FOWLER HILL OR WHITNEY
CEMETERY
Whitney Road, Rush Township,
Susquehanna County, PA
Compiled by Carol Hoose
Brotzman 1996-2006
Carol can be reached at Carol Brotzman or Carol Brotzman Carol Brotzman and Amanda
Brotzman Kingsbury have taken all the photos in this posting.
The tiny little Fowler Hill/Whitney Cemetery is located on the former lands of the William Whitney property. The surrounding property was previously owned by LaMar Whitney, to Bryce Whitney, to Max and Carl Whitney, and presently by the Richard and Karen Schultz family. After Max passed in 1989, the farm was divided to settle the estate. No more to be owned by the Whitney family who purchased it from Chandler Bixby who bought the land warrants about 1838.
Carol notes that this cemetery has Bennett surnames that she belives connect to the Sullivan County Bennetts. No proof is in hand yet, but she is always plugging away and looking for that proof. The Fowler Hill Cemetery, in Rush Township, Susquehanna County, lies but a stone's throw from the old Pike Township and Tuscarora Townships in Bradford County. Some of the folks buried in these locations have headstones in Beaver Meadows. Some of the parents of children buried in Fowler Hill are buried in Beaver Meadows. There are two sets of Bennetts with first wives in the Fowler Hill/Whitney Cemetery. One actually has a headstone in Beaver Meadows and Fowler Hill, but the real odd one is the original Bennett couple. Ferris and Nancy Black Bennett are alleged to be buried at Fowler Hill. However, because it was not as prominent as Beaver Meadows, the headstones were placed in Beaver Meadows according to Dorothy Anne Bennett, the former family historian who edited the Bennett Genealogy in 1967. You can read about the cemeteries the Beaver Meadows area at Madison/Mattison and Sturdevant Cemeteries, Quinby Cemetery, and Ruger Cemetery
The information here has been gathered with dates
recorded from some very deteriorating headstones, diaries, and family members,
plus data from the Bennett Genealogy compiled by Dorothy Anne Bennett in 1967.
The outside edge of the cemetery, on the backside was supposed to be the burial
plots of the Hoyt families. I surmise they were in the way of making hay and
removed and used as fill in the Whitney driveway (diary data). The cemetery is encompassed,
so to speak, with in the boundaries of large trees. There are a few burial
plots beyond the trees marked by headstones, but very few! The Shultz family
has adopted the cemetery and keeps it in very nice condition. It comes complete
with a picnic table now. Karen Schultz tells me she would like to be buried
there with her son who passed away some time ago.
As you can see nature enjoys this cemetery too!
This view is from the very back corner looking towards the Left front side of the cemetery.
There are two children of Miles and Lucy C. Bishop
Bennett, who are supposed to be there without benefit of headstones. Lucy
Bennett is buried, not at Beaver Meadows where her stone is, but supposedly
here at Fowler Hill. There is a stone at Beaver Meadows for Ferris and Nancy
Black Bennett, but they too may be buried here at Fowler Hill. There is no proof either way.
Legend has it, that James Bennett, the son of Miles
and Lucy Bishop Bennett, had his mother’s name etched on his father’s headstone
at Beaver Meadows along with Elizabeth "Lib" Mary Gilson, the second
wife of Miles Bennett. There is a
headstone and a footstone in Fowler Hill to support she is buried here.
This is the Bennett headstone in Beaver Meadows Cemetery, Tuscarora Township, Bradford County, PA.
Two daughters of Lucy and Miles buried at Fowler
Hill were:
Mary
Alice Bennett born August 27, 1853, and died October 12, 1856
Elva
Marsha Bennett born May 13 1856 and died October 5, 1856
The
girls were buried October 14, 1856, with the Rev. D.D. Gray officiating. This data was from the Bennett
Genealogy and records of Reverend D.D. Gray found at the "Laceyville
Oldest House." I find no headstone markers that are legible.
Lucy
C. Bishop Bennett was born February 29, 1832 in Spencer County, New York.
She passed June 23, 1858 in Pike Township, Bradford County, PA. She married Miles Bennett November 14, 1852.
Ferris and Nancy Black
Bennett headstones at Beaver Meadows
Ferris Bennett died May 13, 1890
aged 89 years and 12 days
Son of Thomas and Sarah
Stratton Bennett
Nancy Black Bennett died
February 29, 1872 aged 68 years 1 month
Daughter of Joseph and Alice
Wells Black
The
following is a cataloguing of the Fowler Hill cemetery right to left from the
front side of the cemetery, facing the Whitney road.
Lucretia
J.
Daughter
of P.L.(Peleg) and Roxane Slocum
Will?
? 23, 1811(1877)
Aged
16 years 2 months 23 days
Peleg
Slocum (July 20, 1790 Pawling, New York)
Died
July 15, 1862
George
Slocum (March 16, 1814 - October 20, 1858)
The
stone is broken and embedded in the ground
He
was the son of Peleg and Roxanne Barnam Slocum.
He
was married to a lady named Hannah.
George
Devine, son of Mary Ann (Slocum) Devine (and Theodore Devine)
Died
January 4, 1863
Aged
1 year 3 months 28 days
Next
to this stone is the GAR#135 (#on the marker) Flag
Mary
A. Slocum was the daughter of George and Hannah Slocum.
There
is a larger stone by the lilac bush.
Theodore Devine
Born
October 28, 1838
Died
February 8, 1910
Viola
Devine (Carrie Viola Devine daughter of Theodore and Mary Devine Slocum)
Born
June 18, 1868
Died
June 16, 1905
O.
I. Devine (Alonzo Devine son of Theodore and Mary Slocum Devine)
Born
January 30, 1874
Died
April 9, 1910
Mary
A. Slocum
Wife
of Theodore Devine
Died
June 4, 1888
Aged
47 years
Row
2
Left
to Right
The huge white stone on the
left when looking from the Whitney road is pictured here.
It is the Mahala Whitney headstone.
Her footstone is on the far left under a Lilac bush, which is not shown here. It has been displaced by a woodchuck hole. Hers is the only name etched on this stone. The house in the background is the former Whitney home, now belonging to the Schultz family.
Whitney,
Mahala (Bennett)
Wife
of Wm. H. Whitney
Died
March 15, 1872
Aged
42 years
(Mahala
Bennett was born April 6, 1829 to Ferris and Nancy Black Bennett)
Infant
son (small stone)
Died
January 13,1859
McKenzie
(small stone)
Son
of Wm. and Mahala Whitney
Born
March 11, 1868. Died 7 weeks 4 days (that would be about May 2, 1868)
The stones for the Whitney children and the father
are probably, all eroding away
Note
the Lilac bush, where the footstone for Mahala, “mother” is located on the
left. The footstone “Father” could indicate a burial spot for Ferris and Nancy
Bennett who are alleged to be buried here and have headstones at Beaver Meadows
or her husband William Whitney. We just do not know but there is a stone
recording just the name William.
William
Whitney
Another
small stone for a child maybe?
Father
(could be Ferris Bennett or William Whitney?)
A
very tiny fieldstone (probably one for Lillie and Jennie recorded in the
Bennett Genealogy or Nancy Black Bennett)
Nearby is another stone with two names on it that cannot be read,
but one records, -died 1857.
Also nearby is a footstone, which may be for a Devine. It clearly records Devine.
WRAM and Eliza Devine are etched on the stones.
The
Devine stones could represent Eliza Bump, wife of Hiram Devine. They were the
parents of Theodore Devine buried here. I could have misread WRAM for Hiram but
Hiram is buried at the Devine Ridge Cemetery, Rush Township, Susquehanna
County, PA. There is no indication Eliza is there with him? This could in all
probability be her burial place.
The following is data regarding William H. Whitney
who died August 5, 1912, and comes from various sources: He is buried here at
Fowler Hill/Whitney Cemetery. His name was never etched on the large headstone
alongside his beloved Mahala. William was born about 1824 in PA. Legend has it he was born near Forkston
Wyoming County, PA. to Walter and Louisiana Edwards Whitney. William Whitney is
in Windham Township 1850 census with his parents. On May 9, 1853, Reverend
Davis Dimmock Gray married William and Mahala Bennett. Mahala was the daughter of Ferris and Nancy
Black Bennett of Pike Township, Bradford County, PA. The family says William is buried at Fowler Hill. His
granddaughter, Miss Muriel Whitney (1911-2003 buried at Beaver Meadows)
recorded in a letter to me in 1995 that he is buried on the "farm".
The journals of Leo Bolles state, "Ma and Pop" went to his funeral on
August 8, 1912, but he did not record where! There was also a Grange service
recorded for West Auburn, Shiloh Grange members. William Whitney’s second
wife Hulda Jane Lewis MaGee Smith Whitney is buried at Beaver Meadows. William Whitney married Hulda MaGee on
February 3, 1874. She was the daughter
of James J. and Betsey Ross Lewis.
William and Mahala Whitney were the parents of many
children. I cannot be exactly sure how many, however the family records only
two lived to maturity. A son Walter, born about 1858 died from a heart
attack in January 1915. He was married to Ollie Manes. They adopted two
children according to the Saint Matthews of Pike Episcopal Church records,
William Clark Whitney and Isabella Hoag Whitney. The Shiloh Grange of West Auburn recorded he died January 1915,
no burial place of internment was listed. Leo Bolles recorded these records
too. Walter could be buried here at Fowler Hill, no one knows for sure.
William and Mahala have only one daughter Elva (1860
- 1924) reaching maturity. She married before 1880 to Charles Cobb (1851 –
1921). They have several children Iva
M., James “Blaine”, Jennie, and Elkhannah Winchester Cobb which left many
descendents.
Among the children of William and Mahala that died
before adulthood are McKenzie (1868), Jennie (1866), Lillie (This data is from
the Bennett Genealogy only), Jinnie (1869 Bennett Book data and census) and an
infant (1859 Bennett Book data). All are probably buried here with fieldstone
markers. The second daughter on 1870 census named Jenna born about 1861 must be
buried here also. Census records, the Bennett genealogy and Reverend D.D.
Gray’s burial documents are the only proof they existed. The 1870 Auburn 4
Corners, Rush Township census recorded a daughter named Jenna aged 9 along with
Elva and Walter. Jenna evidentially
passed after 1870 census but before 1880. That census records William was born
in Ohio, but no other census recorded that obvious error. Where the other two
girls Jennie and Jinnie were in 1860 is not known. They should have been there
with the family.
1880 census
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation
Father's Birthplace Mother's
Birthplace
William H. WHITNEY
Self M Male
W 56 PA Farmer CT
NY
Huldah WHITNEY Wife M
Female W 38
PA Keeping House PA
PA
Walter WHITNEY Son S
Male W 23
PA At Home PA
PA
Jennie A. WHITNEY
Dau S Female W 14
PA At Home PA
PA
Jinnie WHITNEY Dau S
Female W 11
PA At Home PA
PA
La
Mar WHITNEY Son S
Male W 5
PA PA PA
Clarence DEXTER
Other S Male
W 21 PA Farm Labor PA
PA
Mahlon CULVER Other S
Male W 19
PA Farm Labor PA
PA
Olive MEANS Other S
Female W 21
PA Servant PA
PA
Source
Information:
Census Place Rush, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania
Family History Library Film
1255197
NA Film Number T9-1197
Page Number 365B
The
1860 census just recorded what would be expected, the parents William and
Mahala, Walter and the unnamed female who later was named Elva.
William
and Hulda Whitney were the parents of William, LaMar, and a daughter that died
in infancy. She is probably buried at
Fowler Hill. No one knows for sure.
From the Bennett Genealogy, we find Mrs. Hulda Smith married William
Whitney. The Montrose Historical Society records she was married to William
Whitney on February 04, 1873 by Reverend A D Alexander. Hulda had married on November 06, 1865 to
her first husband Theodore MaGee. They divorced, but to this union a daughter
Jennie Magee was born. She became the wife of Ernest Smith. Hulda is buried beside her in the Ernest
Smith lot at the Beaver Meadows Cemetery.
Jennie Smith’s stone reads, daughter of Theodore and Hulda Magee, August
13, 1868 - December 8, 1943. Hulda’s headstone has a wrong birth date on it
according to the death certificate which records she was born in 1842. Her
stone records February 03, 1847 - August 8, 1929. I do not know which is
correct.
Back
to the Fowler Hill cemetery listings
Middle
between row 3 and 4
Amasa
Fowler (but maybe Samuel Barker Fowler)
?29
That’s all I can read. He died December 29, 1836
Sarah
Fowler, wife of Samuel Fowler, (born about 1815)
Died
September 15, 1840
Aged
29 years 1 month 25 days
My
records indicate she was born Sarah Powell and became the wife of Samuel Fowler
who was the son of Samuel (Barker) Fowler and his wife Sylva. Samuel, known as
Barker Fowler is alleged to be buried here. He has no headstone that I can
locate unless this stone, which looks like Amasa Fowler is his. He died
December 29, 1836 at age 54. His wife Sylva remarried Jesse B Stephens. Samuel
and Sylva were the parents of at least seven children.
The
next is a small stone etched with LCB; I suspect this is the footstone for Lucy
Bennett, wife of Miles Bennett with the headstone located in the Beaver Meadows
Cemetery.
Row
4 left to right
Next are the children of John Frank and Matilda
Gibbs Bishop. Matilda was his first wife. After she passed John married Hulda
Arminda Parker who was the widow of James Simon Shaw. James died January 18,
1869 and is buried in the Quimby/Quinby Cemetery in Silvara, PA. John and
Matilda were the parents of Emma, Hosea and Ida. Matilda was the daughter of
Russell and Rachael Pierce Gibbs. She had siblings in the Beaver Meadows area.
John and Hulda were the parents of Nora, Hosea (a second son named Hosea) and
John.
Hosea
J.(Bishop)
Son
of John and Matilda (Gibbs) Bishop
Died
December 2, 1861
Ida
E (Bishop)
Daughter
of John and Matilda (Gibbs) Bishop
Died
February 14, 1859
Aged
1 year 9 months 12 days
Matilda
Gibbs Bishop is probably buried here somewhere without the benefit of a
headstone.
Then
an unmarked flagstone
Next
are three stones
1st
is Marinda Fowler (This could be the same entry as the second one, but
definitely two stones)
2nd
is Marinda Fowler died 1850 age 28 years?
3rd
Lucy C. Died 1858
I suspect this headstone is for Lucy C Bishop
Bennett; this must be the headstone to correspond with the footstone. She was
the sister of John Frank Bishop. They were the children of James and Sally
Bishop. You can see everyone is related to each other here too.
Next
are 2 smaller stones
Next
is a little larger stone. All are unmarked flagstone style
There
are 3 stones between row 4 and row 5.
The
Fowler parents should be here; if so this would be the perfect spot. Just
guessing though.
The
stones bear these initials, which could fit the Bishop parents James and Sally.
HSRB
(On a very hard to read headstone)
SAB
(On stone)
?
(On stone)
Row
5
Right
to left
The Hardy children lot is next: Their mother Margaret Clapper Hardy (August 03, 1817 - January 29, 1892), daughter of William and Catherine McKarg Clapper buried here is buried at Beaver Meadows; she lived right next door to the church and cemetery. She died January 29, 1892 aged 74 years 5 months 27 days. The headstone simply records “gone but not forgotten”. Her husband Philander F. Hardy (January 29, 1816 - July 01, 1885) died in Warren, Midland Michigan presumably visiting his children. They buried him there.
The Hardy Children’s headstones:
Phebe’s headstone is the white one in back.
Ida Patience is the broken one.
The stone we lifted out of the ground records Hardy, but that’s all we can read. It too is a small grave in regards to the placing of the footstone. It could well be the daughter Ida Orlette Hardy May 08, 1860 - March 10, 1862, age 1 year 10 months 2 days as recorded by the family.
Infant
Hardy
Died
July 1845
Aged
2 days
Family
records show they lost an infant July 7, 1845, she was 2 days old
Ida
Patience
Died
February 18, 1864, (the family records she died February 19, 1864)
Daughter
of P.F. and Margaret Hardy
Aged
20 years 6 months 15 days
It
is a large stone that is broken
The
family records show she was born August 04, 1843
My grandsons are holding the
stone of Patience Hardy
Philander
and Margaret were the parents of the following known children: Patience, the
infant, Cynthia later to be the wife of Adolphus Culver who died in the Civil
War, Phebe, Philander DeWitt, Charles, Ida Orlette, and a second daughter named
Ida Patience Hardy.
Charles
Bennett
Died
age 35 years 1 month 27 days
He
was the son of Ferris and Nancy Bennett
He
died October 13, 1861
The Bennett genealogy tells us Charles Bennett
developed Measles while running logs. A throat infection followed. He returned
home, possibly from Sullivan County, PA while working with his brother Samuel
Bennett in the logging industry at LaPorte. His mother Nancy tenderly cared for
him, but to no avail, he passed away October 13, 1861. He was married to Ann
Love. They were the parents of Emma Bennett who later married Dennis Depew and
a son Henry Bennett. He was born in
Pike Township; Bradford County, PA June 06, 1827. Reverend D.D. Gray records he
was buried October 16, 1864. His stone, shown below, is broken and hard to read.
This
is Charles Bennett, his wife Emma and daughter Emma. The photo is form the
Bennett Genealogy
Harriet
E. (Hoadley) Bennett
First
wife of D.D. (Davis Dimmock) Bennett
Died
age?
November
01, 1863, the stone is too deteriorated to read. This date comes from the
Bennett Genealogy. If I were to decipher I could read the November clearly but
I guessed at November 22,1862 when recording. Now you can see how badly
deteriorated it is. According to Rev D.D. Gray’s records she was buried
November 3, 1863, which does not jive with the death date. Possibly December 3
would be correct?
D.D.
Bennett is buried at Beaver Meadows with his third wife Harriet Hall. His
second wife Mary "Cornelia" Very is buried at Fairdale with her
family. She was first married to Robert Teel.
According
to Reverend D.D. Gray’s records, there should be another child named Charles
buried here.
He
records “A child of D.D. Bennett, Bixby meeting house funeral, August 18, 1862”
(buried at Fowler Hill), sermon Job 1:21.
His marker is probably one of those flagstones
Row
6
Left
side
There
is a small stone in great shape and a small footstone recording PM
Phillie
Son
of Edmund and Thankful Cottrell Marbaker
He
passed November 1, 1862 aged 1 year 5 months
Happy infant early blest
Rest
in peaceful sleep (evermore?)
2
more unmarked small stones follow; maybe they are for the two children of
Joseph and Susan Cottrell Marbaker
I think I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that
Joseph and Susan Cottrell Marbaker lost two children born 1849 – 1860, one son
and one daughter. Those children are probably buried at Fowler Hill. Joseph and
Thankful Cottrell Marbaker buried their son Phillie at Fowler Hill, therefore
why wouldn’t his brother bury his children alongside? The father’s were
brothers, the mothers were sisters, and just maybe these were their family
plots. There is plenty of space next to the Phillie Marbaker gravesite; there
are 2 other unmarked flagstones, which could represent those children. Edward
and Thankful Marbaker are buried in Beaver Meadows Cemetery along with Joseph
and Susan Marbaker. The time period the children of Joseph Marbaker likely died
would have been before burials began at Beaver Meadows in the mid 1860’s.
Fowler Hill Cemetery would have been the perfect place for internment of their
children.
The obituary of Susan Marbaker records these children.
Susan G Marbaker was born in Rhode Island November 30, 1816, and
died at her home on Fowler Hill January 3, 1901. Her maiden name was Cottrell.
She was a cousin of the late Reverend William H Olin of the Wyoming Conference,
a very prominent and much loved minister. While quite young she came to
Pennsylvania with her parents. She was united in marriage with Joseph Marbaker
August 20, 1843. For about 55 years they lived together, he dying about four
years ago the 25th of March. She was the mother of seven children,
three boys and four girls, two dying in infancy. About 50 years ago they
purchased the place where both of them died. It was then a dense wilderness.
Mr. Marbaker cleared up his farm, and for a half century lived to enjoy it. Not
long after their purchase at Fowler Hill, a union church was built at Beaver
Meadow, nearby. Mr. And Mrs. Marbaker were deeply interested in the building of
this church, and did much toward it.
Not far from that time, she and her husband were united with the
Wesleyan Methodist Church. Both of them remained faithful members of the same
church until called to the church above. The writer, for his first pastorate,
was appointed to the field, which included this point. Hence had had the
privilege of her acquaintance a number of years ago. She was a woman of true
religious life, quiet and unassuming, but kind and true, as a friend and a
follower of Jesus. She lived long and witnessed many changes during her stay
here. She leaves to friends a glorious legacy; not of money, but of Christian
character and life. May those who are left to mourn be comforted by the same
grace, which supported and kept her all the way of her earthly journey
G.O.B
Editor's Note: We assume this is George O. Beers
who served at the church from 1873-1875. You can learn more about the Marbaker family at the Marbaker Bible Page.
Row
7 left side
The
stones with willow trees on top belong to the Clapper family. They are the very
last stones on the left side.
Wm.
P. Clapper
Died
January 20, 1858
Aged
73 years 4 months 10 days
William
Clapper served in the War of 1812, however no flag is marking his grave any
more.
Next
in line is
Catharine
(McKarg) Note the spelling of her first name!
Wife
of Wm. P. Clapper
Died
October 3, 1858
Aged
68 years 1 month 18 days
Next
are 2 small-unmarked stones
A
little to the left of the Hardy children in row 7
Phebe
Ann
Daughter
of P.F. and Margaret Hardy
Died
May 25, 1865
Maybe
it reads 11 years 3 months 1 day?
I am
including just a very few of the records of Reverend D.D. Gray shared
with me by Marie VanDeMark. These have been hand copied a few times so there
could be errors, but the basics are good. These records can be found at the
Laceyville Oldest House and the Wyoming County Historical Society in
Tunkhannock, PA.
Funerals
held at the Beaver Meadows Meeting House (Church) conducted by Elder Rev. D.D.
Gray. He was a local Elder, and the
Pastor of the (Laceyville) Braintrim Baptist Church for 31 years. He was never the pastor at the Beaver
Meadows or Bixby (Which ever name that was in use at that time) Meeting House.
The records of the Freewill Baptist Church of Silvara mention meetings held at
Fowler Hill. They used the Bishop School house for religious services. I am
sure he was a traveling preacher.
Babcock
child of Perry (and Mary Culver), Beaver Meadows Meeting
House,
funeral November 7, 1863 buried where? Sermon 1Cor. 15:15, 5-2
Funeral
of Mr. Marbakers (Phillie Marbaker) child 2 November 1862, sermon John 14:3
burial Fowler Hill, Bixbys Meeting House
Charles
Bennett, Beaver Meadows Meeting House funeral October 16, 1864 (buried at Fowler Hill), sermon Ps. 39:4
Child
of D.D. Bennett, Bixby meeting house funeral, August 18, 1862 (buried at Fowler
Hill), sermon Job 1:21
Widow of
D.D. Bennett (Harriet Hoadley Bennett) funeral held November 3, 1863. (Should
read December 3) (Buried at Fowler Hill)
These
are a few more records of Rev. D.D. Grey associated with the area,
Stevensville,
5 Feb. 1861, funeral of Mr. Featherbay, Text Rev. 1:7
Tuscarora
Creek, 26 May 1865, funeral of Clark Warner, text 1 Cor.7: 29
Rush
--- Speech at the laying of the cornerstone to the meetinghouse. July 11, 1866