Hi Paul, I will comment on the Fries Cemetery and the McClelland family. Actually, 1842 is not the earliest date of a marker in the cemetery. The earliest date is Andrew McClelland who died 1836. This was six years before the death of his mother Anna Maria Weller (Anna was most likely of Dutch or German descent and hence the middle name for that time period and she and her husband were married in a Dutch Reformed Church). John McClelland her husand died 16 Nov 1821 and may well have been buried somewhere in a cemetery prior to the beginning of the Fries Cemetery. I am very interested in learning where you obtained the information about a flood as there are some other early settlers of that area that I do not know where they are buried. The earliest cemetery in that locale is the Morgan Cemetery in Austinville, not far away, and many early settlers are buried there. There were four deaths in 1842 in the Fries Cemetery so it certainly would seem to have been established by that date and perhaps by 1836 unless Andrew McClelland was reinterred from elsewhere. My belief is that the Fries Cemetery is a natural glacier mound. It has been awhile since I took Junior High science and the name of these types of mounds has escaped me, but they are quite common, and I know of no instance in this area for that time period of any early white settlers hauling dirt to make that large of a mound. Sandy Cotter at cotters4@home.com is also researching the McClelland family. Below is the McClelland family information: John McClelland b. July 1754, related to be a native of Ireland, served in the American Revolution, m. perhaps Jan 1784 in the Shawangunk Dutch Reformed Church in Ulster County, New York, Anna Maria Weller b. 25 May 1760 (pension ). Most of their children were perhaps b. at Harpersfield, Delaware County, New York. Settled in Columbia township perhaps 1807-8 on Sugar Creek west of Columbia Cross Roads. Application for pension (W2833) dated 2 June 1821 d. 16 Nov 1821. Pioneer and Patriot Families by Heverly indicates he was 62 at the time of his death, but if he was b. July 1754 he would have been 67. Widow's application dated 2 Nov 1838 d. 24 July 1842. Place of interment unknown, but perhaps in the Fries Cemetery near their settlement where other family members are buried including son Andrew who predeceased his mother. Dates of birth for children from pension application of Anna Maria. 1. Hieronimus McClelland b. 1 May 1784 enlisted in the War of 1812 and is related to have been killed in battle July 1815, single. 2. Martha McClelland b. 28 Nov 1785 m. James Harkness of Springfield. 3. John Weller McClelland b. 1 Sept 1787. 4. Frederick McClelland b. 22 Apr 1789. 5. Margaret McClelland b. 12 Jan 1792 m. James Morgan of Columbia and she d. 8 Sept 1863 72y 4m 5d (ts) Morgan Cemetery, Austinville. 6. Andrew McClelland b. 6 Apr 1793. 7. Mary Ann McClelland b. 6 May 1796 m. Samuel Frisby of Canton. 8. Peter McClelland b. 19 Feb 1798. 9. William G. McClelland b. 28 Mar 1800 m. Maria Goodrich. 10. Eleanor Jane McClelland b. 13 Dec 1802 m. Ebin Pierce. 3. John Weller McClelland b. 1 Sept 1787 m. Polly Harkness b. 3 May 1793 daughter of William Harkness of Springfield. John d. 4 Aug 1850 (ts) and Polly d. 27 Nov 1863 (ts) Fries Cemetery, Columbia township. John McClelland b. 4 May 1818. James McClelland b. 4 June 1820. Levi McClelland b. c. 1830 d. 17 Mar 1879 48y (ts) Fries Cemetery. Milo McClelland b. c. 1831 d. 1 Mar 1858 25y 7m 1d (ts) Fries Cemetery. Newton McClelland. Elise Ann McClelland. Eliza McClelland. Ann Maria McClelland. 4. Frederick McClelland b. 22 Apr 1789 m. Dorcas Carr and he d. 1859 Canton. Hieronymus McClelland. Edward McClelland. Polly McClelland m. a Smith. Martha McClelland m. a Webster. Sally McClelland. Reuben W. McClelland. George McClelland. C. C. McClelland. 6. Andrew McClelland b. 6 Apr 1793 m. Eliza Sawyer b. c. 1807 and he d. 22 Feb 1836 42y 2m 16d (ts) Fries Cemetery, Columbia township. Eliza m. sometime before the 1850 census enumeration John Joralemon as his second wife whose first wife Azuba DeWitt d. 14 Nov 1845. Enumerated in Columbia township in 1850. John and Eliza Joralemon had removed sometime after October 1850 and before August 1852 to Armenia township in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, when on 28 August 1852 Eliza Joralemon of Armenia township, late widow and relict of Andrew McClelland, late of Columbia township, sold (37:181) land as her surrender of dower to Eleanor Jane McClelland, eldest daughter. The land transaction involved 112 acres and was signed in the presence of John Joralemon. John Joralemon was living with his son, Joseph and family in Armenia township, Bradford County in the 1860 census enumeration. Eliza was residing with daughter, Eleanor Battin and family in Fox township, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania in 1860. Eliza was not enumerated with daughter Eleanor and family in 1870. Eleanor Jane McClelland. Catherine McClelland b. c. 1834. 8. Peter McClelland b. 19 Feb 1798 m. Barbara Gernert b. 29 June 1800 daughter of John Peter Gernert and Ann Budd. Barbara d. 16 May 1862 (ts) and Peter d. 16 May 1873 (ts) Fries Cemetery. Sally Jane McClelland b. 1828 m. Volney Furman and she d. 1898 (ts) Fries Cemetery. Casper G. McClelland b. 24 Oct 1831. Ann Eliza McClelland m. _______ Berry. Margaret M. McClelland 1840 m. Abraham Fries (Freace) and she d. 1919 (ts) Fries Cemetery. Aminta B. McClelland m. _________ Watkins. J. Kelsey Jones ----- Original Message ----- From: <PN999@aol.com> To: <PABRADFO-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, June 05, 2000 9:22 PM Subject: [PABRADFO] Cemetery questions > I have a few questions about some rural cemeteries in western Bradford County: > > Checkerville Cemetery > A note on the Tri-Counties cemetery page for Berrytown Cemetery says "Most > graves believed to have been moved to Checkerville in South Creek Township". > Does anyone know when the gravestones/coffins were moved from Berrytown, and > the reason for the move? The distance between the cemeteries is about 2 miles. > > Columbia Cross Roads > My 4th great-grandparents, John and Anna (Weller) McClelland, were buried in > a Columbia Cross Roads cemetery that was reportedly washed away in a flood, > in the mid-1800s. Does anyone know where the old cemetery was located or when > the flood occurred? The earliest recorded burial at the nearby Fries Cemetery > is 1842. > > Fries Cemetery > This cemetery consists of a large mound of earth about 100 feet long, 30 feet > wide and 10 feet high which is a very unusual shape for a cemetery. The large > mound is in the middle of a flat field, so the earth was apparently brought > in from another area. Does anyone know the reason for the unusual shape of > Fries Cemetery? > > Paul Newell > >