WESTBROOK HOUSE AND CEMETERY

Blooming Grove Turnpike, Lords Valley, Town of Blooming Grove, Pike Co., PA.

Directions: The Westbrook House and private family cemetery property are located on Blooming Grove Turnpike, a few mile west of the intersetion at Rte. 739. To get to the cemetery from Blooming Grove Turnpike, turn left onto the unpaved drive, just past the Westbrook House and follow the country lane for about 1500 feet, the cemetery is on the left.

In 1835, Solomon Westbrook, John Westbrook and William H. Nyce, purchased property in Blooming Grove where they operated a sawmill. The Westbrook House, was built in 1870 and is "probably the oldest house in Blooming Grove Township". The site is presently owned by the Blooming Grove Hunting and Fishing Club.

Approaching the Westbrook House from the east, on the Blooming Grove Turnpike. The cemetery is to the far left. The entrance to the cemetery is just beyond the Westbrook House, ahead. Rte. 402 is a little farther up the road.

The Westbrook House

Large view of above.

Looking south from gate.

Old iron gate Front of cemetery; faces west.

Front left of cemetery

BENNET John N., Son of Burnet & Margaret W. Bennet, Born Aug. 7, 1855, Died Oct. 29, 1879

BENNET In memory of Susan, [infant?] daughter of Burnet & Margaret W. Bennet, Born ?, died ?

DECKER, QUICK, RUNYON, SUMNEY. Plot of graves, mostly Decker children. Individual photos below.

View of DECKER Monument, for Charles A. Decker, Died May 20, 1892, Aged 16 Yrs., and James A Decker, Died June 6, 1884 [or 1], Aged 9 Yrs. To the right of this monument is the grave of Joseph C. SUMNEY, son of William and Emily Sumney. To the left of the monument are the graves and memorial stone of Hannah, Henry, and Jacob H., children of John M. and Caroline Decker. Far left rear is the stone of William M. QUICK, son of Edwin R. and Elizabeth Quick.

DECKER Close up of inscription on monument, above, for Charles A. Decker, Died May 20, 1892, Aged 16 Yrs., and James A Decker, Died June 6, 1884 [or 1], Aged 9 Yrs.

DECKER Decker Children, Hannah, Henry, Jacob H., "Children of Abraham and Maria Decker". (large monument, left), and their individual graves behind; Alice Decker, Jonas S., and footstone of Jacob. Far center rear, William Quick.

DECKER Children of Abraham and Maria Decker; Hannah 1854 - 1869; Henry 1859 - 1860; Jacob H., 1864 - 1874.

DECKER Alice E., daughter of John M. & Caroline Decker, died Aug. 26, 1872, AE 4 Mo's. & 6 d's.

DECKER Henry. Stone mostly illigible. Date of death ?Dec 23rd 1860 [year based on memorial stone's inscription].

DECKER Jacob D., Son of John M. and Caroline Decker, died Sept. 8, 1862, AE 4 mos. & 15 d's.

DECKER Jonas S., Son of John M. and Caroline Decker, died Oct. 7. 1874. [AE} 10 mo's. & 26 d's. Almost all graves have footstone markers.

DOREMUS Sarah C. Doremus, Wife of John Young, Born March 2, 1821, Died Nov. 14, 1905. This stone to the right of John Young, below.

[NYCE] Margaret Nyce, wife of William Nyce. Dates illegible. See closeup.

NYCE William H. Nyce, Died [?August 2, 1865?]. This stone to the right of Margaret Nyce, above. On March 7, 1851, in the first election, William H. Nyce was elected the first Judge of Elections of the Town of Blooming Grove.

QUICK William M., Son of Edwin R. & Elizabeth Quick, died Sept. 19, 1861, AE 1 Year, 1 Mo. & 12 d's. In the first election on March 7, 1851, Edwin R. Quick was elected "Overseer of the Poor", along with Cornelius Steel.

[RUNYON] Lucinda M., wife of Vincent Runyon, died March 6, 1872?, AE ?36yr's., ?4 M's., & ? d's. See closeup. Number of months is not "1" because "M's" is plural.

RUNYON Footstone marker for Lucinda M. Runyon [presumed]. This was out of place, leaning against the wall, behind and to the right of Lucinda's grave.

SUMNEY Joseph C., Son of William & Emily Sumney, Born Nov. 16, 1861. Died Aug. 9, 1872, [AE] 10 Y'rs, 8 Mo. & 22 Days.

UNKNOWN William.

UNKNOWNS I thought I had found all of the graves, but looking to my left, I spotted more stones in the brambles. The arrow to the left points to one grave, and the arrow to the right points to two large stones leaning against a small tree. And there were still more. A little further back to the left of the main Decker plot I found more inaccessible graves. The blur you see in the bottom left is my notebook.

Facing west from inside the cemetery. Fred L. Westbrook's stone is just inside the iron gate.

WESTBROOK Fred L. Westbrook, 1866 - 1946; S. Carrie Westbrook, 1858 - 1909.

WESTBROOK - JONES Moses C. Westbrook, Feb. 4, 1827 - June 23, 1902. His Wife, Emily Jones, Aug. 22, 1827 - April 30, 1909. On March 7, 1851, Moses C. Westbrook was elected to serve three years as Township Auditor.

WESTBROOK Solomon Westbrook, Died Oct. 30, 1852, aged 59 y'rs. 6 mos. & 25 d's.

[WESTBROOK] Hannah, Wife of Solomon Westbrook, Born Nov. 25, 1790, Died Oct. 1, 1878. Stone to the right of Solomon, above.

WESTBROOK - WALL William B. Westbrook, 1856 - 1944; Ella M. Wall, His Wife, 1858 - 1926.

YOUNG Charles T., 1853 - 1926, Father; Martha S., 1859 - 1940, Mother.

YOUNG Susan E., Dau. of Charles & Martha S. Young, Born Oct. 24, 1882; Died Jan 7, 1885. "He gathers the lambs to his ___".

Two small white markers "S.D.Y.", and "P.Y.". See left of Prudence Young grave photo.

YOUNG In Memory of Prudence Young, Born Feb. 22 1783, Died Aug 29, 1864. See closeup.

YOUNG Gravesites of John Young and his wife, Sarah Doremus. Footstones in front of their graves asy "Father" and "Mother"; their children are behind them. Broken stone to right is Margaret NYCE, see below.

YOUNG John Young, Born Sept. 24, 1817, Died Feb. 28, 1898. "Sleep on dear father and take thy rest". Grave of Susan D. Young in rear left. On March 7, 1851, John Young was elected first Supervisor of the Town of Blooming Grove.

Behind Cemetery - The land and pond behind cemetery. Camera facing N.E. The Westbrook House is to the left of the pond.

YOUNG In Memory of Susan D., daughter of John & Sarah C. Young. Born May 20, 1848; Died Oct. 26, 1860. See closeup of dates.

Across from the cemetery, facing west.

Southwest of cemetery, there is another pond beyond the center trees.

The Road out. The trees that have the white signs on them, up ahead, are across the street, on the Blooming Grove Turnpike. Route 402 is to the left, probably less than a mile. The Westbrook House, is on the right, on the Blooming Grove Turnpike. We've had a very dry summer and fall, otherwise, I wouldn't enter this road without a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

Back view of Westbrook House. Leaving the cemetery's entrance.

Back of barn/old mill building. Leaving the drive to the cemetery, heading east, the Westbook House porch on far right, with barn/mill building in foreground.

The End Never give you husband the camera! I was gathering a milkweed pod. Forrest, being from San Diego, said he'd never seen one - do you believe him?

History sources:
(1) Blooming Grove Township, 1995 Community Information Guide, Community Map Co., Pottstown, PA. (2) Blooming Grove Township, "Celebrating 150 Years", by Gail B. Masker, Township Historian.
Both available at: Blooming Grove Twonship
HC8, Box 8501, Rte. 739
Blooming Grove, PA 18428
Phone: 570-775-6461

Thanks to Rootsweb for this free space. JF

�Joan Sholl Francis, 1999 - 2001. Email: [email protected]