Copyright 24 September 2005, Esther Doyle Read
New 24 September 2005
READ FAMILY CONNECTIONS
ESPYVILLE CEMETERY
Espyville Cemetery is located in Espyville, Crawford County, Pennsylvania on the grounds of the United Methodist Church. This is not a complete transcription of the cemetery. It is instead a selection of the stones within the cemetery, which were collected 9 July 2005 by Esther Doyle Read. There are 12 stones included in the transcription, representing 19 individuals. Most of the transcriptions include photographs of the grave stones. Click on the thumbnails to access the photos, then use the icon that appears in the lower right-hand corner of the photo to enlarge the image. All photos associated with this page were taken by Esther Doyle Read on 9 July 2005.
Whenever possible relational data is given for individuals listed below. This data is taken from the main pages of "Read Family Connections" and is the result of many years of reserch into each of the families. Check the surname index for a listing of individuals covered in greater detail in these pages.
The above photograph is an overview of the current Espyville United Methodist Church. This is the third church on the site. The first church (somewhat modified) is on the property and is currently used as the church's chapel. It may be seen in the photograph to the left. The cemetery is just to the rear of the church and the chapel. Small portions of it are visible in both photographs. Click on the photographs and their icons to enlarge the image.
The Espyville Methodist church and cemetery are still in use. The following paragraph about Espyville Methodist Church is from Wallace Guy Smeltzer (Editor),
Methodism in Western Pennsylvania, (Little Valley, N.Y., 1969, page 769).
Cook, Aaron H., 1814 - 1850; Elizabeth, his wife, 1821 - 1905; George Cook 1844 - 1849.Cook, Elizabeth, see Aaron H. Cook. Cook, George, see Aaron H. Cook. Coursen, Aaron R., see Coursen Family. Coursen, Elsey Kerr, see Coursen Family.
Coursen, Family plot. This includes 8 stones in a single line as follows (from left to right): "W. H. Coursen," "Elsy Coursen," "Mother," "Aaron R. Coursen" (includes his two wives and one of his sons), "Father," "Mother," "Jacob Coursen." The stones labeled father and mother (both of them) are associated with the graves of Aaron R. Coursen, Sarah Coursen and Dorinda Coursen. See below for details concerning the individual stones.
Coursen, Aaron R., Oct. 22, 1833 - Dec. 5, 1895; Sarah, Wife, Jan 10, 1836 - Oct 21, 1864; Dorinda, wife, Aug. 3, 1829 - Jan. 6, 1895; William M., Mar. 11, 1857 - Jan. 18, 1917.
Courson, Elsy, wife of Daniel Coursen, Died Feb. 12, 1856, aged 7(1) yrs, __mos & 13ds. Elsy was born Elsy Kerr in Sussex County, New Jersey. She was the daughter of William Hampton Kerr and Mary "Polly" Gobel. When Elsy married Daniel Coursen in 1802, she was marrying her step-brother. After her father died, her mother, Mary "Polly" Gobel Kerr married Isaac Coursen (in 1799). He was a widower with several children—one of whom was Daniel Coursen. Daniel Coursen, died in New Jersey. Elsy migrated to Crawford County, Pennsylvania with her two sons, William Hampton Coursen and Jacob Coursen between 1833 and 1840. She resided with her son William (whose wife Sarah Ann Read had died in New Jersey in 1833) and kept house for him and his son Aaron Reed Coursen until her death in 1856. Elsy is buried with both her sons, her grandson Aaron Reed Coursen (and his two wives) and her great-grandson William M. Coursen (who was born 13 months after her death).
Courson, Jacob, born Aug. 6, 1802, died June 17, 187(2?). Jacob Coursen was the son of Daniel Coursen and Elsy Kerr. He was born in Sussex (now Warren) County, New Jersey. Between 1833 and 1840, Jacob migrated to Crawford County, Pennsylvania with his wife Mariah Bowman, his widowed mother Elsy Kerr Coursen, and his widower brother William Hampton Coursen. Jacob's farm appears adjacent to his brother's farm on most censii for the period 1840-1860. Although he had a rather large family, there are no stones for his wife or any of his children in the Coursen family plot. Jacob sold his farm to his nephew Aaron Reed Coursen in 1868, so it is very possible that his family left the area. Jacob is buried with his mother, his brother, his nephew Aaron, Aaron's two wives, and Aaron's son William M. Coursen.
Courson, W.H., died Feb. 1, 1884, age 82 yrs. William Hampton Coursen was the son of Daniel Coursen and Elsy Kerr. He was born 16 May 1802 in Sussex (now Warren) County, New Jersey. William married Sarah Ann Read the daughter of Aaron Read and Margaret Fortune or Fortner on on 16 November 1832 in Warren County, New Jersey. Sarah Ann was born 3 February 1810 in Knowlton Township Sussex (now Warren) County, New Jersey and died 31 October 1833 in Warren County, nine days after the birth of her only child, Aaron Reed Coursen. William never remarried. Between 1833 and 1840, he migrated to Crawford County, Pennsylvania with his son Aaron, his widowed mother Elsy Kerr Coursen and his brother Jacob L. Coursen and his family. William's farm appears adjacent to his brother's farm on most censii for the period 1840-1860. His mother Elsy lived with him until her death in 1856. William then resided with his son Aaron and his family until he (William) died in 1884. William is buried with his mother, his brother, his son Aaron, Aaron's two wives, and Aaron's son William M. Coursen.
Courson, Lizzie O., 1859 - 1935; Meltha V. Coursen, 1868 - 19[date not cut] Elizabeth Ophelia Coursen (known as Lizzie) and Meltha Valnette Coursen were half sisters and first cousins! Lizzie was the daughter of Aaron Reed Coursen and his first wife Sarah Fonner. Meltha was the daughter of Aaron and his second wife, Dorinda Fonner (who was Sarah Fonner's older sister). The sisters were born and raised on their father's farm in South Shenago Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania. They received the home farm at his death in 1895 and resided there through the early part of the twentieth century. By 1920 they had moved across the border to Bloomfield Township in Trumball County, Ohio. Lizzie died there in 1935. Meltha is supposed to have died in 1945. The sisters are buried in a different part of the cemetery than the rest of the Coursens in this listing (the other coursens are all buried together).
Coursen, Jacob, see Coursen Family.
Coursen, Meltha V., see Lizzie O. Coursen.
Coursen, W.H., a.k.a. William Hampton Coursen, see Coursen Family.
Coursen, William M., see Coursen Family.
Fonner, Dorinda, see Coursen Family. Maiden name is not given on the stone.
Fonner, Jacob, Born Nov 4, 1818, Died Feb 18, 1902; Margery, his wife, Born Dec 25, 1816, Died Nov. 30, 1868. Jacob Fonner was born in Sussex County, New Jersey, the son of James Fonner and Altia (or Auly) Newell. His wife was Margery Bennett, a daughter of Anthony Bennett and Nancy Espy. She was born in North Shenago Township in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Jacob migrated to Crawford County with his parents in the late 1820s or early 1830s. He and Margery had several children. Two of their daughters, Sarah and Dorinda, were married to Aaron Reed Coursen as his first and second wives respectively.
Fonner, Sarah, see Coursen Family. Maiden name is not given on the stone.
Kerr, Elsey, see Coursen Family. Maiden name is not given on the stone.
Wolverton, Charlie C., see Nathan W. Wolverton.
Wolverton, Hiram E., see Nathan W. Wolverton.
Wolverton, Jennie Baird., see Nathan W. Wolverton.
Wolverton, Melissa E., see Nathan W. Wolverton.
Wolverton, Nathan W., Born ______ 1824, Died ______ 1895 (side one); Charlie C. Wolverton, Born Mar. (28?) 1865, Died Jan. 8, 1882; Jennie Baird Wolverton, Born Sept. 24 1866, Died Sept 12 1867 (or 1887) (side two); Hiram E. Woolverton, Dec. 21, 1862 - Dec 17, 1908 (side three); Melissa E. Wolverton, Born May 6, 1829, Died Dec (3?) 1886 (side four).
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This web site was produced
by Timothy Doyle 5/5/98,
Questions regarding content should be directed to Esther Doyle Read