Kandi writes: >In early May my husband and I will be passing through Crawford County, is anyone on the list familiar with Espyville cemetery? >I would like to take photos of Humphry [yes, DAR marker for war of 1812] and Harriet [yes, only 15 when she died] CRAM's tombstone(s) but won't have time to "search" for it. Is there a caretaker/sexton? Cemetery records? >My husbands great great grandfather was Fred Espey BENNETT b 12/28/1868 Hartstown Crawford Co. to Robert Henry Bennett b. 7-15-1826 PA and Maria(h) Cram b.January 1830 Ohio daughter of Humphry and Harriet Cram. >I have no idea which of the Bennett families in Crawford County are the parents of Robert Henry. in the 1880 census he lists both parents as born in PA also. >In the 1850 census I believe he may be listed with Ruth Bennett age 56 as head of household in South Shenango Twsp >In the 1860 census he is listed in South Shenango Twsp with wife Maria children Adolphus, Charles and Wm. >In 1870 they are in Sullivan County Missouri and have children A(dolphus) Roscoe, Charles O, Frank A, and Fred Espey. William must have died between 1860 and 1870 and may be buried in Crawford Co.[there is a William, buried in S. Shenango Twp Cemetery, d. 4.21.1854 aged 55y2m29d.] Robert's occupation is listed either as lumberman or miller. Any clues here from the other Bennett researchers would be greatly appreciated. > > Hi, Kandi... Espyville is my family's hometown as well and I have ancestors buried in both the Espyville and Wilson cemeteries there. The index (alphabetical) of the Espyville Cemetery was published in the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Quarter (Pittsburgh, PA) in Vol. 6, No. 2 (Nov 1979), pp.76-109. I have a copy of it and of the Wilson Cemetery index. The indexes will tell you who is there, but not where. Before going, you might like to take a look at a late 19th century map of Espyville. I have reproduced it. Go to http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~petelois/index.htm, scroll to the bottom, and select "Espyville." I give you a "Tour" of Espyville. At Frame 8 you will be at the old Methodist Church, which is at the edge of the Espyville Cemetery. Suceeding frames take you to Cram Road and the Wilson Cemetery, and where the first home on the right, which has a trailer park built around it, was the Wilson house and was the Cram house when I last visited there. Frame 18 contains a map and index of residents of Espyville in the late 1800s. Enjoy the tour of Espyville. Be sure to supply up before getting there. No accommodations. Not even a traffic light. Talk about small. It has fewer residents and homes than in the 19th century. Luckily, the lake, built in the 1930s to supply industry in Pittsburgh with year round water, did not engulf the town. Also, I have embedded comments in your original message (above). Pete Wilson -- Pete Wilson of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia Founder Portable Oxygen: A User's Perspective <http://www.portableoxygen.org> Feature Article: Results: Oxygen Therapy Survey <http://www.portableoxygen.org/april2004.html>

Wanted to take a few minutes to apologize for not saying Thank You, sooner, to Pete, Todd and Kathy for their replies and help. The information was just what I was hoping for and more besides!! Between trying to get ahead at work and getting ready for the trip, I haven't had as much time to work on the family ties as I had hoped. I feel confident now that I can find the cemetery and stones with little problem. As far as getting to the library or courthouse, I doubt if time will work for me. We are staying in Meadville overnight but have a 7 hour trip ahead of us for that day. Any descendants of Robert (b ca 1773) and Ruth Bennett out there? South Shenango Township. If so please reply would like to ask a few questions. Thanks for the help and extraordinary effort! Kandi