Leechburg Cemetery
From LeechburgWiki
Creepy! David Leech is buried here.
The Leechburg Cemetery originally incorporated in 1864 sits in the north-western portion of Leechburg on what is now Pershing Avenue (PA 66). Atop a retaining wall on a commanding hill the cemetery climbs up into Leechburg and then dog-legs north. The cemetery is barely noticeable to passers by but offers the dead a fair view of the Kiski valley below. Many of Leechburg’s forefathers are laid to rest here while others are just north at Evergreen Cemetery. The current state of the Leechburg Cemetery is one approaching serious decay and Leechburg's forefathers now need the help of their posterity to maintain and restore their resting place.
On the cemetery Leechburg's "Century of Progress" had this to say in 1950--
"There's neutrality to the earth of Leechburg Cemetery, for here it has been opened to receive warriors of the Blue and Gray from the war which split, but did not divide the Union.
Confederate veteran Alexander Randol of the 14th Virginia Calvary and W. Oscar Garver, staff aide to a Confederate General, are buried here. Not far from them are those of Union forces from the Civil War. One was Cpl. J. F. Davis. He was with the 114th PA Volunteers.
This 114th was distinctive. It didn't wear the Blue of the North, but went in for a clash of color--a "sunshine" colored short jacket, loose fitting trousers, a sash across the abdomen, with a small round hat- something like Little Roundtop Knoll in Gettysburg Cemetery.
Too, there's a duplicate of the George B. Mead monument at Gettysburg in Leechburg Cemetery.
The cemetery was incorporated in 1864, locating in what is now Pershing Avenue in time to receive the heroic dead of the Civil War. The John A. Hunter Post 123 of the GAR obtained two lots to bury veterans. A small cannon was put there. This has been the spot were for 86 years, Leechburg has paid Memorial Day tribute to the war dead.
The roster of war dead in Leechburg cemetery includes Dr.Milton S. Sell of WW1; James Parr and William Harris of the was of 1812 and these 47 of the Civil War:
John G. Parr, Alexander Ashbaugh, Hezekiah Ashbaugh, Alonzo Anderson, Lewis Bowers, Samuel Base, Samuel Crosby, Graves S. Crosby, Jacob Ulam Cline, Simon Cline, James Dunlap,Thomas J. Elwood, Jocob Frey, John Frank, William Fitzgerald, John Fitzgerald, George Henderson, Robert L. Hunter, Robert P. Hunter, John A. Hunter, Morgan R. Hunter, J. Banks Hunter, Wilson S. Harris, James Hazlett, George Jack, Joseph Johnson, Thomas Kirkpatrick, Joseph Kelly, Isreal Klingensmith, John P. Klingensmith, Abram Klingensmith, Uriah Knepshield, J.M. Keelor, Lemuel Kepple, John Leech, John Lucas, William J. Mann, William Millen, John Metz, John Milberger, Archie Spratt, Amos Spang, Fred V. Sheppard, James Stoops, John J. H. Truby, John Ulam, Zelotus Wilmot."
Hopes for the future include the cataloging of all graves, genealogical research on the interned, restoration to the landscaping and resetting of head stones.
