Category: History || By Walter L. Riggs

Excerpted from "The Early History of McKeesport," published in 1960 as part of the city's Old Home Week celebration.

Beneath those rugged elms, that hew-tree's shade,
Where heaves the turf in many a mouldering heap,
Each in his narrow cell forever laid,
The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.

The above verse from Gray's "Elegy in a Country Churchyard" might well describe the original cemetery or graveyard set apart by David McKee for the interment of his neighbors and their families. Its location, using present street names, would be on the north side of Ninth Avenue at Locust Street, running northwardly to the James Penny Plan and westwardly to Tube Works Alley.

There were no lots in the graveyard, and when a member of a family died, the kin of the dead person would merely go to the graveyard, select a suitable spot and dig a grave; the coffins were wooden boxes, usually made by the friends of the deceased, or if made by a carpenter, the cost was $5.

As time passed and more and more graves were dug, it be came a problem to find a vacant spot for an interment. If the one digging the grave would find the spot already occupied, he would fill up the hole, move over a few feet and try again.

The conditions in the cemetery became so bad that the borough officials appealed to the Governor, and a special act of the legislature was passed on March 15, 1872, giving the Burgess and the borough council of McKeesport the right "to remove the bodies from the old graveyard in said borough, to sell the ground and purchase other ground for burial purposes."

. . .

Digging Up the Graveyard: The grisly task of removing the dead had not proceeded to any great extent, when, on March 1, 1873, the lot known as the Old Grave Yard was sold to James Evans. Before a deed could be made and delivered, James Neel sued the Borough of McKeesport.

Neel asked for an injunction enjoining the defendants from the removal of the remains of the dead. The defendants, Lewis Mathews, Samuel Fields and James Harrison, were persons employed by the borough and actively engaged in the removal of the bodies. Mr. Neel claimed that he had held possession of a lot in the Old Grave Yard since March 24, 1852, that he had erected a stone wall around it, and had placed an iron fence on the stone wall, and had erected a monument in said lot at a cost of $1,000.

On Oct. 24, 1873, Redick McKee arrived in McKeesport and joined James Neel as a co-plaintiff in said suit.

. . .

By affidavits of gravediggers filed in the case, it was proven that the headstone on the grave of John McKee had been removed to make room for the walls enclosing the lot claimed by James Neel, and that those walls encroached on John McKee's grave; that when the gravediggers attempted to remove the remains of John McKee, they were able to remove only a small part of his body, the greater part remaining under the walls of the Neel lot, because the gravediggers feared personal injury from digging under the walls.

One witness said that he had "frequently seen persons digging and hauling away sand for building purposes from the graveyard; if they happened to dig up a skeleton or remains, they would shovel the larger parts into a box, and the remainder was taken away with the sand and became part of the house being built." The reason for this gruesome tale will come to light before the end of this graveyard story.

The injunction against the removal of the bodies of the dead was granted, and it was not until 1881 that the matter was finally settled. As the result of the settlement, James Neel and his wife, and John Barton and his wife, executed a deed to the Borough of McKeesport quitclaiming all their interest in the old grave yard. Redick McKee and James Evans also executed quitclaim deeds to the Borough of McKeesport.

. . .

Cries of "Blood Money": The bodies of the dead, or parts of them, were taken to the McKeesport and Versailles cemetery and re-interred. As soon as it became public that money had been received by the plaintiffs in the injunction proceedings, a storm of protest arose from the citizens of the borough, and cries of "blood money" went out.

To quell the unpleasant uprising, Mr. Neel invested his money in a town clock on the Second Ward or Walnut Street school and its pleasant tones when the hour was struck could be heard all over the city. The old clock still keeps very good time, but it no longer strikes the hours. Redick McKee used his money to erect a monument in memory of his father on the Momeyer lot in the McKeesport and Versailles cemetery, Mrs. Momeyer being a distant relative of Mr. McKee.

In 1937, James A. Fulton, being a member of the Board of Directors of the cemetery, interested a number of public spirited citizens in a plan to move the monument from the Momeyer lot to a more prominent place in the cemetery, and as a result the monument now stands near the entrance to the cemetery.

They were successful in moving the monument, but they could find no body to move with the monument. Overcome by embarrassment, they decided to keep the matter secret, and secret it was kept, until a few years before Mr. Fulton's death when he told the story of how they dug up half of the Momeyer lot without finding a trace of the desired remains.

By reference to the gravediggers' affidavits, there is room for doubt that the remains of John McKee were ever removed from the old cemetery.

. . .

Pioneer James Evans: Among the pioneers of the new town was James Evans, 21, who came as a visitor in 1796, but was so impressed with the prospects of the site that he rushed back to Carlisle, Pa., married his sweetheart, and brought her back to McKeesport on horseback for the honeymoon.

His bride was the former Emily Alexander, daughter of Hugh Alexander, a well-known and wealthy Pennsylvania politician.

Evans was a hatter by trade. He soon found there were plenty of foxes on the hills across the Monongahela, and that their pelts made excellent hats.

Evans also bought and sold real estate, and before many years had passed he enjoyed the distinction of being McKeesport's first justice of the peace, and later became the first postmaster, although the post office was merely the right hand drawer in his sideboard.

He and his wife raised a family of nine. The oldest was named Oliver and attended medical school at the University of Pennsylvania. By reason of defective eyesight, Oliver never practiced his profession.

James Evans spent a very active life, and accumulated a modest fortune, mostly in real estate. His home property included the old John McKee mansion with 26 acres of ground. He also owned the Hill Farm of 128 acres, which Oliver Evans farmed, and which was later known as the Evans' Estate.

When Mr. Evans was 71, his health was failing rapidly, and he wished to get his worldly affairs in proper shape before his death.

. . .

Mr. Evans Makes His Will: The snow that bleak January day in 1846 was piled high about the square brick mansion of James Evans, and now and then a contrary wind from the ice bound Monongahela roared in the chimney of the hugh fireplace, where blazing logs furnished heat for the living room.

On the side of the room stood a large bed recently brought in from the bedroom so that the ailing man might rest in comfort.

Mr. Evans arose slowly from his rocking chair before the fireplace, adjusted the blanket about him, and walked unstably to the window racing the frozen river. For a moment he paused, watching the sleighs drawn by fleet-footed horses race up and down the river. Then, turning to Mrs. Evans, who sat knitting in the chimney corner, "Send for Oliver," he said, "I have gotten my things fixed, and I want to make my will."

Harriett King, Mr. Evans' widowed daughter, who had been living with her parents during the illness of her father, quickly saddled an old farm horse, and started on her mission.

Up Walnut Street lined with twin wooden fences she rode, turned at Shaw's lane leading to the home of Robert Shaw, at Huey Street she turned her horse to the right, up the new Township Road past the tannery vats first used by James Culbertson and lately by Robert Shaw. At the top of the hill she left the Township Road and followed the lane to the home of Oliver Evans, near the site of the present Carnegie Library, where she delivered her message and returned to her father's home.

When Oliver arrived at the home of his father, he wanted to know just what Mr. Evans intended to do with the real estate, and he received the reply that his father intended that the real estate should be sold. To this Oliver objected, stating that he could pay $1,000 for the land in ten years, if he was given the chance.

Mr. Evans hesitated for some time, and then agreed. So, Asaph Atwater, who lived at the corner of Third Street and Strawberry Alley, was quickly summoned.

. . .

Bad Blood in the Evans Family: While there were no lawyers in the village at that early date, Asaph Atwater prepared all the wills for the inhabitants, and was very efficient in such matters, even acting as executor in many cases. While Mr. Atwater was the official writer of wills and executor of estates of decedents in the village, he never took time to write his own will, and therefore died intestate.

When Mr. Atwater arrived at the home of the sick man, he assured Mr. Evans that it was right and proper for every man to make a will, preferably while he was in good health, but a will at all events.

Mr. Evans died Jan. 30, 1846, just two days after making his will, but instead of settling his affairs, his will started trouble. His daughters and his widow did not like the terms, and attempted to show that Mr. Evans was not of sound mind when he made his will. Considerable "bad blood" developed between Oliver Evans and his sisters.

Oliver came out victorious in the litigation, but Mrs. Evans was not satisfied with his victory. She elected to take against the will, as was her right, and she, therefore, took a life interest in all the real estate and one-third of the personal estate.

. . .

The First Steel Mill in McKeesport: In July 1851, Richard B. Gilpin arrived in McKeesport, seeking a location for the erection of a rolling mill. After inspecting all the available sites, he looked with favor on the old James Evans property along the Monongahela River between Walnut and Locust.

He contacted Oliver Evans, the owner, who quoted a price of $2,500. Mr. Gilpin considered the price excessive; his offer of $500 was promptly refused.

At this point, several public-spirited citizens of McKeesport entered the picture, including Michael Dravo, James R. Hendrickson and James Neel. They explained to Mr. Evans that the building of the rolling mill would be a great asset to the borough and would increase the value of his remaining property, and the arguments had the desired effect. He agreed to accept $500, and a deed was prepared and signed by Oliver Evans, but Mrs. Evans' signature was necessary and she refused to sign.

Instead, she demanded the full price of $2,500 before her signature would adorn the deed.

. . .

A Scheme is Hatched: A wonderful scheme was hatched. The committee decided to prepare and sign an agreement in the nature of a bond, where they bound themselves to pay, in two annual installments, the difference between Gilpin's $500 and the $2,500 demanded by Mrs. Evans. This bond for $2,000 was prepared and signed by the committee, and was tendered to Mrs. Evans in lieu of cash; if she accepted the bond and signed the deed, the rolling mill was assured.

The bond was duly accepted, the deed signed, and the rolling mill erected. Thus the steel business in McKeesport had its modest beginning, but the bond remained the subject of litigation for many years after the rolling mill was erected.

When the first annual installment on the bond became due and payable, Mr. Evans demanded payment from the committee, and payment was duly refused.

A lawsuit was immediately filed. After two trials, both of which were appealed to the state Supreme Court, the committee was ordered to pay the bill.

The rolling mill operated until the year 1860, when it was sold at sheriff's sale, and purchased by the State Bank of Delaware. The bank sold the property on March 12, 1861 to Alan Wood; later on Jan. 14, 1871, the property was sold to W. Dewees Wood, and this was the beginning of what became known as "Wood's Works."

Next week: M.F. Bowers picks up McKeesport's story with news of the first train and the first movie theater.

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