Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-12-04
WOODWARD HILL CEMETERY.

where heaves the turt in many a Wondering
zach ,n hi marrow cell forever laid
The rude ioEeiAthers OF The hamlet sleSp"
"what il he that builds stronger than
either the mason, the shipwrisht, or the car
peuter 90 IL the quest on asked by ono OF the |
grave diggers in the church yard scene In the |
tragedy of q" Hamlet"
1.-THE gallows-maker," answers grave |
digger No. 2 I" for that frame outlives y
thousand tenants" whereupon grave dig. |
ger No replies
al like thy wit well, In good faith, the gal |
lows does well hut how does 1t well II
does we'll TO those that do i'll now thou dost
Ill to say the gsllows is built stronger than
the church srgsl the gsllows may do well
TO thee. Tot again come" Grave digger
No. thereupon rubs his siuggieh pate and
repeats the question Who builds stronger
than mason, a carpenter, or a shpwrightf'
lst grave digger" Aye tell me that, aud
unyoke"
pa grave digger" Mass, cannot tell
lst grave digger" Cudgel thy brain no
more about it, for your dull ass will not
mend his pace by beating and when you
are asked the question again, say the grave
maker the houses he builds last till dooms-
day."
This witty dialogue from 4" Hamlet came
iorcibly TO my mind one morning week OF
two ago as l found myself tresding the Sc
cluded walks OF Woodward Hin cemetery.
There have been quite snumber ofthese new
houses" made in this cemetery lately,
aud being in a meditstive mood began
musing after this manner /" Does he whose
business 1t is 10 break and fashion the ground
for the last resting places OF the human fam.
ily ever be,hink himself that while those
hand some aud massive structures erected by
the skill and labor OF the mason and carpen.
ter are tenanted for a comparatively snort
span of time at the most, the occupants OF his
houses will remain in their narrow cells
till time gives place 10 eternity The CITY OF
the living has its entrances and Its exits
through which Its population come and <"
The city OF the dead has no egress for It's IN
| hsbitants No alien who takes up his abode
within its silent portals can ever return 70
| his native cline
| A BEAUTIFUL SPOT.
Woodward Hill cemetery at all times IS an
euchsntingly lovely place. When arrayed
| in its spring and summer hablliments Il sp-
| pears 90 fair as garden OF the Lord "A very
paradise of loveliness, The acme Of its
beauty is reached, however when 1t Is
| clothed in its sutumnal dress Of yellow and
| CrimsOn-when, ss LongleAOW 80 eAIul
| sitely expresses it
There is a beautiful spirit breathing forth
| Its mellow richness on the clustered trees,
| And from 4 beaker full Of richest dyes
| Pouring new glory on ths autumn woods
| And dipping iu warm light The ptlArUd clouds.
But at this time of the year, when the bright
glory OF autumn is waning into the somber
| desolation of winter, there is a pensive spleu.
dor about Woodward Hill that 0estows pc.
culiarly delicious charm upon the place
| and could not have chosen a better day iOT
| visit to this fair metropolis than that bright,
| fresh day in the wane OF autumn. As | stood
\ Af k7n -
| inmates with the southeastern boundary OF
the cemetery, gazing in admiration al The
beautiful panorama spread out before my
| eyes, l fully appreciated the wisdom, judg
| ment and good taste that were exercised by
the founders Of Wood ward Hill cemetery IN
choosing this site Tor a metropolis. It's Sc
| questered and romantic surroundings IL
command OF imposing and piciuresql,
scenery, with the Conestogs winding II
| snake-like curves along its baSe-lUst 10 th'
view in either direction .amid wooded hill.
combine 10 give Woodward Hill cemetery
such characteristic charms ss few other,
any, cemeteries in this section Of the cJunr!
| can surpass.
I Before our larger cemeteries we're Is
tablished, the good people of Lsncas
ter buried their dead in small, old-tssh
ioned church yards, each church or denOmi
nation having its own particular Duria
ground. The EpiscoPalian church yard
back of St James church, is probably thu
only one of these old graveysrds that hai
been used lately. The Methodist graveyard
| upied site on the corner OF Walnut anC
Christian streets The ground on which tn,
Baptist church now stands on East Cntstu u
street WAS used formerly by the MeDnOnitet
for burial purposes, ana a tract OF lanG wheri
the prison now Is was used by the Betheite
for the same purpose. The PotteTs neld
where paupers and criminals were buried
| occupied a site on North Duke street wher
3 the handsome private residences Of Mr.. Ed
ward Eberman, Mr. Baer and Mr.. Lsmal
;. | now stand. The old Lutheran, Presbyterian
= | and Moravisn graveyards are still in eX
ence, though no longer used as places O
9 | sepulchre. After the Lancaster and Wood
/ | ward HUI cemeteries were laid out int
burial lots The remains on these old aud nov
3 | extinct church yards were dsinterred an
| buried in either one or the other Of the large
| cemeteries. the Catholics and Jews are tn
only denominations that still kesp up the oil
&. custom OF burying their dead in -parste de
nominsuonsl cemeteries. Tne Catholic
have several cemeteries in various parts c
the city, OF which | snail speak at a later date
The Jewish cemetery, on the old Pleasur
road, between the Lititz and New HOllsn
pixies, il one OF the oldest Jewish buTyin
grounds IN the country.
, HISTORY or THE MOVEMENT.
1t WAS on the 81 OF October, lslD, that
, movement inaugurated in the vestry OF tn
Trinity Lutheran church, gave birth, so t
} speak, TO the laying out OF Woodward Hi
| cemetery. ABOUT uOntn Idter commute
! | was appointed TO select site tor the propose
cemetery. This committee, acting in accord
. | ance with instructions given them, subst
: | quently purchased OF En-. G. Reigart a lot {
| ground for their purpose, containing twelv
| acres and one quarter and thirty perche'
| On Noven Der 1, 1850, the following nine pei
| sons were elected a. trustees OF the Cemt
| terry Adam Keller, Dr. +. 4. Mullen berg
| John Ehler, John Hamilton, John +. Long
| Frederick Sehner, Judge Lewis aud Henr
Reed. At a meeting OF the yestry, held jar
uary %, 1851, q. Hsger, acting in accOrdanc
| with desire OF the citizens OF Lancaster ths
the cemetery be made public, made motto
"that committee be appointed to transfe
the cemetery 10 the stock holders lhrOug
their trustees upon certain conditions to u
hereafter approved by this vestry" Where
upon a committee OF three members OF tn
veslry was appointed, namely, &. Hsgel
George Musser and +. w. Bates, 10 COnfe
with the cemetery committee for the purpOs
| OF carrying the above into effect on the me
| ton OF DR.. r. A. MuhlenDerg it was resol We
that the committee have discretionary poHe
| either to take mortgage on the lawn and rt
| ceiye the interest Tor The first two or thre
years in lots, or If willing, To purchase an
pay the cash TO receive II. On the Il OF FeI
ruary, ls52, the cemetery committee reports
that they had executed a deed OF cOnvsyauC
to ;he proper persons, and secured paymen
for the same by bond and mortgage. tn
committee was directed to buy fifty Ceneter
lots for the use OF the congI egatiOn, and ais
to settle and close up the whole business {
the best OF their judgment and ability.
TINS way the cemetery, which was original
undertaken by the Trinity Lutheran ChuTcI
| passed into the hands OF an indeDenden