Chester Rural Cemetery
Encyclopedia
Chester Rural Cemetery, located in Delaware County, Pennsylvania
near the city of Chester
, was founded in March 1863. Civil War soldiers, both Union and Confederate, who died at the government hospital across the street, were some of the first burials. Many of the soldier's graves were moved to Philadelphia National Cemetery
in Philadelphia in 1891.
The cemetery is landscaped and had a large lake, which was drained in the 1950s. It covers 36 acres and contains the graves of 31,000 individuals. Two monuments in the cemetery have been documented by the the Smithsonian Institution Research Information System: "Sorrow" by Samuel Murray
, and the Civil War Memorial, by Martin Milmore
.
Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 558,979, making it Pennsylvania's fifth most populous county, behind Philadelphia, Allegheny, Montgomery, and Bucks counties....
near the city of Chester
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
, was founded in March 1863. Civil War soldiers, both Union and Confederate, who died at the government hospital across the street, were some of the first burials. Many of the soldier's graves were moved to Philadelphia National Cemetery
Philadelphia National Cemetery
The Philadelphia National Cemetery is a cemetery in Pennsylvania north of Germantown managed by the from offices at the Washington Crossing National Cemetery...
in Philadelphia in 1891.
The cemetery is landscaped and had a large lake, which was drained in the 1950s. It covers 36 acres and contains the graves of 31,000 individuals. Two monuments in the cemetery have been documented by the the Smithsonian Institution Research Information System: "Sorrow" by Samuel Murray
Samuel Murray
Samuel Aloysius Murray was an American sculptor, and protégé of the painter Thomas Eakins.-Murray and Eakins:...
, and the Civil War Memorial, by Martin Milmore
Martin Milmore
Martin Milmore was a noted American sculptor.Milmore immigrated to Boston from Sligo, Ireland at age seven, graduated from Boston Latin School in 1860, took art lessons at the Lowell Institute, and learned to carve in wood and stone from his older brother Joseph...
.
Notable burials
- The unidentified victims of the 1917 Eddystone Ammunition Company disaster
- Edward DarlingtonEdward DarlingtonEdward Darlington was an Anti-Masonic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Edward Darlington was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania. He moved in early youth with his parents to Delaware County, Pennsylvania. He taught school from 1817 to 1820...
(1795-1884) - US congressman - Samuel EdwardsSamuel EdwardsSamuel "Faith" Edwards was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.Samuel Edwards was born in Chester Township, Pennsylvania. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1806 and commenced practice in Chester...
(1785-1850) - US congressman - James William Reese (1920-1943) - Congressional Medal of Honor recipient
- William Cameron SproulWilliam Cameron SproulWilliam Cameron Sproul was the 27th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1919 to 1923. He was born near Octoraro and Andrew's Bridge, Colerain Township, Lancaster County. He was born in a structure currently known as the John Douglass HouseHe served as a member of Pennsylvania State Senate from 1897 to...
(1870-1928) - Pennsylvania governor - William WardWilliam Ward (Pennsylvania)William Ward was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.William Ward was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended Girard College in Philadelphia. He learned the art of printing in the office of the Delaware County Republican in Chester, Pennsylvania...
(1837-1895) - US congressman