Montgomery Cemetery is a historic cemetery located near the

Schuylkill River The Schuylkill River ( , ) is a river running northwest to southeast in eastern Pennsylvania. The river was improved by navigations into the Schuylkill Canal, and several of its tributaries drain major parts of Pennsylvania's Coal Region. It fl ...

on Hartranft Avenue and along Jackson Street in

West Norriton Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania West Norriton Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Norristown Area School District. The population of the township was 15,663 at the 2010 census. History On March 9, 1909, Norriton Towns ...

, immediately adjacent to and southwest of the Municipality of Norristown. Founded in the late 1840s, the cemetery is the final resting place of several high-ranking

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

officers, as well as one of the former

governors A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

of the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; (Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, Maryl ...

. The cemetery is adjacent to Riverside Cemetery, which was founded a half century later, during the

fin de siècle () is a French term meaning "end of century,” a phrase which typically encompasses both the meaning of the similar English idiom "turn of the century" and also makes reference to the closing of one era and onset of another. Without context ...

era of the 19th century. The cemetery is currently administered by the Historical Society of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, located in

Norristown, Pennsylvania Norristown is a municipality with home rule status and the county seat of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Montgomery County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the third-most populous county in Pennsylvania and the 7 ...

Origins and history

The Montgomery Cemetery Company, which originally owned and maintained the cemetery, was incorporated by act of the

Pennsylvania General Assembly The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times (1682–1776), the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania ...

on April 10, 1848. The initial members of the cemetery company were William Hamil, John R. Cooken, Adam Slemmer, Henry Freedley, James Wells, Abraham Markley,

John Freedley John Freedley (May 22, 1793 – December 8, 1851) was an American politician, lawyer, and businessman who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1847 to 1851, representing the Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district, 5th congr ...

, and Joseph Fornance, with the first five being trustees. The of land for the cemetery had been sold to the company on March 31, 1848, by one of the trustees, William Hamil, and his wife Willimina. The first burials in the cemetery ensued shortly thereafter. The cemetery was originally a part of Norriton Township when the cemetery company was incorporated. When the then- Borough of Norristown annexed the land immediately to the northeast of the cemetery in 1853, the cemetery's land, including the road leading to the cemetery (now Hartranft Avenue), was specifically omitted from the annexation. However, the cemetery company's land along and beside Hartranft Avenue, not including the cemetery itself, became a part of the then- Borough of Norristown on January 18, 1909. Less than two months later, the cemetery itself became a part of

West Norriton Township West Norriton Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Norristown Area School District. The population of the township was 15,663 at the 2010 census. History On March 9, 1909, Norriton Towns ...

after Norriton Township was divided on March 9, 1909.Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Clerk of Courts. ''In the matter of the Application to divide the Township of Norriton into two Townships'', Election Case No. 205 (Court of Quarter Sessions of the Peace of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, March 9, 1909) (final decree). Available at Montgomery County Archives, East Norriton, Pennsylvania.

Notable interments

* Joseph Fornance (1804–1852), member of the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

(1793–1851), member of the

Winfield Scott Hancock Winfield Scott Hancock (February 14, 1824 – February 9, 1886) was a United States Army officer and the Democratic nominee for President of the United States in 1880. He served with distinction in the Army for four decades, including service ...

(1824–1886), General during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

and the Democratic nominee for

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

in 1880 *

John F. Hartranft John Frederick Hartranft (December 16, 1830 – October 17, 1889) was the United States military officer who read the death warrant to the individuals who were executed on July 7, 1865 for conspiring to assassinate American President Abraham Lin ...

(1830–1889),

Governor of Pennsylvania A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

and General during the

* Adam J. Slemmer (1828–1868), officer during the

* John Wood (1816–1898), member of the

Samuel K. Zook Samuel Kosciuszko Zook (born Samuel Kurtz Zook, March 27, 1821 – July 3, 1863) was a Union general during the American Civil War who was mortally wounded in action at the Battle of Gettysburg. Early years Zook was born in Tredyffrin, Chester ...

(1821–1863), General during the

; mortally wounded at the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

References

External links

Montgomery Cemetery
on the Historical Society of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania's web site. *

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video of

Memorial Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have fought and died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monda ...

ceremonies at Montgomery Cemetery, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgacO4I2M-0 *
Montgomery Cemetery
on

The Political Graveyard The Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 277,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information. The name comes from the website's inclusion of burial locations of ...

. * {{GNIS, 1181455, Montgomery Cemetery 1848 establishments in Pennsylvania Cemeteries in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Origins and history

Notable interments

See also

References

External links