Location of Strickler’s Cemetery in Springettsbury Township
In the files of the York County Heritage Trust are gravestone inscriptions, collected in the 1930s, from every cemetery and burial ground in York County. On November 3, 1939, Mrs. C. A. Stein, A. E. Starner and A. J. Byrnes recorded the inscriptions on the seven gravestones, still readable, within the private burial grounds, known as Strickler’s Cemetery. They recorded the location of this cemetery as: “on Mahlon Haines Farm, bordering on Keesey Farm, in Springettsbury Township.”
Evidence suggests Strickler’s Cemetery was located in an area that is now within Haines Acres somewhere along the south side of the short cul-de-sac street named ‘Hunting Park Court;’ as shown on the above side-by-side aerial photos. The post 1860 Buildings 31-35 in South Region of Springettsbury Township identified the location of the Ulrich Strickler farmhouse, using the identification ‘s32’; utilizing Shearer’s 1860 Map of York County, a 1938 Penn Pilot historic aerial photo and the 1860 United Stated Census.
The Ulrich Strickler farm passed through the hands of Rudolph Forry before Vincent K. Keesey acquired it in 1898. Deed searches have confirmed that Vincent K. Keesey owned several properties in the area; however this farm was the only property that would eventually be adjacent to the farm Mahlon Haines purchased in 1917, along ultimately named Haines Road. Here is an annotated aerial photo that shows a wider view of the surroundings of ‘Enlarged View B,’ at the beginning of this post.
Since the gravestone inscriptions were recorded in the very late 1930s, this cemetery was discovered late in the process; likely because it was hidden in overgrowth. Possibly discovered by someone walking on the Haines farm along the tree-fence-row separating the adjacent Keesey farm. Seeing the gravestones, the Historic Society of York County was contacted and the inscriptions were written down on November 3, 1939.
With the aerial photo showing wide tree or brush growth on the Keesey side of the fence-row behind the farm buildings, it was likely easier to access the gravestones from the open field on the Haines farm and hence the description: “on Mahlon Haines Farm, bordering on Keesey Farm.” Most private burial grounds are located a short distance behind the farm buildings, in an area susceptible to overgrowth in later generations; as indicated by the aerial photo taken during 1938.
No evidence of the Strickler Cemetery remains, however continue reading for the details recorded from the seven gravestones.
The inscriptions from the seven gravestones, still readable in 1939, within the private burial grounds, known as Strickler’s Cemetery in Springettsbury Township are recorder in the Cemeteries of York County, PA: A Survey by the Historical Society of York County, Volume XI, Page 198:
- Ulrich Strickler (born Dec. 19, 1791, died Dec. 20, 1861; 70-0-1)
- Anna Maria Strickler, wife of Ulrich (born Sep. 5, 1799, died Dec. 12, 1854; 55-3-7)
- John Strickler (born Apr. 18, 1817, died Aug. 18, 1876; 59-4-0)
- Susanna Strickler, wife of John (born Apr. 7, 1817, died 1847; 30-10-12)
- Ulrich Forry, son of Rudolph and A. (died Aug. 16, 1863; 0-1-16)
- Elizabeth S. Tyson, wife of Henry F. (died Feb. 12, 1862; 17-10-21)
- Amanda S. Tyson, daughter of Isaac and Mary (died Jan. 31, 1862; 11-9-15)
John Strickler was a son of Ulrich and Anna Maria Strickler. Susanna Strickler is the first wife of John Strickler; she also went by Lucinda and her maiden name is Tyson. John Strickler’s second wife was Lydia May Knaub.
Ulrich Forry died as the infant son of Rudolph and Angeline Forry. Rudolph Forry is the Executor of the Ulrich Strickler Estate and eventually acquired the homestead property.
Elizabeth S. Tyson and Amanda S. Tyson were likely buried in Strickler’s Cemetery because Henry and Isaac Tyson may be brothers of Susanna (Tyson) Strickler. I believe this is the Henry F. Tyson that is the son of Benjamin and Christanna (Flinchbaugh) Tyson, however I have not been able to uncover names of Henry’s siblings.
Related posts include:
- 1860 Buildings 31-35 in South Region of Springettsbury Township
- The Missing Gravestones of Springettsbury Township; Erb Burial Plot
- Mysteries of Springettsbury Township’s Erb Burial Plot
- Why a Graveyard is along Eastern Boulevard at Stone Ridge Road
