declared invalid, the Capt. woke to find himself a poor man instead of a large land holder. He served in the Revolution war, died June 1 1848, aged 82yrs. His wife, Sarah, preceeded him to the grave March 8, 1840, aged 72 years.

Col. Isaac Field's grave is here, as is his daughter-in-law, Barbara, wife of Prescott P. Field Also, a marker for a young man who could be his younger son, Thomas B. Field

Amos Coolidge built the house that formerly stood on the site of the Bennett house, which has since been called Nichols Hill and Farm. He was elected Trustee of the Academy 1828 and was active in building the upper story of the building. He was the father of a large family, viz: Mrs. E.M. Bodine, Charles, Amos Jr, Kilburn, William Wesley, George, Mrs. Metzer of Potter County, and Mary L. who died age 12. Mr. Coolidge was , in his younger days and in his middle age, an active, enterprising, hard working man, and did much to advance the material interests of town. In the bringing up of his family, he was ably seconded by his wife, who was a most invaluable woman to whom the family owed a debt of gratitude, the magnitude of which they can never fully repay except to train their children as she did hers. They are both buried in Academy Hill cemetery.

Joseph Thompson, Revolution War Patriot, was born in Stonington, Connecticut 5 Jan 1757 and was the youngest of eighteen children, consisting of twelve sons and six daughters. He was reared to manhood in his native state of Conn., later moved to Otsego, NY, where he married Catherine Coates who bore him five children, viz: Joseph, Alanson, Lucretia who married James Kimball, an early hotel keeper of Wellsboro, Cynthia Lorinda, who became the wife of Col. Hiram Freeborn (for many years a prominent citizen of Knoxville) and Alden, who settled in Charleston Township. Mr. Thompson came to Tioga County before 1820 and made his home with his children, some of whom preceeded him, settling on Shumway Hill, Charleston Township. He is buried in the old Academy Hill cemetery as is one of his daughters, Lucretia,`wife of James Kimball.

Information about the Wellsboro Cemetery can be obtained from Mrs. Menzo Yessa, 7 Bodine Street, Wellsboro, Pa. Information about St. Peters Catholic church can be obtained from Mr. Paul Nugent, 29 Crafton Street, Wellsborol Pa.

The beginning of Academy Hill cemetery in History of Tioga County 1897.

The early settlers around Wellsboro buried their dead in the half acre adjoining the old Academy on the hill, set apart for that purpose by Benjamin Wistar Morris. The site was elevated and the view obtained was charmingly picturesque. It was then in the country but in time, the borough grew around it and beyond it until it is now near the center of corporate limits. When first selected, it was doubtless large enough to answer as a graveyard for many years. In time, it's limited area became crowded. It's proximity to the Academy was objectionable and the students complained that it affected their health. Except for few instances, it's graves were uncared for and overgrown with weeds. Being unfenced, it was open to incursions of wild and domestic animals. In 1837, the body appropriated $35.00 to enclose with a fence. The necessity for a new burial place was admitted in 1840 but did not manifest itself in a practical manner until years later. Many were reluctant to abandon the old graveyard, while others were opposed to the removal, therefrom of the remains of their relatives. To them, the place was, and would ever remain, a sacred spot, hallowed by the tenderest memories. There is no record to inform us as to the first to be buried here. Many of the graves are unmarked, the stones erected by loving hands, have fallen to ruin, many years ago. Native stone was used to mark the earlier graves and were more susceptible to the elements, than marble. It is possible that vandalism had something to do with the turning and breaking of many stones, but a number of graves are still marked by marble slabs.
 

Bradford County PA Chemung County NY Tioga County PA

Published On Tri-Counties Site On 10/21/1997 By Joyce M. Tice Email Joyce M. Tice You are the  visitor since the counter was installed on 01 SEP 2003