O'Connor Cemetery, Somerset County, Pennsylvania

O'Connor Cemetery

5937 Somerset Pike / Route 984, Forwardstown, Somerset County, PA

DIRECTIONS:

PA turnpike to exit 110, take 601 North to intersection with 985 North and continue on 985 north.

Route 985 North - Just passed Forwardstown business center, the entrance marker is on the left about 15 to 20 feet back from the road. If you pass a long white fence on your left, you've miised the entrance.

Route 985 South - Just passed a white picket fence on the right, entrance marker is on the right about 15 to 20 feet back from the road.

HISTORY:

Francis O'Connor immigrated from County Kildare, Ireland in 1812.

He was the prominent road construction contractor for the Harrisburg and Pittsburgh Pike otherwise known as route 30 and resided in the valley located here until his death in 1847. After the cemetery was established with the burial of Francis, three unidentified victims of the Great Flood of 1889 were buried in the cemetery. The three markers located near the right hand middle gate indicate their graves. Francis's grandson, Hon. Judge Francis Joseph O'Connor, son of James O'Connor and Elizabeth Croyle, supervised prisoners from Somerset and Cambria County while they constructed the cemetery walls during 1902. From the time of the cemetery's establishment it has been reserved for the burial of the O'Connor's and their relatives.

 

LAST NAME MAIDEN NAME FIRST NAME INITIAL BIRTH DECEASED RELATIONSHIP TO FRANCIS O'CONNOR INSCRIPTIONS COMMENTS
                 
App John Weber 1896 1955 First husband of great-granddaughter Lucille O'Connor Husband of Lucille O'Connor.  A new stone has been added since the 1999 report. 
Berkebile Riffle Laura L. 1867 1911 unknown
Chynoweth, Jr. James  Richard Feb. 2, 1924 Dec. 21,1955 Husband of great-great-granddaughter Elizabeth Patricia O'Connor
Chynoweth O'Connor Patricia E. July 11,1927 N/A Great-great-granddaughter
Cole McNulty Roseanna 1799 1873 Sister-in-law
Grasser Anna C. May 17, 1892 August, 31,1911 In-Laws 
Grasser Charles E. Sept. 4, 1892 Sept. 19, 1949 In-Laws 
Grasser Edward L. Feb. 6, 1912 Jan. 25, 1989 In-Laws 
Grasser Ellen Oct. 18, 1872 Jan. 21, 1952 In-Laws  Mother, wife of John N.
Grasser Fred J. June 14, 1860 July 5, 1901
 In-Laws  Father
Grasser Frederick H. 1917 1925 In-Laws  Son
Grasser H. L. July 18, 1914 March 28, 1915
 In-Laws 
Grasser John C. Nov. 17, 1817 June 8, 1889 In-Laws  Aged 71 yr 6 mo 21 dys
Grasser John H. Feb. 18, 1891 In-Laws  Aged 30 dys
Grasser John N. Nov. 14, 1866 Jan. 26, 1917 In-Laws  Father
Grasser Regina  M. May 14, 1917 In-Laws  Daughter of JN & E. Grasser.
Hoops Elizabeth J. March 4, 1906 Jan. 11. 1990 unknown Mother
Huber, Jr. Bernard 1910 1976 Husband of great-granddaughter Elizabeth O'Connor. Husband "Larry"
Huber O'Connor Elizabeth 1911 1973 Great-granddaughter Wife "Toots"
Knuff Adams Mary June 5, 1857 May 4,1928 Wife of grandson Joseph Knuff.
Knuff Joseph August 15, 1855 May 18, 1926 Grandson
McCoy O'Connor Lucille Dec. 11, 1907 August 9, 1982 Great-granddaughter
O'Connor Klein Alice Nov. 3, 1906 Dec. 24, 1978 Wife of great-grandson Hon. Francis J. O'Connor.
Waterloo, NE Mt. Lebanon, PA
O'Connor Kelly Alice  K. 1873 1928 Wife of grandson Peter Jerome O'Connor. Mother
O'Connor Edgar  C. August 19, 1921 Feb. 14, 1961 Great-great-grandson SSgt. 302 ORD BN  WW11
O'Connor Croyle Elizabeth 1833 1918 Daughter-in-law Mother, beloved wife of James O'Connor.
O'Connor Frederick K. 1938 1938 Great-great-grandson
O'Connor Francis 1847 SELF
O'Connor Francis J. July 15, 1902
 June 8, 1957
 Great-grandson Judge, Allegheny County.          Nec Timeo, Nec Sperno This is the O'Connor family motto: " I do not fear nor do I complain about the life God gave me".
O'Connor Francis  J. May 21, 1918
 October 21, 2003
 Great-great-grandson.
O'Connor, Jr. Francis  J. May 29, 1941
 August 19, 1994
 Great-great-great-grandson
O'Connor Frank L. 1882 1963 Great-grandson
O'Connor unknown Helen S. August 14, 1922
 Jan. 20, 1989 Wife of Edgar C. O'Connor
O'Connor Croyle Hester 1822 1903 Daughter-in-law Hester his wife.
O'Connor J.  Paul 1892 1955 Great-grandson
O'Connor James Nov. 15, 1820 Oct. 5, 1896 Son
O'Connor James Philip 1904 1938 Great-grandson
O'Connor John 1819 1886 Son
O'Connor John S. 1889 1937 Great-grandson
O'Connor John R. 1850 1926 Grandson Father
O'Connor Keller Laura 1862 1922 Granddaughter Sister
O'Connor Grasser Magdalena 1858 1944 Wife of grandson John R. O'Connor Mother
O'Connor Cole Margaret 1826 1889 Daughter-in-law Grandmother
O'Connor McNulty Margaret J. 1801 1882 Wife
O'Connor N/A Mary Alice Feb. 8, 1942 N/A Great-great-granddaughter "Only child of Francis J. and Alice (Klein) O'Connor".
O'Connor unknown Mary K. 1921 N/A Wife of great-great-grandson Hon. Francis J. O'Connor
O'Connor Rininger Maude R. 1898 1972 Wife of great-grandson J. Paul O'Connor Mother
O'Connor Paul L. 1924 2002 Great-great-grandson Son of J. Paul & Maude O'Connor
O'Connor Peter Jerome 1863 1942 Great-grandson Father
O'Connor Rebecca Granddaughter 1859  to Nov. 1901.
O'Connor Richard 1826 1893 Son Grandfather, veteran Civil War
O'Connor Richard C 1878 1903 Great-grandson Son
O'Connor Hyndnan Susanna 1862 1934 Wife of grandson Mother
O'Connor William J. Nov. 29, 1881 Jan. 18, 1958 Great-grandson Son
Paxton Larry (A.) 1951 2004 unknown
Riffle Samuel 1834 1922 unknown
Riffle Eliza 1840 unknown
Saylor Ruckner Dorothy A. Dec. 2, 1942 Nov. 17, 1994 unknown
Saylor Earl F. March 27, 1900
 Feb. 16, 1976 UNKNOWN Father
Saylor Eva J. Dec. 22, 1909 May 27, 1947
 UNKNOWN Mother
Saylor Floretta Jean August 5, 1933 August 23, 1989
 unknown
Saylor John A. 1938 1938 unknown
Saylor, Sr. Raymond J. Feb. 23 1942 UNKNOWN Married 1963 Other than the marriage date, this the only other date on the stone marker.
Saylor Rose 1942 1998 unknown Maiden name is now known as BERTOLINI, May 7, 1942 to Nov. 4, 1998
Unmarked Robert J. Feb. 26, 1926 March 1,1926 Great-great-grandson
WILLIE O'Connor Estella C 1879 1926 Great-granddaughter Mother
                 
The following claim to be buried in the cemetery but no "proof" exists. 
No markers nor family stories assist them in their claim.
O'Connor O'Connor Sarah C. July 03, 1919 July 06, 1919 Granddaughter Her obituary, July 5, 1919, Johnstown Daily Tribune, page 4, said she was buried here.
Croyle Henry 1788 1849 unknown According to Wallace Croyle's "My Search for the Truth" both Henry and Eve were buried here.
Croyle Berkybile Eve 1858 unknown
                 
MEMORIAL BENCH in memory of JOHN R. O'CONNOR 1850 - 1926 and MAGDELENA GRASSER O'CONNOR 1858 - 1944.
Donated by the Mc Sherry family.
Children Listed on the Bench are:
LAST NAME MAIDEN NAME FIRST NAME INITIAL BIRTH DECEASED RELATIONSHIP TO FRANCIS O'CONNOR INSCRIPTIONS COMMENTS
O'Connor  Richard 1878 1903 Great-grandson
O'Connor  Joseph 1897 1931 Great-grandson
O'Connor  William J. 1881 1958 Great-grandson
*Kincheloe  O'Connor Francis Emily 1883 1971 Great-granddaughter
*Glass  O'Connor Jenne 1885 1960 Great-granddaughter
*O'Connor  Manning James 1887 1954 Great-grandson
*O'Connor  Peter G.  1889 1971 Great-grandson
*McSherry  O'Connor Mary Ellen 1891 1986 Great-granddaughter
*O'Connor  Albert Leo 1893 1979 Great-grandson

* Listed on the bench, but not actually buried in the O'Connor Cemetery.

© 2005 Jack O'Conner. Transcription and tombstone readings by Jack O'Conner.
Expanded from work done in 1999 by Joyce E. Thomas, Hollsopple, PA  

Formerly updated on 7 January 2005

Note: This is one nasty spreadsheet, it cannot be reformatted decently, so is left in place [18 April 2022]

tyle='mso-ignore:colspan'>Great-grandson *O'Connor  Peter G.  1889 1971 Great-grandson *McSherry  O'Connor Mary Ellen 1891 1986 Great-granddaughter *O'Connor  Albert Leo 1893 1979 Great-grandson

* Listed on the bench, but not actually buried in the O'Connor Cemetery.

© 2005 Jack O'Conner. seanroconnor@hotmail.com. Transcription and tombstone readings by Jack O'Conner.
Expanded from work done in 1999 by Joyce E. Thomas, Hollsopple, PA  

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Updated on: 1/7/2005.